News

FG Opens Portal To Documents Unemployed Nigerians

Published

3 years ago

June 22, 2022

Amidst criticism of the employment deficit in Nigeria, the Federal Government has instructed that a portal be opened to document unemployed citizens.

The resolution was reached on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly before he proceeded to Rwanda to attend the 2022 CHOGM.

The job portal would also take Nigerians living in the Diaspora into cognizance.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige also noted that Council approved the digitization of the operations of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF.

According to him, “The ministry presented two memos to Council today. The first memo was presented on behalf of our parastatal, the Nigeria social insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

“As you’re aware, a lot has happened in the NSITF in terms of revenue losses and pillage of funds that have been given to that organization.

“The NSITF implements the Employee Compensation Act ECA 2010 and by that Act, Employers in both public and private sectors are supposed to pay one percent of the emoluments of their staff into a social fund in NSITF.

“And this one is to be used as a premium or insurance fund to cater for workers or staff members who have accidents, injuries, disabilities and even deaths that occur in the cause of their work. So it’s like an accident or injury insurance.

“The Pension Act makes reference to it that it must be done for workers in addition to the group life. So, the monies that have gone in there have not been properly utilized, and the payments have not been tracked.

“So today we brought to council a memo for an e-NSITF by which their operations will now be digitalized. Both the payments that are put in from any of their stations, they have 56 branches and 11 regional offices. So in the comfort of your office, you can pay and register on that platform and that money is now tracked into the Central pool.

“From the central pool if claims are made and payments are also made to the insurance on those who are beneficiaries, you also track them.

“So this is one of the things the government has done in the spirit of digitalization of the economy and ease of doing business for everybody.

“So this will make for efficiency and help the organization to grow in leaps and bounds. already the organization is revitalized following the present restructuring agreement for them.

“Today. NSITF can pay all their salaries, they can boast of even doing capital projects. And this digitization of funds operation is part of the capital project that they are doing and like I said earlier, the accountability that is there will make for non-leakages of funds.

“We also know that previously, they have been complaints of claims not being paid but with e-NSITF will track claims and allow people to know who and who benefits from those claims. So this is one of the memos presented today.

“A consultant is going to handle it and the council approved that the digitalization should be completed in eight weeks.”

The Minister said the e-NSITF will cost N1.2 billion.”

He disclosed that Council approved a portal called Nigerian Labour Exchange, NILEX which will be domiciled in his ministry for employment and job creation.

According to him, “The second approval has to do with employment and job creation. It is a portal called Nigerian Labour Exchange (NILEX), housed in my ministry.”

He explained that the platform had not been developed over time and could not take the stress of the number of people wanting to go into it, stressing that the digital platform was supposed to be used by employers on the one hand and job seekers on the other.

His words, “The employers will come in and load the vacancy they have, the type of skill they want, the qualifications of people that can fit in there.

“Then the job seekers those who are looking for a job, graduates, non-graduates will register, put in the qualification, put in their skill and what you can do and then the two groups are matched. The employer can speak with a job seeker, via that platform.

“So over the years, we have not been able to expand it. But on a bilateral, multilateral agreement now the funds are provided. So we are redesigning it, remodelling it, and then upgrading the infrastructure.

“Council approved that consultant also does that with a completion period of 12 weeks and with that, we have passed the first stage of digitalizing that particular platform.

“One of the good things about our platform now when it becomes operational, all those phone platforms that ask people to register for work, pay in N10,000 or N20,000, will become a thing of the past because this will be a government platform. And when you go there, you know is a genuine platform.

“Apart from that, people in diaspora can also upload their expertise and tell Nigerians, what they have that qualifies them for special jobs and if they are employers in Nigeria that need them, again there will be a handshake through that same portal.”

DAILY POST.

News

Anambra Guber: ‘I’m On Sabbatical,’ Don’t Use My Name In Your Campaign, Ngige Tells APC

Published

4 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

Former Anambra State governor and two-time minister, Senator Chris Ngige, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, and his running mate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, not to link him to their campaign, saying he is currently on sabbatical from partisan politics.

A campaign poster featuring Ngige alongside the APC candidates has been circulating on social media, creating the impression that he is backing the party in the November 8 governorship election.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Hyggi Obialo, Ngige clarified that his consent was neither sought nor obtained before the publication was released.

