The second edition of the Rivers State Employers Roundtable has taken place with stakeholders affirming the possibilities of a one million job creation goal within five years, going by the avalanche of opportunities available in the state such as the oil and gas, potentials for tourism, fertile lands and an amazing pool of human resources, among other nature endowments.
This was the focus of speakers after speakers as they converged on the banquet hall of the Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt. The event was at the instance of the Ministry of Employment and Economic Empowerment, which drew participants from government and the private sector.
In his address at the roundtable, the convener and Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, noted that the gathering, through exchange of robust discussions will help attain the goal of wealth creation which will in turn , translate to improvement of the lives of Rivers people, reduce poverty, unemployment, crime, insecurity and again, restore the dignity of life to the people.
But he noted tha, the roundtable was put in place by the mandate and support of the executive governor of Rivers State, Chief Barr. Ezenwon Nyesom Wike, to ensure pathways for employment opportunities, in order to cater for the ever increasing population of of very active young men and women in the state.
The Commissioner was of the opinion that the state needed not look too far away as there were opportunities within her reach. He said, therefore, that , government strategic plan aimed to take advantage of the vast fertile and uncultivated lands, naturally available water bodies, solid minerals, oil and gas resources, Information and Communication Technology,ICT,vast tourism potentials and human resources, to name some of the state’s comparative advantages.
He informed that through collaboration with target stakeholders, government would come up with Rivers Economic Empowerment Trust Fund which will drive the process in a sustainable manner. And, as a way of bridging a shortfall in valid statistics, he said government had stepped up efforts to establish a more interactive portal, www.megee,rv.ng besides the rivjobs earlier put in place. This is apart from establishment of employment bureau in all the 23 local government areas of the state
He expressed confidence that the re-election of governor Wike for another four year term will help reposition the state on the path of economic prosperity.According to him, government also viewed the issue of security as critical to making the state an investors haven.
The second phase of the employers’ roundtable , which came under the theme,”Collaborative Stakeholders Action for Job Creation in River State.”
Earlier, in his opening address, Chairman of the occasion,Mr Pedro Egebe went down memory lane , recalling employment opportunities available in his time as a youth by noting that the companies have since increased over the years. He warned that anyone on thr wrong part of employment would never get it right, stressing that the private sector had the sole responsibility to provide employment for the teeming youths, hence the need for both the government and the private sector to collaborate.
He challenged the government to chart a road map, towards the actualization of the one million jobs for the youths in the next five years. ”It is the responsibility of the Rivers man and businesses to provide jobs for the Rivers people,” adding that the roundtable put in place should be viewed as roundtable for business and not as a joke.
At a separate interview with journalist, the chairman of the occasion called for constant interaction between the government and the stakeholders, which comprised Port Harcourt Chambers of Commerce,Mines and Agriculture,PHCCIMA and other private sector groups. He said that government has the responsibility to ensure enabling environment for job creation.
On his own part, Chairman Organizing Committee of the roundtable and President of PHCCIMA, Chief Mabil Saleh,said that job creation is an aspect of employment creation, while calling for strategy and action plan to realize the set target. He said,”we all need to work together with government to promote the private sector in the state.”
