Radio Nigeria Ibadan Zonal Station

Tag: Unemployment

  • Germany, Ogun Deliberate on Easing Unemployment

    By Segun Folarin

    Notable employers of labour and wealth creation experts have converged on Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital to fashion out ways of addressing the challenge of unemployment among Nigerians. 

    The conference, put together by the Ogun State Government in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation was also aimed at exploring public and private sectors collaboration to boost employment generation. 

    The theme of the two – day event, tagged the maiden edition of Ogun State Employment Conference, is “Addressing Employment and Job Creation in Ogun state: Tapping into Local and Global Opportunities”. 

    Addressing the participants, the Director, Employment and Wages, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr John Nyamali emphasized the need to strengthen the relevant employment policies in the bid to check the trend of mass unemployment. 

    In a presentation entitled”  understanding the role of policy frameworks in stimulating growth and Job creation: pathways to sustainable employment and decent jobs” Dr Nyamali described the recent review of the National Employment policy as a veritable way to balance the country’s economic growth and address low capacity within the economy.

    Dr Nyamali maintained that the high level of unemployment and chronic poverty were caused by flaws and contradictions in running a macro economic policy regime in a predominantly informal economic structure.

    Declaring the conference open, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako Oyedele said actionable steps and strategies must be taken to reduce unemployment to the barest minimum, both on the short and long-term basis. 

    Governor Abiodun reiterated his administration’s commitment to the implementation of policies and programmes that would lift thousands of the State indigenes out of poverty, before the end of his tenure in office. 

    In a remark, the team leader, Skills Development for Youth Employment, Detlef Barth explained that the conference was designed to propose policy recommendations that would foster inclusive and sustainable employment through the promotion of conducive employment framework. 

    Dr Barth expressed the hope that the conference would foster a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of Employment and job creation in the context of global and current realities in Ogun state.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of  Industry, Trade And Investment, Dr. Olu-Ola Aikulola had described the situation of unemployment in the country as dreadful, hence the need for governments to devise pragmatic policies and rally the private sector to mobilize investments in the productive sectors for job creation.

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  • We will tackle unemployment in Nigeria – Ngige

    The federal government has disclosed, it is planning to launch a labour statistics system where unemployed Nigerians at home and abroad could apply for available jobs.


    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige who made this known to journalists in Abuja, said the move was part of efforts to tackle the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria.


    According to the minister, the system will be officially launched in the next one or two months, at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.


    “In our electronic labour exchange system, both people who are looking for work and recruiters can enter the system where we merge and match them. We do what is called cross-matching and people are gainfully employed”.

    Speaking further, Ngige said his ministry has gotten involved in some international projects with foreign partners, which Nigeria has not hitherto been doing, adding that, for the first time, the American Government was putting up a grant for women and children in Nigeria and Liberia.

    Net/Taiwo Akinola

  • Unemployment Responsible For Increase Of Drug Abuse – Dr. Kusimo

    Government at all levels have been encouraged to pay greater attention to plans for addressing unemployment and underemployment in the bid to reduce the scourge of drugs abuse and illicit trafficking.

    The Chairman, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, Ogun State chapter, Dr. Adeneye Kusimo, made the call in Abeokuta while speaking on ways to reduce the growing rate of drug abuse in the society.

    Dr Kusimo who described the consumption of hard substances and illicit drugs as poison to the well-being of the youth in the country, said job creation for the teeming youths would also assist to reduce crimes in the society.

    The medical expert noted that the burden of drugs abuse was still high despite the existing laws, policies, and prevention strategies, hence the need for stakeholders, including parents to fashion out ways to tackle the menace. 

    He also called on the government to provide accessible support centres for the rehabilitation of the affected persons and ensure border patrol to checkmate trafficking of illicit drugs across Nigeria’s borders.

    Dr Kusimo appealed to the media and religious leaders to use their various platforms to sensitize the people on the dangers of drugs abuse and illicit trafficking on the society.

    Olusegun Folarin

  • Business Man Advocates Collaborative Effort To Reduce Unemployment

    A business man, Engineer Ayo-Ade Lawal has called for synergy between
    the private sector and government to reduce the rate of unemployment
    in the country.

    Mr. Lawal made the call while featuring on “matters arising”, a Gold
    FM news magazine programme.

    He noted that neglect of the agriculture sector and oil and gas had
    contributed greatly to unemployment.

    Mr. Lawal emphasized the need for a change in industrial techniques
    and more assistance to those that are self employed.

    The business mogul, who attributed recent upsurge in the rate of
    unemployment to the aftermath of covid-19 pandemic urged government to do more in cushioning the effect of disease.

  • Skill Acquisition: Bridging Unemployment Gaps for Youths

    It is often said that education is a means to an end and not an end in itself.

    In a bid towards achieving the socioeconomic mandate of formal education in an individual, acquisition of skills are encouraged for Nigerian students.

