Nasarawa Assembly seeks special funds for vocational skills board

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has called on Gov. Abdullahi Sule to earmark special funds to the State Vocational and Relevant Technology Board, Lafia, for effective service delivery.

The house said the funds would enable the board to train more youths in different skills acquisition programmes in the state.

Mr Abel Bala, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, made the call on Friday when he led other members of the committee on an inspection visit to the board in Lafia.

Bala said the on-the-spot assessment was to enable the committee to have a first hand information with a view to correcting any abnormalities, if discovered.

He appreciated the management of the board headed by Mr Kasimu Hamidu for being up and doing in training youths and other people of the state in different skills acquisition programmes.

“I want to appreciate Gov. Abdullahi Sule for the support he is giving to this board, as the board cannot succeed without his assistance.

“I want to appeal to His Excellency to increase the overhead of the board for effective service delivery, the lawmaker said.

He added that the committee went round department by department, adding that they were impressed with what they saw.

“The Executive Secretary of the board is doing well. Almost all departments/trades are busy with their work and we are happy and impressed with their activities.

“It is in view of this that I want to call on Gov. Abdullahi Sule, to make special funds available to the board for more development and improvement of trades,” he pleaded.

Bala also appealed to Gov. Sule to visit the board to see things for himself for the overall development of the board.

“I want to appeal to His Excellency to visit the board to see things for himself, to see the good work of the Executive Secretary, his team and staff,” he said.

Bala further advised the management of the board to provide safety measures in all departments for the safety of staff and students.

Responding, Mr Kasimu Hamidu, the Executive Secretary of the Board, appreciated the committee for supporting the board’s activities.

He also thanked Gov. Abdullahi Sule for prioritising the activities of the board.

The executive secretary pledged his commitment to training more youths in different skills acquisition programmes in the state.

The newsmen report that the committee visited plumbing, welding, tailoring, barbing, building, fabrication, carpentry, shoemaking and electrical installation departments, among others.