Degrees no longer assurance for jobs — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday told Nigerian graduates that earning a university degree was no longer an assurance for employment, but something that would help them to face the challenges of life.

The president, who is the visitor to Nnamdi Azikiwe University spoke through the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka at the 13th convocation ceremony of the institution for the conferment of higher degrees, postgraduate diplomas and honorary degrees.

President Buhari The president, who vowed that his administration would continue address youth unemployment and underemployment in the country, called on the youths to embrace the opportunities the Federal Government had put in place to mitigate the situation.

Minna He said: “You are cautioned that university degrees do not usher you into an El Dorado. It rather equips you with the competence to grapple with the ever- changing challenges of life of which youth unemployment is a vexatious part.

“The Federal Government will remain undaunted in tackling the challenges of youth unemployment and underemployment through a matrix of initiatives. Such initiatives, he added, include, N-Power, the Bank of Industry Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme and the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Agriculture support schemes”. 

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Joseph Ahaneku said 6500 undergraduates, 763 Masters degree and 269 PhDs received their certificates for the 2017/2018 academic year.

At the ceremony, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, former Minister of External Affairs, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe and a business mogul, Chief Emeka Offor were conferred  with honorary doctorate degrees.