Lack of skills remains a problem in Nam

HENTIES BAY – Lack of skills required by the labour market is one of the main causes of unemployment in the country, Minister of Labour and Social Services Alpheus !Naruseb said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Women’s Action for Development (WAD) Erongo Field Day here, !Naruseb said Government has prioritised education, vocational training, capacity building and systematic skills transfer in order to address the country’s skills deficit and create employment. “Our Government has recognised that in order to address the challenge of employment creation, Government ministries, the private sector and the trade unions must work together in a targeted national effort,” he said.The Minister said the country’s official unemployment rate stands at 37 per cent despite the more than 12 policies and programmes aimed at economic growth and job creation.!Naruseb said his Ministry has a central role to play in promoting and creating decent work and full employment through the formulation of effective market polices, providing efficient employment services and promoting labour relations in order to provide a supportive and enabling environment for employment creation.He said the 2007 Labour Bill will contribute to the improvement of the supportive and conducive environment for job creation.The Bill has also made provision to outlaw what he called the exploitative and immoral practice of labour hire.The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is also in the process of establishing a National Productivity Centre in line with the objective of Vision 2030 in order to assist the country’s employers and workers to compete successfully in the global economy, he said.An Employment Service Bill, which will provide the legislative framework for a major initiative in the promotion and creation of employment is also in the process of being drafted, !Naruseb said.The Bill will make way for an Employment Service that will create a national information system to record and track information about all employment and vacancies.!Naruseb said the bureau would provide a wide range of supportive services and information to jobseekers, prospective employers and to educational and training institutions.The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is also working with the Social Security Commission in the implementation of the Development Fund, which will cater for training schemes and employment projects for the benefit of the unemployed.”The fund will also grant bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to students enrolled at any technical or academic institutions of higher learning.This in itself will make it possible for retrenched workers to undergo training and retraining in order to secure jobs for themselves,” he said.!Naruseb said the challenges of job creation will not be a success unless skills and competencies of the workforce are developed.Nampa”Our Government has recognised that in order to address the challenge of employment creation, Government ministries, the private sector and the trade unions must work together in a targeted national effort,” he said.The Minister said the country’s official unemployment rate stands at 37 per cent despite the more than 12 policies and programmes aimed at economic growth and job creation.!Naruseb said his Ministry has a central role to play in promoting and creating decent work and full employment through the formulation of effective market polices, providing efficient employment services and promoting labour relations in order to provide a supportive and enabling environment for employment creation.He said the 2007 Labour Bill will contribute to the improvement of the supportive and conducive environment for job creation.The Bill has also made provision to outlaw what he called the exploitative and immoral practice of labour hire.The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is also in the process of establishing a National Productivity Centre in line with the objective of Vision 2030 in order to assist the country’s employers and workers to compete successfully in the global economy, he said.An Employment Service Bill, which will provide the legislative framework for a major initiative in the promotion and creation of employment is also in the process of being drafted, !Naruseb said.The Bill will make way for an Employment Service that will create a national information system to record and track information about all employment and vacancies.!Naruseb said the bureau would provide a wide range of supportive services and information to jobseekers, prospective employers and to educational and training institutions.The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is also working with the Social Security Commission in the implementation of the Development Fund, which will cater for training schemes and employment projects for the benefit of the unemployed.”The fund will also grant bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to students enrolled at any technical or academic institutions of higher learning.This in itself will make it possible for retrenched workers to undergo training and retraining in order to secure jobs for themselves,” he said.!Naruseb said the challenges of job creation will not be a success unless skills and competencies of the workforce are developed.Nampa