By Joan Nwagwu
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has disowns the claimed that the doctorates launched an online portal to engage 900,000 youths in skills development.
Mr Edmund Onwuliri, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at NDE, issued the clarificationthis in a statement made available to newsmen on Tursday in Abujs.
It would be that information were spreading across online platforms that claimed the Directorate launched an online portal to engage 900,000 youths in skills development.
According to Onwuliri, the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative is indeed underway, the actual target is 93,731 individuals, not 900,000 as widely misreported.
“The NDE has initiated the online registration process for unskilled and unemployed Nigerians as part of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, aimed at providing equitable access to employment opportunities.
“There are plans to support a minimum of ten participants from each electoral ward across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to ensure balanced representation and inclusion.
“This deliberate structure aims to promote fair participation across all regions and demographics,”‘he said.
He further said that its official registration portals are www.nde.gov.ng and www.nderegistrationportal.ng.
He urged prospective applicants to use the above links to avoid potential fraud from unauthorized sites.
Hr noted that the initiative, covering 30 diverse skill sets, has specific provisions for women and individuals with special needs, underscoring the program’s commitment to inclusivity.
Onwuliri said due to the overwhelming interest from unemployed individuals nationwide, the NDE has extended the registration deadline by an additional 48 hours.
“This extension allows more time for eligible individuals to apply, with the final registration closing at midnight on Wednesday, October 30,'”he said.
He however, encouraged the public to disregard any misleading information and to seek verified updates directly from the official channels.
He added that the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative stands as a testament to the NDE’s mission to reduce unemployment through strategic and inclusive skills development.