The Nation Newspaper

Tag: job creation

  • Institute to support govt on job creation

    Worried by the rising unemployment rate, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) has expressed its desire to assist the Federal Government in tackling the crisis.

    The institute stressed that the recent unemployment data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) should be a source of concern to stakeholders in the country.

    Speaking in Lagos, its President, Anthony Arabome, said indicators had shown that unemployment is growing at an increasing rate, with serious attendant consequences for the nation.

    He said a report had shown that 20 foreign shipping companies operating in Nigeria have discontinued operations, leaving over 3,000 unemployed.

    “This is in addition to the rising trend of unemployment recently observed in the financial, oil and gas sectors of the economy,” he said.

    The institute, as part of its efforts to support the Federal Government, in the fight against unemployment recently conducted a study entitled: ‘The Management of National Unemployment Challenge (MNUC)’ as a response to some perceived social, economic and political challenges of unemployment in Nigeria’.

    Arabome explained that the MNUC study was initiated to collaborate with the Federal Government in providing sustainable solutions to the unemployment challenge in the country, adding that it was part of the institute’s contribution to national transformation.

    He said: “The immediate and remote causes of unemployment include policy inconsistency, poor political governance and setting of policy direction, which in turn elicits a harsh business environment, lack of stakeholders ownership of national employment policy, mis-alignment of the educational system output and the skill-sets required by current employers of labour and others.”

    Arabome expressed CIPM’s willingness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to review/design and curricula of the nation’s institutions of higher learning to reflect current skills demand reality.

  • Job creation: Fed Govt to spend N2b

    Job creation: Fed Govt to spend N2b

    As part of efforts to fight unemployment among educated ouths, the Federal government is to expend N2 billion on Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) before the of the year.

    GIS Project Director Dennis Chukwu broke the news yesterday  in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital,  during a career development and entrepreneurship skills training for interns.

    Chukwu revealed that the scheme, being funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance, is  training about 2,000 graduate interns across the country on skills and career development aimed at making them employers of labour, rather than being job seekers.

    According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration decided to sustain the scheme initiated by the his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, owing to his desire to banish unemployment ravaging the potentials of graduates by exposing them to trainings and opportunities in every sector of the economy.

  • Edo 2016: ‎KOWA candidate targets 300,000 jobs

    Mr. Thompson Osadolor, the Governorship candidate of KOWA party for the September 10 election in Edo, has said no fewer than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created when elected.

    The guber candidate who stated this while addressing some youths organisation’s in Benin on Monday, said the jobs will be created through mobile network, agriculture and artisanship.

    While noting that agriculture has the potential of creating wealth for over a million of the people within the shortest possible time, Osadolor particularly stressed on providing a new mobile network that will be run as a state enterprise.

    He gave reason for this as the exploitative nature of the already established mobile operator, noting however, that when floated, thousands of employment opportunities, direct and indirect, will be created.

    He disclosed that he was already in talk with some investors who have expressed interest on the ideas he laid on the table.

    While not giving specific time frame for the job creation, Osadolor said substantial part of it will be created within two years in office.

    According to him, “As regards the idea of a mobile network, it may seem an uphill task to accomplish to many of us, but discussion on this is on extensively, and positively too. It is not going to be run by my money, it will be private, but state will however have a substantial stake in it.

    “The idea is that apart from the fact that it will end an ear of exploitation of the people in the industry, thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be created. 

    “It beats me hollow, when I see Nigerians paying so much to make calls, even on the same network. With KOWA Mobile, it will be toll free within the same network.

    “Again, another benefit of this is that it will now become cheaper to have all educational institutions, including secondary schools, connected to Wifi,” he stated.

    On agriculture, the governorship candidate said an agricultural revolution is what he is bringing onboard. He said the first thing he will do when elected, is to declare a state of emergency on the sector in a bid to reposition the sector.

    “Again, thousands of jobs will be unveiled in this area, while the state will not only become agricultural hub of the country, but become food sufficient to its people in particular and the country at large.” 

  • Job creation: ILO unveils plans to support Fed Govt

    Job creation: ILO unveils plans to support Fed Govt

    The President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s employment creation initiative is to get a boost from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

    ILO Country Director Mr. Dennis Zulu made the commitment on Tuesday during his visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige.

    According to the communiqué signed by the Deputy Director, Press, in the ministry, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, the ILO will like to partner Nigeria in the drafting of a new employment policy.

    “We as an organisation has attained an advanced stage in the drafting of this policy, and we need the contribution of the tripartite partner as well as the ministry to push it forward,” Zulu said.

    He stated that the global labour organisation was looking forward to receiving the input of the ministry towards the completion of the Social Protection Policy, which is aimed at providing social protection floor for the vulnerable including retirees thereby making sure that they did not fall back to poverty the trap after retirement.

