HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL JOBS IN NIGERIA: THE GERMAN EXAMPLE

‘A decade ago Germany was the sick nation in Europe now the story has changed.’ Says Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, as she spoke on the Economic crunch that has caused unemployment rate to increase in Europe. The German experience isn't rocket science, what makes it spectacular is its result. It is the aggressive pursuit of an Employment plan that Nigeria can also learn from. A country with an unemployment rate of 5.2 %, is worthy of emulation especially by Nigeria with 23.9% unemployment rate. Germany's employment plan comprise of two doctrines. Mrs von Der Leyen the Labour Minister gives the first strategy as she responds to the question below. How did Germany solve her Unemployment problems? “The problem of youth unemployment is that schools cannot equip young people with the necessary working skills. A dual vocational training system is needed to become a skilled worker. That is what has made the German economy strong” revealed Von der Leyen. This strategy is what Germany refers to as the “dual education” system, which combines apprenticeships at companies with vocational training in schools. Secondly, the availability of capital to finance SMEs to complement the 'Dual vocation' policy. As Chancellor Merkel explained in one of her interviews, the problem of Economic inequality needed to be solved by empowering SME’s. It’s been observed that the ones with so much money are not using it while the companies who need cash badly are not getting it. This in subtle terms depicts how and why the gap between the rich and the poor widens. It cannot be over-emphasized that Small and Medium scale Enterprise is the backbone of any blossom economy. Back to Nigeria, what is there to learn from the German experience? 1. Improving,Redirecting and Repositioning Education: The bane of unemployment is poor education whether formal or informal. The quality of education will reflect on the quality of employees and on to the quality of the management that will affect how the company sustains. Business organizations are progressing because they are meeting a need or solving problems. Any deviation from this goal may attract feedbacks like profit loss and layoffs among others. To enhance capacity building in America and the rest of the world, the Ivy league launched The Massive Open Online Classes (MOOC) in partnership with Coursera. This project has been applauded for its role in rendering qualitative, specialized knowledge to participants across the globe via the internet. Another wonderful project complementing traditional schooling. On our part as a developing nation, Nigeria’s educational system is decaying with ehvery moment. The school isn’t even providing adequate theoretical knowledge to students let alone practical and pragmatic learning. The average student isn't acquainted with the latest Tech and Trends in his chosen field. Pointing out that there's little or no preparation for the labour market. Typically, the undergraduates are more concerned either about how to break free from the ‘bondage’ of school work or savoring the pleasures of school life. Basically, Education should solve contemporary problems not create more. In a discussion with a friend who studied Electrical Engineering, I argued about how disappointing it is to have a department as such that produces First class graduates in Universities and still live in a country without steady power supply. Pedagogy needs to change learning models from a job seeking academic to self-reliant and entrepreneurial outputs. More over, General Studies(GST) as a course should be mandatorily tailored to groom students on how to turn and carve their niche into money making ventures. As a matter of fact, there is a business side to everything. What men have achieved from following their talents,passion and callings is glaring for all to see.This is the season of creativity and Government should produce the enabling environment. About a month ago or thereabouts, CNN featured a story about Michael Kors, an American Designer and his venture into the Cosmetics world. Kors was said to own a brand worth 50billion US dollars. That is how far people can go when they move in the direction of their niche venture. In addition,The Silicon Valley and our own Computer Village have shown us as well how the world have moved away from “white collar” superiority to the ‘Grey collar’ dominance. My only concern is that Computer Village unlike Silicon Valley is not producing enough entrepreneurs with the mind of building big corporations. CV has become more of a base for young people with a daring heart to hustle and trade to earn a living. 2. Open access of SME's to needed Capital. It was last year or so, the news of one 8billion naira loan deal by a wealthy man to buy a Yacht hotel broke out. It took the media and its criticism to foil the deal. Then you ask yourself; 'Of what Economic value will that be to the common man on the street or the Economy?'. Imagine how many small businesses that money could start and finance? Banks are just too interested in giving out more Loans to the Affluent Rich to service their vanities. I dare any Bank in Nigeria to publish lists of how many start-ups they've granted loan. There seems to be a neglect to young businesses and government expects to solve unemployment problems? How impossible! For the sake of emphasis, Government needs to take comprehensive education and SME fundings seriously. Again it is not just about acquiring the skills, it should be more about grooming trainees to build sustainable businesses out of it. And Internship, empowerment and Loan support should form the nucleus of Government's Employment plan. Let us not forget that this country's unemployment problem is severe, it is beyond what our few billionaire entrepreneurs can solve and government needs to see it that way. *SHOWUNMI REX is a Writer, Public Speaker, Entrepreneur and Socio-political philosopher. His interests are Business and Politics.