“Senator Chris Ngige is on sabbatical from active partisan politics as he takes a well-deserved rest after 25 years in politics and public service,” the statement read. “We advise those behind the poster to respect his wishes, as he has repeatedly stated in public that he is out of partisan politics for now.”

Ngige served as governor of Anambra State from 2003 to 2006, represented Anambra Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2015, and was Minister of Labour and Employment from 2015 to 2023.

News

8,246 mentally ill inmates in custody nationwide – NCoS

Published

4 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Correctional Service(NCoS) says no fewer than 8,246 inmates are currently suffering from mental illness across the custodial centres nationwide.

The Assistant Controller General of Corrections (ACG), in charge of Medical Services, Dr Glory Essien, disclosed the figure during a public hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS began the third public hearing on Monday.

Essien, however, highlighted the harsh reality of incarceration and its impact on mental health during her address to the panel.

“We have 8,246 inmates with mental health conditions in our custodial centres.

“From the moment someone is brought in, those who have seen a custodial centre know what I mean.

“The police escort them to the gate, and it’s opened, they’re admitted, and then that gate is locked behind them.

“That instant loss of freedom can trigger something. Some begin to show signs of disturbed behaviour almost immediately, as if something in their mind has shifted,”she said.

Essien explained that the prison system relied on an internal network of trained inmate-leaders who assisted staff in identifying those showing signs of psychological distress.

According to her, these leaders are trained to alert the staff when they notice concerning behaviour.

“They might say, ‘This inmate seems dazed, hasn’t eaten, hasn’t spoken to anyone.’ That helps us intervene early,” she said.

Essien said in spite of these efforts, the scale of mental health issues far exceeded the available resources.

She said: “If you’re in a facility housing 500 to 1,000 inmates, and you’re the only attending doctor, nurse, or psychologist, it’s simply not possible to monitor everyone individually.

“That’s why we rely on these trained inmates to help us identify those in need, so we can provide care as best we can,” she said.

She, however, underscored the logistical challenges of delivering mental healthcare in correctional facilities.

“Mental illness is chronic. It’s not like malaria, where a single dose clears up the issue, highlighting transportation issues, limited drug supplies, and staff shortages as ongoing obstacles.

“We’re not operating in a five-star environment.But with the little we have, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of our work,” she maintained.

Similarly, the Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of pharmaceutical services, Mohammed Bashir, addressed concerns around drug provision and mental health treatment.

He said that the Federal Government had actually been doing its utmost to ensure that it catered to the health needs of the inmates.

“Money has been appropriated, but is the money enough? No.

“Out of 81,122 inmates in 256 correctional facilities nationwide, about 2.3 per cent are female,” he said.

Bashir revealed that a single item, such as sanitary pads for menstruating inmates, costs over “four million naira monthly.

On mental healthcare, Bashir confirmed that a psychological services unit had been created within the service to focus on treatment.

“We have partnership with this psychiatric and psychological association. We have the consultants who usually go to about 12 designated custodial centres that have a large number of these cases,” he said.

He, however, admitted that drug supplies often ran out within weeks due to inadequate funding and staffing.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, called for urgent support and systemic changes.

Ajani made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian Medical Association and pharmaceutical companies for support.

“Please come to Macedonia and help us. We are in dire need of psychiatric and psychological aid in remote states beyond Abuja and Lagos.”

Ajani, who chairs the panel, expressed concern over the maldistribution of mental health professionals.

“Let them not only be centered in Abuja and Lagos. We need them to go out to the fields. Because if we even put two in the states, it will help them,” she added.

The PS emphasized the importance of transparency and collaboration with private companies, noting that public-private partnerships would be beneficial.

According to her, we can approach companies that can give us drugs as CSR; they do it.

“So, don’t let us sit in the office and forget our primary responsibility.

“Do it now. Build a bridge and empower younger people to be able to sustain that bridge that you are building,” she emphasised.

News

Tinubu Appoints New NCC Chairman, Fresh Board Members

Published

4 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Idris Olorunnimbe as Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Waida, will continue to serve in that capacity.

President Tinubu also approved the appointments of the members of the board of the NCC.

The members include Abraham Oshidami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Hajia Maryam Bayi, Former Director, Human Capital and Administration; Col Abdulwahab Lawal (retd); Senator Lekan Mustafa; Chris Okorie, and Princess Oforitsenere Emiko.