The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has returned to Abuja, following his trip to Milan, Italy to meet with President Fontana Attilio, of the Lombardy region for bilateral talks in areas of agriculture and vocational training.
Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, made the announcement in a statement on Monday, adding that key outcomes of his meeting with Fontana include an agreement to establish a vocational centre in Abuja, providing crucial skill training for youths and a partnership to modernise FCT agriculture.
Speaking with journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the minister described the meeting as “very fruitful”, adding that the agreements reached will significantly boost the FCT’s economy and create employment opportunities.
“Our visit was very fruitful. We had a memorandum of understanding with Lombardy to establish a vocational centre in the FCT where our youths will be trained in skill acquisition and also try to establish some form of mechanised agriculture that will create employment for our people and also trying to improve our economy. So, I think the visit is worthwhile, and I thank the government of Lombardy for that cooperation,” he said.
Wike also emphasised the trip’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” and its potential to attract foreign investors to the FCT, stating, “You know that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, if you see the shuttles Mr. President has made, it’s to create relationships with other countries, how we can cooperate to improve our country’s economy. So, I think with what we have done now, there is hope that investors will come into the country.”
Recall that the minister met with the President of Lombardy Regional Government in Italy, Attilio Fontana, last Thursday, and he promised that his government would collaborate with the FCT Administration to strengthen vocational education by establishing a training center in Abuja and also facilitate the training of youths from Abuja in Lombardy.
