FG will continue to create enabling environment for informal sector —Ngige

The  Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has said that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to create enabling environment for the Nigerian Youths in the informal sector to realize their potentials.

The minister added that this is in accordance with one of the cardinal programmes of the Federal Government to formalize the informal sector with emphasis on youth empowerment, re-orientation and creation of job opportunities.

Senator Ngige stated this, in Abuja when he received in audience the National Association of Barbers and Salon Employers of Nigeria (NABEN) led by their National President Comrade Barile Ngbobu.

The minister said “Government cannot provide job for everybody, as job creation is a multifaceted endeavor which runs across Organizations, Ministries, Departments, Agencies of Government and Private Sector. As a matter of fact, job creation is the responsibility of the private sector. What Government does is to create the enabling environment.”

He stressed the need to encourage the youths in the informal sector who have shown commitment to their profession.

“A lot of you would have gone to join the Boko-Haram or any other societal vices but you decided to engage yourselves meaningfully, and so in the spirit of what International Labour Organization (ILO) preaches it is our responsibility to encourage you to unionize and form for yourselves association of like minds,” he said.

Senator Ngige said that the decision to organised themselves to a union under NABEN was a step in the right direction and applauded them for taking the bull by the horn.

He reassured the Association of his support to do something positive to grant them autonomy.

In his address, the leader of the delegation comrade Barile Ngbobu appealed to the Minister to assist in registering the union which will enable them contribute their quota in the national development.

He assured that if the National Association of Barbers and Salon Employers of Nigeria is duly registered, they will remain a credible organization that would make positive impact in the lives of Nigerians.

Comrade Barile said “in order to measure up with the world standard of barbing profession the Association needs to be registered so that we could regulate our activities and sanitize the industry to avoid infection and diseases.”