BENIN CITY – The Coordinator, Edo Jobs 2017 Summit, Mrs Ukinebo Dare, has said that, there are about 180,000 unemployed persons currently registered in the Edo Jobs portal.
Mrs Dare stated this recently, while speaking with journalists in Benin city, at the Accelerate Labs Demo Day event, put together to train unemployed young men and women in skills acquisition and job creation.
The Coordinator of the platform created by Edo state government to capture the number of unemployed in the State, noted that the training program was designed to accommodate different categories of applicants.
She however added that, Accelerate Labs are engaging in programs that supports entrepreneurs, hence the need for Edo Jobs to partner them for the overall benefit of youths in the state.
Also Speaking, Engr. Okwuone Nkechi, of Sabi Hub, a human resource firm in partnership with Accelerated Labs, said they decided to partner the state government to train job seekers in the Edo Jobs database, to help them create jobs instead of searching for one.
According to Engr. Nkwuone “Edo Jobs is an initiative of the Edo State government and it is designed to create jobs for the unemployed youths in the state. What we do for them is to identify their idea, attach them to mentors, get facilitators that teaches them on business skills, understanding financing, understanding how to build yourself on becoming an entrepreneur”.
The partnership which also include Microsoft and Future Project, two non-governmental organisation, had so far trained over 600 youths in employability and entrepreneurship.
On her part, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon Magdalene Ohenhen, commended the trainees for demonstrating creativity and innovation in the event, which heralded a 6-Weeks Edo-Jobs training for 600 persons.
The Edo Commissioner, represented by Mr Victor Okenini Esq, added “It is now very clear that government cannot provide all the jobs for the youths. However, this will hopefully go a long way to creating jobs”.
However, Trainees who came out 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the demonstration of their entrepreneurial ideas at the program, were presented with awards and cash prizes ranging from N50,000, N40,000, N30,000 respectively, courtesy Sabi Hub.
The winners and Accelerate Labs partners later met with the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, in Government House, Benin city.
