By Ikenna Asomba
FEDERAL lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, decried the alarming rate of unemployment in the country, noting that it is a ravaging disease facing the nation’s economy.
Speaking in Lagos, at the opening ceremony of a six-month programme tagged: ‘Empowerment and Wealth Creation Scheme‘, organised by the lawmaker representing the Kosofe Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, in collaboration with the Nationwide Apprenticeship Scheme for Technicians, Artisans, Entrepreneurs and Agro-preneurs (NASTAEA), for 200 youths of Kosofe Federal Constituency, the legislators lamented the rising youth and graduate unemployment in the country, stating that it was gradually becoming an everyday normality and must be arrested. Agunsoye-Ashafa-Gbajabiamila Those who raised this concern were Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa and Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Speaking at the event, Agunsoye said: “Nowadays, our young people often lack the requisite jobs skills and experience for specific job openings and would most often be unqualified and unsuitable for the available jobs and unable to build careers in certain field. “The consequences of unemployment has led to a societal menace, directly affecting through the fabrics of the entire Nigerian state.
Living without an adequate source of income makes life extremely frustrating, not only those who have been in such a situation or has directly interacted with such persons have better idea of this untold hardship. “Individuals without jobs are most often opened to a wide spectrum of emotions, anger, sadness, confusion and stress causing a psychological breakdown. On the other hand, when finding a job takes too long and nothing is forthcoming, this group of persons eventually resorts to doing odd and menial jobs accessible to them, all round the place.” The lawmaker added that the training would not only professionally prepare and equip the trainees, but secure them job placement, even in establishments where they received such training.
According to him, the trainees will enjoy monthly stipends from him as encouragement in the course of undertaking the various courses. While giving reason for adopting the approach, the lawmaker said, “Truly today, we have educated young minds, but we must not equate education as skill. Education offers knowledge, but skills are obtained.
It is only when we obtain skills that we can become entrepreneurs. “For instance, Germany is a good example where every german has a skill. The whole of Europe went into recession in 2008, but only German economy survived it thus, what Adolf Hitler could not achieve with the guns Angela Merkel did with the economy.” Also speaking at the event targeted to empower the youths through skill acquisition in oil and gas, constructions, ICT and agriculture, Senator Ashafa lauded Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State for establishing the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, urging other states of the federation to emulate him by establishing such ministry in their various states. Ashafa, who described the establishment of the ministry as the first of its kind in Nigeria, said, with the establishment of such ministry, states of the federation would arrest the mounting youth unemployment.
He however, commended Agunsoye for what he described as his real approach to empowerment, rather than the usual approach of merely doling out money and materials, adding that he had actually thought the beneficiaries how to fish and not merely giving them fish to eat and be waiting until another one was served. On his part, Gbajabiamila, commended the Agunsoye’s approach to empowerment of his constituents in Kosofe, pointing out that empowering over 200 persons meant employing a thousand people because of the multiplier effect. Meanwhile, other lawmakers present at the event were lawmaker representing Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jide Jimoh; member, House of Representatives, Apapa Federal Constituency, Hon. Ayodeji Joseph; lawmaker representing Surulere 1 constituency in the Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot; Founder, Nationwide Apprenticeship Scheme for Technicians, Artisans, Entrepreneurs and Agro-preneurs, Mrs. Simbo Williams, among others.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/unemployment-the-ravaging-disease-facing-nigerias-economy-lawmakers/
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