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| Cross River State House of Assembly Sittings |
Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo has stated that Government is the least employer of labour and that capacity to employ is shrinking because of the present economic recession and the narrow economic space of our Society.
Lebo added that in the present day where volunteer scheme are being contemplated, the services of smart and intelligent persons are not required by Government or Companies but by the civil Society sector and the Assembly is therefore creating a platform for young people to train and retrain themselves for maximal impact.
The Speaker who was reacting to contributions on the floor of the House where it considered the Cross River State Employment Bureau bill 2016, summarised the arguments and contributions of members that the future of employment was dependent on individual capacity, skills, person solution and not qualification and also that the end of employment is the end of capitalism.
Sponsor of the Cross River State Employment Bureau bill 2016, Hon. Nelson E. Ofem, member representing Yakurr 1 State constituency said the bill was intended to create a body that will have the responsibility in maintaining a data base for all unemployed youths by local Government Area, sex and age and qualification.
Ofem maintained that he had during his campaign for a seat in the House of Assembly promised to establish a data base for all unemployed youths in the State since no effective planning in any environment without appropriate data.
The sponsor of the bill added that when the bill is passed into law, its intention is to have a bureau that will source for jobs within, outside the State and country. Some unemployed youths of the State would also serve as the State character Commission as is obtained at the national character Commission.
On his part, Rt. Hon. Ogana Lukpata, member representing Yala II State Constituency particularly reflect to section 19 of the bill which focuses on building the capacity and skills of Cross River youths especially at a time when many youths are unemployable because they lack specific skills to fit into areas of need by corporate institutions.
Lukpata lamented on what he referred to as local content where positions that could have been occupied by Crossriverians and usurped by non Indigenes due to unreliable capacity and expressed belief that the bureau will help to fill the State quota at all levels of employment opportunity.
Contributing, Hon. Hillary Bisong, member representing Boki ll State Constituency said the beauty of the bill is that it provides a legal framework to address the injustice done the State by multi-national organizations who would always ask for the law backing the State demands for indigenes to be employed in their organizations.
Also speaking, Hon. Okpechi Friday Gabriel, member representing Obubra 1 State Constituency said the problem of Nigeria economy is based on over dependence on government employment and that at the stage of stakeholders’ engagement, the issue of capacity building and skill acquisition should be considered critically to prepare unemployed youths for self reliance endeavours.