(MUSIC) Go Low by Prodigal drops today

Redefining the art of good music inspired by the streetz - this is what forms the bedrock of the fast-rising music label in Nigeria STREET-ILLS RECORDS. The management of STREET-ILLS RECORDS is proud to announce the premiere online release of the smashing hit single "GO LOW" from UNILAG's dopest rap sensation PRODIGAL. Follow up to his debut single titled "NO TIME" produced by ace producer Major 1, PRODIGAL has continued to evolve in creativity with his unique blend of smooth rap, and R&B. No wonder this latest song is equally a masterpiece. Banging through the speakers of high definition, the song "GO LOW" is a club banger anytime anyday...and sure ladies would love it too! Online premiere release of the song goes LIVE on Monday October 14 2013 @ 1200 BST [12:00 Noon]. Follow us on twitter via @street_illsrec and @Modellabeautie for updates. We doing it BIG! Let's support the movement...the STREETZ WAY! [Official Pin: 2A5ED75E] Download link: http://hu.lk/puhwdibb24g0

Motorist runs out of gas, practices drums at side of interstate

Police said a man who ran out of gas on the interstate decided to set up his drum set and practice until help arrived.

A state police spokeswoman said troopers spotted the man playing his drums on the shoulder of Interstate 695 in Baltimore around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and stopped to talk to him, The Baltimore Sun reported Wednesday.

The man told troopers he had run out of gas and decided to practice his drums until help arrived, the spokeswoman said.

The man's vehicle was refueled by a State Highway Administration truck and the drummer was sent on his way without a citation, the spokeswoman said.

Teacher suspended for sleeping in class

The Broward County (Fla.) School Board suspended a high school science teacher for two days without pay for allegedly falling asleep during class time.

The board issued the suspension Tuesday to Patrick Geller, 42, a science teacher at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, after students snapped photos of him taking a short nap during a class period, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Wednesday.

Geller told the school board he had been exhausted due to being up most of the night with a sleepless infant.

The board ruled he failed to supervise his students and disrupted learning in the classroom, and suspended him for misconduct in office and incompetence.

"People make mistakes but it's a safety issue," said Gracie Diaz, the district's chief human resource officer. "There's more intense pressure on educators."

Geller, who has been with the district since 2002, has the option of appealing the suspension before an administrative judge.

Prosecutor in Berlusconi sex trial receives mail with bullets

The prosecutor in former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's sex trial has received a series of anonymous letters of threats, including one with two bullets, Milan's chief prosecutor said on Thursday.

The letters against Ilda Boccassini have become more frequent since she requested a six-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban on holding public office for Berlusconi, Edmondo Bruti Liberati said.

"In the last few weeks there has been a crescendo of anonymous letters containing serious threats against Boccassini, including one yesterday containing two bullets," Bruti Liberati said in a statement.

On May 13, Boccassini requested the jail sentence and public office ban for Berlusconi, who is charged with paying for sex with a Moroccan night-club dancer when she was a minor and abusing his office to have her released from police custody.

In a six-hour-long closing argument, Boccassini said the so-called "bunga bunga" parties at villa of the 76-year old billionaire media tycoon involved a "system of organized prostitution." Berlusconi has denied the charges.

