We Will Equip Unemployed Youths With Market-Driven Skills – FG

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige wants a macroeconomic framework that is employment friendly to end the employment problems in Africa.

Chris revealed this at the opening ceremony of the 6th African Social Partners’ Summit organised by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) on Tuesday in Lagos.

According to him, the unemployment rate in the continent is very high because we often see employment as a derivative of other policies, instead of a central concern of all economic and social policies.

He added that unemployed youths must be equipped with market-driven skills which will aid access to self or paid employment.

His words, “With very high unemployment rate in the continent, there has never been a greater need to place employment at the centre of economic and social policies.

“One reason why employment challenges looms as large as it does today is that employment has often been viewed as a derivative of other policies, rather than as a central concern of all economic and social policies.

“What is needed is for the social partners at this summit to push for a macroeconomic framework that is explicitly pro-employment in their respective countries.

“This will enhance the labour absorption capacity of African economies.”

“The Nigerian Government is conscious of the fact that most of the unemployed are those without functional skills.

“Our strategy, therefore, is to equip the unemployed youths with market-driven skills which facilitates access to self or paid employment.

“In that regard, we have designed the N-Power Programme to drastically reduce youths unemployment.

“The focus is to provide our young unemployed job seekers with the cutting edge skills to venture into self or paid employment.”

“The wages of workers underline the purchasing power in any clime; it is a major driver for productivity and growth.

“We appreciate our social partners in Nigeria for facilitating a new minimum wage of N30,000 for Nigerian workers.

“We urge social partners all over the continent to take seriously the issue of wage justice.”