By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
No fewer than five thousands unemployed youths, mostly graduates on Thursday besieged the International Conference Center in Abuja, venue of the “Abuja Job Fair 2019”, seeking to secure about five hundred job vacancies declared by the organizers.
The one-day event was organized by the German Cooperation (GIZ), in collaboration with the Nigerian-German Center for Jobs, Migration and Integration and the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment at the M&M Event Center.
About 110 participating companies and organizations including UBA Plc, NPC, ECOWAS, ILO, Acess Bank and Abuja Chamber of Commerce took up stands at the Fair which was declared open by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
Speaking, the Minister said it was a worrisome situation, statistics showing that 20 percent of Nigeria’s 200 million population was unemployed.
He said the Federal Government, determined to arrest the scourge, has laid greater emphasis on job creation in the 2020 Budget.
Ngige pointed out that “youth unemployment is a pressing scourge which all should join hands to address”.
He commended the organizers for the initiative stressing that it was illegal migration that “prompted friendly countries like Germany to come to our rescue”.
Earlier, the Deputy Head of German Mission in Nigeria, Mr Helmut Kulitz said his country was proud to be involved in the Employment sector as there is a strong link between job, job creation and migration.
Cluster Coordinator, Sustainable Economic Development and Head of Programme, German Skills Development for Youth EmploymentMr Hans-Ludwig Bruns in his remarks said the objective of the Job Fair is to reduce unemployment among youths by matching them with potential employers.
He said the German Ministry of Economic Development strongly supports this objective through the GIZ which advises young Nigerians on application procedures like writing of curriculum vitae, etc.
He disclosed that a similar Job Fair will be held in Lagos in March, next year, followed by another one in Benin city subsequently.
According to information obtained from the organizers, the objective of the Job Fair “is to reduce unemployment especially among Nigerian youths by providing a platform to bring together employers offering vacant positions with job seekers that have a matching qualification for the purpose of recruitment”.
