Thirty-nine skilled artisans from Benue State have left Nigeria for Belarus under the National Directorate of Employment’s (NDE) International Job Placement Programme a federal initiative promoting safe and structured labour migration.
The workers will take up roles in Belarus’s construction sector as part of efforts to create decent jobs and curb irregular migration.
At a pre-departure ceremony in Abuja, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, said the programme shows that Nigerian talent is globally competitive. She praised the partnership between the Ministry, Benue State Government, NDE, and Enhanced Entrepreneurs Belarus Nig. Co. Ltd., calling it a model for collaborative development.
Onyejeocha urged the beneficiaries to honour their contracts and represent Nigeria with dignity, noting that the scheme offers a safer alternative to irregular migration routes.
NDE’s Director of Special Public Works, Afraimu Agara, said the partnership, which began in 2019, has opened global job opportunities for Nigerian artisans. He added that the initiative will also promote skills and technology transfer as participants gain exposure to international standards.
Agara expressed confidence that the artisans would serve as worthy ambassadors of Benue State and Nigeria in Belarus.
