Minister of Labour Akwanga to Graduates: Jobs Not Available
Daily Trust (Abuja)

September 24, 2003 

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Hussaini Akwanga, sounded the warning yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 2003 
Batch "B" NDE/NYSC entrepreneurship development programme in Abuja.

According to the minister, the pleasure of graduation from the university has faded with every passing year, unlike in 1973 and 1974 when the first batch of 2,364 graduates were drafted into the National Youth Service Scheme and virtually, all of them secured  letters of employment at discharge.

However, in 2003, thirty years later, he said, "it is probable that very few are likely to boast of securing employment, while the majority will join the unstable labour market."

In his address, the Director-General of NDE, Engr. (Dr.) S.O. Adelodun, said a recent survey undertaken by the directorate in 2002 
showed that out of the 130,000 graduates passing out from tertiary institutions in Nigeria, less than 10 per cent secured wage employment, meaning that of the number of NYSC members in the present camp, only about 10 per cent are likely to secure wage employment.