National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced the process of developing a clear-cut roadmap for job creation and poverty reduction within the framework of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government.
Minister of state for labour and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who met with the NDE executive management and the state coordinators to begin the process in Abuja urged the directorate to assume a more significant role in lifting Nigerians out of poverty through job creation.
Onyejeocha commended the NDE for its achievements in the past 35 years as the apex job creation agency in the country, but also stressed the need to intensify efforts to meet the expectations of the present administration.
She said the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu has promised to propel the nation towards a sustained progressive economy and job creation and to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty.
She added that the NDE has a vital role to play in the realisation of the eight-point priority areas of the president while emphasising that skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development for blue collar jobs are the key strategies for economic empowerment and national development.
The minister therefore charged the NDE to focus on the youth, women and vulnerable groups to build the core skills needed for national revival, growth and prosperity.
She also urged the NDE to increase the tempo of sensitisation and awareness for its skills acquisition programmes and entrepreneurship development initiatives, and to create a festival of skills to showcase its innovative achievements.
Earlier, NDE director general, Abubakar Fikpo, who highlighted the achievements of the NDE said, the directorate has produced many successful entrepreneurs and artisans who are contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP) and the domestic market of the nation.
Fikpo further stated that the NDE has modified most of its job creation schemes and has created a spectrum of demand-driven skills set, which according to him has generated over four million direct and indirect jobs in the last three years.