The National Identity Number (NIN) and state of residence are mandatory for applicants of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has said.
The Director-General of the NDE, Silas Agara, disclosed this in Abuja at the unveiling of the initiative’s official website, explaining that the NDE’s processes have been fully digitalised.
He added, “After the first phase of RHEI, we went back to work for the second phase. Our directors tirelessly worked around the clock to ensure that the second phase is robust and good. This time, our programme will be entirely digital.
“As we speak today, we have robustly provided software and hardware as well as internet facilities to all the states of the Federation, including FCT, so that they can link to the NDE Headquarters for the implementation of this phase and help us achieve a hundred per cent digital success.
These facilities are made available in all six zonal offices.”
Providing more insights into the requirements of the programme, Agara explained: “Part of the guidelines to key into RHEI, which is very critical, is that all participants must register with their NIN. It is a mandatory requirement in all our programmes and activities that people do today. And in this programme, the state of residence of beneficiaries is what matters, not the state of origin. You are eligible to apply once you are a Nigerian and a resident in any of the states of the Federation. The age bracket this time around is from 18 to 45 years.
“Beneficiaries will be engaged in over 30 different skills. The skill sets vary. State to state. What applies to Abia may not be in Adamawa. We planned it in such a way that state-based skills, that is, certain skills that are very lucrative in specific states, are considered.”
According to him, the registration portal will be open for two weeks, effective from today, Monday, 28 July.
“We will process the applications between 12 August to 22nd August. There will be no extension of the registration date. Two weeks is exactly two weeks. Like I said, the process will be strictly online via our network here at the headquarters. All the States and zonal offices have been linked up. So, whatever they are doing there in the state offices will be viewed here at the headquarters. Nobody will be allowed to import any name in the system, so it is only those who have applied within the stipulated time that shall be processed and considered,” he stated.
The NDE boss also seeks stakeholders’ help in public enlightenment, saying: “I want to plead with the members of the press to help us educate the public because even before we open this website now, we saw and noticed scammers are already out there deceiving members of the public. Some are asking for financial gratification and different kinds of requirements that are not what we in NDE require from participants. We have a lot of people who may not know the difference between the NDE portal and that of the scammers.”
