The Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali and his Al-Hikmah University, counterpart, Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim, have urged the Federal Government to create a database for the employment needs of the country.

They stated that this would avail policymakers the required data to tackle the high unemployment rate in the country.

They said universities should intensify efforts to equip students with skills and entrepreneurial training so that they would be job creators instead of job seekers.

While Ambali spoke on Monday during a media briefing on the 40th anniversary of Unilorin, Ibrahim spoke on the sidelines of Al-Hikmah‘s fifth matriculation.

Ambali said Unilorin always encouraged skill acquisition and development among its students so that they would not be roaming the streets in search of employment after graduation.

Ibrahim said with factual data of the labour needs of the country, tertiary institutions would also adjust their admission quota to suit such human resources and job needs.

He stated that the country was encountering high unemployment rate because students chose courses which employment spaces had already been saturated while leaving areas where manpower was highly required.

The VC said the university had initiated and activated employment platforms such that willing students could work and still pursue their academic programmes.

He stated that such employment platforms such as laundry, block moulding and hospitality industry would encourage students to imbibe dignity of labour and assist indigent ones.