The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Femi Hamzat, on Wednesday, expressed deep worries over the increasing rate of youth unemployment in the country, saying except the condition is reversed, there would be a continuous high level of poverty, insecurity, corruption and deplorable living standards of many citizens.
He made the remarks at the 2019 annual lecture of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, where he was a guest lecturer. He spoke on “Addressing the unemployment scourge in Nigeria: The role of agriculture and technology.”
The deputy governor, who described the huge youth unemployment in the country as very scaring, disturbing and unacceptable, said though, successive governments at both the state and federal levels had rolled (and still rolling) out measures and policies to address the problem, the results are not yet impactful in real terms.
He explained that, even though, every sector of the economy has its peculiar contributory role in employment generation and economic growth and development, huge investment in agriculture and technology would be more rewarding in that regards for the country and particularly, the Lagos State which he said witnessing daily upsurge in population due to people migration.
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“And one way to do this is to invest in developing people, especially the youth with right knowledge and relevant skills through research and development activities. The universities in this regards will take the lead, do constant review of their curricula and also engage in innovations that will address the societal needs.”
He, however, assured the people of Lagos State that the current administration of the state would continue to invest in agriculture, especially rice production and technology to generate more employment and develop the economy.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun, said LASU as an institution is focusing on the production of enterprising graduates.
“And that is why all our graduates must have to pass through entrepreneurship programmes irrespective of courses of study before graduation,” he added.
In his own remarks, the chairman of the occasion and erudite lawyer, Chief Oluwole Olanipekun, said though, the era of graduates getting white-collar jobs after graduation has gone, the government and elders would, therefore, need to live up to their responsibility of providing jobs for its teeming youths.
He noted that when he graduated in the 70s, he had eight different job offers while many graduates today roam the streets without getting any for many years.
He said huge investment in agriculture and technology would truly take a significant number of youth in the country out of the unemployment market.
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