NECA demands data of unemployed Nigerians

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has expressed concern at the recent resolution by the Senate to the effect that government should start paying stipends to unemployed Nigerians till they are able to get any kind of employment.

Though the Director-General of NECA, Dr Timothy Olawale, said that the resolution of the Senate seemed plausible as the implementation might increase the disposable income of unemployed youths and stimulate consumption, he noted that there were some fundamental issues that should be addressed before the implementation.

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While he also said that the resolution also had the potential to reduce social malaise and the general hopelessness pervading the ranks of the youths, he, however, called for availability of accurate date of the number of Nigerains qualified to benefit from such social security gesture.

 He said, “It is important to know the number of Nigerians that are actually unemployed to forestall the programme becoming another scheme bedevilled with patronage.

“Also of importance is the funding and administration of the project. The project was not captured in the already passed 2020 Appropriation Bill, thus it is worrisome where the funds to bankroll it will come from.

“It is hoped that government will not further burden the already overtaxed private businesses.”

The NECA DG noted further that so far, all the social intervention programmes had been cosmetics and short-term in nature without potential to solve the real issues of unemployment.

He said, “Government at all levels must take a more than cursory look at the private sector. More deliberate effort should be put in place to support the organised private sector to grow and create employment by ensuring a favourable operating environment.

“Businesses are currently overburdened with different forms of taxes and levies, inadequate infrastructures and unfriendly regulatory environment. Herein lies the solution to the teething unemployment scourge of our nation.”