Abuja — The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its resolve to create at least one million jobs from agriculture and other vocations this year for the teeming unemployed youth in the country.

Speaking during the public presentation of the report titled "Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP)" by two consultants, Profs. Vremudia Diejomaoh and Joe Umo, the Minister of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi said the decision was reached after consultations with the relevant units of government.

"From the Federal Executive Council to the Economic Management Team, the focus is employment generation from 2009 to 2011 to march the thousands of inflows of Nigerian youth into the labour market on annual basis.

Just a few days ago, the honourable Ministers of National Planning, Labour and myself brainstormed on the unemployment situation with the Country Representative and other top officials of the World Bank with a resolution to coordinate and accelerate efforts at addressing the job question. On the same day, we had related sessions involving key line Ministers with a focus on the creation of at least one million jobs this year alone," he said.

According to Olasunkanmi, NIYEAP was commissioned to find lasting answers to unemployment adding that the document was been revealed coincidentally with coordinated measures being taken by various arms of government at the heat of the world economic crisis.

"I am confident that the Action Plan when fully implemented will propel the youth in the right direction and set them in the right path to wealth creation, poverty reduction, and food security.