UNEMPLOYMENT: The Tap Root of Nigeria Social Problem

BY AYODELE SEUN

Sociologists argued that state of joblessness is real cause of social problem in the society. “An idle hand is the devil workshop”. Nigeria faces a lot of social vices today due to high rate of unemployment. E.g. insecurity, poverty, prostitution, arm robbery, kidnaping, cyber-crime and drug addiction etc.

Nigeria government has a matter of urgency must fixed problem of unemployment or else Nigeria will explode with high rate of social vices in the near future. More than 40% of Nigeria youths are unemployed while over 30% are underemployed.

Nigeria president –elect General Muhammadu Buhari must reduce cost of governance by slight down the salaries of elected political leaders and political appointee at all level (federal, states and local government).Oronsaye report should be implement to reduce overhead cost.

Ojigbe (2015), The political elites must exert an appreciable level of both political and moral will to formulate and tenaciously implement programmes that will better the lot of the common man. The leaders must get there psyche treated against corruption and greed since myriad of problems posing as imposture against the Nigerian society stem from these deadly monster. In addition, the various anti-corruption crusade spearheaded by the various anti-graft agencies: EFCC, ICPC, code of conduct bureau etc. should be more proactive, swift and with utmost veracity to catch up with corrupt public officials.

Secondly, Nigeria government must diversify her economy from monoproduct of petroleum with other productive sectors like Agriculture, sport, tourism, information technology and entertainment.

Agricultures must be improve to production of more cash crop and livestock, re-establishment of Marketing Board, Certain crop should be encourage in the areas they are planted for example Gwari and Tiv people in the middle Belt produce more yam than any part of Nigeria, Lokoja Fish is the best in Nigeria and Ondo people produce more plantain than any other part in Nigeria. Nigeria government must work on using the strength of Nigerians by tapping into the best no how of the people. Nigeria population is blessing and we should utilize the strength of our population and ethnic diversity. We should emulate country like China that is the largest producer of rice and cotton.

Sport sector must be expanding by open more sport activities for Nigeria youths to involve, the best way to get everybody involve is through sport activities. Our sport should not be only about football, sport like swimming need to be encourage among ijaw and ilaje people who are naturally swimmers, table tennis and lawn tennis, basketball, volleyball, handball, judo, boxing, rugby, cricket, badminton they should all be encouraged. State government should build more Sport Academy instead of building stadium and more private bodies  should  invest in sport sector and help build Nigeria future Champions. Good example is Aruna Quadri who is the Table Tennis World Best, he benefited from Aso-Oju-Oba Table Tennis Championships in Lagos. Nigeria should emulate England that has earned lot revenue from sport. Agriculture and sport only can employ up to 50% of Nigeria youth if is well utilize.

Thirdly, Nigeria economy must be industrialized. Textiles industries must be revitalized, Ajaokuta iron and steel industry must be working, our refinery must be working, private investors must be encourage to come and invest in our economy through provision of social amenities; especially power and energy. Fruits Juice factory should be established in a state like Benue that produce fruits in abundance.

Fourthly, Nigeria government should encourage graduates of higher institution to established small and medium scale businesses through provision of startup capital, entrepreneur training and skill acquisition. NYSC Corp members should be given N500,000 each after service to establish their own business.

Nigeria government must revive and established more Technical Secondary School across the country, entrepreneur and skill acquisition should be introduced into secondary school curriculum.

Finally, Nigeria pension system must be reform. Retiree of grade level of Directors upward that have received millions of naira as salaries for good 35years and handsome gratuity should be made unpension able; our resources must be redistributed to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. For instance a retiree of director grade that is earning N350,000 monthly which is enough to pay five fresh graduates salaries. Politics is not a profession; Nigerians politicians should stop forcing our legislature into enacting law of making various political office holders pensionable.

The new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari must remember that one of the undoing of PDP led administration is unemployment and the best gift APC government can give Nigerians is create job opportunities for Nigeria unemployed youths in all sectors of the economy.