By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on Thursday inaugurated two Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) on traditional herbal medicine and homeland security.

The Executive Secretary, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, explained during the inauguration in Abuja, that the goal was to promote indigenous skills on traditional medicine and improve security in the country.

This, according to him, will boost the development of local pharmaceutical raw materials and products, and equip local security groups with requisite skills to confront security challenges.

Bugaje described the SSCs as an “independent employer-led organisations” that build skills systems, adding that it would be driven by employer demand.

He said that the SSC on traditional medicine would effectively monitor and ensure that training in herbal medicine was delivered according to laid down rules.

He added that the council would supervise all training to ensure that the guidelines were followed appropriately.

The NBTE boss also said that the initiative would increase opportunities to boost skills and productivity of those working in herbal medicine.

He said that the NBTE has developed the National Occupational Standards (NOS) on herbal medicine practice.

He added that the NOS was developed after a series of workshops with relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, and herbal medicine practitioners across the six geo-political zones.

He said that the Director-General of the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), would serve as the Chairman of the Council on traditional medicine with the RMRDC Headquarters as its secretariat.

On the Sector Skills Council on Homeland Security, Bugaje said that despite the huge investment in the security sector, criminal activities across the country were still on the rise.

“We have noticed a lot of challenges with respect to homeland security, especially with the effect of insurgency and banditry which have refused to go.

“The development is worrisome despite the massive resources being invested to tackle security challenges by successive governments.

“Boko Haram insurgency started in the North East and later spread to other parts of the country in the forms of banditry and other acts of criminality.

“This is largely because the local response to insurgency across the country was left for vigilante groups,” he said.

He pointed out that some of them were untrained, while others were without the necessary skills to effectively confront the bandits.

He said that the NBTE decided to work with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to develop a training manual for the training of local vigilantes.

He added that the NBTE further set up the SSC on Homeland Security with the NSCDC as the awarding body.

Bugaje urged state governors in the country to partner with the Council and work out ways to train their respective local vigilantes for optimal service.

This, he said, would equip the local security outfits with the requisite skills and equipment to confront local security challenges.

In his remarks, Prof. Hussaini Ibrahim, Director-General, RMRDC, described the initiative as a “crucial step” towards industrialisation and self-reliance.

‘’It stands as a symbol of our dedication to harnessing our indigenous skills for sustainable economic development’.

‘RMRDC has over the years made tremendous efforts in the development of pharmaceutical raw materials and products,” he said.

Similarly, the Commandant-General, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Dr Usman Jahun, commended the initiative, which he said, would significantly improve the performance informal security sector. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Philip Yatai