In 2018, the unemployment rate recorded 33.40%, an increase from 34% in 2016, while youth unemployment recorded 46.10%. This is an increase from 43.40% in 2016. There is no doubt that this trend has increased even more in the past two years. 

It is an open secret that a large number of graduates are daily roaming the streets, unable to find employment. This, they do not as a hobby, but as a matter of survival. A few that were once employed were retrenched. All these tell the story of the current economy that continues to create jobs at an anaemic rate. 

There is no doubt that our Swapo Party government has done a lot to develop and implement policies and reforms that can foster innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Moreover, we have seen government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform discouraging the outsourcing of some agricultural products – one of the strategies in driving employment growth and boosting the local economy. Be that as it may, government has a role to play in creating employment for our youth.  

Since independence, government played a large and underappreciated role in job creation through infrastructure development projects, increased government institutions like hospitals, schools, regional development centres, various government offices, town councils, state-owned enterprises offices, and other government services that employed most youth of that time to date. 

Government can still expand on these services and further create employment for the youth of our time. 

While it might not increase employment by hundreds, even a relatively small number of construction jobs would provide a needed economic boost that later creates employment. 

Yes, the government has developed economic policies meant to create jobs but it is time for the government to put these policies and promises into perspective, especially for rural areas.

Surely, government cannot attain job creation without the private sector.

 A national employment coordination mechanism that involves government and the private sector should seriously be developed and implemented as both are key partners in placing jobs at the centre of the national development agenda. 

However, it should be clearly noted that private sectors first and foremost focus on growth, customer satisfaction, quality – and of course, profitability. 

They will seek talent and experience that will contribute to these goals, which at some points compromises employment of our youth. This must be properly coordinated. Moreover,  government should continue developing and amending policies that encourage the private sector to generate more jobs over time. 

Our government should, therefore, continue investing in understanding the country employment dynamics and how such affects our youth. 

We should create the right kinds of jobs in the right places through investments that are both economically and socially profitable. 

It is time we invest in manufacturing and establish factories to add value to our rich products. 

More youth can easily be employed. 

In this regard, we advocate for new factories in each constituency of Namibia. 

Furthermore, we call for the Development Bank of Namibia as well as commercial banks to provide capital for young entrepreneurs in 14 regions of our country.

Young people’s companies are normally the most dynamic in creating good quality jobs, but they also need the most help to get going. 

Therefore, government should continue assisting young people to start their enterprises and link small businesses and farmers to larger markets. This must be done concurrently with a coordinated formalisation of new businesses. 

Many enterprises for young people in a developing Namibia should remain informal (operating at undesignated areas like bus stops, streets, construction sites) while government assist them to diversify and increase their productivity by connecting them to marketing expertise; including them in financial services policies – and in fact, be lenient on the excessive regulations and bureaucratic requirements while their businesses grow. 

On a different note, we should by all times discourage the re-employment of pensioners in private and government institutions to pave ways for young job seekers.  

The 21-year-olds of today and tomorrow should feel the same hope for their future just like the current 50-year-olds and above when they left university.

* Willem Amutenya is the SPYL secretary for labour and justice