Let the Beafs of this world hug transformer.

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=29085
Youth Unemployment: Philosophy And Praxis Of The OYES Scheme
[b]Speech by the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, while declaring open the World Bank seminar on public works toolkit in Nigeria at the Royal Park Hotel, Iloko Ijesa, on [/b]April 12, 2012.

Protocols,Let me thank the organisers of this seminar, the World Bank and the committee on Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) for the invitation to be here today.

I must thank the World Bank especially for the interest in our youth empowerment programme, OYES, through which we created 20,000 jobs in our first 100 days in office.

I must say in passing that this gesture by the World Bank was initiated in 2011 when I had the pleasure of playing the host to the first mission of the World Bank to Osun State since the beginning of my administration.

The enthusiasm and spontaneous promise of Onno Ruhl, the erstwhile Country Director, is what has crystallised today.

Throughout the world today, youth unemployment has become a significant marker in assessing the health of both the society and the economy.

As the mature economies falter on the brink of recession, youth unemployment in economies with well trained working force has triggered alarm bells for social and political strife in countries like Greece and Spain and contributed in no small measure to the 2011 London riots during which lives were lost, the social fabric overstressed and losses running into almost half a billion pounds were incurred as raging and rampaging unemployed youths took over the high streets, factories and warehouses, ransacking and looting.

Third World economies and societies, especially in Africa, now carry a demographic pattern in which almost 45 per cent of the population is under the age of 30.

This, according to the World Bank, is certainly the case in Nigeria where we have been made to understand the youth population as defined above runs in some urban areas as high as 55 per cent.

More alarming especially is the observed presence among this huge colony an equally high percentage of skilled and tertiary graduate young men and women.

When for example my administration announced its plan to employ 20,000 youths, applications were received from over 250,000 skilled and tertiary educated graduates from across the 30 local government areas of the state.

In quite a substantial number of cases many of these had been on the job market for three or more years.

Before I assumed office here in Osun state I, as the Commissioner for Works in the Lagos State government of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as well as a leader of my political party in an area of Lagos teeming with the exploding population of the new megacity, I could hardly have failed to notice this new phenomenon of youth unemployment in the Alimoso area of the state.

After I decided to run for the office of governor in my home state of Osun and as I crisscrossed the state, canvassing for support, the same problem stared me in the face and invaded my socio-political consciousness.

Next to the generally visible absence of prosperity among the population at large, nothing touched me more painfully than discovering in personal interviews with young men and women, many of them commercial motorcyclists, that a high proportion of them were high school graduates who could neither find employment or opportunities for acquiring modern skills for a niche in the workforce.

Against this background, it became a moral obligation for my planning team and to prioritise youth empowerment through employment, next only to agriculture for food production in my pact with the people of Osun State.

As I said earlier, the success of our Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme remains for me as a parent and as a political leader with a social concern a matter for great joy.

I must at the same time give expression to my deep sadness to know that out there on our streets and in our homes, thousands of young men and women, a substantial number among them secondary and tertiary institution graduates, many with skills or anxious to acquire skills remain without a window of opportunity to work and earn a Jonestown income.

There is a saying among our people that work generally is nothing to be ashamed of; it is stealing that brings dishonour. There is dignity in labour. The holy books enjoined all to do with one’s might whatever one’s hand finds to do.

We have found inspiration on work from the view of William Beveridge, the post-World War II British political economist in his influential book ‘Full Employment in Free Society’ where he wrote: “It is better to employ people on useless project like pyramid building or digging holes and filling them up again, than not to employ them at all…Any of these may be better than doing nothing at all.

Those who are taken into useless employment will by what they earn and spend, give useful employment to others. It is better to employ people however the money for paying their wages is obtained, than not to employ them at all.

Enforced idleness is a waste of real resources and a waste of lives, which cannot be defended on any financial ground”
OYES is not just about the 20,000 volunteers but also about integrated economic development in the state, especially at the grassroots level.

For instance, all the uniform worn by the corps members were sown by tailors in the state. This includes the entire kit of booths, socks, caps and singlets which are purchased in the open markets in the state.

This also applies to all their implement such as cutlasses, wheel barrows, iron rakes, C-caution, blade files, reflector jackets, security boots etc. which were procured from artisans and traders in the various markets in the state.

This has not only given stimulus to the economy of the state, it has economically empowered thousands of families in the state.

Pumping the N200 million allowance we give OYES corps members into the grassroots every month, ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with me, is a great economic stimulus.

My advisers and I are proud and happy that the World Bank as it is popularly known, but in reality the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has lent its support to our initiative and experiment by exposing the sister states here gathered to the work we are doing, our joy, frustrations and success in attempting to combat youth unemployment in the State of Osun.

I would like to welcome participants representing my brother governors to Osun hoping that as they share our experiences.

