Minister Recommends Policy Integration On Youth Unemployment

Nigerians in Switzerland recommended policy integration in the informal sector to curb youth unemployment in most developing countries of the world.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu made the recommendation in Geneva at ongoing 101st session of the International Labour Congress (ILC).

The minister said that fostering the ILO decent work agenda in the informal sector would promote productive employment, sustainable enterprises and social protection.

“Nigeria strongly recommends the need for policy integration in favour of the informal economy which has the potential to absorb the large army of unemployed youths in most developing countries of the world.

“Fostering the ILO decent work agenda in the informal economy promotes productive employment, sustainable enterprises and social protection.’’

The minister told the session that Nigeria was addressing the core issues of unemployment with the aim of building sustainable development.

Wogu also explained that the Nigerian government’s Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (You WIN) programme was meant to provide Nigerian youths the entrepreneurial platform.

This, he said, was to showcase their business acumen, skills and aspirations to become business leaders, investors and mentors, adding that more than 110,000 jobs would be created through the programme in the next four years.

“This is reflected in some recent modest efforts in addressing youth unemployment in the country and is in tandem with the ILO framework.

“There is also a Subsidy Re-Investment Empowerment Programme (SURE-p), targeted to create 10,000 jobs in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, bringing the total to 370,000 jobs,’’ the minister said.

Wogu emphasised that various technical assistance Nigeria had received from the ILO in her developmental efforts had helped the country in the advancement of decent work.