By Olukayode Idowu
Governor Babagana Zulum has laid foundation for the construction of a N2b worth of multi-sectional Skills Acquisition Centre in Biu town.
Zulum laid the foundation on Wednesday in Biu, shortly after he commissioned a zonal department for Monitoring, Evaluation and Special Projects under the Governor’s Office, which will serve southern Borno.
There are similar zonal offices in Monguno for northern Borno and in Maiduguri for the central senatorial.
The three zonal offices will have staff that will be monitoring the delivery of critical public services, programmes and projects.
Meanwhile, the Skills Acquisition Centre, the foundation of which was laid by Zulum in Biu, will have the capacity to give practical training to 3,000 youths at a time, on different areas of self proprietorship.
The centre is likely to have 16 workshops for practical teaching in areas of Solar Installation, Air conditioning and refrigeration, Commercial use of computer and ICT, Tailoring and Fashion design, Automobile and mechatronics, Electrical Installation, Leather works, Barbing and cosmetology, Plumbing and pipe fitting, GSM Repairs, Welding and fabrication, Mercenary and Building, Carpentry and Joinery,Tie and Die among others.
The Zulum administration had in June 2021, completed Borno State Vocational Institute in Muna, Jere local government area, which was commissioned by President Buhari. The centre has all workshops listed above.
The Zulum administration is also constructing similar vocational centres in Monguno, Magumeri and Mafa while in Dikwa, a dormant resort is being converted into a vocational training centre.
Back in 2019, Zulum had approved Government’s support which completed a community funded skills acquisition centre in Marama town of Hawul local government area, neighboring Biu.