16 March 2009
editorial
Recently, the Federal Government accepted World Bank's figure of 40 million (28.57%) unemployed people in Nigeria.
Though there were no details of how the Bank arrived at that figure, the admission by the Minister of Labour, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode that we do have such an unemployment crisis is enough to give credence to the report.
We recall that two years ago, the Federal Government disclosed that about 70 percent of Nigeria's population lived below the poverty line, but since then no concrete measures have been taken to address the situation. Suddenly we are confronted with the statistic that 40 million Nigerians are unemployed. It is indeed worrisome for a country with a population figure of 140million (as indicated in the 2006 Census report) to have 40million unemployed. But we wonder why the minister should rely on World Bank to ascertain the country's unemployment figures rather than obtain same from the federal office of statistics.
Notwithstanding the reliability or otherwise of the figures, the good thing is that those at the helm of affairs are beginning to show concern about the growing rate of unemployment and poverty in this country and may decide to act now.
While acknowledging efforts made by previous administrations to tackle the problem of unemployment, we however disagree with the minister for attributing the present statistics to the current global economic meltdown . This is because the Nigerian economy was already in the throes of multiple upheavals long before the global crisis. Over the years, hundreds of factories that hitherto provided employment to multitudes of graduates and artisans have collapsed.
In one year, over 100 textiles factories closed shop across the country and the trend continues. Why? This is because energy supply which serves as the main engine of production has been comatose, thus forcing surviving industries to depend on power generators while the country becomes a dumping ground for all imported items.
Many artisans such as furniture makers, welders, aluminium window fitters, tailors, etc who cannot afford power generators are today out of work . In desperation, a large chunk of Nigerian youths have taken to riding commercial motorcycles while others went into street hawking just to keep body and soul together. The country is faced with a gross abuse and under utilisation of human resources with direct impact on national productivity and competitiveness. Brain drain in all professional callings has become the order of the day, while the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) which used to play a key role in policy formulation and implementation has been reduced to a gathering of complainants.
Another disturbing aspect of the whole phenomena is the state of our educational system which has forced some employers of labour to reserve spaces for Nigerians with foreign qualifications. This is because our higher institutions are steadily producing graduates whose skills are suspect, thus making it difficult for them to get recruited. This brings to the fore, the need for Guidance and Counselling tutorials in our schools, in order to prepare, guide and encourage students to read courses that could guarantee them employment after graduation.
The dynamics of school -to -work transition must be reconsidered. What kind of workers does the economy require? What is the connection between the school system and the job market in the context of national manpower development? All these questions need to be answered if government is really serious about solving the unemployment problem in the country.
Above all, the Federal Government must take practical steps in solving the energy crisis while states and local governments should create job opportunities. Similarly, more technical schools should be established and the existing ones reinvigorated to take care of students who cannot meet university admission requirements. By so doing, the nation would produce not just professionals but certified artisans for a better productivity and self- employment.
It is against this backdrop that we see as unnecessary the proposal for the establishment of a National Employment Council (NEC) as announced by the Minister of labour, with the single mandate of developing strategies for tackling unemployment in the country. In what way will the NEC be different from the National Directorate of employment (NDE) which has not been able to solve the problem of unemployment after several years of existence?
Government should stop duplicating its efforts but rather be focussed on the need to create employment opportunities using available channels while paying heed to our suggestions above. The authorities should also de-emphasise our dependence on imports which keep non Nigerians in employment and begin to develop and deepen our productive capacity.
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