The verdict is expected on June 24.

Mother Abandons Day old Baby

An innocent day-old baby girl found abandoned by an unknown person was discovered at Funmilayo Bus Stop in Orille-agege area of Lagos State Nigeria on Tuesday May 21st, 2013 has been rescued by Good Samaritans.



The baby who was reportedly wrapped with a dirty Ankara wrapper and dumped in front of a shop owned by a foodstuff seller, Mrs. Adeola Adefenwa, at 194, Ipaja Road, Orile, at dawn, was rescued by some human right activists from Committee for the Defence of Human Right, CDHR, and Concerned Human Right, Nigeria.

The baby was taken to Orile-Agege General Hospital, Oke-Odo where she was given adequate medical care and later transferred to Elere Police Station, Agege.

After some documentation at the police station, she was handed over to Sister Josephine Titiloye of the Catholic Archdiocesan Orphanage, St. Monica's Home at 1, Victor Odunaiya Street, Off Agbado Road, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

Before the human right activists came to the rescue of the baby, people thronged the scene of the incident to have a look at the abandoned baby.

Most of them rained curses on the mother of the baby who dumped her to her fate. Some referred to the mother as a heartless woman, who despite the pain of pregnancy and childbirth, could leave her baby to die.

While some were busy taking the pictures of the baby and posting them on the social media, others stood helplessly watching the baby struggle inside the dirty wrapper she was wrapped in.

The residents of the area said that it is common to see babies, sometimes twins, being dumped inside Mulero canal around the area. They added that while some are washed away by flood, some are left to die inside the scorching sun.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS, Mrs Adefenwa, said: "I was doing the house chores when a call came in from a neighbour who said a new born baby has been dumped in front of my shop. I had to abandon everything I was doing and rushed down there.

"In fact, I was confused when I got to my shop. I didn't know what to do immediately and people started offering different suggestions. Some said I should call the police while some came up with different ideas.

"We were on this when some human right activists came in and suggested that we should first take her to the hospital and then proceed to a police station to report the case," she said.

A member of the CDHR, Blessing Igwe, who saw the baby and later called the shop owner, said it was unfortunate that people who were at the scene of the incident did not show concern about the health of the baby but were busy taking pictures of her and posting them on the social network.

"If I was not around to quickly call my people to come to the rescue of the child, maybe she would have been dead by now. When I saw people gathered at the scene, I moved closer to have a glimpse of what was happening. Immediately I saw the hapless baby, I called the shop owner and other activists in the area to come to her aid," she said.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS, the human right activist who took the baby to Orile-Agege General Hospital, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, National Coordinator, Concerned Human Right Nigeria, commended the management of the hospital for their quick response in attending to the baby immediately she was taken there for medical attention.

Ihekaire also commended them for the provision of free drugs and clothes for the baby who was left unkempt where she was abandoned.

He, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the way the people at the scene of the incident handled the case, saying that they were more concerned about taking the pictures of the baby rather than keeping her alive.

"Nigerians should understand that in this kind of situation, saving the life of the baby is more important than taking photographs and posting them on the social media," he said.

I regret sending my children abroad to study- Ex Minister

A former Minister of Works, Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe, said he regrets sending his children to study abroad and advised wealthy Nigerians to desist from the trend.

Ogunlewe, who was a minister under the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, weekend, said he struggled to meet with the financial obligations of that decision and realized it was not worthwhile.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who is now the pro-chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, opened up on his frustrations when the institution�s Alumni Association paid him a visit in his Lagos Ogudu residence.

Mr. Ogunlewe said he had to pay his children�s tuition �through the nose� and added that the transportation cost alone for his wards was enough to see them through their education back home.

The former minister said, the reduction of tuition fees in federal institutions by President Goodluck Jonathan is a welcome development and will be a huge relief to many parents and guardians.

Mr. Ogunlewe therefore enjoined leaders and other well-to-dos in the country to desist from sending their wards abroad for academic purposes.