Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has tasked graduating students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to create jobs in order to overcome the current economic challenges.
In a statement by Mr Isaac Okoroafor, the Acting Director, CBN Corporate Communications, Emefiele gave the charge while delivering the institution’s 47th Convocation Lecture entitled: “A mindset for Succeeding in Today’s Nigeria”.
He said that the rising unemployment was the greatest challenge facing the country, warning that failure to empower the youth could boomerang against the Nigerian society.
He emphasised the need for young Nigerian graduates to change their mindset about the labour market, stressing that in spite of the challenges, Nigeria remained a land of limitless opportunities.
Emefiele, an alumnus of the university, charged the graduating students to strive to be job creators and entrepreneurs rather than being mere job-seekers.
He said the CBN, as part of its efforts to address unemployment and promote entrepreneurship, the bank had designed and formulated policies and programmes aimed at direct real sector intervention.
The CBN chief encouraged the graduating students and youths with not more than five years post-service experience to take advantage of the CBN Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP).
According to him, the programme is run in collaboration with other banks and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He tasked the graduating students to take cognisance of the opportunities in their respective environments to motivate themselves by creating innovative ideas as well as turn the ideas into profitable ventures.
Earlier in is his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, said the convocation lecture was one of the prestigious public lectures hosted by the university.
He said the privilege of delivering the lecture was usually reserved for men and women, whose achievements would motivate and inspire graduating students and the entire university community for greater achievements.
Ozumba used the occasion to call for adequate funding of some ongoing projects embarked upon by the institution.
He said that the projects would not only boost entrepreneurship and innovation, but also help to curb youth restiveness in the country.