Clergyman Reveals Alarming Unemployment Rate in Taraba
Rev. Father Maurice Kwairanga, Keynote Speaker at the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo’s Justice Development and Peace Commission program, disclosed that 27,986 individuals in Taraba State are currently out of work, representing an unemployment rate of 1.9%.
“The Catholic Diocese of Jalingo recognizes this pressing need and seeks to transform the lives of disadvantaged youths through a robust skills acquisition program tailored to breach the gap between poverty and potential,” Rev. Father Kwairanga stated.
He emphasized that unemployment has become a significant problem in Nigeria, leading to increased militancy, violent crimes, kidnappings, restiveness, and socially delinquent behavior.
“Youth unemployment is devastating to both individuals and society as a whole, both psychologically and economically,” Rev. Father Kwairanga noted.
He highlighted that promoting entrepreneurship and small businesses is one of the most promising ways to tackle unemployment in Nigeria, empowering individuals to start their own ventures and create job opportunities for others.
Rev. Father Kwairanga stressed the importance of providing youths with marketable skills, such as masonry, carpentry, tailoring, and tech skills like artificial intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity.
“Equipping youths with those competencies is not merely an investment in their future but a vital contribution to national and global development,” he said.
Bishop Charles Hammawa, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, emphasized the importance of youth empowerment and encouraged parents to instill the spirit of hard work in their children.
“Some of our youths are not ready to do any hard work, only to disturb their parents to give them money, and after getting the money, you will not see what they do with the money,” Bishop Hammawa said.
He encouraged youths to emulate individuals from other states who engage in commercial activities such as water hawking, shoe shining, and cutting finger nails, making money and building houses in their communities.
Rev. Father Clement Tiba, Coordinator of JDPC Jalingo Diocese, noted that the Commission has been working tirelessly to provide people with safe drinking water and promoting community-led total sanitation.
“The JDPC Jalingo Diocese covers all sixteen local governments of the state and two development areas,” Rev. Father Tiba said.