Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday advised the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to collaborate with the Ministry of Labour and Employment to generate a data bank for youths in the country.
The motion was moved by a representative of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo, Uju Chima at the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Chima, the database will provide adequate information that will assist the government to formulate youth empowerment policies.
He noted that the inadequacy of knowledge on the exact engagement status of the youth has hampered policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria.
Chima acknowledged the giant strides of the Federal Government through the various Social Investment Programmes like the N–Power targeted at youth empowerment.
According to him, the population distribution chart of Nigeria indicates that youths, made up of graduates, undergraduates, artisans and other unemployed or unengaged, are not accurately captured in a data bank.
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“A robust and detailed data bank generated through the various Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts will effectively curb all systematic challenges.
“This includes corrupt practices associated with the old system of engagement, without documented statistics of the youth.
“Such data bank will specifically indicate the employment, skills, ability and disability status and other considerations in the engagement requirements of youth.
“This is for effective policy formulation, implementation and other deliverables in Nigeria in confronting unemployment and absence of empowerment,” he said.
The motion was seconded by the reprentative of Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, Anayo Edwin.
The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, mandated the Committee on Youth Development to ensure its implementation.
