Centre seeks Abuja indigenes’ right on employment

The Socio Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC), Sunday, sought the implementation of an equitable process around employment and empowerment programmes for the original inhabitants of the nation’s capital, Abuja.

It also called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to work with the centre in order to implement the policies which it had already formulated to support target employment and empowerment programmes.

Tijani Abdulkareem, the Executive Director of SERDEC, who stated this at the weekend during a workshop for MDAs on employment and empowerment programmes, said the implementation would give the original inhabitants a sense of belonging in the country.

According to him, reducing unemployment rate, especially among indigenous youths of the Federal Capital Territory, would minimise feelings of alienation, frustration and bitterness arising from inequitable access to those opportunities.

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He further said, “It has been a worthy cause so far, to champion the promotion of the rights of the original inhabitants of Abuja, as it is also on the record for more than three decades, the natives of Abuja or rather the OIs have been forgotten and marginalised as a result of chosen the place called Abuja as the newest capital of the nation.

“In lieu of this, SERDEC has implemented several activities in the life of the project. Empowering unemployed young women and men in the OI communities to participate actively in the formulation and implementation of employment and empowerment programmes.

“With our commitment and sacrifice and to a large extent, we count on the government support and the entire OIs communities to work for the collective interest of our nation.”

Speaking earlier, the Programme Officer of SERDEC, Abduljalil Ibrahim, while enlightening the participants on the purpose of the workshop, stated that it was imperative for the MDAs involved in employment and empowerment programmes to imbibe best practices for sustainability and developmental purposes.