UNEMPLOYMENT DEFICIT:SELF INITIATIVE IS THE ONLY WAY OUT

 

agre, as the average salary of civil servants in the country ranges between FCFA 90 000 to 250 000 a month. Considering the number of responsibilities one has on his shoulders, the money will not be sufficient to carter for daily needs and still save for the rainy days. The unemployment and low salary situation in the country has precipitated many smart youths to create initiatives that can enable them become independent.

Knowing fully well that entrepreneurship is the only means of shifting from active income to passive income, young girls and boys are now indulging in activities such as setting up their own enterprises and businesses. Some of them have opened shops for the sale of clothes, shoes, make-up kits, jewelries just to name a few. Others on their part have set up spas, bars, restaurants, opened enterprises that offers services to the general public where they run errands like pickup and delivery of provisions, drugs, gas filling, pickups and home delivery of parcels and ordered food from restaurants for anyone who might be too busy to do those things by themselves, making life easier and stress free for them. To think most of these youths are graduates, since there are no jobs the only way they can earn a living is by empowering themselves.

Not forgetting some graduates who have taken upon themselves to learn handworks like hairdressing, barbing, tailoring, makeup, baking just to name a few. This therefore has enabled them to become Chief Executive Officers, CEOs of many barbing saloons, hairdressing saloons, makeup and beauty parlors amongst others in Cameroon.

However, this self-empowerment and entrepreneurial mindset that youths are exhibiting in Cameroon is bringing a lot of positive energy to them and the country at large. This initiative has helped many youths to discover many hidden talents in them which they never knew they possess. Also, it has helped many to acquire new skills which they never thought they will be needing it one day and could never believe that they could even be good at most of which are completely out of their field of studies. Not only are they empowering themselves but it hasas well brought in money and has made most of them financially buoyant and this factor alone comes about with great peace of mind knowing you are financially independent.

Entrepreneurship contributes greatly to the GDP of Country. The role and impact of Cameroonian Entrepreneurs on economic growth has recorded a drastic fall in GDP from 8% annually to 5% due to the economic crisis in the country. The creation of businesses does not only increases the National Income, it also reduces the rate of unemployment in our country which intend reduces poverty and crime wave in our society today.

Some youths after the long search for jobs to no avail get involve in illegal dealings like theft, cyber-crime and even promiscuity to meet their needs. In this light, with the businesses opened by youths and creating other openings for other fellow youths, it has created wider options for the unemployed youths and the employed youths learn from their employers and intend save money and start up their own businesses and the circle continues, hence making the country a better and a safer place to be.

It was very common in the previous years to find youths struggling to immigrate to other countries in search of greener pasture due to the unemployment rate in Cameroon but as it is the case today, since many young boys and girls are now entrepreneurs, it has helped in reducing the rate of brain drain in the country.

What role does the government play as an additional factor?

Youths are considered the future of every nation, thus when a country has a healthy youth population, you will find the country making headway in terms of overall development and progress. As it is the case in Cameroon, a country with high gaining population leading the country and a lower youth population has a lot of problems to content with that can slow the country’s growth.

However, one of the major challenges countries face today is that of youth unemployment. The overall unemployment rate is growing at an alarming speed. As a result, youth unemployment could boomerang to become a global crises causing social and economic impact on Cameroon and besides pushing the economies and progress backward.

Nevertheless, the Cameroon government, most especially the National Employment Fund and the Ministry of Small and Medium Size Enterprises have been looking at framework and strategies to creating new jobs and increasing employment rates. However, though the Cameroon government do frame policies and promote schemes as well as funds to promote youth employment programs, the quantum of such effort is negligible when compared to the huge numbers. On the other hand, there is an urgent need for the policy makers to look specifically at the Youth unemployment and related issues. In some other countries, youth entrepreneurship is being recognised as a promising alternative and is being actively promoted by various agencies. If promoted actively, Youth entrepreneurship can help sustain growing economies; integrate youth into the workforce besides leading to overall development of society.

Entrepreneurship in any society is a sign of progress therefore youth entrepreneurship has an impact on social as well as cultural and economic progress of the society. Building an environment that promotes creatively and provides opportunities for entrepreneurship calls for multi-pronged strategies implementation and involvement at all levels including Government, industry, political, social as well as educational sectors.

Working towards Youth Entrepreneurship programs can help solve as well as avoid a lot of problems that are currently staring at the country and paves a way for a better future and progressive society.

Youth unemployment is being recognised as one of the problems that could grow into global proportions in the coming years causing social and economical problems for the society. Youth entrepreneurship is being looked at as an alternative besides other methods of creating employment opportunities. However, there is a need for global recognition and promotion of Youth entrepreneurship on sustained long term basis for this field certainly holds a promising future.

It is worthy to note that the National Employment Fund doesn’t create jobs, but it does everything possible, through programs and information tools, to help the jobless find jobs and companies to satisfy their recruitment needs. According to figures gotten from NEF, over 100,000 Youths have been trained in 17 Years.

It’s General Manager, Camille Moute à Bidias, once said, in spite of field tours as efforts to sensitize Cameroonian jobseekers on the need to close ranks with the structure for openings, public knowledge still appears limited. To an extent, the demand is more than the supply. In addition, Camille Moute à Bidias once invited jobseekers to seek the services of the National Employment Fund. He said the structure welcomes, listens, advises, directs and accompanies jobseekers in search of salaried or independent employment. The NEF, he went further to say, allows jobseekers to acquire the skills sought in the labour market through on-the-job or formal vocational training, establish links with enterprises and accompanies them in the assembly, financing and follow-up of self-employment and micro-enterprise projects.

The effect of self-empowerment and entrepreneurship by the youths of this country on the government may not be very noticeable but at the same time can’t be ignored with all that is being mentioned.

Daisy Pearl Mufu