Addressing the Problem of Youth Unemployment in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The researcher tends to uncover the catalyst that spur the unemployment problem in the oil producing communities, a case study of Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State. To investigate whether the youths see labour contractors as discriminating against them in employment. And also find out whether the youth see government policies as discriminating against them in employment.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual Clarification
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2000) defines unemployment as a state of not having a job. According to Beggs (2012) unemployment is a situation in which an individual in an economy is looking for a job and can’t find one. Pettinger (2010) sees unemployment as a situation where someone of working age is not able to get a job but would like to be in full time employment. He further explained that If a Mother left work to bring up a child or if someone went into higher education, they are not working but would not be classified as unemployed as they are not actively seeking employment. In his view, Amadeo (2005) corroborated Pettinger (2010) by seeing unemployment as the situation where people who do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks, and are currently available for work. Also, people who were temporarily laid off and are waiting to be called back to that job are included in the unemployment statistics. He further explained that those who have not looked for work within the past four weeks are no longer counted among the unemployed. Most people leave the labor force when they retire, go to school, have a disability that keeps them from working, or have family responsibilities. However, even people who would like to work are excluded if they aren’t actively looking for work. From the foregoing, we can say that unemployment occurs when a person wants and is able to work but can’t find work. The key part being “wanting and being able to work.”
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain addressing the problem of youth unemployment in Nigeria. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of addressing the problem of youth unemployment in Nigeria
Summary
This study was on addressing the problem of youth unemployment in Nigeria. Three objectives were raised which included: tends to uncover the catalyst that spur the unemployment problem in the oil producing communities, a case study of Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, to investigate whether the youths see labour contractors as discriminating against them in employment and also find out whether the youth see government policies as discriminating against them in employment. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
To say the time is ripe for the Federal Government to look beyond oil by diversifying the economy is an understatement. We need to resuscitate the olden days groundnut pyramids in the North, cocoa plantations in the West and the oil palm plantations in the Eastern part of the country. This will provide the much-needed employment for our youth in addition to opening up more opportunities for growth in the nation’s economy. The government may not be able to create job enough for the teaming millions of Nigerian unemployed youths, and therefore should embark upon massive youth development programmes in all the states of the federation. Furthermore, it is necessary for the government to embark on rural development such as rural industrialization and electrification to curtail rural-urban drift. The general school curriculum should be remodeled to inculcate technical skill acquisition which will help even secondary school graduates to have employable skills. Youth creativeness and entrepreneurial skills need to be encouraged by private organizations and government institutions.
Recommendation
Government should make agriculture more attractive by providing and making available modernized tools and also encouraging youths into this direction. We are blessed with both natural and human resources in this country and the most prominent one is crude oil, government should resuscitate our four local refineries and create more, so that youths can get employed and also be trained on how to refine crude oil into usable items such as kerosene, petroleum, among others. This will generate revenue and also reduce unemployment.
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