Graduation of 1,662 trainees of the Katsina Youth Craft Village

I am highly delighted to be in your midst today on this epoch-making occasion of the 2nd Graduation and Award of Start-up Packs to 1,662 graduands of our Katsina Youth Craft Village, Katsina.

Let me first acknowledge the presence of all distinguished guests, the Honourable Ministers, Members of the State and National Assembly, Members of the State Executive Council, Heads of Federal Parastatals and Agencies, the Commissioner of Police and all Heads of Security Agencies, our Royal Fathers, the Board and Management of KYCV, our development partners, gentlemen of the press, and most importantly, our 1,662 graduating youths who are the heroes of today.

My Dear People of Katsina State,

When this administration came on board, we made a solemn promise under our "Building Your Future" blueprint that we will give priority to youth empowerment, skills acquisition, and job creation. We promised to turn our youths from job seekers to job creators.

Today, we are not just fulfilling that promise, we are surpassing it.

Beyond training and the provision of start-up packs, our administration is making deliberate investments in the facilities and infrastructure that will sustain skills development and innovation across Katsina State.

These efforts include the renovation and comprehensive upgrade of the KYCV Katsina Centre, as well as its re-equipping with modern machines and tools at a cost of over ₦4 billion. This investment is intended to ensure that our young people learn and practice their trades with equipment that reflects current industry standards and the demands of the modern workplace.

We have also handed over a modern Innovation Hub and established the State Desk Office on Innovation at the KYCV Katsina Centre. These are deliberate steps by this administration to promote innovation technology in the State, encourage creativity, and provide an environment where our youths can develop practical ideas and solutions that contribute to economic growth and job creation.

You will recall that in our first graduation, we empowered 648 youths. Today, barely a year later, we are here to graduate and empower 1,662 youths with start-up packs. This represents a 156.79% increase in our youth empowerment drive. This is unprecedented, and it shows that our agenda is working.

These 1,662 young men and women have been rigorously trained in over 15 different trades including tailoring, welding and fabrication, carpentry, electrical installation, ICT and computer repairs, catering, cosmetology, plumbing, automotive repairs, and many more. They have acquired skills that cannot be taken away from them.

And as is our tradition, we will not just give those certificates and send them away. We are empowering each and every one of them with start-up packs tools and equipment worth millions of Naira to enable them to start their own businesses immediately. We are giving them the hook and the net, not just the fish.

This is how we build an economy. This is how we fight unemployment and insecurity. An idle youth is a danger to society, but a skilled youth is an asset to the nation.

To our graduands, let me address you directly.

My Dear Children,

Congratulations. You have made us proud. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in your lives. The State Government has done its part; the rest is now in your hands.

I urge you in the name of Allah: Do not sell your start-up packs. I repeat, do not sell your start-up packs. That sewing machine, that welding machine, that laptop, that oven that is your future. It is your factory. Use it well, grow your business, and tomorrow you will employ others.

Be good ambassadors of KYCV and Katsina State. Be honest in your businesses. Be innovative. The world belongs to those with skills.

Let me also use this opportunity to commend the Coordinator of KYCV, Engr. Kabir Abdullahi K-Soro, and his entire team, the Ministry of Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, the KYCV Board led by the Chairperson, and all our instructors for their dedication and sacrifice. You have delivered on our mandate.

Let me also appreciate the security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, for ensuring adequate security for this gathering of over 4,000 people at this stadium.

As a government, we will not stop here. This is just the beginning. Our target is to train and empower over 5,000 youths across all Craft Villages in Katsina State before the end of our first term. We will expand KYCV, we will build more centers, and we will continue to support you.

On this note, it is my singular honour and privilege to formally declare the 1,662 graduands of KYCV, as graduates, and to flag-off the distribution of their start-up packs.

Congratulations once again.

God bless KYCV!

God bless Katsina State!

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!