The National Open University of Nigeria’s Centre for Human Resource Development has vowed to partner Panteka Market Association on entrepreneurship skill development.
This statement was contained in a speech delivered by the director Centre for Human Resource Development Dr. Aminu Umar when he paid a courtesy call on the Market union in Kaduna.
He added that the partnership would also stretch its tentacles to the certification of who learn skills in a particular trade or another.
He explained that National Open University is everywhere in the country and well represented in Kaduna State with four Centres.
He cautioned that the Kaduna State Government and the people of the state are not adequately harnessing the benefit the university brought to their door steps.
The director informed the association that the Centre has since been in partnership with the Kaduna State Government and trained 600 Artisan in different skills and are awaiting the government approval for the commencement of the second batch.
He intimated them about the abundant modern facilities for the development of skills and construction of building material which awaits their patronage.
He appealed to the association reciprocate the visit so as to see for themselves the facilities on ground.
Delivering his remarks, the Chairman Panteka market association Alhaji Suleiman Shehu, said it is a market where they assist the less privileged for more than 50 years.
It is also a market where waste products are transformed to useful product, where production and fabrication of building materials were build and assembled.
It is a market where theories are put into perspective, he added.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency has assisted the association with modern machines and building that is about to be commissioned soon, said the Chairman.
This has proven that the government has recognized us and our importance to the Kaduna State and the nation at large.
He stated that the association and the Kaduna Polytechnic have collaboration in the area of certificate.
Currently the market have thirty eight zones teaching different trades with more than three thousand shops and in each shop there were about five to ten apprentice learning one skill to the other.
He promised to reciprocate the visit in order to see for themselves the bountiful opportunities laid at their doorsteps by the National Open University of Nigeria which is yet to be fully explored.
The Panteka Market Association association under the leadership of the secretary of the association has since reciprocated the visit where they inspected the available facilities on ground.
Earlier before the inspection, the the director, Centre for Human Resource Development, Dr. Aminu Umar, in a meeting, stated that he has since visited one of the movers and shakers of skills acquisition developments, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Professor Bugaji, for a possible collaboration and assistance.
He emphasised that the organisation is created for the purpose of human capital development.
He added that he was planning to see how they would resuscitate the artisans training back.
Aminu further said this partnership would also pave way for which the parties will liaise to use the Artisan Training yard based on the agreement reached.
This is to further train Artisans and issuance of certificates based on merit.
Responding, the secretary, Panteka Market Association, reiterated that seeing Professor Bugaji was very important at this end.
He assured that the Association will connect the Nigerian Institute of Builders with the National Open University of Nigeria as they are one of the certifying bodies in skills acquisition development.
He assured that all things been equal the state government will send students.
He has also promised to see how they will also integrate CHRD in the Almajiri skills development.
He therefore promised to inspect the facilities at the Artisans training yard.
