By Mohamed Juma Jalloh
The National Authorising Office (NAO), which is the domestic implementing partner of the European Union (EU), has supported a youth scheme that will ensure 125 youths are trained in acquiring technical skills in road and bridge construction.
According to Mr Ambrose James, the Deputy Director of NAO, the move is geared towards supporting the Government in tackling the high unemployment rate among the youths in the country. He cited the National Youth Commission (NYC) as the focal Government Agency mandated to deal with youth issues, which has been chosen to oversee the implementation of the project.
Mr. James highlighted that the main aim of the support to the NYC is based on job creation and youth empowerment through the acquisition of technical skills that will aid life-long sustenance.
The Deputy Director noted that the training will be undertaken by the CSE construction company after which these 125 youths will be issued with certificates that will serve as a potential guarantee to future employers.
“This will be a piloted project that will be first implemented on the Bandajuma highway road construction. The Office will replicate similar initiatives in other areas,” the Director disclosed.
He continued that both graduates and non-graduates will be selected as beneficiaries as the process will be handled by the NYC and the traditional authorities where these roads will be constructed.
Mr. James furthered that the office has a different approach regarding development assistance projects, as this particular initiative is funded as a result of the skills deficiencies among Sierra Leoneans. Remember foreign companies operating in Sierra Leone have even complained of some of these deficiencies.
The development expert concluded that rather than bringing in foreign workers to construct our roads and bridges, these workers will be capacitated to take some of the technical jobs.