THE Minister of Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi,has expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to tackle the problems associated with youth unemployment.He noted that in a nation of 68 million youths, representing 50 per cent of the entire population, 4.5 million of them apply for jobs yearly.Abdullahi spoke in Abuja at the presentation of the ministry's policy on Youth Employment Scheme (YES) to theSecretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),Senator Anyim PiusAnyim.Abdullahi said the YES programme was targetedat engaging 150,000 toone million youths within the next two years to enable them acquire skills in agriculture, construction, ICT, creative industries and sports.He stated that 46.6 per cent of the Nigerian youths are unemployed, while 85 per cent of them are 'unhappy with the rate of unemployment in the country'.'Urgent steps must, therefore, be taken to address it', he said.The minister listed factors contributing to unemployment as lack of skills and experience, mismatch between supply and demand and lack of access to credit facilities, among others.Abdullahi advised the government to emulate countries like Brazil and Zambia, which have dedicated funding for youth unemployment and focused on strategic sectors to arrest unemployment.Earlier,Anyim had commended the effort of the minister, promising to ensure that the plan scaled through.And concerned by the high level of low capacity and lack of professionalism among youth organisations in the country, Youngstars Development Initiative (YDI) has enjoined them to focus on increasing capacity for maximum delivery in developmental works.At a seminar organised by YDI in Abuja, its founder, Kingsley Bangwell, called on youth leaders in various organisations to pursue capacity building in order to realise maximum potential.'There's need for us as a youth empowerment organisation to keep youths abreast of the salient points that would make them competent in their various fields of endeavour so that they can stand out wherever they find themselves', Bangwell said.YDI also staged its second edition of the Nigerian youth talent hunt and Top12 awards with the minister, Special Adviser to the President on Social Development, Mrs. Sarah Pane; Programme Officer, United Nations Volunteer Office, Mrs. Galina Chus and the North-Central Coordinator, Women for Change Initiative, Mrs. Aver Maagbe, in attendance.Facilitated by high profile resource persons such as Dave Larson from the Nation Democratic Institute (NDI) Nigeria; Lesley Agams, the former Country Director, Ashoka Nigeria; Christian Lamarre, the programme officer, United Nations Democracy Fund-UNdev Nework, among others, the seminar had 54 youths from 16 states in attendance.During an exhibition that was also held, different youth organisations set up stands while winners went home with certificates, brand new laptops, plaques and Skype teleconference equipment donated by Skype UK.Abdullahi assured participants of the commitment of his ministry to youth development by engaging the use of change agents for nation-building and accelerated development.
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