FCTA partners federation of construction industry on various skills

Dr Ramatu Aliyu, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, on Tuesday expressed commitment of the FCT Administration to partner with the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) in various construction skills.

Aliyu gave the commitment when the leadership of the federation paid her a courtesy call to brief the minister on the outcome of its 65th Annual General Meeting and unveiling of FOCI Skills Academy in Abuja.

She said that the FCT Administration was conscious of the potential in the construction industry.

Aliyu said that the administration would in line with the presidential mandates work with the private sector to create jobs and contribute to the attainment of the objective of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

“The FCT Administration through the Youth Development Department of the Social Development Secretariat has trained youths in various viable economic skills at the FCT Youth Support Centre, Nyanya.

“We are in active collaboration with the African Union to establish a youth outreach mini centre at the Social Development Secretariat.

“This is where young people can meet our social services experts to engage and discuss their problems for positive solution.

“I want to assure you that we shall work hard together to attract investments into this sector,” she said.

The minister said the administration was leaving no stone unturned toward ensuring that skills and job creation were not encumbered with business support challenges.

Aliyu said that the administration had strengthened the leading skills development agency, the Abuja Enterprise Agency, while the Youth Centre in Nyanya had been upgraded for skill acquisition training.

She commended the group for unveiling the skills academy in Abuja, noting that the academy was an attestation of FOCI’s drive to create job opportunities in the industry.

Earlier, the FOCI Director-General, Mrs Olubunmi Adekoje, informed the minister that the skills academy would provide world class training in construction skills through training and certification of apprentices, up-skilling of artisans and craftsmen.

Adekoje revealed that the academy could train over 1,000 persons in various construction skills.

She said that the move could be one of the pathways for Nigeria to boost ongoing efforts at overcoming developmental obstacles in the pursuit of sustained inclusive growth.

She said that the annual general meeting of FOCI was a platform designed for and dedicated to protect the interests of member companies through advocacy and representation.

Adekoje said that since the federation was founded in 1954, it had ensured sustained excellence and standard in the construction industry through sound practices, respect for ethics and stability.