The committee said the database would be the major platform where companies and government agencies could visit for recruitment of workers.

The Senate Committee on Local Content has promised to facilitate the establishment of a database for local artisans across the country.

The Chairman of the Committee, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), made the promise on Thursday at an interactive session with officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Abuja.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that the database will be the major platform that companies and government agencies could visit for recruitment of workers.

She said the database would help to reduce the rate of unemployment among Nigerian youth and encourage the locals to work effectively in conducive environments.

"Local Content Committee intends to deploy innovative thinking for positive results, thus, we are building a database of carefully profiled artisans who have been trained by NDDC, SMEDAN, etc and work modalities to have the oil & gas companies, as well as government contractors, recruit from the pool of verified workforce.

"This would help curb unemployment by keeping the jobs locally. Such a project would also help the local content board, NDDC and other agencies monitor and evaluate the performance of our collective capacity-building efforts towards achieving a common microeconomic growth for Nigeria and Africa at large.

"NDDC should consider being the primary recruiters of their trained workforce. Artisans or skilled professionals such as ICT workers can be absorbed by NDDC contractors, which in turn, will enable the commission to reach the most vulnerable and neglected youth" Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said.

She commended the management of the NDDC for signing an agreement with Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to develop local content capacity.

The Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, assured that the management of the commission would continue to support local artisans.