The Nigeria Labour Congress has stressed the need for an urgent alternative model of economic growth, to address the issues of unemployment and under-employment in the country.
The congress gave this verdict even as it commended the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for its consistency in living up to its mandate of providing relevant statistical information and data on Nigeria’s economy.
Making reference to NBS statistics; the NLC said the recent report on unemployment and underemployment for the third quota of 2018 indicates that in general the number of persons unemployed in the country has increased by 3.3million year on year from 17.6million in Q3 2017 to 20.9 million in Q3 2018.
In addition, the congress pointed out that underemployment which decreased from 13.20 million in Q3 2015 to 11.19 million in Q3 2016 has in two increased to 18.21 millioon in Q3 2018.
It further indicated that the combined rate of unemployment and underemployment increased from 40.0% in Q3 2017 to 43.3% in Q3 2018.
A statement signed by Comrade Ayuba Wabba said: “Beyond the increase in the size of the labour force as a possible cause of the unemployment, we are worried that the increasing pool of graduates, skilled and semi-skilled youth in the unemployment market especially the increase in rural unemployment even as we celebrate a boost in food production is an indication of the sluggishness of the economy to actively diversify beyond oil, extractives and primary agricultural production.
“It is more worrisome that as unemployment/underemployment increase so is the general increase in social vices and criminalities around the country where the youth are the most common perpetrators.
“The congress is also concerned that the number of women in the unemployment/underemployment which is currently 6.6% higher than that of men is partly an indication of the increasing vulnerability of families as poverty and cost of living increase and the economy is yet to fully recover from recession.
“This situation not only worsens the vulnerability of women in the socio-economy but further exacerbates the gender dimension of social vices and criminalities in the country.”
Wabba stated that the combination of unemployment and underemployment coupled with inflation and a high cost of living put additional pressure on the workers who by traditional expectation will have additional responsibility to cater for some of the needs of relatives and friends.
“This reality further justifies the need for an urgent implementation of a new minimum wage which organized labour will keep its struggle until it is fully implemented without further delay.” He said.
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