By Olukayode Idowu
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has initiated partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to secure employment opportunities for unemployed graduates in the state.
Buni in a meeting with the Director General SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii on Monday said he is personally worried and shares the pain of the unemployed graduates.
He said: “The government is committed to securing employment opportunity to the unemployed graduates to meet the expectations of their families, for them to live their lives with dignity and prosperity.
“The state government in the recent past massively employed university graduates, Higher National Diploma and National Diploma holders, and National Certificate of Education graduates across the 178 political wards in the state.”
The governor assured that his administration would continue to work towards providing the people with gainful employment for a decent means of livelihood,
He said: “As a government, we are committed to do anything humanly possible to secure and stand for our graduates to be employed, and be self employed.
Buni noted that many youths trained in various trades are today not only gainfully employed but also employers of labour.
He explained that: “This partnership occupies a very special place in the heart of our administration, and we are committed to secure jobs for our youth.
“Government will explore the potential in each of the 17 local government areas to provide means of livelihood and economic prosperity to our youth.”
The Director General, SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, expressed the readiness of his agency to partner the Yobe state government to secure employment to the unemployed graduates.
He said SMEDAN would drive, stimulate and coordinate development of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) among the targeted beneficiaries to promote self employment.
The DG assured that the partnership would provide the beneficiaries with skills that would accelerate self employment programme for economic prosperity.
In attendance at the meeting was the Hon. Member representing Nangere/Potiskum federal Constituency, Hajiya Fatsuma Talba.