Shettima hails “Kaduna Model” as blueprint for economic revival

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for launching the nation’s first sub-national Council on Skills, calling it a “national model” for tackling unemployment and driving inclusive growth.

In a letter to Governor Sani, Shettima, who chairs the National Council on Skills (NCS), spotlighted the council’s inauguration as a “strategic institutional response to Nigeria’s pressing human capital and unemployment challenges.” The commendation emerged from the NCS’s latest session, where Kaduna’s initiative was hailed as a “major policy milestone” in coordinated skills development nationwide.

Shettima stressed that the move “aligns perfectly with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and sets a benchmark for other sub-national entities.” He commended the state for demonstrating “a proactive commitment to addressing the unemployment gap and fostering human capital development in line with our national objectives.”

Describing it as evidence of Kaduna’s “integrated vision for economic transformation”, the Vice President stated: “This milestone is a testament to your administration’s vision of integrated economic growth.” He positioned the “Kaduna Model” as “a vital template for the ‘bottom-up’ approach to skills acquisition”, crucial for grassroots vocational and technical training.

Shettima urged ongoing collaboration between the National Secretariat and Kaduna’s council to “harmonise standards and scale the impact of ongoing interventions”, positioning the state as a pacesetter for workforce development and youth employment.