Reps task ministries on comprehensive youth databank

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to collaborate with the Ministry of Labour and Employment to generate a databank for youths in the country.

This followed unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Uju Chima (APC-Imo) at the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

Moving the motion earlier, Chima who represents Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo, said that the aim was to enhance the chances of youths  to get  empowerment and employment.

According to him, the population distribution chart of Nigeria indicates that youths, made up of graduates, undergraduates, artisans, and other unemployed or unengaged, are not accurately captured in a databank.

Chima said that the inadequacy of knowledge of the exact engagement status of the youth has hampered policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.

 He noted that the Federal Government had made strides through the various Social Investment Programmes like the N–power targeted at youth empowerment.

 “A robust and detailed databank generated through the various Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts will effectively curb all systematic challenges.

“This include corrupt practices associated with the old system of engagement without a documented statistics of the youth.

“Such databank will specifically indicate the employment, skills, ability and disability status and other considerations in the engagement requirements of youth.

“This is for effective policy formulation, implementation and other deliverables in Nigeria in confronting unemployment and absence of empowerment,” he said.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the house, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila mandated the Committee on Youth Development to ensure implementation.