Obi: Investing in youths key to bridging shortage of skilled workers

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says investing in the youth is an effective way to address the shortage of skilled work force in the country.

In a statement posted on his X page on Thursday to commemorate International Workers’ Day, Obi praised Nigerian workers for their resilience in the face of harsh economic and political conditions.

“The struggles and harsh realities facing our dear workers in our nation, presently contending with severe economic and political challenges, are obvious,” Obi said.

“Despite these very challenging times, our Nigerian workers have continued to show resilience and commitment to the nation’s growth.

“Notwithstanding the recent reconfiguration of our economic indices, the reality is that today, Nigeria has unemployment and under-employment rate of over 35% and youth unemployment and under-employmemt rate of over 45% which is one of the highest globally, fueling all sorts of criminality and social vices.

“Aggressive investment in the productive population remains the best and fastest route to bridging this shortage of well-trained workers and moving our nation from consumption to production.”

Obi called for targeted investment in the population, especially the youth, to shift the country from a consumption-based economy to a productive one.

“As I have often said, we can build a productive economy by investing in education, healthcare, and poverty reduction through job creation and small business support,” he added.

The former Anambra state governor urged the government to create an enabling environment that offers opportunities and fair wages, while also recognising the value of honest labour.