The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Thursday, affirmed that unemployment in Nigeria has more than quadrupled since 2015.
He said it followed the country slipping into recession first in 2015 and then, in 2020.
The Minister was speaking at the 68th session of the Inter-ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the presidential villa, Abuja.
He stressed the need to make efforts to stem the negative impact on the economy and the country’s active population.
He explained: “The triple issues of Unemployment, Poverty and Economic disempowerment have remained a disturbing feature of Nigerian Life. The unemployment rate in the country has more than quadrupled since the economy slipped into recession, first in 2015 and later in 2020.
“The unemployment rate in Nigeria rose to 9.9% in 2015 as the current administration came on board.
“In the context of ILO’s definition of unemployment, there is a need to make concerted efforts towards stemming the negative impact of unemployment on the economy and the active population of the country.
“It is in the light of the preceding that the Federal Government recently inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Youth Employment and Skills Development to handle the increasing Youth Unemployment and skills development in the country.”
Ngige pointed out that the current administration has demonstrated strong determination to bring down the rate of unemployment across the country through vocational training, mass decent work and enterprise development.
According to him, this is geared towards supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
He said in tackling the unemployment crisis in Nigeria, the Ministry has been able to develop the Local Employment (LECI) to ensure that every contract approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) provides a corresponding component for job creation opportunity and employment generation.
“Statistics revealed that, between May 2015 and June 2021, estimated FEC-approved contracts generated approximately 694,869 jobs in the Nation at an average of 99,267 jobs per year,” he added.
Other actions he said were taken include the National Action Plan on Employment Creation (NAPEC), the Implementation of the National Employment Policy (NEP), the creation of Job Centres to provide employment promotion services and ease of job seekers in the labour sector of the Nigerian economy.
He also said that in line with the government’s determination to bring down the high rate of unemployment across the country, the Ministry evolved strategies including the establishment of Skills Development Centres and the establishment of a Migrant Resource Centre.
The Minister added: “Notwithstanding the daunting challenges of the nation, the present administration has demonstrated resilience and doggedness in keeping the Nigerian economy on the wheel of progress.
“It is, therefore, important that the private sector, being the engine of growth, supports the government’s efforts by creating jobs and improving the work environment, as well as financing works and services.
“As the current administration delivers the democratic dividends to the Nigerian people, there is a need for members of the organised private sector to reinvest their profit in the creation and retention of jobs.
“This will significantly help reduce unemployment and encourage the improvement of the work environment which demands the commitment and dedication of all.”
Ngige also announced that the threat of protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over Naira scarcity, has been arrested.
Recall that the leadership of the congress had given the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to cause the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the commercial banks to end the cash scarcity or face a nationwide protest that will include the picketing of the apex bank’s branches.
However, the Minster noted that there had been dialogues coordinated by his ministry, noting that the CBN had taken steps to remedy the situation.
The Minister explained: “Now they have all answered our calls because we are the Chief Conciliators. In my opening remark, I said I’ve noticed that there’s already a dialogue going on and there’s also implementation and the Nigerian Labour Congress agreed that there was some thawing at the surface of the icing that was there.
“They said they will call up their National Executive Council meeting because the initial decision to give that ultimatum was given by this same Council.
“Members of the Council reside in the states and the local governments so they will come up today, which is Tuesday, the 28th, to review the situation because much as it is, the important thing is that we have emphasised to them that we have apprehended this dispute.
“By Section 7:8 of the Trade Dispute Act, once the Minister apprehends and starts conciliation on it, you maintain status quo ante bellum.
“So, they have gone back now to review the situation. If they’re not satisfied with what they see, they will come back to me and I’ll invite the CBN again.
“But for now, the issue of discussion is no longer strike, the issue of discussion is implementation and how far it’s gone and how far it affects Nigerian workers and the general population.
“So, that is it. The final decision will be done today by NEC and they will then do a resolution, of course, inform me and CBN what their resolution is. But like I said, we have apprehended and we are now conciliating.”
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