The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • SMEDAN, Sokoto train youths on entrepreneurship

    SMEDAN, Sokoto train youths on entrepreneurship

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) and the Sokoto State Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SOSMEDA) have begun training 100 youths on entrepreneurship.

    SMEDAN and SOSMEDA organised the three-day training to provide the youth with skills on business development and establishment.

    At the opening of the training in Sokoto on Monday, SMEDAN  Director-General Dr Dikko Radda,  represented by the Director, Engineering, Technology & Infrastructure, Mr. Abu Ozigi, said Nigeria was unacceptably faced with large-scale youth unemployment.

    He said: ‘’SMEDAN is now set  to reposition itself for a focused delivery of business development services to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, with particular emphasis on micro enterprises.

    ‘’SMEDAN is desirous that most of the enterprises in the micro category, which currently constitutes 99.8 per cent of MSMEs, grow to small and subsequently, medium enterprises. In this way, more jobs would be created and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be enhanced.’’

    Radda said the two agencies were working out a sustainable funding mechanism for the beneficiaries of the training programme. This step, according to him, would subsequently be taken to upscale the gesture, while access to information on investments would be boosted.

    ‘’SMEDAN and Sokoto State Government have commenced discussions on the re-development of the Sokoto Industrial Development Centre (IDC). Furthermore, working with SOSMEDA, the agency shall provide access to information on investment opportunities in each local government area of the state,” he said.

    The Director-General, SOSMEDA, Hajiya Aishatu Hassan, commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal for according special priority and recognition to MSMEs.

    ‘’Such commendable efforts by the state government culminated in the recent establishment of the agency, while it provides sustainable moral and financial support to it. The training is aimed at further reducing poverty and unemployment in the state, while boosting the economy of the state,’’ she added.

    The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Alhaji Aminu Bello, stated that the state government was taking steps to restore the lost glory of businesses in the state.

  • ‘Labour leaders’ feud not in workers’ interest’

    ‘Labour leaders’ feud not in workers’ interest’

    Feuding labour leaders have been asked to sheathe their swords and be united to fight a common cause.

    National Union of Textiles Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) Secretary-General Isa Aremu said the labour leaders’ squabble was doing unionism no good.

    Unless they close ranks and work together, the oppressors of workers would continue to have their way, Aremu said.

    Speaking with The Nation, he called for a truce among industrial unions affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    Lamenting the failure of unions to take a unanimous decision on the fuel price hike, Aremu urged them to work together as comrades and not as enemies in the interest of workers.

    “We regret that as we point two  fingers at bad governance and bad employers, the remaining three fingers point at us too, who are unacceptably divided against ourselves rather than united against a common class enemy.

    “It’s time we closed ranks to ensure we have a labour movement that commands the confidence of workers; trusted by the public, respected by the government and employers,” he said.

    Aremu urged unions to learn from the fall out of the fuel price hike and unite for a vibrant labour movement.

    He said: “If we operate separately, we will be defeated separately. But if we operate in unity, we will triumph as one. The recent 70 per cent fuel increase is indiscriminate in its price impact on transport cost and cost of living in general. The response of organised labour must, therefore, be inclusive and uniform, not disjointed as we recently witnessed.

    “The worsening poverty, rising inflation, job losses and bad governance must task our imaginations as labour leaders to work as one, instead of seeking positions for recognitions from governments and employers that do not deliver tangible results for the working men and women.”

  • SMEDAN plans 1.5m jobs in six C

    SMEDAN plans 1.5m jobs in six C

    Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) will create 1.5 million jobs in six months, its Director-General Dr Dikko Umaru Radda has said.

    He spoke when the Financial System Strategy (FSS) 2020 Project Team, led by its Head, Project Management Office, Mohammed  Suleyman, visited him in Abuja.

    “The major driver for economic growth is wealth and job creation. SMEDAN aims to create 1.5 million jobs in the next six months, which will be a great step in achieving the core mandate of the agency,” Radda said.

    He described the FSS 2020 project as a catalyst for national development which would strengthen the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector as well as galvanise the economy.

    Radda assured the team of the agency’s support on the project which seeks to develop the economy to make it one of the best by 2020.

