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President Muhammadu Buhari, has said his government recognises the need to focus more attention on youth empowerment by creating the enabling environment for job opportunities and capacity building.
He stated this at the just-concluded Global Youth Employment Forum (GYEF) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) hosted by Nigeria in Abuja.
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, stressed that Nigeria placed more value on her youth, who represent today and the future of the nation.
The President reiterated the fact that human capacity development, implementation of dedicated programmes and technical/financial support could not be over-emphasised, hence he was grateful that the ILO has committed itself to youth employment and the Future of Work in Africa with in-depth understanding of the rapidly changing demographics, the emerging world of work and the challenges of natural economic stabilities.
He further stated that his administration recognised the creative potential of the youth and the need to sharpen their global competitive edge.
To this end, he said the Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI) to improve access to long-term, low-cost financing for entrepreneurs to invest in Nigeria.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. William Alo, said a growing youth population could provide an important opportunity to expand the labour potential of any country.
According to him, investing in youth education closes the gender gaps in both labour markets and education.
Alo further stated that the theme for 2019 GYEF, “Today and Tomorrow with Decent Jobs for Youth,” was apt in the light of the persistent global youth employment challenges and the future of work initiative, which the ILO has placed in front burner of international discuss, adding that the future of the world needed rest within the youth who constitute the most productive segment of the global population.
In another development, the director-general of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, said if asked what is the priority of any Ministry of Labour of any country, the answer is, generating work for young people, boosting quality education and a chance to do some decent jobs.
Also he said, 136 million young people are working, they are working extremely hard; yet they are still living in poverty. Those, according to him, are the working poor in Africa.
He said, “This 60% of young workers are often concentrated in conditions of informality of rural economy.
Whether we like it or not, these are global realities and lets set these realities beside the goal which the international communities set itself when in 2015, it adopted the UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development.”
