TheNewsGuru

Tag: Unemployment

  • Melaye gives reason for persistent problem in Nigeria

    Member Representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, has given reason why there is persistent problem in the country.

    TheNewsGuru reports Melaye said the problem in Nigeria is not solely based on the inadequacies or inability of security agencies.

    He alludes that the problem is based on the blatant disregard for human life.

    “The problem in Nigeria if I might add is not solely based on the inadequacies or inability of the security agencies. I would say if I’m allowed is based on the “blatant disregard for Every Human Life”.

    “If each life matters, the Federal government would have taken the necessary actions years ago to contain and resolve these matters which sadly go beyond the issue with the Fulani herdsmen.

    “Youths are dying due to drug addiction, unemployment and suicide rate on the increase. Boko Haram still a threat to stability in the Northern region,” he said.

    He went further to stated that “Individual Nigerians must also be accountable to each life matters”.

    “We are our brothers’ keeper. We shouldn’t just talk about these atrocities and be scandalized for a few weeks and then move on to the next topic.

    “We all collectively have to cry out, get the international community’s attention and hold all legislators (local and federal) accountable until satisfactory results obtained.

    “Underperforming officials must never be rewarded but dealt with swiftly and efficiently to ensure the preservation and respect for human life.

    “If you have value for life please help spread each life matter,” he concluded.

     

  • Unemployment: AfDB approves $300m loan to Nigeria

    The Federal Government on Thursday confirmed that the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a $300m loan to contribute to job creation, food security and nutrition.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha said this in Abuja at a round-table on tackling youth unemployment in Nigeria.

    The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Service reform in collaboration with the Department for International Development.

    The SGF at the event also constituted an Inter-ministerial task team to address the youth unemployment challenges in the country.

    He said members of the team would be drawn from the Office of the Head of Service, ministry of labour, ministry of finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the National Directorate of Employment.

    The SGF said the Federal Government was committed to addressing the rising youth unemployment in the country through innovative ways.

    For instance, he said the government through the bank of Industry had launched a N10bn Youth Entrepreneurship Support program to empower youth with loans to start business.

    The program, he noted, is aimed at equipping young aspiring entrepreneurs with the right skills and knowledge to be self employed by starting and managing their own businesses.

    He said, “The Federal Government has accorded agriculture priority in order to create job opportunities for the youth.

    “We owe the youth in Nigeria today and tomorrow to work with determination and to do everything possible to win this battle.

    “And am confident that with the commitment and strong resolve, we will have the results we are striving in the not too distant future.”

    He said that the government is addressing the unemployment challenges through the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    He said through the plan, the government has identified various sectors that could be used to create jobs for the people.

    The Acting Director-General, BPSR, Mr Dave Arabi said agency had developed a policy note on how to effectively address the issue of unemployment in Nigeria.

    He said the roundtable would provide a veritable platform for all stakeholders to come up with the needed solutions to addressing the unemployment situation.

  • Unemployment: Edo state launches EdoJobs 2.0

    Edo State Government has launched version 2.0 of its EdoJobs portal, a platform set up to coordinate skills development and job creation initiatives and tackle unemployment in the state.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Skills Development and Jobs, Ukinebo Dare, the state government said that there are existing vacancies for jobs and upcoming training on the portal.

    The state government urged appointees and top government officials to mobilize their constituents in local government areas to register on the EdoJobs portal.

    “We humbly appeal that you use your good office to reach out to constituents in your local government so they can apply for jobs and upcoming trainings,” the aide said.

    She explained that opportunities advertised on the portal cut across all senatorial districts in the state and there are relevant vacancies for various levels of qualifications and ages.

    The governor’s aide said that the EdoJobs 2.0 is a relaunch of the project, which is the skills development programme set up to meet Governor Obaseki’s desire for job creation and employability of residents in Edo State.

    Recall that the state government reopened the EdoJobs portal on March 2, calling on residents in the state to register for job and training opportunities.

