The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) yesterday opened the online registration portal for the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, (RHEI) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
About 16,470 Nigerians rgistered on the portal within an hour of opening it for various vocational training programmes
The RHE Initiative was launched as a flagship effort under the current administration to combat unemployment. It is meant to equip unskilled Nigerians with relevant vocational skills and tools to become self-reliant.
About 93,000 Nigerians benefited from the first phase of the initiative implemented across the country.
Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, MDE’s Director General Silas Agara said the directorate’s headquarters would monitor the process by the state and zonal offices
He said only Nigerians who possess valid National Identity Number (NIN) are eligible to apply for the training.
The former Nasarawa State deputy governor added: “As we speak, we have robustly provided software and hardware, as well as internet facilities to all the 37 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), so that they can link to the NDE headquarters for the implementation of this second phase and help us achieve 100 per cent digital success. These facilities are made available even in all our six zonal offices.
“The Federal Government, through the NDE, wants youths from 18 to 45 years to apply online to be able to benefit from the second phase of the programme, which will consist of 27,000 beneficiaries.
“As you witness the opening ceremony with a demonstration of how to fill the form, the headquarters will monitor the process by the state and zonal offices.
“We are happy that from the opening of the portal, within an hour, about 16,470 Nigerians have applied.
“Beneficiaries will be engaged in over 30 different skills. The skill sets vary from state to state. What is applicable to Abia may not be in Adamawa. We planned it in such a way that state-based skills, that is, certain skills that are very lucrative in specific states are considered.”
He said the portal: (www.nderegistrationportal.ng) would be open for two weeks from July 28 and August 11.
According to Agara, the only change from the first phase of the programme is that applicants can now register in the state of residence they want to train and not their state of origin.
He added that the NDE would collaborate with the Nigerian Data Protection Council (NDPC) for the protection of the applicants’ data.
Also, NDE’s Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Edmund Onwuliri, announced that only 27,000 applicants would be trained in this second phase, while subsequent phases would be held for youths to acquire skills.
The Director of Inspectorate, Mrs. Steve Olayinka, said 800 centres have been accredited to train the beneficiaries.
ICT consultant, Mr. Silas Nuhu, said the portal would not register those that have benefited from the first phase.