    The agency, he said, would work towards realising the project’s objectives for the MSMEs to feel the impact.

    “I have from your presentation come to the realisation that the FSS 2020 has a lot to offer for the development of MSMEs sub sector in the country. This is a welcome development and I am very impressed with this,” he said.

    He told the FSS 2020 team that the major challenges of MSMEs, particularly in Nigeria, is lack of a synergy between stakeholders and access to finance. He restated that the FSS2020 project is a national project whose primary purpose is to develop the economy.

    Suleyman said the project dealt with pension, MSMEs, insurance and mortgage, among others. He solicited for a technical officer, who will serve as a link between the team and the agency.

  • Why poverty persists, by ILO

    Why has it been difficult to fight poverty globally? It is because of lack of quality jobs and the economic meltdown, says the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

    In its “World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) 2016 – Transforming Jobs to End Poverty”, the ILO said over 36 per cent of the emerging and developing world live in poverty – on a daily income of less than $3.10.

    The report noted that about $600 billion a year – or nearly $10 trillion over 15 years, is needed to eradicate extreme and moderate poverty globally by 2030.

    The ILO also reported that persistent poverty cannot be solved by income transfers alone, adding that more better jobs are crucial to achieving this goal.

    It stated: “It is estimated that almost a third of the extremely or moderately poor in developing economies have jobs. However, their employment is vulnerable in nature. They are sometimes unpaid, concentrated in low-skilled occupations and, in the absence of social protection, rely almost exclusively on labour income.

    “Among developed countries, more workers have wage and salaried employment, but that does not stop them from falling into poverty”.

    ILO Director-General Guy Ryder noted that the sustainable development goal of ending poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030 remained at serious risk.

    He said: “If we are serious about the 2030 agenda and want to finally put an end to the scourge of poverty perpetuating across generations, then we must focus on the quality of jobs in all nations.”

    ILO’s Special Adviser on Social and Economic Issues Raymond Torres explained that the world’s 30 per cent poor hold two per cent of the global income.

    Torres explained that only through deliberate improving the quality of employment for those who have jobs and creating new decent work will countries provide a durable exit from precarious living conditions and improve livelihoods for the working poor and their families.

    The study also found that high levels of income inequality reduce the impact of economic growth on poverty reduction.

    “This finding tells us that it is past time to reflect on the responsibility of rich nations and individuals in the perpetuation of poverty. Accepting the status quo is not an option,” said Torres.

    The report concluded that transforming jobs to end poverty would require tackling low productivity traps, which lie at the heart of poverty; strengthening rights at work and enable employer and worker organisations to reach the poor; and alleviating poverty through well-designed employment and social policies.

    Other recommendations of the report are: reinforcing governments’ capacity to implement poverty-reducing policies and standards; boosting resources and making the rich aware of their responsibility; and involving the ILO in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

  • NBS: labour force hits 78.4m in Q1

    NBS: labour force hits 78.4m in Q1

    The population of the labour force(those in the working age who are actively looking for job) rose to 78.4 million between January and March according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    The NBS said the figure was  76.9 million for the same period last year, representing an increase of 1.99 per cent.

    This is contained in a report titled: “Unemployment/Under-employment Watch Q1 2016,” released by the NBS.

    Based on the statistics, it  is likely  Nigeria has been unable to create the 1.5 million jobs required between the last quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016 to keep the unemployment rate constant at 10.4 per cent.

    Additional 15 million economically active persons between 15 and 64 entered the labour force between last January 1 and March 31.

    According to the NBS, the new entrants into the labour market also consisted of newly qualified graduates, fresh entrants into the economically active population (who became 15 in Q1 2016) and those who chose not to work for whatever reasons in earlier periods, among others.

    The report added that within the same period, the number of those in fulltime employment decreased by 528,148 persons or 0.97 per cent.

    It explained that this category consists of people who lost their jobs and were either forced or for various reasons chose to move from full time employment to underemployment.

    The NBS noted that the drop in full time employment between Q4 2015 and Q1 2016 was predominantly those between the ages 15 and 24 years, followed by ages 55-64 years, ages 45-54 years, and ages 35-44 years.

