Senate moves to tackle unemployment with database for artisans

The Senate on Thursday promised to facilitate the establishment of a database for local artisans across the country to reduce unemployment in the country.

The database will be the major source that companies and government agencies will visit for the recruitment of workers.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairman of the Committee on Local Content, made the promise at an interactive session with officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at the Senate Complex in Abuja.

She said that the database would help to reduce the rate of unemployment among Nigerian youths and encourage the locals to work effectively in conducive environments.

“Local Content Committee intends to deploy innovative thinking for positive results; thus, we are building a database of carefully profiled artisans who have been trained by NDDC, SMEDAN, etc. and work modalities to have the oil and gas companies, as well as government contractors, recruit from the pool of verified workforce,” she added.

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“This would help curb unemployment by keeping jobs locally. Such a project would also help the local content board, NDDC, and other agencies monitor and evaluate the performance of our collective capacity-building efforts towards achieving common microeconomic growth for Nigeria and Africa at large.

“NDDC should consider being the primary recruiters of their trained workforce. Artisans or skilled professionals such as ICT workers can be absorbed by NDDC contractors, which in turn will enable the commission to reach the most vulnerable and neglected youth,” Akpoti-Uduaghan further said.

The chairman of the Senate committee commended the management of the NDDC for signing an agreement with Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to develop local content capacity.

Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of NDDC, assured that the management of the commission will continue to support local artisans. He promised to continue engaging local artisans for recruitment procedures.