NAN-AE-4
Unemployment
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, May 23, 2017 (NAN) The Special Assistant to the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Taoheed Amusan, has described youth unemployment as a major challenge to national development.
Amusan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that unless Nigeria deliberately focused on irrigated agriculture, not much might be achieved in the drive towards food security and job creation.
According to him, with the inauguration of the guidelines for the implementation of the Graduate and Youth Empowerment Scheme by the Federal Government, participants would be trained on how to be agric entrepreneurs.
Cue in audio (Amusan)
“When the Honorable Minister came to office, he launched this initiative, this was informed by the fact that there are several youths who are out of the university and polytechnic that are unemployed, and it’s becoming very obvious that one of the threats to our nationhood today is the army of unemployed youths who are roaming the streets.
“Nigeria is actually an agrarian nation, we have about 3.1 million hectares for potential irrigated agriculture, and of this, we are only able to do 130,000 hectares so far, and we very much believe that we can do much more.
“But going away from that; the guidelines is defining what we are supposed to do to be able to become great agric entrepreneurs.
“Like I said, we are agrarian and that is what we have always known before oil came into our lives, so we want to go in back there, and beyond just farming, we also believe that we can also have the value chain that will change the landscape.’’
Cue out audio
Amusan said the ministry had identified seven collaborators, including the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Agriculture to make the programme a success.
The technical assistant expressed hope that with the 12 river basins practicing irrigated agriculture using the youths, there would be no need to seek for white collar jobs.
NAN reports that the Ministry of Water Resources has begun implementation of the Blueprint and Action Plan to revitalise the 12 River Basin Authorities.
One of the steps it has taken is the inauguration of the Graduate and Youth Empowerment Programme to create job opportunities through irrigation farming and aquaculture. (NAN)
TAK/DOR/YEE
Edited by Nyisom Dore/Emmanuel Yashim
==============================