Enugu state Governor , Dr Peter Mbah has inaugurated the Enugu State Employment Council , aimed at creating jobs ,reducing poverty and growing the economy of the state.
The council was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, during the Enugu State Employment Action Plan (E-SEAP) Consultative Meeting and Validation Workshop, held at the BON Sunshine hotel,Enugu.
The workshop organised by the Enugu state Government was put together in collaboration with Development parents, the International Labour Organisation (ILO)and the Deutsche Gessellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit( GIZ).
Declaring the event open, Governor Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and development partners for supporting the state in developing an Employment Action Plan tailored to its economic realities.
SSG, Prof Chidiebere Onyia
Mbah said the selection of Enugu as one of the pioneering states for the development and validation of the State Employment Action Plan was significant, adding that the initiative would provide a framework for addressing unemployment and expanding economic opportunities.
He said his administration had undertaken major interventions aimed at improving infrastructure, security, education and healthcare, noting that the establishment of smart schools and primary healthcare centres, among other projects, was part of efforts to create an enabling environment for economic growth.
He assured that the state government would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to address labour and employment challenges and create an environment where unemployment would become a thing of the past.
In his speech, the minister of Labour and Employment,Dr. Mohammad Maigati Dyngyadi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, explained that the National Employment Policy, launched in 2025, provided a strategic framework for strengthening employment governance across the country.
He said the 36 states were expected to develop employment action plans based on their peculiarities, economic strengths and labour-market realities.
According to him, the State Employment Action Plan would provide a framework capable of bringing together government, labour, employers and other stakeholders to tackle employment challenges.
Enugu state Commissioner for Labour and Employment,Dr Felix Nnamani
He said the Federal Government would continue to work with the states, organised labour and the private sector to strengthen employment institutions and implement policies capable of generating sustainable jobs.
In her goodwill message, the International Labour Organisation Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala, commended the Enugu State Government and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for convening the consultative meeting.
Participants at the event
Phala said the establishment and inauguration of the Enugu State Employment Council represented a significant step towards strengthening employment governance in the state.
She said the council would serve as a key coordination and social dialogue mechanism, helping to promote policy coherence and ensure that employment remained a shared priority across ministries, departments and agencies, employers’ and workers’ organisations and other stakeholders.
She identified four strategic areas contained in the draft E-SEAP as the digital and knowledge economy; creative industry and services; informal sector transformation and formalisation; and youth skills development and Technical and Vocational Education and Training alignment.
Phala stressed that the success of the action plan would ultimately be measured by its impact on employment outcomes, particularly for young women and men, rather than by the quality of the document alone.
She called for clear institutional responsibilities, adequate resources, effective coordination, reliable data, monitoring and accountability to ensure successful implementation.
The ILO representative also commended the contributions of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, GIZ-SKYE Programme and other development partners to the process.
She expressed the ILO’s commitment to supporting the Federal and state governments, social partners and development partners in strengthening employment institutions and promoting inclusive and decent work.
Goodwill messages were presented by other development partners including the Enugu state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress( NLC) ,Comrade Fabian Nwigbo and his Trade Union Counterpart.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Labour and Employment, Dr Felix Nnamani described the event as a great milestone, saying, ” it is strategic”
He said Governor Mbah had created an enabling environment for job creation in the state. He added that 10,000 Smart teachers were employed in 2025 for Smart schools. He assured that ministries and other stakeholders will work together in
The workshop, which had the theme, “Value-Driven Strategies for Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth,” also featured the validation of the E-SEAP and discussions on the implementation of the Action Plan.
