Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment yesterday unveiled the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a plan initiative aimed to reduce unemployment rates and contribute to national development.
The LEEP vision is to train and equip 2,500,000 people per year within the next four years across all LEEP programmes with a goal to address critical challenges hindering the optimal performance of the ministry and advance its mandate in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of the federal government.
LEEP strategic initiatives include; digital skills which is expected to focus on enhancing digital literacy to meet the demands of the evolving global job market, vocational and entrepreneurship skills programmes, to equip individuals with relevant skills for self-employment and entrepreneurship and infrastructure upgrade which intend to expand existing ministry assets to meet the growing demand for training and skill acquisition programs.
The initiative also incorporates a global remote work initiative that will facilitate international remote work opportunities to expedite employment and boost revenue generation, NELEX upgrade for employment acceleration to enhancing and labour compliance enhancement to improve labour compliance mechanisms and working conditions through digitization and monitoring.
At the launch of the initiative in Abuja, minister of state for labour and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha stated that the programme will play a crucial role in providing young people with access to training, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurial support, thereby addressing the challenge of youth unemployment and promoting social inclusion.
She said, “This initiative is a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing key challenges facing our workforce today, including job creation, skills development, and migration control.
In a rapidly evolving global landscape, it is imperative that we equip our workforce with the necessary tools and opportunities to thrive in the digital age.”
