The Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Lombardy Regional Government of Italy have agreed to collaborate on vocational education and agriculture to boost youth empowerment and agricultural development in Abuja.
The partnership was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, following a meeting between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the President of the Lombardy Regional Government, Attilio Fontana, in Milan.
Fontana said the partnership with the FCTA will develop agriculture, especially in the area of modern farming technologies.
The FCT Minister, who thanked President Fontana for the reception accorded him and his team, said, We had meetings with your country’s ambassador in Nigeria where we put heads together to see how we can exchange ideas with you and partner with the Lombardy Region.
He said, “We are aware that the Lombardy Region is very strong in agriculture and vocational education. Ours is to see how we can partner to have investors in agriculture in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. And to also get assistance in the area of vocational education, to train our youths and women, especially in ICT and other skills acquisitions.
“Abuja has vast fertile land; agribusiness will thrive there. It has over 800,000 hectares of land, out of which 274,000 hectares are earmarked for agricultural development while 270,000 hectares are for forest reserve. Therefore, we are particular about collaborating with your government to develop agriculture in Abuja.
“Also, vocational training for the youths, especially in ICT, is key. It gives self-employment, and once our youths can employ themselves and are taken off the streets, crime will reduce.
“Basically, these are the two areas we are seeking that we can partner together and also get assistance from your government.”
Responding, President Fontana said, “You know that the Lombardy Region is very strong in industry and battery manufacturing, apart from agriculture. We have a lot of ideas in agriculture too.
“We are willing to collaborate with you in the education of the future because a lot of education is about software, innovation, and technology, and it is very important. We are the best region in this. More than 30 percent of technical education in Italy is here in Lombardy.
“We can establish something on vocational training in your country, and you can also come here to learn our kind of education.”
When the minister asked, “How and when do we start? Like signing a memorandum of understanding, the President responded, “Today. Our office will prepare an MoU, and your officers will look at it with them; we sign and take off.”
On agriculture, the President said, “My team will sit with your team, look at your priority areas, and see how we can partner and also be of assistance.”
