The Federal Government has said it will create about 20 million new jobs in agriculture, transportation, services and construction sectors of the economy in the next four years.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting on job creation.
Enelamah, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Sunday Akpan, said with the huge contributions of the sectors to the Gross Domestic Product of the Nigerian economy make it necessary to explore their job creation potential to reduce the level of unemployment in the country.
He said, “In order to sustain and build on the successes recorded in this regard in the first tenure of Mr President, we are articulating and strategising with a renewed impetus towards combating the twin evils of unemployment and insecurity.
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“It is on this basis that the ministry charged the Industrial Training Fund to come up with revolutionary multi-faceted job and wealth creation strategies that would lead to a lasting solution to this hydra-headed problem.
“From the report that I have received, the ITF has been able to propose pragmatic strategies that within the tenure of the next level, will generate about 20 million jobs from four key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“These key sectors are the agriculture, construction, transport and the services sectors.”
On his part, the Director-General, ITF, Joseph Ari, said that the report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which states that unemployed Nigerians are now 20.9 million, had necessitated the need to act fast in tackling unemployment.
He said, “Today, all across the country are needless incidences of violence, criminality and social vices perpetrated by persons that ordinarily should be contributing significantly to the development of our dear nation.
“This is even as others that should be earning sustainable livelihoods today are barely able to eke out a living.
“The number that is without jobs in our country is at once scary and staggering and should be a source of worry to any administration that is as committed to the welfare of Nigerians as the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
The ITF DG said while the current administration was implementing a number of policies to create jobs, such measures needed to be complemented by the private sector for the economy to feel the desired impact.
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