ABSTRACT

The concept, unemployment is better mentioned than experienced. Our country, Nigeria, is hard hit with the problem of unemployment of youth. This research aims at finding out the effects of youth unemployment to the economy of Nigeria, its causes and challenges. Over the years, different regimes have embarked on various programmes with the aim of reducing unemployment but the situation seems to be worsening day after day. Effort at curtailing the menace (unemployment) seems not to be yielding enough positive results because the active population continues to increase geometrically with no job. Nigeria is characterized by corruption, poverty, bad governance, and selfishness etc. It was found out that the effects of unemployment are destructive in the lives of the youths and the economy at large. In order to curb this ill wind (unemployment) from blowing, measures were proffered such that the government should put a feasible employment policy. People, especially the unemployed, should engage in entrepreneurship skill/jobs and attention be focused more on establishing industries and consumption of locally made goods than foreign ones. There should not be discrimination of any kind during recruitment for job and numerous others.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

In the contemporary world there are often increasing socio economic problems associated with youth in particular and society in general. Most of these problems are caused by unemployment. Unemployment is a common problem among developed and developing countries of the world. the degree and extent differ among countries i.e. unemployment in some countries among developed nations experience the problem more than the other, like wise within the  developing countries. These problems include prostitution, crime, hired assassination, pick-pocketing theft,   and rioting, armed robbery, street begging etc. these are most permanent and apparent in developing countries. This is because of the greater level of illiteracy coupled with economy found in most developing countries.

Unemployment simply means misery and despair to people who are able and willing to work, but for whom there are no jobs. There are many of such people in   Calabar Municipality local government. In many countries, there are many people who do not have paid jobs because they are too young or too old or because they are having babies or looking after young family members. We do not call this unemployment. Therefore unemployment applies only to those people who are unvoluntrly without work i.e. those with the capacity, willingness and desire to work, but who do not have or cannot find jobs.

The implications of high unemployment among youth in Calabar Municipality local government are serious and alarming. Some of the results include increase dependency on many of the youth on parents and relatives, crime, delinquency ,carriers of hard drugs, drug addition, sexual crime, school dropout, armed robbery, theft, arson youth restiveness, petrol hawking, idleness and commercial motor cycle riding (Achaba) etc.

Unemployment increases the risks of being in poverty as it has been revealed. The unemployment constitutes the majority of the poor. Poverty in itself could lead to crime and violent behaviour. Unemployment therefore is the greatest threat to peace and security.

Human relationships outside the family are also seriously affected by unemployment. An unemployed person lost self-respect and influence among those who are employed, faces possible rejection by working companions.at the end, the unemployed may become emotionally disable.

Unemployment threatens the stability of the family as an economic and social unit. Without income or with a loss of income, the head of the family cannot play the role in which he or she was cast. Family wants and needs are not fulfilled, and family relationships suffer as a consequence, economic and social dependency and important family ties may be in jeopardy and eventually may be severed by prolonged unemployment.

  1.2 Statement of the Problems

There are many youth in Calabar Municipality local government in particular, who because of their inability to get work coupled with lack of capital to invest or to start business on their own, have evolved ways of making money to sustain themselves and prosper in life. Unfortunately, most of these ways they evolved are not in conformity with the accepted way of living for the people in general.

Moreover, unemployment contributed immensely to economic, cultural, social and even moral backwardness of the society, especially among youth who are the able bodied expected to further and build the society to high level of achievement and development visa-a visa absent of jobs to youth may cause a number of problems to society such as crime and other deviant activities. Therefore, to this end some research questions are set to be answered.

1.3  Research Questions

The following questions will guide this study:

1      What are the causes of youth unemployment in Calabar Municipality local government?

1. What kind of challenges do the unemployed youth face in Calabar Municipality local government?
2. How do the unemployed youth cope which the condition of unemployment within the society?
3. What are the youth’s expectations from government are as regarded to unemployment?
4. How best can the problem of youth unemployment be tackled in contemporary Nigerian society?

1.4 Hypothesis

HO1.Youth unemployment is related to waste of resources and non-production on the Nigerian economy.

HO2.Illiteracy, incidence of corruption can cause unemployment in Nigeria.

HO3. Measures like establishment of industries, meritocracy will curb the problem of unemployment in Nigeria.

1.5 Objectives of the Study

It is still not time wasting for us to give the explanation that all academic work/research especially of this kind should, as a matter of importance, have some stated objectives or aims it seeks to achieve. The broad objective is therefore to examine effects of youth unemployment to the Nigeria economy and determine the causes of youth unemployment looking to the ways forward or the challenges ahead. The specific objectives include:

1. To determine the causes of youth’s unemployment in Calabar Municipality local government?

2. To find out the negative effects of youth unemployment to the Nigeria economy and Calabar Municipality local Government in particular.

3   To elucidate measures/solutions to the problem of youth unemployment in Nigerian society.