    He also canvassed the need to review Nigeria’s labour laws to reflect the reality of the moment in the sector, adding that the ILO is looking forward under the present administration to see that the labour laws that have been in the National Assembly since 2005 are clarified to ensure that they reflect changing times and changing demands both in the private and public sectors.

    In his response, Sen. Ngige reiterated the administration’s commitment to the provision of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. He assured the ILO of his ministry’s commitment to continued maintenance of industrial peace and harmony in the labour sector through proactive social dialogue.

    “The name of this ministry was changed to Ministry of Labour and Employment to reflect its pivotal role in the job creation efforts of the Federal Government. The activities of the ministry are also accentuated by this responsibility and we are living up to the task. However, the aspect that makes for industrial relations, social protection for the vulnerable and the entire workforce as enshrined in the ILO status and the nation’s constitution will not be abandoned,” Ngige said.

    The minister added that the change mantra of the present administration seeks to impact positively on the lives of the people. “We are going to make state resources available to everybody especially those on the lower rung of the social ladder and not a select few at the top.

    “We have fashioned out some social intervention programmes such as the Graduate Teachers Conversion Scheme, Commercial Farmers Training Project, Conditional Cash Transfer, Skill Acquisition Programme to impact skills such as metal fabrication, plumbing, electric wiring, baking, interior decoration, repair of phones, painting, hairdressing, garment production and mechatronic among others,” he said.

    The minister expressed hope that the ILO will give the ministry the technical support to man the various skills acquisition and vocational centres.

    He reminded the ILO Country Director of his earlier request in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that in view of the enormous contributions of Nigeria to the ILO and being the first country to host its office in Africa, opened in 1959, it should be accorded a prime place in the West African sub region through the upgrade of its regional office in Nigeria.

    In a related event, ILO has warned the public, especially job seekers of fraudulent schemes purporting to solicit applications for employment or business opportunities on behalf of its officials.

    The ILO said it strongly recommends that prospective applicants and recipients must carefully verify the authenticity of solicitations and offers before sending any response.

  • Lagos seeks councils’, businesses’ collaboration on entrepreneurship, job creation

    Lagos seeks councils’, businesses’ collaboration on entrepreneurship, job creation

    Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, has underscored the need for businesses and local governments to collaborate to tackle unemployment across the state, advocating the need for job creation as against job-seeking.

    He spoke at a stakeholders’ forum/interactive session at K. Kotun Memorial School, Surulere, Lagos at the weekend.

    Durosintimi-Etti also said the creation of the ministry was as a result of the government’s desire to address unemployment and cushion efforts of wealth creation and employment interventions through vocational centers employment opportunities.

    He said: “The Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is more of an enabler, a link between government and the private sector in the area of unemployment reduction and ensuring that quality skills are given to the right set of people.

    “It is only through private sector collaboration that more jobs could be created in order to bridge the unemployment gaps.”

    He maintained that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has not only fulfilled his electoral promise with the establishment of the new ministry, but has also made a commitment of N25 billion into the Employment Trust Fund for employment and job creation. Working with employers, he said the ministry would create tailor-made vocational programmes to create jobs for artisans.

    In addition, to establishing five jobs and business incubation centres in Lagos, he said the centres will empower people and help them find good jobs.

    According to him, the job and innovation centres will provide resources for start-ups.When implemented, he said, the incubators would provide an environment conducive for the success of innovative entrepreneurial start-ups spearheaded by young people.

    He said the centres would help fill a void created by the education system, provide a platform to develop the cross-functional skill sets essential to the success of entrepreneurs.

    He reiterated that the government is ready to improve the environment, provide fertile ground for more sophisticated innovation, and encourage a lot more business incubators to pop up in the future.

    He said the government, working with the local government,  could set the stage for the next revolutionary businesses to emerge from the state.

    The Commissioner envisioned a new Lagos as state with a high-functioning economy focused on industry, innovation and entrepreneurship; the promotion of investor confidence; job creation; the development of infrastructure; and achieving total digital connectivity.

    The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Fola Pandonu, said the sensitisation programme, which began in Surulere, was part of the ministry’s efforts to  equip young Nigerians with information on opportunities available to  create wealth and employment.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Ambode on Centrall Business District( CBD), Agboola Dabiri, said  the campaign would  give a new dimension to employment where more and more jobs will be generated, while it  will lead towards new businesses or innovative projects that  prove helpful in improving the economic growth of the country and career growth of the youths.

    He said the campaign would  boost entrepreneurship and job creation in Surulere, by boosting investments into the startup segment.

    Besides, the government is taking steps to deal with the skilled labour crisis in the area.

