By Levinus Nwabughiogu-Abuja
House of Representatives, Tuesday, urged the federal Ministries of Youth and Sports Development and, Labour and Employment to build effective synergy to generate a databank for youths to enhance their chances of obtaining empowerment and employment.
The called followed a motion titled “Need to Design Youth Data Bank in Nigeria”, moved by Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima from Imo State at the plenary.
Moving the motion, Chima noted that the population distribution chart of Nigeria indicated that the youth made up of graduates, undergraduates, artisans, and other unemployed or unengaged were not accurately captured in a comprehensive databank.
He also noted that the inadequacy of knowledge of the exact engagement status of the youth has hampered policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.
Acknowledging the giant strides of the Federal Government through the various Social Investment Programmes like the N–power targeted at youth empowerment, the lawmaker stated that well-structured data will cure the malaise of systemic fraud in employment processes.
“Robust and detailed Data bank generated through the various Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts will effectively curb all systematic challenges, including corrupt practices associated with the old system of engagement without a documented statistics of the youth.
“Such Databank will specifically indicate the employment, skills, ability and disability status and other considerations in the engagement requirements of the youth for effective policy formulation, implementation and other deliverables in Nigeria in confronting unemployment and absence of empowerment”, Chima said.
Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Youth Development to ensure the implementation of the resolution.