NIGERIA Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan on the initiative and recent inauguration of the Presidential Jobs Board of Nigeria to address the unemployment crisis in the country.

In a statement, NECA said “This is a welcome development that will aid in addressing the time bomb of high unemployment among our youth, currently put at 80% by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in June, 2014. We hope that this initiative will not go the way of others, whose outcomes were never known to the public or implemented to the benefit of the country. Jobs are key to the reduction of poverty, enhancement of security and sustainable economic growth. We, however, wish to note that the composition of the board, unfortunately, does not include the real private sector in Nigeria.

“Often times, government equates successful entrepreneurs with the private sector. The private sector has formidable Institutions such as Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), National Association of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (NASME) and National Association of Small Scale Industries (NASSI), which represent grass root enterprises.”