Tuesday 27 September 2011

UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG NIGERIA YOUTH

                                                                                                                                              
Unemployment has become a global concerns as such unemployment is one of the most serious problems
facing African continent, in accordance with imf/world bank conditions most of the Africa countries applying structure adjustment measures have retrenched large number of public sector workers across the globe, the causes of unemployment in Africa include the world wide recession, which has resulted in less demand for raw materials, cash crops and to some extent, manufactured goods. This has led to decreased production and the eventual and unavoidable lay-offs, further more, as a result of modern technology, labors-intensive work-such as agricultural employment, has been drastically reduced as fewer people are needed to perform certain jobs.
Mention should also be made of the role played by the increasing population. The result has been that more job seekers have been thrown into the labour market. Urban migration is yet another cause of unemployment in Africa, with people moving from rural areas to urban cities in search of greater opportunities. The effect of the structural adjustment programme on the unemployment crisis in Africa cannot be overemphasized. In almost all the economic hardships, working people are forced to work harder and longer for lower wages, and effect on physical health as such good nutrition contributes on the greater welfare and happiness of an individual. The unemployed experience rising rates of ill health and mortality. Primarily as a result of poverty, which is accompanied by lack of sufficient funds to purchase nutrition’s foods and consequently by deficiencies in diet. There is a very vital relationship between nutrition and susceptibility to infection poor nutrition lowers the resistance of the whole body, and hence a malnourished individual is prone to various infections and diseases which may lead to lethargy, lack of drive and possibly death. Unemployment often results in a situation where households try to copy with their  declining purchasing power by switching to power quality foods, which are usually high in bulk but low in energy content. The result is chronic nutritional deprivation and ill health. Records have shown that the unemployed are five times more likely consult a physician that the employed. The fee-charging and cost-sharing practices introduced by various government hospitals and clinics in many Africa countries as part of the structural adjustment programme, which is aimed at improving the quality of services and provision of drugs, have aggravated the health situation of employed people (retrenched workers). The programs has resulted in decreased accessibility of health care because such people have been able to pay neither the required clinic registration fees nor the cost of drugs. As a result, many of them consult herbalists and traditional healers, with the attendant consequences as regards incorrect diagnosis and substandard treatment.
As a direct result of the economic hardship steaming from wide spread retrenchments, individuals and groups have developed survival strategies which includes various feeding patterns in Nigerian survival formulas such as “0-1-0” and “0-0-1” have emerged. The former involves skipping breakfast and then having lunch but no dinner, whole the second means no breakfast or lunch, but dinner, the health consequences of such irregular and inadequate food intake are disastrous.
Unemployment also love psychological impact of human according to C. David Jenkins (world health 1985), more than a random number of illnesses occurs within six months of a major life crisis such as loss of job. Mental health is one of the associated problems. Studies have shown that 20 percent of the unemployed people report a deterioration is mental health, with an increase in anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability and restlessness. The confidence and self-esteem of the unemployed are greatly reduced and these conditions may develop into a full-blown psychosis, even heading to suicide. The initial reaction is shock. Nobody believes it will happen to him or her.                 
This is followed by denial or optimism. i.e. the so-called holiday feeling” but as the period of unemployment becomes prolonged anxiety and distress sets, in this manifesto statements like “the day is empty”, henceforth the personality and relationships are eroded, and the person feels useless and sometimes even  ashamed.
The social effects of unemployment, prolonged unemployment usually in some form of social pathology, as reflected by an increased crime rate and violet agitators. It breads discontent against the state, and any slight provocative issue or incident may trigger violent demonstrations and social unrest, which may result in loss of life and damage of property, if the situation is not handled properly by the authorities. In Nigeria in 1988. petrol price increased and fare increases initiated by the structural adjustment programme were met with a spontaneous uprising against the government following by a second demonstration in July 1989. similarly in Zambia in December 1986 and early 1987, demonstrations broke out in the copper belt when maize meal price increases were announced. Ten worker were killed in these demonstrations Lesotho construction worker went on strike to demand reinstatement of 400 retrenched workers and wage increases, the state reacting with police force, shooting two workers and detaining others.
The destruction of family life is another social consequences of unemployment. Unemployment reduces the social status and self-esteem of an individual. It cause scarcity of money for householder maintenance and other essentials of life, including payment of the children’s schools fees. His usually results in constant family feuds and friction, with demanding money for food and housekeeping, which the unemployed husband cannot provide. Nagging and incessant quarrels ensue, and sometimes also wife battering, when the unemployed husband vents his frustration on the defenseless wife. This may result in a divorce if the situation does not improve, leading to a broken homes and its dire futures consequences for the children. In an attempt to escape from the homelessness of the situation, the unemployed may indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, usually the cheap local blew with its potential health repercussion especially for the liver but also for physical health in general. The stake may eventually be raised to include drug abuse and in order to sustain the habit, the unemployed may engage in petty crime such as pick pocketing, stealing or, in the case of females, prostitution. If the substance abuse becomes excusive, the individual may die of an overdose.
Finally, in order to reduce the unemployment situation and to improve the health of the unemployed in Africa, the following are proposed. High priority should be accorded to the promotion of rural employment through increased support for rural agro and  cottage industries. The rural service sector and infrastructural development. Governments should help people to cope by finding other ways to fulfilling the needs satisfied by employment. And public work projects such as food-for-work programmes which do not conflict with food production policies) and voluntary work should be provided to keep the unemployed occupied.
                                                                                                                                       
 

1 comment: