By Our Correspondent
The Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking the establishment of a National Internship and Unemployment Benefit Scheme.
The passage of the bill follows a lead debate by the sponsor, Shuaib Afolabi Salisu (APC, Ogun Central) and contributions made by other Senators.
According to Salisu, the bill aims to offer unemployed graduates in Nigeria some part-time jobs where they can gain experience and earn stipends, preparatory for big offers.
A statement from the head of his media team, Adetunji Adeteye adds that the proposed law, intends to create a database of unemployed Nigerian youths, particularly graduates, with their respective disciplines and also establish a framework that will guide the provision of part-time jobs for youths while they search for full-time jobs.
According to the statement, the scheme, when established, would provide hope for graduates and allow them to acquire experience before they secure full-time employment.
“When the bill is passed into law, the internship scheme would help address issues of insecurity and criminal activities, arising from unemployment in our country. Senator Salisu has always been an advocate of youth empowerment. He has championed several life-changing initiatives within and outside his Senatorial District since he assumed office, part of which include facilitating intensive ICT and digital trainings for youths in his constituency, provision of laptops and the encouraging them to partake in the first responder training during emergencies.”
During his presentation, senator Salisu also acknowledged existing agencies such as the National Directorate of Employment and the Industrial Trust Fund, stressing however that they have not been targeted adequately at the beneficiaries.
He believes that the scheme, which will have a database, will be more effective in streamlining interventions to the beneficiaries.
Salisu who is also the chairman of the Senate committee on ICT and cybersecurity says he remains committed to fulfilling his campaign promises and those initiatives that will make greatest and lasting impact to the majority of Nigerians, particularly youth.
After passage for second reading, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the plenary session, mandated the Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity to look at the issues raised and report back to the House in four weeks for further legislative action.
No comments:
Post a Comment