    At the press conference to relaunch the programme, Dare explained that the state government is partnering with organisations that are specialised in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), mobile phone and laptop repairs, automobile mechanics among others, to train youths across the three senatorial districts in the state.

    The training, she said, “is designed in such a way that some programmes have stipend packages, start-up packs while others have business support packages for trainees. The programme will also address the needs of the participating business partners and individuals.”

    She added that youths will be trained in various skills to meet the increasing demands for highly skilled workforce in the state.

    “The objective of the programme is to enable the state government prepare youths as entrepreneurs and employers of labour in line with the vision of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to create 200,000 jobs,” she said.

     

  • Technological advancement key to ending youth unemployment – Dogara

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has said that Nigeria cannot expect to excel as a nation if it does not match words with action in science and technology development.

    While pledging the commitment of the House to supporting the growth of science in the country, he added that it is innovation that dictates the country that leads, and is key to ending youth unemployment.

    Speaking at the Technology and Innovation Expo 2018 in Abuja on Friday, Dogara stressed the importance of scientific development and said that it also provides an avenue to tackle youth unemployment, which has been a perennial challenge to successive administrations in Nigeria.

    He stated, “If we think that we can continue to pay lip service to innovation and still excel as a nation, we will be deceiving ourselves or we will be expecting something that was never the case, never has been and never will be.

    “There is no way in the contemporary world that the destinies of nations can be secured without the needed advances in science and technology. As a matter of fact, this should be the most important national focus because whatever it is that you have as a nation, whether it is the wealth that is buried beneath the surface of our land, you need science and technology to bring it out.”

    The speaker also urged young people to be innovative, as it remains one of the most effective ways of attaining global recognition and effectively managing resources.

    “When we talk about science and technology, we are talking about innovation. Thankfully, innovation involves nothing new because all that we need to innovate with is already here with us. Innovation involves arranging old things in new ways and I guess some of the participants today can attest to that. It’s thinking about things that are not working and even things that are working, and how to improve on them.

    “Any nation that out innovates you can outcompete you in the modern global space so as a nation, we have every reason to devote attention to events like this. I can tell you there’s no better way that we can rein in resources in terms of money than to innovate. When you innovate, it’s like a light that attracts the entire world to you.”

    Citing an example with agricultural breakthroughs in Israel, Dogara urged young people to attain technological feats which will speed up the pace of development in the country and pledged the commitment of Parliament to ensuring adequate funding for science and technology.

    “I’m particularly impressed, for instance, if you take the area of agriculture in the nation of Israel. Even the United Nations said that Israel, though a desert nation, is the most agriculturally efficient nation on earth. Just because of innovation, so many people go to that desert nation to learn how to farm.

    “I want to commend this initiative and say that as members of the National Assembly, we pledge our support. We will continue to put the funds there for our teeming young people to innovate and to be candid, if we innovate, the crisis of unemployment facing us in this nation will be brought to an end.”

    The Speaker also congratulated those who won awards and various prizes and urged them to strive hard to actualise their full potential. He commended the minster for science and technology, whom he described as a “round peg in a round hole”.

     

  • We are working hard to reduce unemployment rate in Nigeria – Buhari

    …As Kumuyi, Usman, others bag honourary doctorate degrees at University of Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday reiterated his government’s resolve to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.

    Buhari, who was represented by Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Chinedu Mafiano, spoke at the 22nd convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja on Saturday.

    The General Superintendent, Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi was awarded an Honourable doctorate degree along with the late Ahmadu Bello University’s historian, Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman and Alhj. Dikko Aliyu, for their contributions to nation building.

    Kumuyi ( Doctor of Science) Usman (Doctor of Letters) and Aliyu (Doctor of management) joined 7,148 graduands to receive their degrees at the university’s main campus. Felix Jimoh emerged best overall graduating student.

    A breakdown of the figures showed that 16 students bagged first class, 507 second class upper division, 3,143 second class lower division, 3,160 third class and 180 students had pass degrees.

    President Buhari said: “My government is working hard to reduce the unemployment rates through several programmes and initiatives including the N-power, agriculture, small and medium scale businesses (SMEs), all of which are supported by government guaranteed loan scheme. I encourage you all to key into any of them for national growth and development.

