Ministry to organise private internship programme for 4,000 unemployed youths training
In its undying efforts to reduce the rate of massive unemployment across the state, the Lagos State government, Thursday, said it has supported 2,204 businesses.
The State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke disclosed this at the Year2020 ministerial press briefing of the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s one year in office.
According to the commissioner, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) serves as an instrument to inspire the creative and innovative energies of all residents to reduce unemployment across the state.
“Between May 29 last year and May 29 this year, LSETF has supported 2,204 businesses, loans programme 1,167, employability 967 and Lagos innovates-70,” she listed.
Speaking further, Arobieke recalled that the Fund organised the Employment Summit this February to influence government policy on improving results and outcomes for target groups – women, youths and enterpreneurs.
While noting that participants at the summit were carefully selected, there were discourse on “Strategies that promote job creation through skills development, applied technology, and enterpreneurship.”
Arobieke noted, however, that the Fund had put measures in place to reduce the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on loan beneficiaries. “The beneficiaries will have to apply for moratorium on repayments”.
“LSETF loan beneficiaries can now apply for a moratorium on their loan repayments. For the avoidance of doubt, only performing loan beneficiaries and beneficiaries with past due obligations of not more than 60 days can apply.”
She continued that the Fund would support SMEs as a way of saving jobs, adding that the ministry would organise private internship programme that would offer training to 4,000 unemployed youths.
“The training which would be for a month and six months hands on work experience in the private sector towards potential full-time employment.
“Prospective participants would be harvested from the databases of the five job centres covering the 57 local governments and local council development areas,” the commissioner stated.
