Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
No fewer than 20 undergraduates were offered automatic employment on Thursday by the Ogun State government at the official launch of Ogun State Jobs Portal.
The graduates were part of the first 20 who participated in an online quiz competition, designed by the state government.
The event was also attended by the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Speaking at the launch of the portal, jobs.ogunstate.org.ng, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, described the portal as another milestone in the successful implementation of his administration’s “Building our Future Together Agenda”.
He explained that the job online platform will register, on a continuous basis, employed and unemployed youths in the state with a view to providing them jobs and training opportunities suitable for their trades and academic qualifications.
Abiodun, who noted that Nigeria was sitting on a keg of gunpowder with 23.1 percent unemployment rate or 20.93 million young people out of job, stressed the portal will provide a platform for readily available and updated information of graduates and youths with vocational skills across the state.
The governor added that the registered applicants will be linked with potential employers, training opportunities, not only within the public service but also with the private sector.
“I will like to state that the opening of the jobs portal is part of our administration’s commitment to not only ensure a viable Public-Private Partnership (PPP), but also making the partnership a major pillar which will invariably bring about quality governance model.
“Therefore, our partnering with the private sector in this job generation is billed to create opportunities, up-skill and expand the job space for our teeming young men and women and those who have special talents. We need to engage their creative energies positively to unleash appropriate skill acquisitions that would bring about sustainable development for the economy by making them net-employers of labour.
“I have no doubt that our Gateway State will take maximum advantage of this portal”. Abiodun stated.
In his goodwill message, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, commended the state government on the launch of the jobs portal, assuring that the federal government will support the job creation initiative of Abiodun-led administration.
He charged the youths on self development and urged them to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and technology sectors, saying funds have been made available by the FG through Bank of Industry and Enterprise Bank.
The VP, however, urged other states in the country to emulate Ogun in its bid to make gainful employment opportunities available for their teeming graduates and youths.