To address the perennial unemployment problem, the Federal Government must as a matter of urgency create an enabling environment for a productive economy with emphasis on job creation.
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) noted that emphasis must be on development of social, economic and physical infrastructure; come up with fiscal policies that will create an economic atmosphere for gainful employment and embark on policy measures that will reduce poverty and illiteracy.
President of NASU, Hassan Makolo, speaking at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union in Abuja at the weekend, said it is an undisputable fact Nigeria is one of the Sub-Saharan African countries with high level of youth unemployment and under-employment.
“The problem of youth unemployment in Nigeria raises complex economic, social and moral policy ussues. The youth affected by unemployment and under-employment are both skilled and unskilled with some of them involved in migration in search of decent employment as well as better life,” he said.
He expressed that successive administrations at federal, state, and local government levels continue to pay lips service to the issue of youth unemployment and under-employment.
Noting that as at Tuesday, 24th November, 2020, unemployment in Nigeria was 27.1 percent, the NASU President said globalization and technological changes are further exacerbating the youth challenges in the labour market.
He said, “Precarious youth unemployment continues to be on the rise as jobs for young people are increasingly becoming contractual or temporary. Working from home is gaining ground in the country. This was very obvious during the period of lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. To be able to key into the emerging trends, special skills are required.
“NASU, over the years, has continued to lament this sad situation. Today, rather than continue the lamentation, we are suggesting to the federal government, post secondary institutions and employers to put in place a future skills think tank that will figure out not only the skills our economy needs today, but the skills it will need a decade from now and beyond.”
The NASU’s President said the work of the think tank would be to put at the front burner of national discourse and planning, what is critical to the future of Nigeria’s education system, labour market and economy.
Makolo maintained that the future of learning and work will require new competencies and skills, stating that this places new demand on teaching and learning throughout Nigeria’s education system.
“Moreover, youth unemployment and under-employment undermines their ability and that of Nigeria as a nation to plan for the future. Today’s unemployed youth would not have financial security when they get old and are ready to retire, thereby worsening the poverty level of the country,” he said.