03/07/2025
Honorable Alex Ikweche defending his bill on establishing federal technical and vocational training center in Aba. This is exactly what Aba needs to strive.
Today, at the public hearing to defend my bill for an Act to Establish a Federal Technical and Vocational Training Centre in Aba, I emphasized the immense benefits of empowering Nigerians through skill-based education.
Aba, renowned for the dexterity and ingenuity of its people, has long been a hub of artisanal and entrepreneurial excellence. With the right support and investment, this city can emerge as Africa’s own version of China in terms of local production and innovation.
*Even though there was a power outage during my presentation of the bill, it did not deter us from driving home the message. If anything, it further underscored the urgency of empowering Aba’s workforce—so that we may one day solve, from within, the very electricity challenges that continue to plague our country.*
I further argued that the strength of our currency and economy is intrinsically linked to how much we produce as a nation. The Federal Government must therefore prioritize productivity and invest in local content. This has been the path taken by industrial powerhouses like China, India, Japan, and the United States, all of whom achieved sustainable economic growth by empowering their local industries and workforce.
I am hopeful that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will assent to this bill, which aligns with and adds tangible value to the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
Aba remains the Japan of Africa—resilient, industrious, and full of promise.
