Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, has said that under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, unemployment will soon be a thing of the past.

Ngige disclosed this while speaking on Thursday, at the passing out ceremony of 500 youths who were trained by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in cosmetology at the Idemili South Local Government Secretariat, Ojoto, Anambra State.

Ngige called on unemployed youths to register with the Directorate for diverse training programme, saying that the President is working round the clock to ensure youth employment is eradicated.

According to him, government had set up training programmes to ensure that youths were gainfully engaged in skill acquisitions so that they can become employers of labour.

While explaining that the Buhari administration was desirous of providing skilled jobs to the youths, the Minister explained that funds would be made available to the beneficiaries to assist them kick-start their own businesses.

It was, however, learnt that the beneficiaries were sponsored by the Minister.

He said: “With this (training), you will not only provide employment for yourselves, but you will also become employers of labour. I urge you to form cooperatives to strengthen your businesses.”

Ngige further said that the cost of engaging in cooperatives would be reduced for them.

Earlier in his address, the Anambra State Coordinator of NDE, Mr Iroegbu Eke, said the aim of the training was to ensure that unemployed persons in the country were exposed to the benefits of self-reliance, through the production and marketing of household products, such as soaps and disinfectants.

Mr Eke said: “It is my belief that you have been well exposed to the benefits and opportunities to improve and better yourselves and the country at large.

“I advise you to put whatever knowledge and experience you have gathered in the training into work.”

He enjoined the beneficiaries to suspend the temptation for gaining fame and rather strive for expertise, shun fear of the unknown and develop determination to succeed no matter the obstacle that may confront them.