  • Job creation: Edo gives Okomu oil 11,400 hectares for expansion

    Job creation: Edo gives Okomu oil 11,400 hectares for expansion

    Towards creating more jobs for youths in Edo State, the Edo State Government has given 11,400 hectares of land to Okomu Oil Plc for the cultivation of oil palms at Ovia North East Local Government Area.

    Managing Director of Okomu Oil Palm, Dr. Graham Heifer who stated this in a chat with newsmen said 45,000 workers would be employed in the new plantation.

    Dr. Heifer said 600 workers have already been employed in the plantation and that the company has spent over N2.5bn on the new plantation.

    Dr. Heifer said the oil firm was working hard to revitalize agribusiness in the country as directed by President Mohammadu Buhari.

    Heifer stated that the company has embarked on corporate social responsibilities host communities such as grading of roads, payment of bursary to students, provision of water, providing boreholes and donating of vehicles to police to boost security in the area.

    The Okomu Oil boss said the company went through the proper route to acquire the land and that all the land titles have been issued by the state government.

    He called for the removal of multiple and illegal taxes to enable his company produce more and also increase revenue to the government.

    According to him, “The state government has graciously given us a portion of land in Ovia North East. We went through the proper route to make sure we purchase the land. They have given us the land title. We are happy that the government has been able to do this.”

    “There is nothing to the contrary that say the government does not want to work with us. I am sure they will not do that. The President has said they should make things like this happen because it is important we find employment for the people. I don’t think the state government would have given us the land if they didn’t trust us.”

    “We have employed over 600 people. If the government work with us, we can extend it to 45,000 people. I am sure that they will see the will to work with us. Together we will survive, apart we will fail.”

  • FG, governors to boost job creation, revenue generation

    FG, governors to boost job creation, revenue generation

    *  NGF congratulates Bello

    To create more jobs and increase revenue generation in the country, state governors are partnering with the Federal Government and stakeholders in the Solid Minerals sector.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the Forum’s meeting.

    The meeting, which was held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, ended in the early hours of Thursday.

    No question was entertained after the Forum’s Chairman read a four-paragraph communique at the end of the meeting.

    Yari said: “After a comprehensive presentation made by the Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari, members resolved to partner with the Ministry and other key stakeholders to create an enabling environment for the sector to act as a catalyst for job creation, revenue generation, industrialization, environmental sustainability and inclusion.”

    He said that members during the meeting also formally congratulated and welcomed the newly sworn-in Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to the Forum.

    Also following the presentation by the Chairman of the States Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) Steering Committee, Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais to simplify SPRM operations, Yari said that the Forum launched the Revised SPRM Base document to reinvigorate the programme and improve good governance and service delivery in states.

    He said that the Forum commended the Steering Committee for its contribution to the implementation of the programme.

  • FG to generate 2million jobs from ICT- Minister

    FG to generate 2million jobs from ICT- Minister

    The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, has said that the Federal Government will create two million jobs from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.  He said investors from China would be investing 15 billion dollars in the sector.

    He spoke at the maiden Nigeria Communications retreat organized by the Federal Ministry of Communications, at International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan on Friday.

    He said: “Information and Communication Technology today creates more jobs than oil and gas and that can further be enjoyed, as investors from China would be investing N15 billion dollars in the ICT sector in Nigeria. So, potential two million jobs will be made available through investments in the sector,” he said.

    The minister also disclosed that 550 post offices in different Local Government Areas in the country would soon start engaging in financial services like internet services, call services apart from the traditional letter posting.

    “The time has now come to fully embrace ICT to enhance our lives, to enhance transparency and good governance if we are to really fulfill the “change” mantra that Nigerians voted President Muhammadu Buhari to bring about,” he said.

    Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, in his address  urged stakeholders in the sector to evolve new ways that will take Nigeria out of the doldrums and re-launch its economy.

    The governor observed that ICT was useful in virtually all aspects of human life, especially now that crude oil price was experiencing a free fall in the international market, thus impacting negatively on the nation’s economy.

    Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics, Ajimobi said that ICT was a major contributor to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with 8.68 per cent, adding that the country was the largest ICT user in Africa, with over 94 million internet users.

    Besides, he noted that ICT had created over 12 million jobs in the country in the last two years, stressing that it could create even more if necessary frameworks were put in place.

    The governor, who cited the examples of United States of America, China and some Asian countries which, he said, had used ICT to re-launch their economies, pointed out that the time had come for Nigeria to transit from an agrarian economy to a knowledge-based one, with ICT serving as the driver.

    “I like to call on all stakeholders to come together to device a realistic blueprint for growth and improvement in employment rate.  America, China and many other Asian countries have used ICT to re-launch their countries and their economy,’’ he said.

