Reps Seek More Industries To Combat Unemployment, Social Vices In Nigeria
The House of Representatives has called for the establishment of more industries across the federation as a means of checking increasing unemployment and social vices among the youths.
The House, therefore, mandated the Committee on Labour Employment and Productivity to develop a comprehensive
industrial revolution template featuring both economic and social impact projections and report back
within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.
It also mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation of the resolution.
These followed the adoption of a move brought by Hon. Chinedu Emeka Martins, wherein he noted that the “unprecedented rate of unemployment is the root of the social vices currently experienced in the country and 33.3% unemployment and the 28% youth unemployment rates amounting to over 11 million unemployed youths, verifies the lack of cottage industries in the country, which should have played a critical role in engaging youthful energy positively in the production of raw materials as well as semi-finished products, thus distract young people from taking up social vices as the only alternative for survival and social
mobility.”
The lawmaker also stressed the need for a comprehensive industrial revolution saying, “an intervention at this point in the history of our nation, given the recent developments in the political, social and economic spheres of the country
which re–emphasize the fact that youths are important stakeholders in the Nigerian project.”
He said, “the predominance of industrial clusters in South East Asian countries has motivated industrial
growth in the form of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and massive decline in unemployment, making way
for stability in the economy, political leadership and lower crime rates as a result of their remarkable success in industrialization.”
He said a similar strategy of building cottage industries has worked agreeably in some African countries like Rwanda, Mozambique, Ghana and South Africa, an indication that grassroots industrialization produces an array of positive economic and social impacts.
He however expressed worries that Nigeria is yet to positively harness the human capital resources accruing from its youthful population through the creation of industrial clusters to engage the youths.
He believes that “it has become imperative for government to re-strategize by establishing industries in the 360 federal constituencies, which would play a critical role in curbing the unemployment problems and boost the
country’s Gross Domestic Products.”
He argued that “such an Industrial Revolution Scheme, if implemented and sustained will entrench the
culture of hard work and regrow moral values lost in the wake of cybercrime, human trafficking, kidnapping
and drug addiction.”
“The siting of Industries in the 360 Federal Constituencies will facilitate Federal presence at the grassroots and positively impact lives of rural dwellers through employment, infrastructural development. Envisages a comprehensive industrialization scheme targeting both extractive and manufacturing stages as well as the processing of agricultural produce into semi-finished products for internal consumption and possible export, while establishing cottage industries based on needs assessment and viability in the 360 Federal Constituencies of the Federation to combat unemployment and drive grassroots industrial growth.”
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