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OGUN : TOWARDS SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES
OGUN : TOWARDS SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES
By: Elijah Udofia
Governments, just like an individual or organizations, are faced with one challenge or the other and the methods of dealing with such challenges differs. Unemployment is one of the many challenges confronting even the most advanced economy of the world . In other words, unemployment is a phenomenon that affect all countries including the first world or advanced economies. No wonder Jane Addams, a Social Worker and a Reformer, said “of all aspects of social misery nothing is so heart breaking as unemployment”.
Nigeria, just like other third world countries has been battling with the problem of unemployment , especially since the post independence era, more than six decades ago. It is worthy of note that successive administrations both at the Federal and State levels have come up with various schemes aimed at finding solution to the problem.
During the military era of the the then General Ibrahim Babangida, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was introduced in 1986 and the agency was saddled with the responsibility of designing and expanding the opportunities and rights of Nigerians in all the states of the federation. It was meant to promote job creation, stimulate entrepreneurship and the skills of representatives of various industries. In a nutshell, NDE was established to solve Nigeria’s unemployment challenge.
Under democratic dispensation, President Good luck Jonathan came up with his own Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme SURE-P. Under this Programme was the Community Services Women and Youth Employment (CSWYE). The scheme was set up to provide temporary employment opportunities to the unemployed and unskilled women and youth.
President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016, also set up the N-Power under the National Social Intervention Programme. The scheme with the theme “Empowering the Youths for Prosperity” is to tackle the issue of joblessness among youth as well as improve social development of young people in Nigeria.
Nigeria no doubt is one of the fastest growing economy in Africa or what is known as ” lion economy”. But unlike countries like Qatar, Cambodia or our neighbour Niger, with low unemployment rate, that of Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, “Nigeria’s unemployment rate rised from 27.1 percent in the second quarter of 2020 to 33 percent in 2022”. This is an indication that rather than reducing, the rate is assuming an alarming rate.
Being a component part of Nigeria, Ogun State also share from the many challenges confronting the country including unemployment. Apart from being the Industrial hub and the religious capital of the nation, the State, is the education capital of the country with the highest number of post primary and higher institutions in Nigeria. These institutions on regular basis, turn out graduates into the already saturated unemployment market. Given this consideration, the State has a large number of graduates who are not gainfully engaged .
As the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, Sharan Burrow, once said, “no country can afford to lose a generation to unemployment”, the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-government in Ogun State having realized that there is a relationship between unemployment and crime, made youth employment and empowerment one of its cardinal programmes as encapsulated in the ISEYA mantra viz: Infrastructure, Social welfare and wellbeing, Education, Youth Employment and Empowerment and Agriculture.
The Governor who is an ardent believer in the sayings that “an idle hand is the devil’s workshop ” came up with life transforming programmes that would translate into building a virile future not only for graduates but also for various job seekers in other spheres of human endeavor. At the inception of his administration, one of the steps taken was the opening of a job Portal where graduates and non graduates who are skilled in various trades register. The purpose of the programme, according to the Governor, was to ascertain the number of those who are jobless as well as those who are underemployed with a view to matching the qualified ones with the employers of labour as well as exposing them to the various investors besieging the State. With this approach, thousands of employment opportunities have been secured for teeming youths.
This aside, the State government also set up an Artisans Scheme, where people are trained in various skill acquisitions like tailoring, barbing, hair dressing, painting and paint making, among others. The interesting part of this scheme is that participants are paid stipends on monthly basis.
Similarly, the decision of the State government to convert one of the moribund model schools that dot the State’s landscape, to a TechHuB, was to make available a platform for Information Technology (IT) for the youths to showcase their talents .The hub also offer training opportunity to those who want to be well grounded on IT. The Centre has in the last few years trained hundreds of youths who are now employed in blue chip or multinational companies across the country.
The TechHuB, is one of the many plans government is putting in place to turn Ogun State to what the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Ibrahim Pantami said would be “Nigeria’s Silicon Valley” in the near future.
Another area which Ogun State has explored in generating employment to its teeming able bodied men and women is the education sector. Barely a year ago, a scheme tagged “Ogunteach” was introduced and the method was to engage qualified interns for a period of two years as class teachers in public primary and secondary schools. At the end of their internship, those who excel are absorbed into the system. Though It was meant to fill the existing teaching gap in the public schools, it is also a platform for “young teachers” to be well groomed in the chalk profession.
On how his administration came about the scheme, governor Abiodun said “sometimes around September last year, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, came to me with this brilliant idea. I immediately keyed into it and told him that it must be devoid of favouritism and that only the best should be encouraged”.
