Chris Ngige, minister of labour and productivity, has commended the development strive of the administration of Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, and charged other state governors in the country to emulate him.
Ngige particularly praised the Skills Acquisition Programme of the administration, describing it as being in line with the cardinal development objective of the Federal Government.
The minister, who gave the commendation, Friday, while on a courtesy visit to Kano State as part of his two-day working tour of Federal Agencies and Establishments under his ministry, said the Skills Acquisition Centre initiated by Governor Ganduje was a practical step towards addressing issue of joblessness in the state.
“Your Excellency, I want to commend the commitment which you are demonstrating in the discharge of your responsibility, and the practical development which your administration is bringing to the people of the state.
“What I witnessed yesterday during the graduation ceremony for the young people trained in various fields of Auto-Mobile, under the Skills Acquisition Programme of your administration is worth commending.
“On my way this morning as I was going to ITF office in the state, I saw some of your numerous achievements, particularly the roads, and I am very happy that we have people like you who are mindful of leaving positive legacies behind.
“What you are doing is in line with the development aspiration of the President Buhari government aimed at creating jobs, and building a formidable economic structure for the country, and I wish to recommend you to other state governors to emulate,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Government would continue to give necessary support to the programmes and projects being pursued by state governments aimed making life better for the citizenry.
Giving an insight into the essence of his visit, Ngige explained that the visit was to provide him with first hand information on the environment in which Agencies and establishments under his ministry are operating.
He solicited for support from the governor that his administration provides land for agencies, such as: Nigeria’s Employee Compensation Agency, as well as National Arbitration Panel, to build their zonal offices.
In his response, Governor Ganduje thanked the minster for the visit, and expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with agencies under his ministry in the skills acquisition programme.
“As you noted our administration is out to make the huge population which the state is endowed with to an asset, rather than a liability which informed the skills acquisition programme that we are driving. In order to achieve this objective, we are prepared to partner with Agencies and Establishments under your ministry.
“At the same time, we need to also commend what the Federal Government is doing at the centre aimed at creating new jobs, restructuring the economy, as well as fighting the scourge of corruption in the country” he added.
“We are happy with the government at the centre is doing to generate data on skills gap, and actual number of joblessness people existing in the country, this we believe would help in proffering solutions to the challenge,” he said.
Ganduje disclosed that his administration has put in place a process of inaugurating the office of Contributing Healthcare Scheme, in line with the policy of the Federal Government.
He revealed that law backing the establishment of the scheme had been signed, and pointed out that when the scheme become fully operational it will greatly assist public workers in the state to access medical need.
The governor also used the occasion to appeal to the Minister to quickly bring the industrial dispute declared by a section of health workers at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano to an end as the dispute is creating hardship for people with medical need in the state.
