The International Labour Organization has encouraged the Federal Government to implement an inclusive employment policy that will help the country create quality jobs.
Drew Gardiner, an ILO Employment Policies Specialist, delivered the advice on Wednesday while speaking on the topic of “Designing and Implementing National Employment Policies in Nigeria.”
He said this virtually at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, during the two-day National Conference on Employment Promotion.
The Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with Employment German Corporation, GIZ, and the International Labour Organization, hosted a conference titled “Addressing the Challenges of Employment and Reintegration at the National and Sub-National Levels in the Post-Covid-19 Era: Impact and Policy Response.”
According to Gardiner, approximately 114 million jobs would be eliminated in 2020.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s unemployment rate is 33.3 percent.
National employment policy, according to Gardiner, might play a vital role in tying the immediate reaction to the Covid-19 problem to a more inclusive and job-rich recovery.
He stated that in order to achieve its employment goal, Nigeria needs use an evidence-based public policy approach.
To create a holistic strategy, he believes the government, including ministries, labor, and worker groups, must make substantial contributions.
He argued that over the years, successful NEPs have involved a broader set of strategic actors and leadership at high levels.
“The effectiveness of success that a country can address the unemployment challenges depends not only on how the employment policy is designed, but, to a larger degree, on how the employment policy is implemented,” he noted.
On the idea that Nigeria must follow, he stated that the policy must incorporate good and long-term employment into the country’s economic and social development plan.
He went on to say that the government must also create an atmosphere that allows for the implementation of employment policy and enhance the employment ministry.
He said FG should target policy to “promote the goal of full employment as a priority in national, economic and social policy, and to enable all men and women who are available and willing to work, to attain secure and sustainable livelihood through full productive and freely chosen employment work.
“Provide the full opportunity to each worker to qualify for and to use his/her skills and endowment in a job for which he/she is well suited, irrespective of race , sex, religion, political opinion, physical disability, national extraction and ethics or social origin.”
Joseph Akpan, Deputy Director, Ministry of Labour and Employment who also spoke on the issue said that the issue of job creation should not be left solely for the Labour and Employment ministry.
He said, “As you all know, job creation is a crosscutting mandate, the role of government is to create an enabling environment for private sector initiatives to create jobs.
“So, the government’s responsibility in this area is well known and understood to create the enabling environment. The Ministry of Labour and Employment realising that employment creation is cross cutting has the responsibility of coordinating job creation in the economy.”
According to him, all stakeholders must work in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of developmental programmes.
