The House believes this will serve as motivation for Nigerian students and enable graduates to maximize their potential.

Representative Chinedu Martins, who moved the motion on Wednesday, said this will address the concerns of exporting the best brains to other countries.

While giving his presentation on the ‘Need to Grant Automatic Employment to First Class Graduates,’ Hon Martins stressed that Nigerian universities produce hundreds of first class graduates annually at the end of every academic year, adding that “a great percentage of them find it difficult to secure employment and contribute to nation-building”.

He lamented that the inability of many first class graduates to secure gainful employments has continued to force the nation’s brightest minds to flee the country, thereby, enriching the human resources of those nations, leaving the nation at a loss.

“According to research, Nigeria has continued to unwittingly give away her best brains and intellectuals to other countries who, by virtue of their robust policies on a value system, reward diligence and excellence as can be seen in the exodus of medical professionals from Nigeria to other countries.

“Reports have shown in seeking admissions to universities, students consider countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, Australia, China, Canada as it increases their chances of being employed upon graduation,” Hon. Martins asserted.

The lawmaker argued that automatic employment for first class graduates will serve as a source of motivation for students to work harder. According to him, it will also help them to maximize their potential in preparation for different economic roles, future leadership positions, and ultimately reduce unemployment while helping the nation achieve its developmental goals.

Having heard Hon Martin’s case, the House adopted the motion and urged the Federal Ministry of Education to liaise with relevant government agencies to ensure employment for first class graduates of Nigerian Institutions.

The Reps also mandated its Committees on Tertiary Education and Services, and Labour, Employment, and Productivity to ensure compliance with the resolutions reached.

This was done as part of efforts to reduce the rate of unemployment in the State.

Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, who spoke recently on the programme with newsmen said the Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) is designed to give candidates the opportunity to develop employability and work-ready skills that are needed in securing gainful employment.

She added that the Internship Programme will be addressing the third and fourth pillars of the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, which are Education and Technology and Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, while the beneficiaries will be paid a monthly stipend of N40,000 for the six months duration of the internship.

Arobieke informed that at the end of the internship period, interns would have gained valuable applied work experience, built up their professional skills and would have been exposed to possible entrepreneurial opportunities to strengthen their professional skills and interpersonal relationship.

The Commissioner, therefore, implored interested candidates to apply through the dedicated link for the programme, click here, stressing that interested applicants must possess NYSC Certificates or letters of exemption, and must be registered residents of the State with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRA.

While informing that over 50 off-takers have shown interest in having the Interns work in their organisations, Arobieke maintained that the selection process will be transparent as successful candidates after taking an online test will be trained on employability skills for two weeks and evaluated; they will, subsequently, be placed on six months paid Internship with Private organisations and selected Public Agencies in line with their qualification.