The House of Representatives has called on the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, to conduct a comprehensive survey and establish a database aimed at monitoring the employment status of graduates and corps members. The objective is to facilitate their smooth integration into the labor market.
It also urged the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, through the NYSC scheme, to liaise with the under-listed ministries and develop a workable plan that would ensure corps members were retained in their primary place of assignment, PPA, for one year after their mandatory service.
The resolutions came on the heels of a motion, titled “Need to Support Discharged National Youth Service Corps Members in Transitioning to the Labour Market” moved by Muhammad Muktar.
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Presenting the motion, Muktar expressed worry over the transition of corps members from the NYSC program to the labour market without any allowances to support them.
He said: “This is because graduates looking for their first job are generally among the most vulnerable groups in the labour market because of increased competition and the reality that vacancies are preferentially filled by people who already have work experience.
“Helping graduates to enter and remain in the labour market is an important part of policies, as they help to promote economic growth and obtain better living conditions.
“Successful employment benefits young people not only for national welfare but also for social connections and mental health, promoting rapid social connections.
“The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) predicts 37% unemployment and 45% poverty by 2023, highlighting economic challenges.
“The rate of unemployment will continue to rise due to slow economic growth and the inability of the economy to absorb the four to five million new entrants into the Nigerian market annually.
“The longer a person is unemployed, the higher the risk that such a person will lose work habits and faith in their abilities or will even build a passive attitude toward the need to be employed”.
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Adopting the motion, the House further urged the executive arm of government to create a body under the supervision of the Ministries of Youth and Education to coordinate the screening and payment/disbursement processes.
It mandated the Committee on Youths, Labour, Employment and Productivity (when constituted) to monitor the implementation of the jointly developed plan.