ENUGU — The Enugu State Job Centre has facilitated employment for over 5,000 youths across the state in the last 12 months, the management has announced.
The State Commissioner for Labour and Employment, Barr. Chika Ugwuoke, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing to mark the centre’s first year anniversary in Enugu.
He said the placements were achieved through strategic partnerships with private companies, SMEs, government agencies, and skills training partners aimed at reducing unemployment and youth restiveness.
“From the day we opened, our mandate was clear: connect Enugu youths to decent and dignifying work. Today we can report that over 5,000 young people have been successfully placed in jobs across manufacturing, tech, health, agriculture, and services,” Ugwuoke stated.
According to him, the Job Centre runs a digital portal where employers post vacancies and job seekers register their skills, qualifications, and location. Successful candidates are also linked to upskilling and entrepreneurship programs.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Job Creation, Mr. Ifeanyi Ozo, added that 60% of those placed are women, while over 1,200 beneficiaries were trained in digital skills, tailoring, plumbing, and agribusiness before being matched to employers.
“Governor Peter Mbah’s administration is focused on growing jobs, not just employment. We are tracking retention and performance, and early data shows over 80% of those placed are still in employment,” Ozo said.
Some beneficiaries who spoke at the event commended the government for the initiative, noting that the process was transparent and free.
The Commissioner urged more companies operating in Enugu to partner with the centre and encouraged youths to register on the portal to access new opportunities.
He added that the state government is targeting 20,000 placements in the next 18 months as part of efforts to make Enugu the premier destination for investment and talent in the South East.
