The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youths and Students Affairs (SAPYSA), Nasir Adhama, has reiterated the government’s commitment to stem the country’s unemployment rate, saying it would provide a conducive atmosphere for the youth to engage in productive ventures.

While charging youths and students in the country to be self-empowered, he said the present government is working towards creating a conducive atmosphere for young entrepreneurs.

Adhama spoke when his office hosted the first Youth Employability Skills Interactive Session in commemoration of the 2016 Workers’ Day.

He urged stakeholders, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to adopt a one-youth, one-mentor approach to create more jobs.

He said: “Nigeria today is at a very critical moment when many of its youth are either unemployed or unemployable due to lack of skills that is needed to perform certain tasks. It is for this reason that Mr President has accorded great priority to youth employment

“Our youth need mentors to guide and give them direction; they need skills in our offices, organisation, and factories. Our strategy therefore is to partner with those that are already engaging the labour force to provide mentorship, training and guidance towards building required skills for economic development.”

Adhama also revealed that the federal government has made it a point of priority to see to the success and empowerment of youth in the country by providing a conducive atmosphere for job creation.

“The administration’s policy for the youth is not only to provide employment but create opportunities for self-employment in the agriculture and solid mineral sectors of the economy through a consolidated and coordinated approach by various government agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Bank of Industry and a host of others,” he added.

The event was attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, as well as the acting executive chairman Federal Character Commission, Dr Shettima Bukar-Abba, President General, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Baba Kaigama, MD/CEO, Huawei Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Tank Liteng and President of Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative among others.

•Photo shows SAPYSA, Nasir Adhama.