Ngige commends NDE job creation drive

Stories by Moses John

Minister of Labour and Employment and Chairman of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Senator Chris Ngige, has commended the NDE for its recent efforts at tackling the scourge of mass unemployment in Nigeria.
He spoke during the activities marking the NDE Special Day at the just concluded Lagos International Trade Fair held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
Senator Ngige who was represented by Mr. Andy Egboh, an Assistant Director in the ministry, said the directorate will explore the abundant opportunities in the agriculture and mining sectors of the economy to create more jobs for unemployed Nigerians.
He further reassured Nigerians of the commitment of the President Buhari-led administration to give a new lease of life to Nigerians through well-articulated employment creating programmes and schemes.
In his welcome remarks, the Director-General of the NDE Dr. Nasir Ladan Mohammed Argungu, described the theme of this year’s fair as timely and in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals to which the federal government is irrevocably committed to achieving.
The DG who was represented by Mrs. Awulat Shafaru, Zonal Director, South West, revealed that the NDE is set to create employment opportunities in the agricultural sector through an initiative known as the Green Cash Initiative which will see young unemployed Nigerians gainfully employed through participation in the raising and management of economic trees. He explained that date and palm oil plantations will be established in the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria pursuant to this initiative.
He called on all unskilled and unemployed persons in Nigeria to embrace the opportunities offered by the NDE for self-reliance.
The wife of the Enugu state Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugochi Ugwuanyi who was also the mother of the day at the occasion, praised the NDE for putting smiles “on the faces of millions of unemployed persons through its numerous and purposeful programmes”.
She noted that the NDE had made commendable strides “through skills acquisition in the areas of vocational, agricultural and entrepreneurship, which is what the country needs, especially in the rural settlements where poverty has become a way of life for a greater number of people”.
She further called on Nigerians to support the NDE which, according to her, had despite all the odds, has passionately pursued its mandate and continues to do so.
Represented by Hajiya Zainab Isah Jibrin, the governor’s wife pledged the support and partnership of the state government towards NDE programmes, so as to achieve a sustainable growth that will reach every nook and cranny of the nation.

 

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