The Federal Government on Friday disclosed in Abuja that it had begun a national survey to determine the skill gaps in different sectors of the economy.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, said this while briefing State House correspondents after the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Job Board presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa,.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan on Sept. 10 to create 3 million jobs in one year.
Aganga said that the outcome of the survey would give the board a clear idea of the gaps that exist, where they exist and what is required to fill them
“The level of unemployment is high and the gap between jobs and unemployment is skills.
“So that is a critical factor and that is why there is a pillar dedicated to that.
“And that is why for the first time in this country we have begun a national job survey of skills gap in the country.
“By sector we will know what the gap is, know the competency required to fill that gap.
“We are not just looking at the existing gaps today. We are looking at where the investments are going to. We are looking at the next five to 10 years.
“For instance, a lot of investments are going to automobile, we have automobile engineers, how many will we need in the next five to 10 years.
“About N16 billion is going to petrochemicals, fertiliser and methanol. We will need skilled players. A lot of investments are going to metals, iron ore and all that.
“Most of these positions at the moment in this country are not filled and if they are filled they are filled by foreigners.
The minister explained that the survey would be used by training institutions like the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to ensure that people are trained to work immediately.
Aganga said that the inaugural meeting looked at how to put the right governance structure in place to ensure sustainability of the job creation and guard against policy reversal.
According to him, the sectorial leaders in the board have started submitting all major projects in sectors like Information Communication Technology (ICT), housing, micro and medium enterprises among others.
Also speaking, Mr Tony Elumelu, who represents the private sector in the board, said that job creation was very important to both federal government and the private sector.
This, according to him, explains why members of the board are committed to their assignment.
“Job creation is very important to this government; it’s very important to the private sector, which is why we are all committed to it.
“That is why as the Minister of Trade and Investment has said, we are having another meeting in two or three weeks’ time.
“We will not be sacrificing or devoting this more time to a project that we did not believe in. We believe in dignity of labour.
“We think that Nigerians deserve to be employed and we are happy that we are working with the Federal Government in making sure that this comes through.
“We believe that we will deliver on this and Nigerians will be happy for it at the end of the day.’’
In his contribution, Mr Ike Ubaka, the National President (Administration) of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), commended the federal government for including farmers in the board.
Ubaka said that it was the first time in the country’s history that they were being involved in a major policy implementation, given the significance of farming to job creation.
“Our inclusion on the presidential job board is a highly commendable move by the present administration, that villagers like us were considered as the base of job generation.
“We have the responsibility and the patriotic zeal to feed this nation despite our handicap.
“Over the years, our efforts, sweat and contributions have not been recognised.
“And this is the very first time in the history of Nigeria that villagers like us are called on board.
“Our meetings are done under trees but today you can see the environment we have found ourselves and it’s a morale booster that no one is left out.
“It is all-inclusive that this administration has the heart for the real people who do the work.’’
NAN
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