Unemployment Reaching Dangerous Dimension in Nigeria, Says Niger Gov

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Sani Bello, has raised the alarm that only 50 out of every 250,000 graduates across the country secure employment after their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year.

The governor said the unemployment rate in the country was reaching a dangerous dimension requiring concerted efforts to be taken by relevant stakeholders to address and stem the trend.

Bello spoke in Kontagora on Saturday at the graduation of trainees from the Colonel Sani Bello Vocational School under the Sani Bello Foundation. The foundation is sponsored by the father of the governor and one time military governor of Kano State.

He said: “The situation now calls for urgent attention. From every 250,000 corps members that complete their mandatory service year, hardly do we have 50 of them getting jobs, thereby making vocational education and skill acquisition the way to empower our teeming youths.

“The high rate of unemployment of our youths after university education would have been taken care of, if our youths strive to acquire and develop skills in various vocations, thereby getting themselves gainfully engaged and becoming masters of their future.”

Details later…