NPC seeks NDE’s collaboration on optimum productivity

The National Productivity Centre (NPC) is seeking to collaborate with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to achieve optimum productivity and national economic growth, which, it said, is the cardinal objective of the Federal Government.

Director-General of NPC, Dr Nasir Olaitan Raji Mustapha, who made this known during a courtesy visit to his counterpart at the NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, in Abuja, said the presence of NDE in 774 local governments in the country underscored the importance of the directorate in bridging the unemployment gap in the country.

According to a statement signed by Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, Israel Adekitan, Mustapha said, “We have a lot in common; there is need for collaboration and synergy between the two organisations.

“We want to share the enriched capacity of the NDE. We have the techniques that can add value to your job creation programmes and schemes, including the people you have trained to create jobs.

“We are located in just 20 states. NDE has all the spread, including the 774 local area councils in the country. We want to leverage that to reach Nigerians and boost national productivity.”

In his response, the Director-General of the NDE, Fikpo, observed that history was being made by the two organisations that incidentally are under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

He said, “It is the first time that agencies within the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment are coming together for collaboration purpose.”

“Synergy is very important and cannot be over-emphasised, especially among agencies of similar mandates in order for the government at the centre to achieve more rather than engage in petty jealousy and rivalry.”

He said the NDE is determined to checkmate unemployment, which is on the rise in the country due to many variables which include creation of many institutions of learning without proper planning on how to absorb graduates and the damages done to many industries by the COVID19 pandemic.

NDE, he said, operates within limited budgetary allocation which has limited its activities in some areas of job creation.

He said, “NDE’s budget is limited, so the agency is careful about where to spread its tentacles. Nevertheless, NDE, in the last three months, has created over 500 micro businesses nationwide through training and financial empowerment.

“Apart from providing the basics in job creation such as marketable skills and starter packs, NDE also provides mentorship on how to increase value in market places.”

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