    Against the backdrop, the report noted that with an economically active or working age population of 106 million and with a labour force population of 78.4million in the first quarter of 2016, the development means that 27.5 million persons within the economically active or working age population decided not to work for various reasons in the first quarter of 2016. Consequently, they are not part of the labour force and cannot be technically considered unemployed or underemployed, even though they were not working.

    The report buttressed this by stating that: “You have to be willing to work and actively seeking work before you can be considered unemployed.”

  • Oyo multi-billion agro diversification to boost employment

    Oyo State government has said its multi-billion naira agricultural initiative partnership with the Heritage Bank will boost employment in the state.

    The state said the partnership is in line with the current drive by the government to diversify the economic and revenue base of the country, hence the partnership is geared  towards reviving agriculture and boost agro-allied businesses in the state.

    Tagged, Oyo State Agricultural Initiative, OYSAI, the state government announced that the project is part of its revolution in the agricultural sector and a massive empowerment programme for both youth and women across the state.

    Speaking at the launch of the project in Paago Village, along Igboho – Okeho road, the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, explained that the state has successfully secured a viable partnership with some private investors and financial institutions to back up the project in the areas of poultry development, rice production and processing along the value chain.

    The governor thanked Heritage Bank and other partners for deciding to support the project aimed at diversifying the state economy and drive self-sustainability by adding value to the lives of about one million beneficiaries. He added that the project will also reposition the state as the food basket of Nigeria and generate massive revenue for economic emancipation.

    “Farming is attractive; we want to make it more attractive. The programme will create jobs, wealth and socio-economic productivity. It will link agriculture to small business and manufacturing. The programme will also improve the lot of women, youths and small scale businesses,” Ajimobi said.

    The project, according to the governor, will spread across 3,000 hectares of land in 28 out of the 33 local government areas of the state. He added that the project will be in three stages: food crop cultivation, cash crop/horticulture and food processing.

    Under the arrangement, land, improved seedlings, fertiliser, farming equipment will be made available to participants in the projects, while the banks will support willing agro investors with funds and advisory services.

    The bank’s Executive Director, Lagos, South West and Corporate Banking, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, who represented the Managing Director/CEO of Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, at the launch, stated that the project is in line with the bank’s vision of partnering with individuals, organisations and governments to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

    She said: “We believe that our youths are the future leaders that will positively reshape and reposition our country in the global environment, and Heritage Bank is committed to contributing her unending quota towards grooming them by facilitating enabling opportunities and platforms.

    “This programme will definitely lead to the creation of quality and sustainable employment and livelihood for the youth, which will in turn reduce the crime rate in the society,” she said.

  • Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Union leaders have urged the Federal Government to give priority to workers’ welfare.

    The unionists lamented that workers’ welfare was poor across the country.

    The President, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, urged the three tiers of government to take necessary steps to improve workers’ welfare.

    According to him, some state governments are owing workers 10 months’ salaries. “I urge government to step in and address our immediate problem, which is the inability of government to pay workers’ salaries as and  when due,” he said. He lamented that government has failed in the payment of workers’ salaries, particularly local governmen employees.

    Describing it as a serious challenge, Khaleel said President Muhammadu Buhari needed to make good the promise he made when he was sworn in last year. “I recall he promised to address issues in the local governments to make them more functional,” he said.

    He urged workers to seek effective ways of ensuring service delivery across the county to create more wealth.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Chapter, Mr.  Amaechi Lawrence, decried the high cost of living in the territory and urged the FCT minister to look into it and provide more affordable houses for civil and public servants.

    He also urged the government to build more roads to reduce the traffic on the Nyanya-Mararaba Road.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Mr. John Gabriel, said government should look into the issue of fuel scarcity and put an end to it.

    “We want Nigeria to be a better place; there is also fuel shortage intermittently; so the prices of things are jacked up, even the cost of maintaining one’s car becomes higher.

    “For this reason, many people park their cars at home, leaving our members with no job and no money to take home for our families,’’ Gabriel said.

    The Chairman, National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers, Mr Jankat Pius, urged the Federal Government to immediately start implementing the 2016 budget, noting that the late passage of the budget is already affecting Nigerians negatively.

