Job creation has been a 'siren song' commonly used by political office aspirants to gain the nod of the electorates who are ever nursing the hope of a better tomorrow. And these aspirants tend to play their cards well in drafting 'attention-grabbing' and solution-oriented initiatives [in order to gain votes] into their manifestoes only to fail in fulfilling their 'tectonic' promises upon resuming office. Inasmuch as this write-up is not for the purpose of castigating any government, one must state out certain facts as we look towards addressing the unemployment situation in the country

Nigeria's Situation
Before I proceed, I will like to say that it would be unwise to solely blame the government of the day- although the present administration cannot be wholly exempted- for our predicament in this nation. As a nation, we have often been caught in a quagmire of administrative incompetence.

The Nigerian employment situation is simply not a palatable one as the rate of unemployment keep rising. And bringing it down to the government, our situation has not been helped by corruption and under-utilization [of both human and natural resources] and our consumerism ideology has also contributed to our predicament.

Corruption has a direct and indirect link to the rate at which unemployment is growing: gaining employment into government parastatals is not devoid of controversy whereby we have often hear of someone going [i.e assuming an office] through the 'backdoor' thereby denying qualified and more efficient candidates the opportunity. And indirectly, as the government aims to curtail corruption [through stiff-necked policies] and misappropriation, more problems seem to be created with some companies either folding up or downsizing: this certainly does not augur well for the labour force.

'Wailing amidst waste'
Nigeria, being the blessed nation it is, should not find itself in the position it is at the moment but mismanagement has been one of our bane. Streamlining this to the issue of under-utilization of natural and even human [which, in a way, is connected to consumerism]; many are the natural resources that are yet to be fully harnessed as crude oil continually remains the 'centre of attraction'...with agriculture now gaining some prominence after years of neglect. However, beyond agriculture; with over forty (40) solid minerals scattered across specific places in the country, the onus of establishing industries [where these minerals will be wholesomely utilized] should fall on the government and the vision must be shared by subsequent administration irrespective of their political disposition. Leaving these resources dormant has caused us to plummet, overtime, into the doldrums of consumerism whereby certain things that could have been manufactured here, are being imported. The establishment of manufacturing industries will no doubt, create more opportunities for the unemployed youths who are languishing in the homes and on the streets of our nation and in essence, our economy will be much more developed.

Government moves to curtail unemployment
The N-power initiative formulated by the Federal Government is a laudable one as it would get some unemployed youths engaged. However, how sustainable will it be? And how much ground will it cover; will it have a profounding effect? The latter [question] comes to mind when one considers the fact that there are over 15.2 million unemployed youths- and this is even on the rise- out there and this programme has been setup to cater for the employment need of around three (3) quarters of a million unemployed youths: this means that 1 in every 20 youths gets employed but there is quite a huge gulf- I want to believe that the federal government will not rest on its oars just yet. Furthermore, it is hoped that this program will not go down the drain without creating an indelible mark on the economy of the nation. This concern is informed by the fact that similar programs [initiated by previous administration have not seemed to ever exist since the impact is not felt by the masses. It should not be about starting it up alone but making it work overtime will be very rewarding.

Finding a lasting solution
Although the issue of unemployment is one that seems to take forever to solve, the truth remains that it can be overcome should all hands be on deck. And the government can make a move towards ensuring that the rate of employment is reduced by:
Effecting the steady provision and maintenance of basic amenities and infrastructures; for example: power, good road, etc. This will encourage SMEs and increases production while lowering cost. This would also stimulate foreign investors to do business in the nation.
Inculcating entrepreneurial and vocational skills acquisition into the academic curriculum right from the secondary schools.

Ensuring that manufacturing industries are put in place. The solid minerals in the nation should be utilized for the good of the nation; we should not just trade them to foreigners- we can attain knowledge on how to make the most of what we have. This might take years to actualize but in the end, it is a worthy venture.

Making diversification of the economic a top priority. Every other sector [aside the petroleum sector] should be made functional and productive. It is commendable that the present administration has diversification in mind but moves toward its actualization should be provoked with efficacy and subsequent administration s should follow through on it.

In conclusion, more focus and expectation [as it regards job creation] is often directed toward the central government but if any tangible result is to be achieved, political office holders at the state and local levels must also be involved and held accountable. The government has got to be creative and be service oriented.