Ngige: FG is Targeting 50% Population under Social Security Scheme

Paul Obi in Abuja with agency report

The federal government monday said itss social security scheme policy on job creation and employment will target 50 per cent of the nation’s population which will eventually have a ripple effect on the economy.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said government decision to employ 200,000 graduates in the first phase of its social intervention scheme, despite teething economic challenges, is an eloquent expression of its dogged commitment to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty and promised that more jobs were coming.

Ngige stated this at the ongoing World Social Security Summit in Panama City, Panama.

He observed that at “least 50 per cent of the country’s population would be captured under the social security net within the life of the present administration.

“Social intervention is one of the cardinal progammes of the present administration in Nigeria. Our objective is to tackle youth unemployment and restiveness through job creation notwithstanding the tough economic challenges we face.”

“Some of the programmes in our integrated social protection scheme are already being implemented as evidenced in the 200,000 graduates who will commence work by next month.”

Ngige said: “More of the jobs are in the offing. Our target is to ensure that millions of Nigerians are lifted out of poverty line while at least 50 percent of the population are captured in the social security net.”
Speaking under the theme, ‘Evolving Role of Social Security in a Changing World’ Ngige stated that current government’s efforts geared to give more support to the operations of the National Health Insurance Scheme as well as that of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and assured that the activities of the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) were being enhanced to make it more responsive to achieving social security goals.
Ngige also sought the assistance of China in developing and deepening Nigeria’s social protection programmes.

In a bilateral discussion with the Chinese Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, Mr. Yin Weimin, the Labour and Employment Minister, revealed that Nigeria would tap into the Chinese model of Social Security Academy in order to institutionalise social security practices in the country .

China won the best Social Security Nation for year 2016, having captured one hundred million persons yearly int