Exploring Employment Opportunities For The Youth

In a recent newspaper interview in Port Harcourt, a captain of industry in the oil and gas, ICT and real estate sectors, Hon. Atamuno Atamuno raised the alarm that unless something drastic was done, to proactively engage the unemployed youth, politics in Rivers State-would get more and more bitter and desperate.
Among Atamuno’s panacea is a revival of all moribund State owned companies and the utilisation of the three licences granted the state for the establishment of refineries. Another is a deliberate investment in manufacturing concerns through public/private partnership, aggressive mechanised farming and pursuit of commercial tourism.
These suggestions could not have come at a better time than now when, it has dawned on many that the days when states thronged Abuja, for monthly windfall from oil export, are over.
The reality on ground is that the oil boom years, which prompted the neglect of most state-owned employment generating establishments, are indeed over.
The Tide considers the suggestions most germane. For instance, it is indeed a shock that the past administration indeed had three licences to establish refineries and instead wasted fortunes on a Monorail that is in the middle of no where.
With a little more funds added to the Monorail vote and with partnership contributions, there is no way the establishement of at least a state owned refinery would not be actualised here with all the benefits that go with it.
From the construction stage up to the engineering stage, and then production, a refinery is an employment spinner that will engage many skilled and unskilled labour. Also, by-products from such refinery or refineries will also create their market and a new set of employees.
Sad as the delay may be, The Tide thinks that it is never too late. Infact, now is the right time to return to the basics and lay the necessary foundation for manufacturing and infrastructure development.
This is why we enjoin the Wike administration to consider the suggestion, pursue aggressive mechanised agriculture and also encourage commercial tourism because the State Civil Service cannot accommodate the multitude of unemployed Rivers graduates roadming the country for unavailable jobs.
Efforts should also be made to engage foreign investment partners that would work towards the revival of those moribund companies that can still be turned around.
At the same time, extra attention needs to be given to the power generation and distribution sector without which the said revival will be a mirage.
The Tide agrees with Atamuno that those Independent Power Plants, (IPP) allegedly disposed-off by the last administration be identified and recovered. They would form part of the planned revival programme and help reduce the burden of lack of power on the companies.
We suggest that an economic summit be convoked to attract international investors, Rivers people in the Diaspora and other captains of industry to brainstorm on the imperatives for the actualisation of these proposals.
Such a forum may also find good reason for the utilisation of sea foods and the establishment of a canning factory for the purposes of packaging Rivers abundant sea foods for export.
No time is more auspicious than now, let us work towards it, if for nothing else, to provide alternative employment for our teeming young graduates, and that way, also reduce the over dependable on politics for survival.
It will also help check the increasing dependence and bitterness now associated with politics in the State.