Geneva: The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has announced plans to rehabilitate the agency’s non-functioning skill acquisition centres across the country. Mr. Silas Agara, the Director General of NDE, disclosed this initiative during the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, Agara emphasized that the agency is actively working on revamping these skill acquisition centres. He acknowledged that not all centres are operational and stressed the importance of taking stock of those that are non-functional, alongside identifying other partners with up-to-date and effective skill centres nationwide. Agara noted that NDE cannot single-handedly handle the training of unemployed youths and highlighted the need for collaboration with centres owned by other agencies and state governments.

Agara explained the necessity to redesign NDE’s programmes to ensure that centres developed by other entities are utilized as intended. He mentioned that the agency’s operational methods are under review to better serve its purpose, advocating for a shift from analogue to digital processes. This change aims to facilitate easier access for beneficiaries by allowing them to log in, upload personal details, and streamline the application process.

The Director General also revealed that NDE has trained 93,000 Nigerians this year to become self-reliant and is in the process of developing a monitoring system to assess the progress of these trainees. While acknowledging that the system is still a work in progress, Agara expressed confidence in its potential to track trained individuals, distributed items, and the utilization of soft loan facilities. He concluded with the hope that by the end of June, the agency would be able to introduce comprehensive packages for beneficiaries.