    “Government will devote attention to technical and vocational educational training to impact the necessary skills to our youths in a bid to provide the requisite, competent and reliant personnel that can sustain the nation’s economic activities for the required socio-economic transformation.”

    He charged Nigerian universities to continue to partner governments at all levels in order to build a thriving economy.

    “The Nigerian university system must continue to be partners in progress with governments at all levels. My administration recognizes that interdependency and professionals are the drivers of a thriving economy.

    “If we must keep up with this global trend, education must be given its right place. My government is determined to continue to improve access to quality in our educational system.

    “Consequently, infrastructure, teachers development, curriculum relevance, funding and planning will continue to receive a boost with the resolve that they will facilitate the desired change in sociology-economic, political, and technological sectors,” Buhari added.

    Pastor Kumuyi, in his address, said the awardees would continue to contribute their quota to the development of the university.

    He charged the graduating students to use the knowledge they have acquired to help transform the country into a global economic power.

    He said: “Nigeria has many opportunities despite the challenges we face as a nation today. You must be determined to use the knowledge that you have gained at this university to help transform our nation into the global economic powerhouse that it is destined to be.

    “All hands should be joined together to provide lacking structures and indispensable facilities required for academic excellence. We must focus on our vision and have faith. With our belief, ambition, determination and the fear of God, we can make University of Abuja better,” Kumuyi, said.

    Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Michael Adikwu, noted that there had been much improvement in the activities of the university as seen in staff training and development of infrastructures.

    He urged the graduands to rise up to the socio-economic challenges that the country currently faces by being creative.

    He appealed to Buhari for more funds, noting that the institution still lacked adequate funding to complete crucial projects.

    Prof. Adikwu said: “At this convocation, the university will be graduating a total of 7, 148 made up of 16 first class graduands in the first degree category, 507 second class upper division, 3,143 second class lower division, 3, 160 will pass out with third class while 180 of the graduands have pass degrees.

    “A total of 242 higher degree graduands, made up of 91 Postgraduate Diploma holders, 78 Masters Degrees and 73 with Doctorate Degrees. We congratulate them.”

  • ILO projects unemployment, decent work deficit to remain high in 2018

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has projected that the global unemployment rate and decent work deficit will stay at persistently high levels in many parts of the world in 2018.

    ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said this in a report titled the “World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2018” in Geneva.

    He said the World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2018 noted that the global unemployment rate has been stabilizing after a rise in 2016.

    “It is expected to have reached 5.6 per cent in 2017, with the total number of unemployed exceeding 192 million persons.

    “As the long-term global economic outlook remains modest despite stronger than expected growth in 2017,” he said.

    Ryder also said the report attributes the positive trend between 2017 and 2018 mainly to the strong performance of labour markets in developed countries.

    He added that is where the unemployment rate is projected to fall by an additional 0.2 percentage points in 2018 to reach 5.5 per cent, a rate below pre-crisis levels.

    The ILO boss said in contrast, employment growth was expected to fall short of labour force growth in emerging and developing countries, but has nevertheless improved compared to 2016.

    “Even though global unemployment has stabilized, decent work deficits remain widespread: the global economy is still not creating enough jobs.

    “This means additional efforts need to be put in place to improve the quality of work for jobholders and to ensure that the gains of growth are shared equitably,” Ryder said.

    Also, Mr Stefan Kühn, ILO Economist and lead author of the report noted that vulnerable employment was also on the rise and the pace of working poverty reduction was slowing.

    Kühn said the report highlights the fact that the significant progress achieved in the past in reducing vulnerable employment has essentially stalled since 2012.

    According to him, this means that almost 1.4 billion workers are estimated to be in vulnerable employment in 2017, and that an additional 35 million are expected to join them by 2018.

    “In developing countries, vulnerable employment affects three out of four workers. The report noted that working poverty continues to fall in emerging countries.

    “This is where the number of people in extreme working poverty is expected to reach 176 million in 2018, or 7.2 per cent of all employed people,” he said.

