Worried by the growing number of jobless persons on the street, President Muhammadu Buhari through the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah has revealed that the Federal Government has adopted strategies to generate 20 million jobs in the next phase of the Buhari's administration.
Dr. Enelamah who was represented by Mr. Sunday Akpan, Permanent Secretary in the ministry made the statement in Abuja on Monday during a meeting with stakeholders on strategies for job creation by the Federal Government. He disclosed that the strategies are in agriculture, construction, transport, and the services sectors.
Akpan noted that the ministry has charged the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to come up with revolutionary multi-faceted job wealth creation strategies that will lead to a lasting solution to the hydra-headed problem. He urged stakeholders to proffer innovative and pragmatic solutions that would pave the way for job creation leading to growth and development of the economy through entrepreneurship and increased Growth Domestic Product.
On his part, the Director-General of ITF, Mr. Joseph Ari, said the number of Nigerians without jobs had been a source of worry to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. He asserted that the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS), report on the number of unemployed Nigerians increased from 17.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 to 20.9 million in the third quarter of 2018.
Ari said ITF had equipped more than 450,000 Nigerians with life skills and empowered beneficiaries with start-up packs within the last two years. He said that more than 80 percent of the number was earning sustainable livelihoods either in paid employment or as successful entrepreneurs who were employing others.
