FG reassures ILC on resolve to tackle unemployment, security

Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment on Tuesday gave the assurance while responding to the report titled: “The end to poverty initiative: The ILO and the 2030 agenda” presented by Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Some of the socio-economic and political challenges bedeviling the country inherited by the Buhari’s administration on assumption of office include: pervasive poverty, insurgency, mass unemployment, under employment, insecurity and high level of corruption.

According to the Minister, some of the initiatives adopted by the present administration include: 500,000 employment for University graduates in different fields to be converted to teachers; training of over 100,000 apprentices and artisans in vocational skills development and establishment of school feeding programmes for 5.5 million children in primary schools to enrich enrolment and reduce dropout rates.

Institutionalisation of Conditional Cash transfer for over 1 million vulnerable to escape from abject poverty; and establishment of micro credit and enterprise development for women and educational grant schemes for students in science, engineering and human capital development.

Ngige who underscored the importance of current global realities noted that the report “captures vividly the ever increasing challenges confronting humanity and the strategic and pivotal role of the ILO using its tripartite structure, in partnership with other United Nations Agencies, to fundamentally eradicate the problems associated with the devastating consequences of poverty to global peace.

In the bid to ensure proper implementation of the objectives of the report, Ngige urged international community to properly situate the objectives of the 2030 agenda aimed at sustainable global development becomes more compelling than ever before.

“In particular, the promotion of sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent jobs for all will help to improve societal security.

“It is pertinent to note that in the race for development, the developing countries have peculiar historical and developmental challenges. There is therefore an urgent need to take cognizance of these characteristics in combating poverty and insecurity. Notably, most of these countries are mono product economies that are constantly and negatively exposed to the vagaries and shocks of the international market.

“The poor implementation of the ILO Decent Work Agenda in these economies is no doubt attributed to this ever increasing phenomenon and largely accounts for their inability to compete in the process of globalisation.

“The ILO therefore needs to put these factors into consideration in assessing among others the responsibilities and opportunities associated with the implementation of the future of work initiative, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the projected assistance to its constituents in the realization of its agenda.

“Furthermore, the multi-ethnic and cultural diversities including different political structures and systems of member states should be acknowledged in the development of policies, projects and programmes aimed at addressing the attainment of the sustainable development goals.

“Nigeria is not insulated from these challenges which are daily manifesting in the socio-economic crises of today. The current challenges in the country are not unconnected with the historical neglect of past administrations to address the consequences of a mono-product economy that have so far depended on revenue from crude oil,” Ngige noted.