NDE ready to tackle mass unemployment — Fikpo

By Richard Akintade, Osogbo

The Acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo has commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for providing necessary support for the implementation of Extended Special Public Works ( ESPW), otherwise known as 774,000 jobs creation programme.

The Ag DG gave the commendation in Osogbo, Osun State capital, at the event marking the official flag off of the programme.

The NDE Deputy Director, Mr Adeoye Adebowale, spoke on Fikpo’s behalf.

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He said the 774,000 jobs creation was a very significant step in Nigeria’s quest to win the war against mass unemployment, as well as to ameliorate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic

According to him, “the labour absorptive capacity of the public works sector makes it a very critical vehicle in the job creation process and maintenance of public infrastructure.”

Mallam Fikpo emphasised that the successful conduct of the pilot phase of the programme in eight states namely, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina & Kwara, encouraged Present Muhammad Bhuari to approve the implementation in 36 states and “indeed across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.”

He also stated that the ESPW had been designed as a veritable tool through which lives of 774,000 unemployed Nigerians would be positively touched in the next three months.

While expressing gratitude to the Federal Government through the Minister of state for Labour, Mr Festus Keyamo, he pledged the commitment and dedication of NDE management and staff members to the smooth and effective implementation of the programme.

According to the DG, all the benefiting local communities would receive a facelift through the activities of the participants as they would be engaged in various community/ environment public work activities such as drainage clearing and maintenance, vegetation control, feeder roads maintenance, irrigation, great green wall, orchard maintenance, among others.

Mallam Fikpo, therefore, charged all the participants nationwide to reciprocate the gesture of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government by diligently executing their assigned tasks throughout the duration of the programme.

Also speaking on the occasion, the state coordinator of NDE Osun State, Mr Ismail Yekeen, expressed gratitude to state Governor, Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola and his cabinet members for supporting NDE activities in the state.

He said that the Directorate would continue to enjoy the goodwill of all the stakeholders because of the positive impact of the NDE in the lives of unemployed persons in the country.

Yekeen disclosed that the 774,000 jobs (ESPW) programme would inject at least N1.8 billion into the economy of Osun State within the next three months.