The Federal Government has revealed that in the next 2-year, its program aims to empower 10 million hard-working Nigerians, reflects govt’s commitment to promoting economic development and improving citizens’ standard of living, and job creation.
Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite who made this known at the Ministerial Briefing organized by Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja on Friday disclosed that her ministry is creating a National job centre to match available vacancies in industries and businesses with available talent pool.
She said further that the job centre will also train and equip people to be job-ready. “One such initiative is Skill-UP Artisans program (SUPA) led by our parastatal the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). The program’ll empower artisans with tech-enabled skills training, licensing, access to essential toolkits and promoting industry-standard excellence.
Uzoka-Anite explained that SUPA addresses the skills deficiency among artisans and standardizes artisanal practice, adding that the program ensures the availability of a skilled workforce for domestic industries, thereby reducing labour import dependency.
“Still in furtherance of job-creation, skills development and talent exports we launched the NATEP, to create 1m jobs including talent exchange, business process outsourcing and job outsourcing. We are engaging and signing MOUs with world class organizations and governments on this”, she said.
The Minister who was at the briefing to highlight the strides taken under her Ministry to foster economic growth and prosperity to Nigerians, in line with the laudable 8-Point agenda of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Toward the achievement of the following: food security; ending poverty; economic growth and job creation; access to capital; improving security; improving the playing field on which people and particularly companies operate; rule of law; and fighting corruption.
She assured that her Ministry will play a key role in the delivery of Mr President’s 8-Point agenda as four (economic growth and job creation, access to capital, improving the playing field on which people and particularly companies operate, and ending poverty) are directly linked to her ministry.
To further enhance 8-point agenda of the President Tinubu-Led administration, the Minister said her ministry is taking decisive steps to attract capital investments that will transform our homegrown enterprises into global players.
“We have just recently concluded a stakeholder engagement with our domestic private equity and asset management firms towards launch of Investment Mobilization Initiative aimed at increasing local and foreign investment as a catalyst for economic growth in Nigeria”.
Acknowledging some of the prevailing challenges such as infrastructure deficits, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and regulatory complexities, additionally, external factors such as fluctuating commodity prices and global economic uncertainties which she said pose risks to Nigeria’s economic stability.
Uzoka-Anite stated that her ministry undeterred in resolve to address these challenges head-on, seeking innovative solutions and fostering collaboration across sectors. “We will also be engaging more with the private sector to get closer to business community and resolve their challenges.
“We will do this by having more sectoral stakeholder engagements. It is through this collaboration that we can fully unlock the potential of this nation, create environment where businesses thrive, innovate, contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of our great nation”.
Information and National Orientation Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris had earlier declared that this gathering to build trust and to ensure the people of Nigeria are informed, adding that this platform allows the media, to directly engage with senior officials and hold them accountable.
He emphasized his Ministry’s commitment to transparency and access to information, while highlighting the crucial role journalists play in informing the public, Idris reiterated the series’ commitment to ensuring wide coverage through traditional and digital platforms.
“We understand the need for patience and trust,” the Minister added, “but we commit to realizing the President’s vision of Renewed Hope. We will keep you informed every step of the way”, he said.
In attendance were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy Mr Bayo Onanuga, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Dr Ngozi Onwudiwe, as well as Chief Executive Officers of agencies under the two Ministries.