Economy
By Christabel Ejenike
AS the nation enters this season of politicking ahead of the 2023 general elections, some youths, who could not resist the temptation of the daily handouts from politicians, who engage them in temporal crowd renting/campaign jobs, including distribution of posters and banners, processions have joined the train as a way out of the harsh economic environment in the country.
It is gathered some of the youths are paid between N1000 and N5000 daily depending on the recruiting agents and the daily job description.
But some graduates have turned down such offers, preferring to engage in all sorts of menial jobs, including scrap metal business to survive despite staying without jobs for years after graduation.
The nation’s economy is known to be battling with high inflation of over 16 percent in this year, high youth unemployment, high food prices and huge debt stocks among others.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, the inflation rate for the month of April was 16.32 percent as against 15.70 percent in February 2022. And local media reports said that 40.1 percent of the country’s population are classified as poor and this translates to over 82.9 million Nigerians, who live below the poverty line by national standards.
A recent report by Vanguard newspaper said Ade Ogunbowale, 31, and a graduate of engineering, has taken to scrap collection since he could not secure any job from both the private and public sectors of the economy.
Ogunbowale disclosed to the Vanguard that he was doing well in his new found job. According to him, scrap collection business is lucrative though not environmentally friendly. The business plays a crucial role in managing waste and promoting recycling in the country. In addition, a News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, quoted the Secretary of Yankwalabe Development Association, Auwalu Biliyaminu, as saying that scrap business can engage the youths meaningfully and shift their attention away from crimes. He explained that the business does not require huge capital outlay to start and the business can yield millions of naira.
“With as low as N10,000 or less, one can start collecting scraps and selling and will eventually grow into millions of naira business,” he said.
However, some other youths have engaged in street hawking, washing of cars and cleaning car wind screens in traffic. For instance, Minotu Ayawade hawks several items like soft drinks, bottled water, and snacks to passers-by in one of the streets of Ikeja. She told Realnews that she buys her soft drinks in cold packs and sells to consumers.
“I buy one pack of soft drinks for ₦1600 and sell it for ₦1800, I make a gain of 200 on each pack. I buy the bottled water at ₦800 and make a gain of ₦500. I also sell chocolate and make a gain of ₦50 on each pack of chocolate,” she said.
To Some of the youths, it is preferable to engage less risky jobs and earn less than engaging in more profitable and temporal political jobs which can result in injuries or even death.
First published on – May. 23, 2022 @ 17:50 GMT | C.E
Tags: Ade Ogunbowale Minotu Ayawade NBS