    The ILO Economist also noted that in developing countries, progress in reducing working poverty was too slow to keep up with the expanding labour force.

    He said that the number of workers living in extreme poverty was expected to remain stubbornly above 114 million for the coming years.

    “That is affecting 40 per cent of all employed people in 2018,” he said.

    Kühn, however, also highlight the fact that participation rates among women remain well below those for their male counterparts.

    He added that women are also more likely to face inferior quality jobs and lower salaries.

     

  • 16 million Nigerians unemployed in third quarter of 2017 — NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS has said out of a total active labour force of 85.08 million people in Nigeria, about 16 million people were unemployed in the third quarter of 2017.

    This was contained in a report on Labour Force Statistics in the third quarter of 2017 published on the bureau’s website on Monday.

    The report said the category of unemployed persons comprised 8.5 million people ”who engaged in an economic activity for at least an hour” and 7.5 million people ”who did absolutely nothing.”

    Also, 18.02 million people were underemployed, as they worked for 20 to 39 hours a week, which is less than the 40 hours required to be classified among the workforce.

    Fully employed persons, who worked for 40 hours and above in the third quarter of 2018 were 51.06 million people, resulting in a total of 77.6 million people engaged in an extent of economic activity.

    The report said among the 77.6 million people who were engaged in some extent of economic activity, 29.66 million people were self-employed, engaged in agriculture and 21.66 million were self-employed in non-agricultural sectors.

    About 19.72 million were working for pay or wage, which, is equivalent to 25.42 per cent of the total workers in the third quarter of 2017, while paid apprentices and unpaid house workers constituted 7.30 per cent and 1.11 per cent of the total working force engaged for at least one hour a week.

    The report also revealed that more men worked full-time than women, while a higher percentage of female worked part-time between 20-39 hours and below 20 hours per week.

    “The absolute number of male full-time workers, 34.85 million, was more than twice the number of female full-time workers, 16.21 million, in the third quarter of 2017.

    “A larger percentage of men to women were self-employed in the agricultural sector, while a larger percentage of women were self-employed in non-agricultural areas of work.

    “Agriculture dominated both female and male labor markets. Most economic sectors including agriculture, Other Services, Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Transportation and Storage, and Construction employed more male workers than female workers,” the report said.

     

  • Four million Nigerians lost their jobs in 2017 – NBS

    Between January and September this year, 4.07 million Nigerians became unemployed, an analysis of the unemployment report for the third quarter released by the National Bureau of Statistics has revealed.

    The bureau, in the report made available to our correspondent on Friday, stated that the number of Nigerians that became unemployed rose from 11.92 million in the first quarter of this year to 13.58 million and 15.99 million in the second and third quarters respectively.

    It said between the second quarter and third quarter, the number of economically active or working age population (15 – 64 years of age) increased from 110.3 million to 111.1 million.

    The NBS report said the increasing unemployment and underemployment rates implied that although Nigeria’s economy was officially out of recession, domestic labour market was still fragile and economic growths in the past two quarters in 2017 had not been strong enough to provide employment in Nigeria’s domestic labour market.

    It read in part, “The labour force population increased from 83.9 million in Q2 2017 to 85.1 million in Q3 2017. The total number of people in full-time employment (at least 40 hours a week) declined from 52.7 million in Q2 2017 to 51.1 million in Q3 2017.

    “The unemployment rate increased from 14.2 per cent in Q4 2016 to 16.2 per cent in Q2 2017 and 18.8 per cent in Q3 2017.

    “The number of people within the labour force who are unemployed or underemployed increased from 13.6 million and 17.7 million respectively in Q2 2017, to 15.9 million and 18 million in Q3 2017.

    “Total unemployment and underemployment combined increased from 37.2 per cent in the previous quarter to 40 per cent in Q3 2017.”

    It said during the third quarter of this year, 21.2 per cent of women within the labour force that were between the ages of 15 years and 64 years and willing, able, and actively seeking work were unemployed, compared with 16.5 per cent of men within the same period.

