The Director General of the National Productivity Centre, NPC, Dr. Nasir Olaitan Raji Mustapha, has described the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, as an agency that has performed creditably well in her mandate of job creation in Nigeria.
Mustapha made the remark when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo.
According to Mustapha, the presence of NDE in the 36 states of the federation, FCT Abuja and virtually all the 774 local government area councils in the country had underscored the importance of the directorate and in no small measure contributed to its achievements over the years.
The Director-General of the National Productivity Centre who expressed the desire of his organisation to collaborate with the NDE buttressed the need for synergy among federal government agencies to achieve optimum productivity and national economic growth which he said was the cardinal objective of the federal government.
According to him, “we have a lot in common; there is need for collaboration and synergy between the two organisations. We want to share the enriched capacity of the NDE. We have the techniques that can add value to your job creation programmes and schemes including the people you have trained to create jobs.”
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“We are located in just 20 states, NDE has all the spread, including the 774 local area councils in the country; we want to leverage that to reach Nigerians and boost national productivity,” he said.
In his response, Fikpo observed that history was being made by the two organisations that incidentally were under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
He said, “it is the first time that agencies within the Federal Ministry and Employment are coming together for collaboration purpose”.
Stressing the need for cooperation among government agencies of like minds and mandates, Fikpo said “synergy is very important and cannot be over-emphasized especially among agencies of similar mandates in order for the government at the centre to achieve more rather than engage in petty jealousy and rivalry.”
He said NDE was determined to checkmate unemployment which is on the rise in the country due to many variables which included creation of many institutions of learning without proper planning on how to absorb the graduates and the damage done to many industries by the Covid 19 pandemic.
NDE, he said, operated within limited budgetary allocation which had curtailed her activities in some areas of job creation.
“NDE budget is limited, so the agency is careful about where to spread its tentacles.
“Nevertheless, NDE in the last three months has created over 500 micro businesses nationwide through training and financial empowerment.
“Apart from providing the basics in job creation such as marketable skills and starter packs, NDE also provides mentorship on how to increase value in market places. We give impetus on leading in tough times.
“We have also opened collaborative window to synergise with organisations and philanthropist individuals who are willing to assist the federal government in bridging the skill-gap in Nigeria. All these are within the policy priorities of the Bola Ahmed-led federal government.
“I am happy to inform you that over the years, NDE has made significant impact towards boosting informal sector of the economy through creation of blue collar jobs and provision of mentorship.”
Charging the National Productivity Centre to device means of checkmating the dwindling productivity output in the country, Fikpo said NDE would welcome inputs that enhanced productivity of staff and trained artisans from the NPC saying.
“Such infusion would drive production and vitalize the economy,” he said.
