August23, 2010

 

With more than 12 million Nigerians currently unemployed, the federal government has appointed President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote to lead National Committee on Job Creation (NCJC) to work out mechanism of creating one million jobs within a year.

 

Announcing the appointment of Dangote and others into the National Committee on Job Creation, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Danladi Kifasi said the the committee is to examine what other countries (developed, emerging and developing) have done to ensure increased job creation with a new view to developing a pool of possible policy interventions and incentives that will create an environment that is conducive for job creation.

 

The Committee would also review existing reports on employment generation in Nigeria and outline key findings and recommendations and come up with an Action Plan, encompassing practical and specific interventions for ensuring increased job creation.

 

Other members of the committee include Ernest Ndukwe, former Executive Vice Chairman, NCC; Maryam Uwais: Principal Partner, Wali-Uwais & Co; Folusho Philips: Executive Chairman, Philips Consulting Group; Stella Okoli, GMD/CEO, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Chairman NESG and Prof. Ademola Oyejide: Chairman NEIC.

 

Other members of the committee include Ibukun Awosika, Entrepreneur; Albert Okumagba, MD BGL PLC; Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, President Dirham Group; Omobola Johnson: Country Chairman, Accenture; Bukar Tijani, National Coordinator FADAMA/NPAFS; Ausbeth Ajagu, President Academy for Entrepreneurial Study Nigeria, Tunde Obileye MD Great Heights Property & Facilities Management LTD; Tonye Cole: MD Sahara Energy Group  and Yemisi Ransome-Kuti: Executive Director Nigeria Network of NGOS-NNNGO.

 

Recently the Finance Minister, Mr. Olusegun Aganga disclosed that the national unemployment rate has raised annually, from 11.9 per cent in 2005 to 19.7 per cent in 2009. He declared that a special team would be constituted to address the paradox of a growing GDP at the same time as we are witnessing growth in unemployment, which is most severe on youth in urban areas.

 

A summit was also hosted by the minister where key stakeholders in five sectors of the economy were brought together with the public sector to discuss the barriers to growth and to agree on a pact on what each party has to do to improve the business climate and grow the economy and create jobs. In addition the National Economic Management Team (NEMT) and the World Bank have endorsed a pact with stakeholders in the public and private sector to stem youth unemployment in the country which is becoming a serious challenge to the government.

 

Source: Economic Confidential