Ngige canvasses support of IOM for skill acquisition centres

THE Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has urged the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the Federal Government’s vocational skills acquisition programmes as well as promote trade test certificates issued by the ministry for skills export.

The Minister who stated this recently when he received the Chief of Mission, IOM, Ms. Enira Krdzalic, in his officein Abuja, observed that many skilled youths took the part of irregular migration with its attendant danger due to lack of information.

He therefore urged IOM to do more in the area of advocacy, publicity and sensitization through the newly established Migrant Resource Centre under the 10th European Union Development Project

His words: “Irregular migration is one of the worst problems because some of these migrants have skills and vocations that can actually put them on the part of regular migration, but because of the absence of information and knowledge they veer off and undertake the part of irregular migration which has caused them a lot of hazard.”

Speaking further, Ngige said he is confident that the ministry’s partnership with all the major stakeholders would afford skilled Nigerians the opportunity to work abroad as regular migrants with relevant documents thereby reducing the spate of irregular migration and the danger it poses to the youths.

Earlier in her remarks, the Chief of Mission IOM, Ms Enira Krdzalic said her organization is partnering with the Ministry of Labour and Employment to promote gainful employment opportunities as government alone cannot generate all the needed to tackle unemployment.