Vice President Kashim Shettima has reassured Nigerians that the federal government is working diligently to reverse the nation’s increasing unemployment rate. Speaking on Saturday during the launch of the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Strategy Document and Gender Transformative Human Capital Development Policy Framework in Lafia, Shettima emphasized the administration’s commitment to equipping citizens with globally competitive skills.
Highlighting the critical need for human capital development (HCD), Shettima stressed that the program is aimed at fostering a productive workforce capable of excelling both locally and internationally.
“Enough of the distressing data on our education system—whether it is the mean years of schooling, the high pupil-to-teacher ratios, or the staggering number of youths not in employment, education, or training,” Shettima said. He underscored the urgent need to tackle the growing unemployment, informal sector expansion, and low labor force participation.
“This is the dystopia our Human Capital Development Programme is designed to avert, under the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Shettima also noted that partnerships with the private sector are essential in achieving these goals, stating that access to resources, expertise, and innovation would help make human capital development the foundation of a more prosperous and competitive Nigeria.
Regarding Nasarawa’s blueprint for addressing human capital challenges, the Vice President commended the state’s leadership and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to addressing the unique issues of each state.
“Nasarawa state’s commitment to the Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme, a lifeline for our nation, is built on the collective realization that enough is enough,” Shettima remarked. He cited the need to break cycles of high fertility rates, maternal and child mortality, and low life expectancy that have hindered national progress.
Shettima concluded with a call to action for both national and sub-national entities, stressing the importance of ensuring every child has access to quality education and healthcare, while equipping the nation’s workforce with the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
