New: FIIRO Targets 250,000 New Jobs Through Investment Week

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) has disclosed the institute's capacity to technically create about 250,000 direct Jobs, through its Techno-investment programme, which commenced on October 13.

Speaking on the investment and technology week, Director-General of FIIRO, Gloria Elemo, said: "The institute, in its bid to deliver its mandate to create employment opportunities and reverse the rate of worsening unemployment state, is organizing an investment and Technology Week.

"The overall aim of the programme is to showcase the institute's 250 Research and Development outputs suitable for investment by small, medium and large scale entrepreneurs to enhance job creation.

"We are certain, God willing, that this week-long programme will generate not less than 250,000 jobs to youths, especially those who are willing to take up jobs in the area of locally-generated technology.

"His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, will declare the event open, and he has registered his interest, as regards the job creation, which is one the major highlights."

She listed some of the products to be displayed as High Nutrient Density Biscuit to provide one-third of the daily dietary supplement to school children, cassava-based glucose syrup and pharmaceutical grade cassava starch.

Elemo said there would be a book presentation, which would include a guide to the utilisation of FIIRO-researched raw materials, where each local government the country had comparative advantage.

She noted that the book would be-a major contributor of the projected 250,000 jobs because beneficiaries of the FIIRO free training on food and industrial technology will be present at the event.

She said the beneficiaries of the National Techno-entrepreneurs Initiative by FIIRO was targeted at training 2,000 unemployed youths annually from the 774 local govern- merits in the country.

The director general also said FIIRO Technology Transfer Training Programme, a newly constructed pavilion of 10 complete sets of technology transfer training equipment, would be launched at the event.

Source: Guardian