This seminar will open new insights through their observations and suggestions which will facilitate the rapid expansion and turnover of our scheme to wipe out youth unemployment here.

As we engage in theorising, let us not forget that the youth is not only a critical demographic factor but a societal element and group on whose shoulders the future of our country rests.

Rapid economic expansion, modern technological innovation and general socio-economic growth depend to a large extent on a well educated and virile workforce which can only be built from a young population bristling with hope for the future.

It is our vision here in Osun to move our youth from the regime of disillusionment we found them into a world of hopefulness. It is our mission in Osun to remove the canopy of despair which hovered over our youth and retool them for prosperity.

All hands are literally on the ground, from my desk and boots as OYES 1 to my advisers and our able and dedicated Commandante and his experienced team of field mentors and prefects, now the work – proud first batch of our volunteers, to rebuild self esteem in those who had been idle for years, to reinvent in us all the dignity of labour (apalara) and to open the window to a new world of HONOUR and integrity in all our endeavours…GEGE BI OMOLUWABI.

On behalf of the people of IPINLE OMOLUWABI, all my colleagues especially those on the OYES front, I thank once again the World Bank for considering this initiative worthy of their support for showcasing and possible emulation.
I thank you all for your kind attention.

There is a saying among our people that work generally is nothing to be ashamed of; it is stealing that brings dishonour. There is dignity in labour. The holy books enjoined all to do with one’s might whatever one’s hand finds to do.

We have found inspiration on work from the view of William Beveridge, the post-World War II British political economist in his influential book ‘Full Employment in Free Society’ where he wrote: “It is better to employ people on useless project like pyramid building or digging holes and filling them up again, than not to employ them at all…Any of these may be better than doing nothing at all.

Yes, jobs are vital.

Is there any chance ACN can rebuild places like Osun, Ekiti, Ibadan, and Abeokuta?? The sky view of those places is appalling!!

Even if they can't rebuild, they can pass a law, to make the house owners in those places - repaint their houses, and buy new roofing sheets... Those cities look like they never left the 60s, and it's 2012.

bittyend: Is there any chance ACN can rebuild places like Osun, Ekiti, Ibadan, and Abeokuta?? The sky view of those places is appalling!!

Even if they can't rebuild, they can pass a law, to make the house owners in those places - repaint their houses, and buy new roofing sheets... Those cities look like they never left the 60s, and it's 2012.

meeen u r so right. As a Political Scientist, i have thought of the best policy that can possibly put a total re-building process into play but brother, its gonna be real hard cus not their homes alone looks retarded, their brains as well...

koruji:
Let the Beafs of this world hug transformer.

My brother, this is what we hold unto.
Aregbesola is the most useless piece of loudmouthed dung to hit our political terrain.

Can you imagine this as "evidence of massive ''dry season'' road construction across Osun?

[size=14pt]No be stealing be dis? "OYES sir!"[/size]

bittyend: Is there any chance ACN can rebuild places like Osun, Ekiti, Ibadan, and Abeokuta?? The sky view of those places is appalling!!

Even if they can't rebuild, they can pass a law, to make the house owners in those places - repaint their houses, and buy new roofing sheets... Those cities look like they never left the 60s, and it's 2012.

You have to look at issues from the viewpoint of functionality , especially considering the general poverty of many in Nigeria, as a consideration affecting choices of built environment. So if the roofs are still functionally efficient they should be removed , by those who hardly have the money to do so, just so you can see pleasing "sky view" of the SW?

Town planning is, first, a reaction to the changing needs of inhabitants of the town/City. Lisbon, Lagos, London may be under pressure to renovate and manage space more efficiently to cope with modern challenges but why must same , for example, hold true for sleepy towns?

Besides, we will need to look at entrenched atitude , vis-a-vis the priority people place on spending extremely limited income, where private property is in consideration

As per passing laws to ensure renovation of private properties, do you know how many Governors have attempted such and even engaged the use of subtle threats? The reality is that decades of fiscal mismanagement has created a people not willing to place pride in their home above their stomach and other pressing needs. In other words, the house can look crap as long as School fees, medical bills, food and other very essential needs are taken care of.

In the UK most folks engage in DIY (do it yourself) and renovation to keep their private homes looking good. They can do this because the money is available to achieve such after other living deductions from weekly/monthly wages. Can you say the same for Nigeria? If you want pristine and aesthically pleasing cities, then you need to understand that this will be achieved as an exponent of the availablity of adequate wealth.

Please look at the income of folks, aligned with the many very important things they have to spend such income on, before you command them to produce homes that is pleasing to your eyes. This is why many African countries always talk of growing the "middle class". If you genuinely understand that 70% of Nigerians live in poverty then you will appreciate that many Cities simply cannot look like Monaco because those who are extremely poor far outnumber the middle class let alone the extremely rich in their discrete VGC, Maitama and Asokoro enclaves.