The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria has reiterated the need to kick-start the reduction of unemployment through the training of artisans.
This was as the council declared that 10 million artisans must be trained in 20 years to reduce housing and infrastructural shortfall in the country.
A member of the Senior Artisan of Nigeria, Anthony Okwa, stated this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH on the sidelines of the 22nd induction ceremony of new builders.
Sunday PUNCH reports that an infrastructure investment of $2.3tn will ensure the country achieves 70 per cent infrastructure stock from the current 30-35 per cent by 2043, according to the Finance Minister of State, Clem Agba.
Okwa stressed that any government committed to the nation’s infrastructural development and housing delivery must encourage interest in technical and vocational education which would stimulate patronage of indigenous manpower.
He said, “It is generally adduced that we have as many as 20 million shortfalls in housing; that is not done by any hard research but it is indicative of the severe housing and infrastructure shortfall.
“For every building, there is a myriad of artisans, masons, carpenters, plumbers. So, on an average project site, you would need hundreds of artisans and that is one of the areas we have been charged to go for to address the shortage of artisans.
“The number cannot be static even though the population is growing everyday and development needs are expanding. We have been retrogressive because our infrastructure has been in a state of comatose. We need new and more infrastructure, build new schools and homes.
“For a country with 200 million people and a housing shortfall of 20 million, if we are going to thrive to address that shortfall within 20 years, we need not less than 10 million artisans.”
He further stated, “We need millions of artisans. The target of the council is to build up at least100,000 artisans every year, so far we want to significantly boost the number of building professionals.”
He disclosed that the council recently trained 40,000 people.
SOURCE: THE PUNCH
