Government alone cannot create job – Wogu

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Barr. Emeka Wogu, has said that the government alone cannot create enough jobs to reduce the level of unemployment in the country, calling on private sector to assist in employment generation.

Speaking at the AES Excellence club bimonthly business luncheon, held in Lagos, Wogu stated, “The unemployment challenge is enormous but it is not insurmountable, therefore we must all rise to take our destinies in our hands by creating descent employment. Government alone cannot create enough jobs; the private sector which is the engine of growth should not be left out.”

Despite Government policy that all universities should introduce entrepreneurial studies as a course in tertiary institutions, he noted that there is need for more intervention.

He pointed out that unemployment is a global problem, describing as worrisome, current unemployment rate in the country which stands at 23.9 percent.

According to him, “youth unemployment is assuming a frightening dimension that now constitutes an affront to government developmental efforts with wide range implication for social stability and the dignity of human person. Recent release from the International Labour Organisation, ILO indicates that 40 per cent of the jobless people worldwide are young people.

“Government is not insensitive to the plight of youths who spend their youthful years and vigor going in search of non-existent jobs or helpless parents who sacrificed their comfort to educate their children and watch disillusioned on how to get them gainfully and decently employed.

“We have come to the realization in the Federal Ministry of Labour that if millions of productive and decent jobs are to be created to meet the challenges of mass unemployment, the internal robustness of the National employment Policy must necessarily be strengthened. This is so because if the policy environment is conducive, it cannot turn a flawed employment policy to an effective job creation process.”

In addition, the Minister revealed that the ministry is exploring skill exportation as a veritable avenue for employment creation for surplus labour in the country, “poverty and unemployment increase the vulnerability of our youth to trafficking and other ills in the society,” he said.