IOM Delegation Synergies With NDE On Migration, others 

By Ibraheem H Muhammad

The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Honourable Silas Agara, shared encouraging news for Nigerian youths, particularly trainers under the Renewed Hope Initiative that their  allowances are expected to be settled by the end of this month.

This announcement was made during a meeting with representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the NDE headquarters in Abuja.

The NDE is increasingly catching the eye of international donors ready to support its mandate. The IOM has expressed interest in collaborating with the NDE, recognizing the effective leadership and innovative strategies introduced by Silas Agara.

While outlining his action plan, aligned with the IOM’s vision, Agara highlighted the NDE’s recent achievements in securing international support from organizations like MECA and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to benefit from their training modules for ad-hoc programs.

Agara stated, “We have best practices to assist Nigerians, especially those facing difficult situations in Northeast Nigeria. We are collaborating with Operation Safe Corridor to rehabilitate repented insurgents and are enhancing training modules in Gombe State to align with international standards.”

The NDE is also working closely with the Niger Delta Commission to leverage their expertise and provide training for young people, particularly members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

 Agara emphasized the importance of such training, suggesting that waiting for traditional white-collar jobs is not a feasible option.

He informed his guests that the NDE recently graduated a cohort of trainees from the Renewed Hope Initiative, which lasted three months, and expressed optimism that their training allowances would be disbursed by the end of this month.

 Furthermore, he announced that the NDE will open applications for another recruitment cycle in May.

The leader of the IOM’s Nigeria office

In her remarks, Paula Pace, Chief of Mission, Nigeria said, “IOM is a United Nations organization that deals with issues of Migration presently in the North Central, North East, North West, Lagos and IMO states. IOM works to prevent irregular migration.” She said

Paula Pace emphasized that the organization’s commitment to humane and orderly migration, reiterating that their partnership with the NDE is vital for addressing the needs of internally displaced persons and ensuring that migration becomes a choice rather than a necessity.