Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, says equipping young people with the skills and opportunities to be gainfully engaged must be prioritised to address unemployment in the country.

Mr Abbas said this at the opening of a public hearing by the House committee on commerce in Abuja on Monday.

The hearing was on bills to establish Chartered Institute of Business Educators of Nigeria (CIBEN) and Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Governance respectively.

According to Mr Abbas, leadership is central to the success of any society, adding: “When we discuss Nigeria’s challenges, the issue of leadership frequently emerges as a central theme.

“In a country with our population size and a significant number of unemployed graduates, we must prioritise equipping our young people with the skills and opportunities to be gainfully engaged.

“Leadership, entrepreneurship and corporate governance are critical areas where such interventions can yield significant results for Nigeria’s peace, prosperity and stability.

“Furthermore, we are a nation of entrepreneurs, with businesses thriving in every corner. Yet, many of these businesses encounter barriers when attempting to scale, improve productivity and expand service delivery.

“The proposed Chartered Institute of Business Educators of Nigeria (CIBEN) is envisioned as an institution that will advance the study, training and practice of business education in Nigeria,” he said.

The speaker stated that the establishment would ensure that educators had the tools and knowledge to build a generation of globally-competitive entrepreneurs and businesses.

He said that while these bills had immense potential, it was vital that they undergo scrutiny, hence the critical nature of the hearing.

Mr Abbas said that the platform would allow interrogation of the proposed bills, resolve potential areas of contention, eliminate duplications of responsibilities and craft laws that would be clear, impactful and implementable.

Earlier, chairman of the committee, Rep. Ahmed Munir (APC-Kaduna) said that the bills were in line with the legislative agenda of the 10th House of Representatives which sought to change the narrative in the lives of the citizens.

“Every democratic dispensation is guided by laws/acts which help in the smooth running of the government, thereby setting the rules to follow to ensure that citizens benefit maximally from all that the government has in store for them,” he said.

(NAN)