    The NBS noted in the report that in the third quarter of this year, 16.4 per cent of rural and 23.4 per cent of urban dwellers within the labour force were unemployed. It added that the rate of unemployment was increasing at a slightly faster rate for urban dwellers than it was for their rural counterparts.

    “Underemployment is predominant in the rural areas; 26.9 per cent of rural residents within the labour force in Q3 2017 are underemployed, compared to nine per cent of urban residents within the same period.

     

    “For the period under review, Q3, 2017, the unemployment rate for young people stood at 33.1 per cent for those aged 15 to 24, and 20.2 per cent for those aged 25 to 34,” it added.

    In terms of geographical spread, the NBS said in the report that as of the end of the third quarter, Rivers State reported the highest unemployment rate at 41.82 per cent, followed by Akwa-Ibom State (36.58 per cent), Bayelsa State (30.36 per cent), Imo State (29.47 per cent) and Kaduna State (28.96 per cent).

    It added that the unemployment population was heavily distributed in southern states, northeastern states, northwestern states, including Kaduna and Sokoto, and two north central states – Nasarawa and Plateau.

    It explained that southwestern states including Oyo, Ogun and Lagos, which have large labour forces reported relatively low unemployment rates.

    Comparing Nigeria’s third quarter’s unemployment rate with the international rates, the report stated that Nigeria ranked 28th among the international records.

    The highest unemployment rates in the world, according to the report, were recorded in Djibouti (54 per cent), Congo (46.1 per cent), Bosnia and Herzegovina (41.7 per cent), Haiti (40.6 per cent), and Afghanistan (40 per cent), while the lowest rates were found in Qatar (0.2 per cent), Cambodia (0.5 per cent), and Belarus, Benin and Thailand, which had unemployment rate of one per cent respectively.

  • Unemployment: Obaseki to engage 4,200 youths in August

    Unemployment: Obaseki to engage 4,200 youths in August

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has ordered the employment of 4,200 youths across the state under the Edo state public works programme, from August this year.

    In a statement signed by the governor’s Chief of Staff, it was also revealed that Governor Obaseki had directed the engagement and training of 50 civil engineers to supervise the public works programme, and that the successful applicants were sourced from the database of unemployed youths developed by the government for the Edo Jobs initiative.

    According to the Chief of Staff, “The new employed beneficiaries will work across the state on 45 inner roads selected under this special window. The governor also promised to engage another set of 4,200 in August 2017 under another window that will see the state government constructing and maintaining another set of 55 roads, culminating in almost 100 kilometres across the state.”

    He further enjoined the workers to be dedicated for the period of their engagement with the state government, as it would eventually amount to experience gathering and capacity building.

    Meanwhile, to complement jobs originating from road construction, the state government also finalised arrangements to train young electrical and electronic engineers under a special arrangement with Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

    The programme, it disclosed , would build the capacity of young men and women on the practical side of electrical engineering in line with the ‘Electrify Edo project’, which kicked off with the signing of a power purchase agreement between the government and, at different times, Siemens AG and Ossiomo Power limited, few months ago.

  • Full Analysis: Unemployment rate rises to 14.2% in Q4 – NBS

    Full Analysis: Unemployment rate rises to 14.2% in Q4 – NBS

    The unemployment rate in the country rose to 14.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016 from the 13.9 per cent recorded at the preceding quarter.

    This was revealed in the labour force statistics released on Monday by the Statistician General of National Bureau of Statistics of Nigeria, Dr. Yemi Kale.

    Kale highlights that unemployed persons has risen to 11.55 million in the fourth quarter (q4) of 2016 from 11.19 million in the third quarter (q3) which indicates an increase of 0.36million as labor force rises to 81.15mn from 80.67mn.

    It therefore means that the unemployment rate has risen to 14.2% in q4 2016 from 13.9% in q3 2016.

    The underemployment rate, Kale wrote, rose to 21.0% or 17.02 million persons in q4 2016 from 19.7% or 15.91 million persons in q3 2016.

    More analysis below: