The Lagos State Government says creative thinking, and not over-reliance on paid-jobs, is the only way to solve the unemployment problem across the country.
The state Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, added that it was time for Nigerians to start having the mentality of job creators as against job-seekers.
The commissioner spoke at the ministry’s three-day capacity building retreat for its management staff on Friday, noting that if the current trend of every university graduate seeking office employment persisted, the creative thinking and possibility of evolving winning ideas by fresh graduates would go into extinction.
Hs said, “Hence, the need to arrest the situation by making people think outside the box by putting necessary machineries in place for nurturing ideas.
“The creation of this ministry is as a result of government’s desire to address unemployment and boost already existing wealth creation and employment interventions through vocational centers.
“The Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is more of an enabler; a link between the government and the private sector in the area of unemployment reduction and ensuring that quality skills are given to the right set of people. We believe that through private sector collaboration, more jobs can be created to bridge the unemployment gaps.”
Durosinmi-Etti urged the workers to imbibe ownership culture of the mandate of the ministry, pursue its policy framework and highlight needed strategies for excellent performance.
He said, “Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has made a commitment of N25bn Employment Trust Fund for employment and job creation matters for the next four years.”
The Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Wealth Creation and Employment, Sola Giwa, said the assembly would assist the government with legislative backing.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Fola Pandonu, who said the task of addressing the challenge of unemployment was an onerous one, added that the retreat would equip the workers with the essentials to implement government policy.