    He called on participants at the retreat to develop realistic strategies on how to use ICT, which he described as an imaginative and innovative sector, to create employment or to convert youths to employment generators.

    “We are in the era of change. Ours is a government of change. Let us all come together to make ICT a change agent,’’ the governor said.

    He added that this could be achieved by encouraging Nigerians through regular enlightenment on the benefits of information technology, as well as by fashioning out appropriate legal framework by the National Assembly to develop ICT.

    Ajimobi also called for the repositioning of Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), rather than crippling it, by aligning it with global development in ICT.

    In his presentation, the Rwandan Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kamanzi Stanislas, spoke on the evolution of ICT in his country since 2001, saying that his country had benefitted immensely from information technology.

    He said that ICT had been applied in local transportation, automated passenger clearance system at airports, government command centre, robust electronic citizen registry, holding meetings without borders, running a paperless government, as well as offering all government services online.

    He called for collaboration between Nigeria and Rwanda on ICT in order to improve on the bilateral relations and the economy of both countries.

    In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr. Sonny Echono, said the essence of the retreat was to brainstorm on the development of the ICT sector which, he said, had generic effects on other sectors.

  • Labour Ministry to partner Zinox on job creation

    Labour Ministry to partner Zinox on job creation

    The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is planning to collaborate with an indigenous Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, Zinox Group, to create jobs for unemployed Nigerian youths.

    Zinox Group’s management team, led by its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, broke the news in Abuja during a visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.

    The minister said unemployment was among the major challenges the Muhammadu Buhari administration was tackling.

    He restated Federal Government’s determination to resuscitate skills acquisition centres across the country to ensure that unemployed youths acquire relevant skills to make them productive.

    Ngige assured that his ministry’s doors were open for collaboration with any organisation willing to create jobs.

    The minister noted that partnering with Zinox would effectively create jobs for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.

    Hailing the Zinox Group for its contribution to the ICT development in the country, Ngige regretted that the Labour Ministry did not have a reliable data base on the nation’s unemployment figure.

    But he assured that the ministry would soon roll out its programme on employment generation, immediately this year’s budget is passed.

    Ngige said: “By the end of the first quarter, we will hit the ground running.”

    Also, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi (SAN), hailed Yudala, an arm of Zinox Group, for standing out within a short time of its existence.

    Ocholi said he was proud of the private sector’s contributions to the development of the economy.

    Ekeh said his company visited the ministers to congratulate them on their appointments as well as seek collaboration with the ministry to complement Federal Government’s efforts at job creation.

    he Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is planning to collaborate with an indigenous Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, Zinox Group, to create jobs for unemployed Nigerian youths.

    Zinox Group’s management team, led by its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, broke the news in Abuja during a visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.

    The minister said unemployment was among the major challenges the Muhammadu Buhari administration was tackling.

    He restated Federal Government’s determination to resuscitate skills acquisition centres across the country to ensure that unemployed youths acquire relevant skills to make them productive.

    Ngige assured that his ministry’s doors were open for collaboration with any organisation willing to create jobs.

    The minister noted that partnering with Zinox would effectively create jobs for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.

    Hailing the Zinox Group for its contribution to the ICT development in the country, Ngige regretted that the Labour Ministry did not have a reliable data base on the nation’s unemployment figure.

    But he assured that the ministry would soon roll out its programme on employment generation, immediately this year’s budget is passed.

    Ngige said: “By the end of the first quarter, we will hit the ground running.”

    Also, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi (SAN), hailed Yudala, an arm of Zinox Group, for standing out within a short time of its existence.

    Ocholi said he was proud of the private sector’s contributions to the development of the economy.

    Ekeh said his company visited the ministers to congratulate them on their appointments as well as seek collaboration with the ministry to complement Federal Government’s efforts at job creation.

     

  • Expert calls for database on job creation in Lagos

    Ex-President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Debo Famuyibo has stressed the need for database on job creation as well as data on the jobless in Lagos State.

    Speaking yesterday during a public hearing on a bill to create Employment Trust Fund by the Lagos State government, he said the data base should cover both the formal and informal sector of the state’s economy.

    Famuyibo observed in section eight of the proposed law that there should be accurate database for the Fund, saying that would make it sustainable.

    He spoke at a stakeholders forum on the proposed law tagged: ‘Employment Trust Fund Bill, 2015’ at Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Alausa Ikeja.

    He said that section nine which is meant for the sources of fund should be explicit, saying: “It is important to be clear on percentage from companies, employees and that dedicated percentage should be specified from payees.”

    He explained that some other sources that should be tapped to get fund included unclaimed dividends which according to him, “is an honey pot sitting untouched.”

    Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Secretary of CIBN, Anthony Arabameh said there should be adequate database on employment to achieve the desired result.