The House of Representatives has passed to second reading, a bill seeking for an act to establish South East Institute For Vocational and Entrepreneurial Studies in Umuobom, Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State.
The bills sponsored by lawmaker representing Ideato, Ikenga Ugochinyere, seeks to harness the innovative talents, entrepreneurship spirit, develop the vocational skills relevant to business creation and technological problem-solving, prevalent in the South East Region of Nigeria.
Ugochinyere who led the debate on the bill at the sitting of the house on Wednesday, said the bill if passed into law, will reduce youth unemployment and insecurity through job creation.
He also noted that the bill seeks to align vocational education with 21st-century business, innovation, and technology needs.
The lawmaker said Nigeria faces a pressing challenge of youth unemployment, regional economic disparity, growing insecurity linked to joblessness, noting that the South East region is renowned for its deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit and a culture of innovation.
According him, “these talents often lack formal incubation or technical refinement,” and expressed optimism that creating a specialised federal institute focused on vocational training, entrepreneurship development, will address both economic empowerment and national security in one strategic move.
Ugochinyere said, “This institute will provide a foundation for sustainable development, skill transfer, enterprise incubation, and youth productivity in the South East and beyond.”
He stated that the institute as a corporate entity under federal law, will be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education through the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
The lawmaker added that the establishment of the institute is not only constitutional, but also a practical response to Nigeria’s triple dilemma of unemployment, insecurity, and regional underdevelopment.
The bill was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, and was passed and referred to the committee on alternative education and South East Development Commission.