    “There is no money in circulation and everything is hard in the country; I know good things don’t come easy but I believe government can do something to make the life of the people better,’’ Pius said.

  • BoI restates commitment to youth empowerment

    Capacity building is a potent tool for business development, Bank of Industry (BoI) Acting Managing Director Mr Waheed Olagunju has said.

    Declaring open the Ife Youths Economic Summit at Ile Ife, Osun State, Olagunju restated the bank’s readiness to help youths become successful business owners.

    The summit was co-sponsored by the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Senator Babajide Omoworare.

    Speaking on the theme: “IFEPRENEURSHIP : Building Entrepreneurship Competency and Self-Reliance Among Ife Youths,” he advised youths to be empowered in capacity before venturing into business.

    Olagunju urged participants at the summit not to see whatever financial benefit in terms of loans, grants or financial assistance by individual or corporate organisations extended to them as national cake meant to be enjoyed and squandered, but that such grants should be utilised to build a solid, endurable and sustainable investment.

    Giving tips on how to set up successful business, Olagunju said rather than seek capital before capacity, capacity should come first to forestall loss of resources.

  • ‘Lead campaign for diversification’

    The Federal Government has urged the Organisation of Trade Union of West Africa (OTUWA) to lead the campaign for the diversification of the economies of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member-nations.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made the call  when he declared open a three-day workshop of OTUWA, in Abuja.

    He said the diversification of the economy of the ECOWAS sub-region was imperative because of the adverse effects of the global economic downturn.

    He said the mono-economic bases of West African countries were largely responsible for their current economic woes.

    “ There is a big threat to the economy of the ECOWAS sub-region because of our largely mono-economic base. I am happy that your organisation has been able to live down its challenges.

    “ The revived OTUWA must, therefore, help the governments and employers in the sub-region to look elsewhere.

    “In Nigeria, we must look for other sources of revenue and the most easily identifiable one is agriculture and of course, mining. We are also diversifying in trade and services. And because of the availability of fertile land in West Africa, the same thing goes to sister countries.

    “OTUWA, which is our regional component of the World Union of Trade Unions, must, hence, lead this campaign for the diversification of the West African economy, ‘’ he said.

    Ngige urged the union to help the governments in the region to develop the requisite skills for the full maximisation of the utility of their cash crops.

    He said this would enhance local processing of the raw forms into finished products.

    He urged the union to be the catalysts in entrenching decent work environment in line with the ILO Convention, which all are signatories.

    The President of OTUWA, Mr Mademba Sock, listed challenges facing labour in the sub-region, saying the organisation was revived to fight the cause of the workers.

    Also, Mr Dennis Zulu, ILO Country Director in Nigeria, said the organisation asked member states to organise national dialogues to come up with suggestions that would be useful for its development initiatives.

  • We’re consulted before fuel price hike, says NUPENG chief

    We’re consulted before fuel price hike, says NUPENG chief

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is backing the petrol price increase because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s sincerity in addressing the decadence in the system.

    Speaking with The Nation, NUPENG’s  Southwest Chairman, Tokunbo Korodo said  his union and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)  were consulted before the increment. But, the unions, he said, had not taken the message to their members before the announcement.

    Korodo said the country was on the verge of economic stagnation, noting that the only way to move the economy forward was to support the government’s action.

    “We met and x-rayed the problem confronting the oil industry at large. We considered the sincerity of the government as it relates to infrastructure and some policies in oil and gas industry.

    “We also put into consideration, the plight of Nigerians. After putting all these forward, the two unions, after a strong deliberation, arrived at a conclusion. We came to support the government and the policy of price modulation. We believe that if the market is opened a little, it will create more room for investment,’’ he said.

    Mr. Korodo said foreign investors with genuine gesture will come in with their products and this will create more jobs for the jobless.

    “The foreign investors will not rely on foreign exchange from government. So, it is a bold step in the right direction,” he said.

    He urged Nigerians to support the price increase, adding that it was a bitter pill the country had to swallow.

    The chairman said  the two unions would not be part of the strike by called by a  faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    “We have informed our members to work and ensure that nobody intimidates them while doing their work,” he said.