Govt lacks capacity to provide enough jobs, says Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says the government alone has no capacity to provide enough job opportunities for teeming unemployed Nigerian youths who are currently roaming the streets across the federation.

Ngige, who begged the private establishments to help President Buhari-led administration out of the present quagmire of unemployment, sought solutions to the problem stifling the growth of the private sector.

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The minister, according to a statement by Deputy Director/Head Press and Public Relations, Charles Akpan, was quoted to have stated this in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the 4th National Employment Council with the theme: “Stimulating and Sustaining Private Sector Growth”.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Yerima Peter Tarfa, the Minister pointed out that Government’s major responsibility was “providing the enabling environment for private sector initiatives to create jobs for the unemployed.”

“Participants at the Council meeting should holistically deliberate on the challenges mitigating against the growth of the private sector and come up with useful suggestions that will promote the job absorption capacity of the sector,” the minister was quoted to have said.