The federal government has called for creative value chain entrepreneurship to boost job creation in the country.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made the call at the 5th Meeting of the National Employment Council, in Abuja.
Ngige, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Yerima Peter Tarfa, said a lot of jobs could be generated across the value chain, from the raw material stage through the finished product to the consumer.
“The raw minerals being exported from the country are used to produce consumer and industrial goods in advanced countries that we import at much higher prices.
“By not adding value to our mineral and agricultural products, Nigeria has been unwittingly exporting wealth and millions of jobs. We must halt and begin to reverse this dangerous trend,” he said.
The minister said based on the Council’s Work Plan, the meeting would deliberate on the topic, “Sectorial Value Chains and Employment Generation in Nigeria,” adding that Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) would participate.
“Today’s meeting shall deliberate on what these MDAs are doing in evolving strategies and innovative ideas for upgrading various segments of the value chain to increase production and create value addition across the most profitable areas of the value chain with trickle-down effect to other sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“Agriculture and mining being critical sectors in the diversification of economy policy of Government, the Minister called for a move from exportation of raw materials to that of consumer goods at much higher prices.
“While we focus on agricultural production, greater attention must also be devoted to enhancing value addition across the value chain.”
“This meeting is expected to come up with innovative ideas that will facilitate mining and processing of all commercially viable solid minerals, so as to create wealth and jobs for the teeming unemployed ,” he said.
