Unemployment: Reps Demand Action Plan

To redress the growing rate of unemployment in Nigeria, the country’s House of Representatives have challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently present his administration’s programmes and projects for the next four years.

This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Mr Andrew Uchendu of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) from Rivers state, Southern Nigeria. The House demanded a comprehensive programme to take effect from next year.

“Youth Unemployment and Restiveness in Nigeria,”

In the motion, titled “Youth Unemployment and Restiveness in Nigeria,” Uchendu pointed out that unemployment posed a great threat to peace and security in the country, especially if a recent report issued by the British Council was anything to go by.

The British Council report of September 2010 said Africa’s most populous nation could face a demographic disaster if it fails to create opportunities for its young people.

The report said, however, that Nigeria could reap an enormous economic dividend in the next 20 years if it creates more jobs.

It also said Nigeria would, in the next two decades, have an abundant supply of young workers and a year has passed since the publication of that report.

Bleak and Catastrophic

Referencing the study, which was conducted by an independent panel of respected Nigerian experts, including economists and ex-ministers, and commissioned by the British Council, Mr Uchendu outlined that the seriousness of the country’s predicament should not be underestimated, as its prospects would be bleak and could be catastrophic.

“In the worst case, the study forecast that Nigeria could face ethnic and religious conflicts and a discredited political system, due to its “failure to improve lives”.

This can be seen in the numerous ethno religious conflicts that rocked the nation since the Independence-day bombing on October 1, 2010, and other bombings in mostly Borno state, North Eastern Nigeria, and the Federal Capital Abuja.

Other examples of crises are the ethno religious crises of Jos, North Central Nigeria, and Boko Haram – military clashes in Borno, including Kidnapping in the Southern region of the country.

“The oil industry in Nigeria contributes about 40 percent to the GDP, and employs only about 0.15 percent of the country’s population. If Nigeria failed to plan for its next generation, it could face worsening social unrest”, Andrew Uchendu said.

Need for drastic measures

Speaking in support of the motion, the minority-whip of the House; Samson Osagie of the opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from Edo state, Southern Nigeria, described the menace of unemployment as one of the greatest challenges confronting the nation at the moment.

He noted that drastic measures should be taken to prevent it from degenerating further.

The British Council report recommends that Africa’s largest oil producer would need to create some 25 million jobs over the next 10 years.

It further said if the country continued with current levels of economic growth, while also boosting health and education standards, more than 30 million people could be lifted out of poverty by 2030.

Nigeria’s over 150 million population could soar by tens of millions more people by 2050, according to United Nations estimates.

Official unemployment statistics place the levels of joblessness at 20 percent, but is generally disputed.

Emergency and disaster

Other members who also spoke in support were the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, Chinenye Ike, Ayo Omidiran and Emmanuel Ekpeyong.

In a related development, the House has mandated its committee on emergency and disaster preparedness to look into the recent fire outbreak, caused by a petrol tanker at the central police station, located at the Prison roundabout in Enugu state, Eastern Nigeria and report back.

The motion was sponsored by Offor Chukwuegbo (PDP, Enugu) and 40 other members.

The motion called for the provision of relief materials by National Emergency Management Agency to victims of the inferno. Government was urged to reconstruct all affected buildings around the area, after which a minute silence was observed on the floor.

NP/Hauwa Abubakar/Hajia Sani