By Oluwakemi

The federal government has encouraged all unemployed Nigerians to register online  for its Social Intervention Scheme (SIS), in order to benefit from the scheme, when the government rolls out programme under the scheme.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, stated this over the weekend while flagging off the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) School-to-Work Programme in Calabar, Cross River State.

He spoke against the backdrop of different agencies of government laying claim to the ownership of the programmes, a move that might isolate the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The minister urged all unemployed Nigerians to register at the online job portal of the Social Intervention Scheme of the Federal Government in order to benefit from different categories of programmes which government is offering.

“Unfortunately, as we speak, by last week, the portal has only recorded about 1.2 million persons. We expect more persons to have been registered in the portal before our screening exercise. The portal closes 31st August 2016 which is just few days away,” Ngige said.

“For those who are not computer literate, we advise state governments to encourage them by using local government chairmen to move into local government areas and register the unemployment persons there, so that they can qualify to be considered for the scheme. Each state of the federation is expected to recruit about 1,500 persons.”

Ngige also added that the School-to-Work programme was a renewed vigour by the ministry to catch them young.

The minister said it was also a bold attempt to build a future Nigeria where white-collar jobs would be unattractive.

“We are building a generation of Nigerians where creative thinking, self-confidence and dignity of labour will challenge the prevailing unemployment scourge. We are building a generation of Nigerians who will not only create wealth with their hands, but are proud employers with skills from hands that God has given them,” ’he added.

Ngige said that the programme which was a 2-month vacation creative job learning scheme, was organised for students in JSS 1 to SSS 2 classes in order to provide them with early skills.

He added that this set of students would graduate to higher skills training during the next vacation, while others succeed them.

“By this, we are re-thinking a university education system where graduates fold hands and wait for food on their table,” Ngige said.

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