President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, has called for a review of the employment policy to make it all inclusive, in view of the current unemployment rate in the country.
According to Mr Wabba, the need to review the educational curriculum at the various levels and inject in it a technical component.
Speaking on Sunday in Abuja, the NLC president said, “If you look at the challenge in our system now, especially the issue of unemployment, it has assumed a very frightening dimension where a lot of our youths, who are able and well educated, have not been able to find something doing.
“I think there has been a convergence of ideas that there is a need to actually review our employment policy that will be inclusive; that will also be able to create jobs and those jobs can be sustainable.
“So, I agree that we have a lot to do in respect of reviewing our policy on employment to try to make it all inclusive.’’
“It doesn’t have to be white collar jobs; I think we can also to look inwards to try to look at other avenues.
“I am happy that the new on policy on agriculture which Federal Government is driving, towards encouraging our able bodied youths to go into agriculture; may be something that can be considered.”
Mr Wabba underscored the importance of providing the enabling environment for youths who are interested in agriculture and sourcing market for their produce.
He added that the aspect of agro-processing should also be explored as a way of creating employment for youths.
“You must be able to distinguish between those who are interested and those who are not interested.
“We have those who are actually ready and what they need is incentive; an environment that can provide agricultural loans for them and also avenue where market will be created for those produce.
“I think we need to encourage them by also bringing about modern equipment and facilities and also try to get those who are interested to actually have those implements and they can pay over time.
“I think most youths will embrace such an opportunity. There are also other opportunities associated with that.
“We can go into processing because God has blessed Nigeria with population and that population should be seen as an asset.
“There is nothing you produce in Nigeria you will not find a market available. So, we can also add value, we can go into processing some of these agro products.
“Why for instance should we continue to import orange juice; we should ban them and then add value to our own. Those are things we can do.
“In processing industries, those graduates will find employment there.
“Once we are able to restructure our agriculture and people go into it, I am sure it will add a lot of value to it,” Wabba said.