     Correspondent, OkikiJesu Olugboyega in this report, examines the challenges of youths and extent to which skill acquisition has helped in youths empowerment goal.

    https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SKILL-ACUSITION.mp3

     

  • ESPW is a short-term measure against unemployment – Aregbesola

    The Federal Government says, the the 774,000 jobs being created at the local government level is to provide a short term measure for the unemployed youth to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

    The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola stated this during the launch of the Extended Special Public Work Programme in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    Correspondent, Adenitan Akinola completes the story.

    https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FG-Public-Works-Osun.mp3

    Adenitan Akinola

  • Achieving Better Socioeconomic Conditions for Today’s Youth

    Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals Point Four calls for a substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills by 2030.

    Today, there are one point two billion young people aged 15 to 24years, who account for sixteen percent of the global population.

    The active engagement of youths in sustainable development effort is central to achieving sustainable, inclusive and stable societies by the target date.

    However, young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and continuously exposed to lower quality of jobs, greater labour market inequalities and more insecure school –to-work transitions.

    In addition, women are more likely to be underemployed under paid and to undertake part time jobs or work under temporary contracts.

    In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 15th July as World Youth Skills Day.

    The goal is to achieve better socio-economic conditions for today’s youth as a means of addressing the challenges of unemployment and under employment.

    The importance of developing skilled youth is at the core of this year’s message for World Youth Skills Day.

    The aim is to recognize the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship while highlighting the crucial role of skilled youth in addressing current and future global challenges.

    Currently, one in six young people are out of work due to Covid-19 as they are called upon to contribute to the recovery effort. They will need to be equipped with the skills to successful manage evolving challenges and the resilience to adapt to future  disruptions .

    The World Youth Skills Day 2020 will take stock of the impact of the Covid-19 crises on skills development and explore strategies in response to the unfolding economic crisis.

    Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have led to the worldwide closure of technical and vocational education and training, TVET, institutions, threatening the continuity of skills development.

    Report shows that nearly seventy percent of the world’s learners are affected by school closures across education levels currently.

    This entails preparing young people with the capacities to respond to rapid changes in employment and entrepreneurship in the sectors as they are hardest hit by the crisis.

    In the longer term, this means adapting skills development systems to changes in the world economy that the pandemic and recession will bring.  

    To engage the youth during this pandemic, government must diversify and invest in viable sectors for increased youth employment in the informal sector like agriculture, ICT and entertainment.

    Government should as a matter of urgency review and update the national youth employability plan to provide incentives and funds for business startups by youths.

    Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports needs to involve youths in the decision making process for the formulation and execution of youth –friendly programmes. 

    Morenike Tony-Esan

  • Revitalising Vocational and Technical Education in Nigeria

    Unemployment has been a problem that has contributed to poverty among the populace over the years.

    Many youths who graduated from tertiary institutions roam the streets endlessly looking for jobs without success.

    While some continued to trudge on with the hope of a better tomorrow, others have become frustrated and disillusioned.

    Aside the aforementioned, some of these youths with nothing to do have been lured into crime, drug use and other nefarious activities just as the saying that an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

    Furthermore, many able-bodied and highly qualified persons who could not secure employment remain economically dependent on their parents and guardians.

    To address this problem therefore, there is need to encourage youths to learn vocations or skills for them to be self-employed and financially independent.

    Revitalizing vocational and technical education in the country will help to bridge this gap.

    Technical education is the aspect of education that involves the acquisition of techniques and application of the knowledge of science for the improvement of man’s surrounding.

    Vocational education on its part prepares students to be relevant in all spheres of life as they are prepared and exposed to different career options.                                                                                               

    Learners also have the opportunity to become specialists in a particular field whereby they could contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic growth.

    It is important to focus on this level of education as most industrialized nations of the world got to where they are today by developing vocational competencies in all areas.

    It is also imperative to link training in the university with vocational and technical training.

    Acquiring technical or vocational skills would reduce unemployment and increase productivity.

    Government at all levels should key into the relevance of technical and vocational education to develop the nation.

    This is important now more than ever before if the country really wants to belong to the group of developed countries in the world.

    Training in skills and vocation should be encouraged right from the nation’s secondary schools.

    Government cannot continue to fold its arms in view of recent comment by the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers’ Registrar Council of Nigeria, Professor Josiah Ajiboye, that two hundred and seventy three technical teachers are required in the nation’s public school system to meet the aspiration of one teacher to twenty pupils’ ratio of the government.

    Findings show that there are over twenty thousand public secondary schools without teachers in technical subjects.

    It is however heartwarming the pronouncement by the permanent secretary Ministry of Education, Mr. Sonny Echono that the federal government would establish six new technical education colleges before the end of the year and ten additional ones in the next three years.

    This will no doubt empower youths with necessary skills to be self reliant and employers of labour.

    More polytechnics, monotechnics, vocational and other innovation enterprise institutions should be established while poor remuneration of teachers should be addressed to woo more people into the teaching profession.

    Anthonia Akanji