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

Edo deputy gov warns MOWAA Against encroachment

Published

45 minutes ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has warned management of Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) to adhere strictly to laid-down demarcation between the museum and the Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH).

Idahosa, who gave the warning when he visited the site on Thursday, expressed displeasure over MOWAA’s alleged encroachment on ESH land despite earlier directives.

The deputy governor stressed that governor Monday Okpebholo had mandated him to ensure compliance with the demarcation lines.

“Governor Okpebholo asked me to advise and also warn the MOWAA management to stick to the demarcation lines between the ESH and the MOWAA institution,” the deputy governor said.

During the visit, Idahosa supervised the demolition of parts of the obsolete tuberculosis building at the hospital and monitored debris clearance to facilitate the hospital’s expansion project.

Recounting earlier efforts, he said: “Few weeks ago, we were here to give demarcation on the boundary between MOWAA and the ESH.Apparently, the MOWAA management decided to encroach on the land given to ESH.

“We came to let them know that the Edo State Government is firm on it, and we have given them the right coordinates. We have also sealed the part that belongs to the ESH, so MOWAA, at this point, can no longer encroach.”

Idahosa emphasized that the government’s priority remains the security and health of Edo people, noting that compliance with lawful boundaries is in the interest of both institutions.

“This is not a witch hunt. The governor is fair enough to allow MOWAA to continue with whatever we met on ground. He has not encroached or done anything contrary to the law. Hence, they should also stick and abide by the law,” he said.

The Chief Medical Director of ESH, Dr. Anthonia Njoku commended Okpebholo for protecting the hospital’s expansion interest.

Similarly, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, Mr. Imoisili Igabali noted that negotiations had been ongoing with MOWAA over the demarcation and that a temporary perimeter wall had been set up in the meantime.

“As an agency, our responsibility in the state is to ensure that development in the state is done according to laid down rules and regulations,” Igabali stated.

News

Police Begin Enforcement Of Tinted Glass, Siren Regulations In Edo, Delta

Published

1 hour ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

The Zone Five Police Command have begun enforcing the ban on the unauthorised use of sirens and tinted glass permit regulations.

NAN reports that the zone five command located in the South-south Geo-political Zone comprises Edo and Delta.

This is contained in a statement by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tijani Momoh, in Abuja.

The exercise, the command said, is in line with the existing laws and directives of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which apply to all vehicles with tinted glasses, whether factory or non-factory fitted.

Momoh quoted the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the zone, Salma-Dogo Garba, as saying that the enforcement would also affect the subsisting ban on the unauthorised use of sirens.

According to Garba, there will also be strict enforcement on the use of revolving lights, Police SPY and unallocated official number plates, as well as the use of unregistered vehicles.

“In view of the above, motorists yet to register their vehicles with tinted glasses are strongly advised to do so at www.possap.gov.ng.

“Thereafter, they should proceed to their state command headquarters for physical verification.

“Those who are not desirous of obtaining the tinted glass permit are advised to remove such tints or replace the factory-fitted glasses with transparent ones, as legally provided by the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act 2004.”

The AIG warned field operatives and their supervisory officers to ensure that the exercise was carried out with utmost professionalism, devoid of any form of harassment or extortion of motorists.

He stressed that any officer found wanting would be duly sanctioned, while the concerned supervisory officer would be held liable.

Garba further urged motorists to cooperate with the Police during the exercise in order to ensure public safety and national security.

He also charged residents to promptly report any form of harassment, extortion, or other unprofessional conduct to the nearest police station, the commands CRUs, or the ZPPRO.

NAN reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that strict enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit requirement will begin across Nigeria on Thursday.

The directive comes under the authority of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004, a law intended to bolster security and curb criminal behaviour.

Under the new mandate, all vehicles with tinted windows are expected to carry valid and verifiable permit documents, which must be presented whenever requested by law enforcement.

NAN

News

Brazil Slams Israel’s Gaza Aid Interception, Demands Detainees’ Safety

Published

1 hour ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures during a ceremony where Judge Edson Fachin took office as Chief Justice and Alexandre de Moraes as Deputy Chief Justice, in Brasilia on September 29, 2025. (Photo by Evaristo Sa / AFP)

Brazil condemned Israel on Wednesday after the Israeli navy intercepted a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, with several Brazilian nationals on board including a lawmaker.

The Global Sumud Flotilla — involving around 45 vessels carrying politicians and activists — left Spain last month, aiming to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, where the United Nations says famine has set in after nearly two years of war.

Israeli forces stopped more than a dozen boats as they were sailing through the Mediterranean Sea in international waters, organisers said.

Brazil “deplores the Israeli government’s military action, which violates rights and endangers the physical well-being of peaceful protesters,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The responsibility for the safety of those detained now rests with Israel,” it added.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira earlier said his government had communicated “directly” to Israel its concern for the 15 Brazilians taking part in the flotilla, who include deputy Luizianne Lins.

Brasilia is one of many governments worldwide that have called on Israel to remove restrictions on humanitarian aid allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has repeatedly denounced what he calls an Israeli “genocide” against Palestinians in the war, which was sparked by an October 2023 attack on its soil by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

AFP