Sen Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment has said that most Nigerian youths lack functional skills which is why they are unemployed.
Ngige said this while declaring open a one-day trade Job, Career and Employability Fair, on Thursday in Abuja, NAN reports.
The fair was organised by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with the theme: “Promoting Employability, Skills Development and Decent Work’’.
Ngige, represented by Mrs Tilda Mmegwa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation said all stakeholders must be actively involved in preparing the African workforce for the ‘future of work’.
According to him, the Nigerian government is conscious of the fact that most of the unemployed are those without functional skills.
“Our strategy, therefore, is to equip the unemployed youths with market-driven skills, which will facilitate their access to self or paid employment.
“In recognition of this reality, my ministry is keenly committed to equipping unemployed graduates with entry point competencies to make them employable.
“I am therefore happy to inform you that my ministry is scheduled to train 37,000 unemployed graduates, 1,000 in each of the states of the federation and FCT, on soft skills and marketable resumes.
“In the coming months, we will also train 3,500 unemployed youth in various vocations including fashion design, catering and event management, solar panel and CCTV installation, among others,’’ he said.
