Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, has underscored the need for businesses and local governments to collaborate to tackle unemployment across the state, advocating the need for job creation as against job-seeking.
He spoke at a stakeholders’ forum/interactive session at K. Kotun Memorial School, Surulere, Lagos at the weekend.
Durosintimi-Etti also said the creation of the ministry was as a result of the government’s desire to address unemployment and cushion efforts of wealth creation and employment interventions through vocational centers employment opportunities.
He said: “The Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is more of an enabler, a link between government and the private sector in the area of unemployment reduction and ensuring that quality skills are given to the right set of people.
“It is only through private sector collaboration that more jobs could be created in order to bridge the unemployment gaps.”
He maintained that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has not only fulfilled his electoral promise with the establishment of the new ministry, but has also made a commitment of N25 billion into the Employment Trust Fund for employment and job creation. Working with employers, he said the ministry would create tailor-made vocational programmes to create jobs for artisans.
In addition, to establishing five jobs and business incubation centres in Lagos, he said the centres will empower people and help them find good jobs.
According to him, the job and innovation centres will provide resources for start-ups.When implemented, he said, the incubators would provide an environment conducive for the success of innovative entrepreneurial start-ups spearheaded by young people.
He said the centres would help fill a void created by the education system, provide a platform to develop the cross-functional skill sets essential to the success of entrepreneurs.
He reiterated that the government is ready to improve the environment, provide fertile ground for more sophisticated innovation, and encourage a lot more business incubators to pop up in the future.
He said the government, working with the local government, could set the stage for the next revolutionary businesses to emerge from the state.
The Commissioner envisioned a new Lagos as state with a high-functioning economy focused on industry, innovation and entrepreneurship; the promotion of investor confidence; job creation; the development of infrastructure; and achieving total digital connectivity.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Fola Pandonu, said the sensitisation programme, which began in Surulere, was part of the ministry’s efforts to equip young Nigerians with information on opportunities available to create wealth and employment.
The Special Adviser to Governor Ambode on Centrall Business District( CBD), Agboola Dabiri, said the campaign would give a new dimension to employment where more and more jobs will be generated, while it will lead towards new businesses or innovative projects that prove helpful in improving the economic growth of the country and career growth of the youths.
He said the campaign would boost entrepreneurship and job creation in Surulere, by boosting investments into the startup segment.
Besides, the government is taking steps to deal with the skilled labour crisis in the area.