Bills to address unemployment, promote national languages underway — Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has hinted at two bills likely to come up for debate soon to address the perennial challenges of unemployment as well as making Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo national languages in Nigeria.

The National Apprenticeship Scheme bill and another one to allow for more national languages outside English as Nigeria's lingua franca are in the works and may soon debut in the House of Representatives, Mr Kalu stated on Saturday.

Speaking in Abuja while playing host to the management team of Buildup Integrated Services led by its Chief Executive Officer, Chibuike Aguene, Kalu said the two bills are ultimately contemplated to give a legal framework to the idea of creating more skills and employment for the teeming unskilled youthful population.

A statement signed by Kalu's Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, quoted the lawmaker as saying that the National Apprenticeship Scheme “Is a technology-driven dual apprenticeship model designed by Buildup, to blend theoretical education with hands-on practical training.

Kalu, the statement further noted, lamented Nigeria's huge population of unskilled youths, adding, “The apprenticeship system currently practiced mostly in South East as “Igba-Boi” where someone undergoes training in a particular craft or vocation for an agreed number of years and later gets settled by his employer will be institutionalized  through a legislative intervention.”

Kalu said, “An institutionalised dual apprenticeship system will act as a conduit, offering a real-world application of the skills acquired through theoretical education. It serves as the vital bridge that transforms academic knowledge into practical expertise, ensuring that individuals not only grasp theoretical concepts but also gain hands-on experience relevant to the demands of their chosen fields.”

The Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, further said that the scheme conforms with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

As important as certificate acquisition is, Kalu added that skills must go with it to guarantee a productive life.

He referenced countries like Germany and China with less emphasis on certificates, saying that they have impacted the world with more practicable skills.

“I would like to express my gratitude for your contributions to skills training, apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship development in Nigeria and the African continent as a whole.

“Your commitment to skills development and entrepreneurship aligns with our nation's aspirations for economic growth, job creation, and empowerment of our youth.

“I applaud your organization for working on this timely and nationally important National Apprenticeship Scheme.

“At the 10th House of Representatives, we anchor our legislative activities on the core principle of participatory governance. We are laser-focused on delivering a regulatory environment that only supports entrepreneurship development but also encourages commerce and facilitates the growth of the economy. It is in this vein that I acknowledge the calls for supporting legislation that institutionalizes the newly designed National Apprenticeship Scheme.

“Our legislative process is open to constructive dialogue, and we welcome your insights and recommendations. Together, let us work towards a bill that bridges the huge skills gap replete across the country while being the igniting point for an industrial revolution that Nigeria so dearly needs,” Kalu was quoted as saying.

On the National Language Bill, the Deputy Speaker noted that many young Nigerians communicate better in their native dialect when learning a skill than relying on the  English language alone.

While commending the group,  Kalu pledged his support to the initiative and promised to support 3000 youth across the federation in the first phase of the apprenticeship system to be championed by Bildup Integrated Services.

On his part, the CEO of Build Up Integrated Services, Chibuike Aguene called on the Deputy Speaker to throw his support behind a legislative intervention for the institutionalisation of a dual apprenticeship system in the country.