Windhoek
The National Unity Democratic Organisation’s (Nudo) Youth League has expressed concern over the high rate of unemployment among Namibian youth.
“Unemployment among young people is a big threat in our country and leads to social evils or wrong behaviour such as crime and even uncontrollable misuse of alcohol and drugs, among others,” the youth wing spokesperson Kanguana Muatjetjeja said at a press conference yesterday.
He said currently the youth unemployment rate stands at 64% and the figure demonstrates that there is a serious problem as far as Namibian youth is concerned.
“Our institutions of higher learning produce graduates every year but you find that these people end up doing what they have not studied for,” he said, adding that one would find someone who has successfully completed a degree in accounting working as a babysitter or a cattle herder because of a lack of job opportunities.
In spite of all these challenges, he said, government seems to be turning a blind eye to young people – “it doesn’t seem to feel their presence”.
“When you roam around Windhoek you will find at least 20 young people sitting at the intersections of roads begging for jobs, food or financial support.”
He said that when one looks at the unemployment rate among the youth for the past three years one will notice the figures have increased each year – 46 percent in 2013, 53 percent in 2014 and 64 percent in 2015.
According to him these figures will continue rising if government continues to ignore its responsibility towards the youth.
“What is the government doing to remedy this situation? What are the current mechanisms that the government has put in place to reduce the youth unemployment rate to a reasonable percentage?” he asked.
Muatjetjeja says it is the responsibility of government to ensure all young people have, and are able to create, jobs for themselves.
“Young people are not supposed to be on the streets. They need to work. The government should carry this blame as it is part of its responsibility to create employment opportunities or self-sustaining mechanisms for young able-bodied Namibians,” he said.
He said the youth ministry has done very little to curb unemployment.
“Let’s fire Jerry Ekandjo because he is doing nothing to address the issue of unemployment among young people.”
He said the party youth wing plans to have an enormous youth conference where they will look at different ways to create employment among young people in Namibia, with or without money.