By Aisha Gambo
As the May 9 deadline for the registration of the unemployed draws near, youths and women in Kaduna State are trooping to get registered.
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) began the registration nationwide on April 17.
Kaduna State Coordinator of the NDE, Mr Ahmed Kawuri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the exercise was going on in the 23 local government areas of the state.
“The exercise is intended to establish the number of the unemployed in the country so as to address the scourge.
“Data to be collected are names, addresses, phone numbers, National Identity Numbers, gender, age, and educational qualifications.
“Also required are employment history (if any), and skills which registrants are interested in learning,’’ he said.
Kawuri said also that data collected would be used in a social register from where people would be selected for employment.
Some of the unemployed expressed the hope that data collected would be used to address unemployment.
Ms Alheri Wayat, a graduate, said she had been unemployed for three years, adding that she hoped to learn fashion design.
Hajia Asiya Hassan, a housewife said she hoped to get financial assistance to open a grocery store and prayed for the incoming government to take the masses along in its policies.
Ibrahim Bello, a secondary school leaver said he also needed financial assistance to begin a phone and phone accessory business.
He urged government to ensure that people at the grassroots benefitted from any empowerment that would come after the registration. (NAN