₦airaland Forum

Statistics on the nation’s labour force just released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has indicated that about 9,969,649 Nigerians were unemployed as at March, 2009.

The report, the latest on Nigeria’s employment rate, further indicated that the total unemployment rate constituted about 19.7 percent of the entire labour force put at 50,607,355 and had risen sharply from 14.9 percent recorded in March, 2008. The rate is the highest since 2000.

NBS defines unemployment rate as the proportion of labour force that are qualified to work but did not work in the week preceding the survey period for at least 39 hours.

Total Labour Force, according to the National Population Commission (NPC), comprises all persons aged 15 to 64 years excluding students, home-keepers, retired persons and stay-at-home parents, and persons unable to work or not interested in work.

For many years, high unemployment rate has been a key challenge to the Nigerian government, aggravating youth restiveness and other vices in all parts of the country, particularly the Niger Delta region. In fact, a World Bank report on ‘Employment and Growth’ released late last year indicated clearly that Nigeria was facing a growing employment crisis, with youth unemployment on the rise.

“The share of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 outside the labour force is growing, despite the country’s strong growth performance over the years,” the bank strongly noted. There are even greater concerns that the number of people without jobs now may have increased considerably following mass sack especially in the banking sector prompted by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) reform of that particular segment of the economy.

For instance, it was reported that as much as 7,500 of the banking staff lost their jobs as at February and still counting.

The NBS report obtained by BusinessDay noted that unemployment was highest in Bayelsa State, one of the states in the Niger Delta region, followed by Katsina State and then Akwa Ibom, also a Niger Delta state. However, Plateau State recorded the lowest rate of unemployment followed by Ogun State, then Benue.

Distributing unemployment rate by groups, the Bureau reported further that of the total Nigerians without jobs, the highest number of the unemployed fell within 22 and 44 years age bracket, indicating that the young and vibrant Nigerians suffered more unemployment challenges than the younger and older folks. Following closely were those between 15 and 25 years while the elderly who the Bureau classified into 45 and 64 years had the least unemployment level.

The figure was also higher for secondary school leavers and university graduates than for those that have more than first degree, the Bureau stated. Gender dis-aggregation showed that among the volume of unemployed persons in the country, males were more dominant that females.

World Bank in its earlier report had also warned that “unless constraints to growth are removed systematically in those industries that are particularly employment intensive and stand a chance of being competitive globally, it is unlikely that these trends will be reversed, further exacerbating tensions and youth unrest”. NBS further noted that even the available jobs come with less wages as many employed Nigerians desired to change their jobs on the basis of poor remuneration.

In the report it noted that more than seven out of every ten (70.5 percent) employed people seeking new jobs gave low income as reason they wanted to leave their present jobs. However, 16.8 percent of the people that wanted to change jobs claimed their present jobs do not match their skill while only 2.3 percent claimed their tools were grossly inadequate.

NBS conducts Labour Force Survey to generate quick results on labour force indicators and in 2004 it was incorporated into the Annual Collaborative Survey on Socio-Economic activities jointly implemented by the Bureau, CBN and the Nigerian Communications Commission.

The survey is to measure the magnitude of and distribution of principal indicators on employment at some level of dis-aggregation. It also provides data on major indicators on unemployment for timely policy formulations and programme interventions as well as present a summary data report on unemployment before the main report is published.

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Beaf:
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[b]The British Government said it would return the sum of 43 million (over N11.25 billion) pounds siphoned by corrupt Nigerian government officials to off-shore accounts.

The declaration was made by the liason officer for West Africa, of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) Mr Michael Dockree, when he visited the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

A statement by Mr. Mike Sowe, Head, Public Enlightenment of the ICPC revealed that Mr Dockree said he came to the commission to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two agencies, particularly in the areas of education, public enlightenment, intelligence gathering and asset tracking.

He also emphasised his government's commitment and assistance to security agencies and anti-corruption commissions

ICPC Chairman Justice Emanuel Ayoola who was represented by Dr Uriah Angulu assured Mr Dockree of the commission's readiness to partner with stakeholders in the United Kingdom in all aspects of the anti-corruption campaign.

Dr Angulu said the activities of the commission will be enhanced as soon as the National Assembly amends the Act establishing the commission which will make it more proactive in dealing with cases of corruption.

Also speaking at the courtesy call, three Honourable Members of the ICPC, Sir Simeon Oguntimehin, Dame Julie-Nwariaku and Alhaji Abdullahi Bako thanked Dockree for his visit and commended the British Government for its commitment in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.[/b]