As at now, the scheme as so far provided employment to 2000 of the interns while additional 1,000 to 1,500 would be employed, according to the Governor.
It is pertinent to State that the employment scheme is multi- dimensional and exists in other sectors . For instance, in the agricultural sector, apart from the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrower’s Programme, which the State government has successfully keyed into, another scheme for would-be graduate agric- prenuers, known as FADAMA GUYS was also birthed with a view to widen the scope of engagement thereby boost food production. All these schemes are also geared towards solving the problem of unemployment especially in the agriculture sector.
Perhaps, the man at the helms of affairs in Ogun State, in the course of putting ideas together on how to bring the rate of unemployment to the barest minimum, must have come across the words of the former German Chancellor Gehard Schroeder who said, “any degree of unemployment worries me”. This has led to the interventions that are currently being used to address unemployment in the State.
From available data, Ogun State is definitely not the State with the highest rate of unemployment despite the fact that it is the education capital of the nation. With unemployment rate in the country projected to trend around 53 percent in 2022 and 51percent in 2023, according to Trading Economic, the current interventions, there seems to be no end in sight, but what is sure is that the various interventions by Ogun State government would go a long way in reducing unemployment to the barest in the coming years.
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Director General NSC, Bar. Bukola Olopade Extends Christmas Greetings to Christians in Abeokuta South and Across Nigeria
Director General NSC, Bar. Bukola Olopade Extends Christmas Greetings to Christians in Abeokuta South and Across Nigeria
By Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo
In a heartfelt message, The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade, has extended warm festive greetings to Christians in Abeokuta South, Ogun State, and across Nigeria as the nation embarks on the joyous celebration of Christmas.
Recognizing the significance of this time of year, Olopade emphasized the essence of unity, love, and gratitude that the Christmas season embodies. He urged citizens to reflect on the virtues of compassion and generosity, which are particularly vital in fostering peace and harmony in communities.
“Christmas is a time for joy, reflection, and togetherness. It reminds us of the values of love and kindness, which are fundamental to our social fabric,” said Olopade. “As we celebrate this festive season, let us remember those in need and extend a hand of support to one another.”
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade, acknowledged the challenges that many have faced over the past year, including economic hardships and social unrest, yet he expressed optimism for the future. “In the spirit of Christmas, let us embrace hope and look forward to a brighter tomorrow. Our unity and resilience can overcome any challenges we face.”
Olopade also highlighted the importance of sports in promoting peace and national unity, noting that the NSC is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all Nigerians can participate in sports and recreational activities. He encouraged communities to engage in sports events during the festive period as a means to strengthen bonds and celebrate togetherness.
As part of his Christmas message, Olopade called on everyone to prioritize the welfare of others, particularly the less fortunate. He urged individuals and organizations to consider charitable acts that can uplift those in need during this season of giving.
In closing, Bar. Bukola Olopade wished all Nigerians a Merry Christmas filled with love, peace, and joy. He expressed hope that the spirit of the season would inspire a renewed commitment to community service and cooperation among citizens.
As the festivities continue, the Chairman’s message resonates with the values of compassion, unity, and hope, encouraging all to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
Dangote Hails Tinubu on Impact of Crude for Naira Swap Deal
…As Dangote Refinery partners MRS to sell PMS at N935 per litre nationwide at its retail outlets
Sahara Weekly Unveils That The Foremost entrepreneur and President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the positive impact of the naira for crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy, which has led to reduction in prices of petroleum products in the country.
To provide succour to Nigerians, Dangote recently reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N970 to N899.50 at its Refinery loading gantry and provided generous credit terms to marketers.
“To ensure that this price reduction gets to the end consumer, we have signed a partnership with MRS to sell petrol from its retail outlets nationwide at N935 per litre” he added. This price has already commenced in Lagos, and it will be offered nationwide from Monday.
In his statement, he called on other oil marketers such as the NNPC Retail and all other marketers, “to work with us to ensure that Nigerians enjoy high-quality petrol at discounted prices.”
According to him, “The Dangote Refinery is for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. We will therefore continue to work with various value chain players to deliver high quality petrol at cheaper prices. Our aim is for all Nigerians to have ready access to high quality petroleum products that are good for their vehicles, good for their health, and good for their pockets.
Recall that in September, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the leadership of Mr. President approved the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira. The move, which commenced on October 1, led to reduced pressure on the dollar and ensured the stability of the local currency.
Dangote thanked Nigerians for their unwavering support and the government for creating an enabling environment for the domestic refining industry.
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