The Ogun State Government has commended Promasidor Nigeria Limited for initiating a career guidance workshop for secondary school students, describing it as a laudable effort towards the development of education and youth empowerment in the country.
Speaking at the second edition of Promasidor Harness Your Dream programme, organised by the makers of Cowbell, Milk, Loya Milk, Onga, Top Tea and other quality brands, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Modupe Mujota called on other corporate organisations to emulate Promasidor since education and youth development are collective responsibilities of the government and the populace in line with public and private partnership policy.
The Commissioner, who was represented at the event, held at African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta, on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Director of Education Support Services, Mr Martins Akinsolu, remarked that most adolescents are ignorant of career choices. “It would not be an overstatement to state that the most bugging problem facing the adolescents of this country is the problem of unemployment and the major cause of this problem is wrong choice of career,” she lamented.
In a separate interview, Akinsolu described Promasidor Harness Your Dream as “the first of its kind in Ogun State”, adding that the Ministry would seek further support from the company to enable the over 450 secondary schools in the state benefit from the initiative.
The Principal of African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta, Mr Akinjide Johnson was particularly delighted that Promasidor Nigeria Limited had chosen to support the future of Nigerian youths rather than devote resources to sponsor programmes he described as “promoting frivolities.”
In his opening remarks, the Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anders Einarsson admonished the students to take full advantage of the workshop in order to achieve their dream goals. Einarsson, who was represented by the company’s Head of Legal/PR, Mr. Andrew Enahoro, described success as not just what is hoped and prayed for.
He then explained: “You choose to be successful and work hard towards achieving it. That you are here today means you have chosen to be successful in your future endeavours. What remains is for you to continue to study and work hard to achieve the desired results. Paying attention to the presentations that will be made this afternoon, for me, is what you must do if you are really determined to be successful. Beyond today, however, I implore you to embrace learning as a lifelong process. This is one decision you will never regret taking.”
Einarsson said that Promasidor remained committed to education and youth development through such initiatives as Promasidor Harness Your Dream and the Cowbellpedia Mathematics TV Quiz Show, through which the company has promoted interest in Mathematics in the last 20 years.
He recalled that Promasidor doubled the cash prizes for winners and runners of the popular TV Quiz programme from this year’s edition, while sustaining the overseas education excursion for the two category winners. “The competition perfectly demonstrates how far we are ready to go in supporting you to harness and achieve your dreams,” Einarssonfurther said.
The focus areas of this edition were “Personnel Management/Emerging Entrepreneurial Opportunities”, “Accounting and Business Management, “Digital Media” and “Information and Communication Technology.”
Students of Gateway Secondary School, Abeokuta were also in attendance to benefit from the programme.
A Corporate Social Responsibility of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the primary objective of ‘Promasidor Harness Your Dreams, is to help public school students understand varieties of career options and guide them along their career paths with PNG staff members serving as resource persons.
It is to be held across the country with one edition per school term.
