Despite over a decade double digit economic growth, Ethiopia is now suffering from a high rate of unemployment . Obviously, for many years, this social malaise has been creating havoc on the country’s overall social and economic growth.
That is why many scholars are right now urging the government and domestic investors to deliver timely and prompt solutions to the ever worsening high rate of youth unemployment particularly in the country’s cities and towns.
More recently, an extensive discussion was held on the current status of youth unemployment in the country in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen on the premises of the Prime Minister Office. During the discussion, a number of experts had presented their research papers on causes and consequences of youth unemployment in Ethiopia.
On the occasion, the experts underscored that it is high time to Ethiopia and the government to tackle the mass youth unemployment via introducing various job creation strategies as there are over ten million unemployed youth across the country.
By the same token, scholars that have their say on the issue with The Ethiopia Herald called on the government to carry out swift economic restructuring in a bid to curb Ethiopia’s worrisome youth unemployment.
Without doubt, one can say that a long road is ahead to hit Ethiopia’s persistent high unemployment rate record low in the coming years. This is because the attempts to reduce the high unemployment rate have not so far brought the desired results for various reasons.
For example, two years ago, the government introduced youth revolving fund worth ten billion Birr. The fund was allocated mainly to alleviate the problem of youth unemployment nationwide. But, the mass youth unemployment is still a growing concern of all states in Ethiopia.
Also employing the youth in Small Scale Manufacturing Industries has been taken as stepping stones for unemployed youth for the last 15 years. However, the efforts in this end seem to be less productive in terms of meeting the criteria for job creation.
Surprisingly, these days some investors are saying that they couldn’t find right and qualified persons that fulfill their job requirements while the country has remained stuck in quagmire of high youth unemployment rate.
Therefore, the country needs to come up with better job creation strategies and education quality in addition to the existing ones at this particular time.
In truth, Ethiopian youth seek better job opportunities in their beloved country than anything else. But, they have to seize every job opportunity for making their future rosy.
Those youth who turn down job offer only for the sake of financial or personal interests and prefer to spend their precious time wandering around the cities and towns need to think twice before making such decision during this time.
In a similar coin, those individuals who are taking advantages over others hiring their relatives or acquaintances need to refrain from their ill acts sooner than later. These individuals must know that they are playing with fire and soon will be held accountable in both civil and criminal matters.
In general, the incumbent, investors, higher institutions, development partners and the public at large have to work hand in glove to reduce the current high rate of youth unemployment in the country. If the economy needs to be restructured in a view to creating thousands of jobs for youth, it has to be done in a timely and careful manner.
Herald April 23/2019
