In every economy, the labour force plays an important role in the fine-tuning of the nation’s GDP. It is with little wonder that scholars like Karl Marx placed it as the most importance factor of production.

The labour force makes provision for the skills and expertises needed to run production as well as the manpower, necessary for turning raw materials into finished goods.

Also, it is observed that the tax returns from the wages and salaries of the labour force go a long way to determine the standard of living of people residing within that society.

Thus, an economy will run effectively and efficiently when the labour force, at all tiers of production, is functional and can respond to the changes in production.

It has however being seen in contemporary society, that issues of economic development cannot be fully discussed without paying attention to the labour force.

Apart from inflation, poverty and crime, unemployment is also a vital challenge that faces every economy that wants to move forward.

WHAT IS UNEMPLOYMENT?

Unemployment according to International Labour Organisation (1982) is a state where people are without jobs and have actively sought work within the past five weeks.

Many economies have tried to curtail the effects of unemployment by increasing the labour force and have yielded positive results for countries that paid attention in curbing this menace.

Unemployment, as we know it, is a universal problem. No economy in the world can boast of a robust economy which itself does not have a percent of its populace who are unemployed.

Even in developed economies of this world, the issue of unemployment is a cause for concern.

In Africa, we are not new to the trend of unemployment right from the colonial era to the present day Africa. However, the determining factor for every economy has always being how good they tend to manage the rate of unemployment within its society.

Research shows that there are three major causes of unemployment namely; poor educational system, use of machines to replace physical manpower, and inadequate attention to agriculture.

It is no gainsaying that unemployment has eaten deep into the African economies from currency of white collar jobs in our society.

In a continent blessed with abundant natural and mineral resources, the populace still struggle to gain employment.

The rate of unemployment has become a socio-economic problem which has inhibited economic growth.

With a population of more than 300 million people, Africa is faced with a huge problem of surplus of labour supply over a low labour demand.

This has been worsened by the high rate of migration from the rural areas into their urban counterparts.

WHO RECEIVES THE WORST HIT?

Although unemployment affects people of all social status, age, and profession, the worst hit by this menace are the youth.

Every year, thousands of youths graduate from tertiary institutions with the hope of getting a job among numerous competitors.

We see a lot of them on the streets, on daily basis with files, moving from one office to the other. In the fight to survive, most of them engage in underemployed services so as to get going until something within their league comes up.

For instance, we have people who studied microbiology as cleaners and security men in the banks while others work as marketers for electronic enterprises.

It is a chagrin also that a degree holder may condescend so low as to pick up a job as a sales boy/girl just to make ends meet.

The salary they receive is a pittance compared to what a degree holder working in a suitable employment should be earning.
THE NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployment has a lot of negative implications on the economy which may be political, social, psychological and economical.

It may result in an increase in poverty and crime rates in the society which in turn leads to political unrest, high level of violence as well as increase in suicide rates.

THE SOLUTION

The problem of unemployment is growing at an astronomic rate each passing day and must be nipped in the bud before it does enormous damage to the African economic growth.


The government has its roles to play to ensure that unemployment, if properly managed, will not breed negative impacts.

Entrepreneurs in Africa also have significant roles to play in this aspect because it is trite that government cannot provide all the jobs.
READ MORE: https://africainfolead.com/impacts-of-unemployment-in-the-african-labour-force/