The Presidency has unveiled plans to expand vocational training entrepreneurship development and economic empowerment programmes as part of efforts to tackle insecurity by reducing the vulnerability of unemployed youths to recruitment by criminal organisations.
The initiative which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s non-kinetic approach to national security seeks to address the socioeconomic conditions that expose young Nigerians to criminal exploitation particularly poverty unemployment and limited access to sustainable livelihoods.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE) Dr. Abiola Arogundade disclosed the plans on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security Major-General Adeyinka A. Famadewa (retd) at her office.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the two presidential offices to incorporate vocational education job creation and entrepreneurship into broader efforts to combat insecurity and promote lasting peace across the country.
Arogundade said the proposed partnership would provide vulnerable Nigerians particularly unemployed and economically disadvantaged youths with practical skills and economic opportunities capable of discouraging their involvement in criminal activities.
According to her tackling insecurity requires more than military operations and law enforcement as sustainable peace also depends on providing citizens with legitimate opportunities for economic advancement.
‘This partnership seeks to strengthen cooperation between both offices in empowering our people broadening their awareness and creating sustainable opportunities for their positive engagement.
‘Through these collective efforts we aim to steer them away from crime and criminality while fostering a safer more enlightened and empowered society’ she said.
The presidential aide explained that the collaboration would prioritise skills acquisition employability and sustainable livelihoods as preventive measures against criminality particularly among young people susceptible to exploitation by criminal networks.
She noted that equipping vulnerable citizens with marketable skills and entrepreneurial capabilities would help address some of the economic and social conditions that criminal organisations exploit to attract recruits.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen community resilience encourage productive engagement and promote social stability by providing alternative sources of livelihood for individuals who might otherwise be drawn into criminal activities.
Both presidential aides acknowledged the need for a comprehensive national security strategy that combines conventional military and law enforcement operations with education economic inclusion and community empowerment.
They agreed that addressing the underlying causes of insecurity including unemployment poverty and social exclusion would complement ongoing security operations and contribute to long-term peacebuilding efforts.
Famadewa emphasised the importance of adopting a holistic approach to national security particularly through non-kinetic interventions designed to address the socioeconomic factors contributing to crime and instability.
The retired military general also highlighted the priorities of his office including coordinated intelligence gathering and surveillance improved border security early identification of security threats and more effective mechanisms for reporting and responding to security emergencies.
The proposed partnership would seek to align these homeland security objectives with the Presidency’s technical and vocational education programmes to promote safer communities and reduce the socioeconomic pressures that make vulnerable populations susceptible to criminal influence.
Under the arrangement the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on TVEE would explore opportunities to expand access to vocational education entrepreneurship training and economic empowerment initiatives as complementary components of the administration’s security interventions.
The Presidency explained that the collaboration reflected the Tinubu administration’s determination to address insecurity through an integrated approach that combines security enforcement with human capital development and economic opportunity.
It added that strengthening vocational skills supporting entrepreneurship and promoting productive livelihoods would help build more resilient communities reduce the appeal of criminal activities and create a foundation for sustainable peace and national stability.