THE GROWING SOCIO-ECONOMIC CRISIS

  The authorities must do more by creating employment opportunities for the people

Three years ago, the World Bank reported that Nigeria was currently undergoing the worst unemployment crisis in its history. Sadly, the situation has since worsened with no indication that authorities in Abuja and the 36 states recognise the looming danger. Titled, ‘Of Roads Less Travelled: Assessing the Potential for Migration to Provide Overseas Jobs for Nigeria’s Youth’, the report particularly raised the alarm over the nation’s expanding working-age population combined with scarce domestic employment opportunities amid dwindling resources. This, according to the report, has created high rates of unemployment, particularly for youth.   

It is noteworthy that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the problem. “Nigerians are not lazy; the problem has been a lack of job opportunities. As the population grew, service providers did not expand proportionately,” said the president. “The steps we are taking now should have been taken long ago. People should have been incentivised to establish small and medium enterprises instead of seeking opportunities abroad.” 

While Nigerians await the fulfilment of that promise, the crisis of unemployment in the country has led to the creation of bubble jobs as political office holders appoint thousands of special assistants with no job schedules. The crisis has also engendered a prevalence of bribery and job racketeering, particularly in the country’s public service. Today, recruitment of civil servants and public officers is fraught with corruption, especially since public institutions have stopped advertising for jobs and vacancies as syndicates make applicants to pay scandalous amounts of money. It is therefore no surprise that we have a civil/public service that seems incapable of meeting the expectations of citizens both in terms of basic needs as well as institutional transformation.

The World Bank has particularly noted that the socio-economic challenges facing the country in the past decade have led to an astronomical increase in the number of Nigerian citizens seeking asylum and refugee status in other countries. A combination of rising unemployment, booming demography, and unfulfilled aspirations, according to the World Bank, result in increasing pressure on young Nigerians to migrate in search of gainful employment overseas. When you juxtapose that against the background that foreign direct investment to the country has virtually dried up, it is obvious that we have a serious challenge on our hands.   

The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations has harped on how the insurgency deny farmers access to agricultural inputs in the area. But the problem is not restricted to the North-east. In virtually all parts of the country, many farmers cannot access their farms because of insecurity. This has started manifesting in the rising cost of food across the country. Meanwhile, there seems to be a misconception about what governance is all about. The tragedy of that misconception could be seen in the scorecards of some state and local governments’ helmsmen who celebrate the building of religious houses, distribution of foodstuff during festivities, and donation of vehicles to traditional rulers as landmark achievements. Yet good governance is that which is focused on the people, their safety and welfare, the optimal allocation of scarce resources and the effective implementation of policies for service delivery. 

While states and local governments seek oil-rents and jeopardise internally generated revenue, successive national governments have also not adequately used oil revenue to lift the ordinary Nigerian out of poverty. Rather, and in addition to rent-seeking, these revenues have served as slush funds and continue to enrich a few corporations and individuals over the masses. The high rate of out-of-school children and poor output in the education sector also contribute to deepening the challenge of unemployment as the nation continue to churn out a crop of uncompetitive youth in a world driven by technology.