By RAZAQ BAMIDELE
Former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja has advised the Buhari administration and State governments in Nigeria to resuscitate the moribund Vocational and Technical Colleges in Nigeria without further delay.
Adedoja, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo State said their resuscitation is desired for the training of the needed middle level manpower for Nigeria particularly with the level of youth unemployment in the country.
The don stated this at a lecture titled, “The state of Education in Nigeria and the role of Nigerians in the diaspora” held in Katy, Houston, Texas in the United States of America Friday where he addressed a group of Nigerians from different parts of the country.
READ ALSO:5 die,14 injured in auto crash along Abeokuta-Ibadan expressway
The former Pro Chancellor of the Federal University Dutse in Jigawa state , during the lecture said, “while supporting the priority given to Science, Engineering and Technology in the development of the country, it is also important to make adequate provision in our educational policy and implementation strategy for middle level entrepreneurship in practical vocational and technical skills to fill the gap in Nigeria’s maintenance culture inherent in vocational and technical schools and Colleges as key to the Nation’s economy.”
Adedoja, who was once the Provost of the Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo, lamented that, “it is sad that several of Nigeria’s maintenance and technician crews in the Aviation Industry, Sea transportation, Railway, Military, Para Military, Medical, Para Medical , automobile, Housing, roads and other public utility outlets are being trained with Nigeria’s hard earned foreign currency in Technical Schools and Colleges in the United States of America, when such Technical and Vocational schools and colleges abound in Nigeria but are not being utilised effectively!”
He further called on Nigerians in the diaspora, the figure of which Prof Adedoja put at over five million including Nigerians based in the United States of America to support the initiatives of the Buhari Administration in the Education Sector in general , and the provision of middle level manpower requirements for Nigeria’s economic and social development.
Dr.Rauf Abiodun and Prince Kunle Olatunji, both US based front line Nigerian journalists who coordinated the event commended Prof Adedoja’ s patriotism particularly his foresight in the Education sector, his integrity and achievements in all the public offices he has occupied.