The impact of unemployment on youth development and nation building

ABSTRACT

This research work made effort to examine empirically the impact of unemployment on youth development and nation building using Limbe city as the case study area. One of the major challenge facing Cameroon today is the rising rate of unemployment and the impact it has on youth development and nation building which has resulted to violent and the current depending Anglophone crises and social hardship. The concern by the researcher is to make findings about certain things.  What are the impact of unemployment to youth development and nation building? This finding shows that 60% accepted that unemployment has great negative impact. Which government policy can fight unemployment? and 59.75% agree on the use of government policy like Devaluation and Regional Policy to combat unemployment. What do you suggest that eliminate unemployment? and 59.95% agree that it should be ending of the Anglophone crises and investment through reduction in taxes. To attain this, the researcher use primary and secondary method to gather data needed in this piece of work.  The data obtain through questionnaire and the use of interview. The use of 100 questionnaires were made available to carry out the research in which conclusion was drawn base on the findings as stated above. The researcher comment that the government may not be able to provide jobs for everyone and as such, they should create favorable climate which will attract investors both domestically and internationally. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Public administration play an important role in our contemporary Cameroon as to enhance society growth by creating employment development and promote nation building. The Cameroon economy since realizing reunification (British Southern Cameroon merges with La Republique Du Cameroun) in 1961 has undergone fundamental structure changes resulting to structural shift which has not resulted to any significant sustainable economic growth and Development to ensure adequate employment opportunity for her youths. 

Akpabio (2005:332) and Gobeu (1995:122) has on their books examine the role of youth in Development as they continue to play persuasive role in nation building. The youth by definition have been regarded as the segment of the population from 18 – 35 years who are attributably active, vibrant, daring and with useful energy. The development of Cameroon state generally from Pre-colonial to positive role in nation building, they constitute the most critical and volatile segment of the same society.

The worsen economic situation Cameroon is the Economic Recession faced by the Biya Regime before the 1990’s and the ongoing Anglophone crisis where it has affected employment rate all over the country and has threatened collective work toward youth development and nation building.

Generally, unemployment, lack of policy framework, general economic hardship among others have thrown the youth in to joblessness. These are agents of social vices and general idleness. As worsening is the condition, it has giving political big-hand to use them as political huggers and general misadventure. Again they have become agent of social conflict with diverse and devastating effects in the nation (this can be seen when the price of fuel increased in 2008 in Cameroon). As their negative and persuasive roles continue to impact on the economy, several strategy of youth empowerment have yield little or no adequate result as their activities have consistently imposed serious threats to social security, truncated economic activities and severe drainage of national income.

Youth unemployment is becoming an increasing problematic issue in many part of the world especially developing societies like Africa and Cameroon in Particular. Cameroon for example, it has become one must serious socio-economic problem confronting the country despite government effort to open training centers like vocational training center which is located in Limbe. The magnitude of this can appreciated if accurate static can prove unemployment rate. Cameroon has a total population of about 20 million (twenty million) with the dominant that constitute the youth which on normal scale should involve in development, should be the users of such 2035 initiative but in our contemporary Cameroon, it is not the case.

Meaning it is not applicable as older generation still occupies vital position in our society like the position of the Cameroon Senate President. Unemployment has become major problem bedeviling the life of youth cause frustration, dejection and dependency on family members and friends who also have their own problems to deal with. The high rate of unemployment among youth in Cameroon has contributed the high rate of poverty and insecurity in the country especially the city of Limbe. Unemployment is a worldwide issue which needs to be dealt with. It has actually caused poverty and lack among the young ones.

 In recent time, there have been notably adverse socio- economic and political developments in Cameroon. Consequences of youth development and unemployment, particularly, exemplified by increasing military, violent crime, kidnapping, restiveness and political instability. Cameroons’ situation is further compounded with crisis that has crippled   businesses and prospect   of securing jobs for young people has been shattered. For example, the covid-19 pandemic. According to Adejurla  and Tayo-Olajubulu (2000) (63) contended that unemployment has been identify as one of the major causes of social vices, including arm robbery, destruction, prostitution, political thiggery, kidnapping among others. Musari (2007, 299) corroborated this statement by saying that 4.5 million enter the labor market every year without any sustenance. The precarious situation has left the youth in vicious cycle of poverty that erode their self confident and bright future.

For most developing country like Cameroon, government policy makers are increasingly finding it difficult to grapple successfully with unemployment. The high unemployment rate can be blame to lack of adequate provision for job creation in development plan. The ever expansion or expanding educational growth and the desperate university   education irrespective of the course and cause contents. As a result, a number of skill acquired from the university appears to dysfunction and prevocational (Okafor, 2011-307).

In Cameroon, no doubt exist that, the youth suffers from unemployment more as compared to other each group in Republic of Cameroon (this explains why the Head of  State , President Paul Biya under the ministry of social Affairs has develop three (3) year of plan for the youth. Cameron population over 25 million people with majority of youths are unemployed and therefore susceptible to crimes. Hence, the need to articulate what could be done to salvage the situation is of paramount important. It should be noted that the pace is increasingly expanding because most graduate lack relevant marketable skill. More than half of Cameroons’ population is under 35 years and such statistic one can affirm that the Cameroon population is a youth economy population. Expectedly, today’s youth are set to be experiencing poverty, unemployment, urbanization, lack of capacity and skills needed to move the economy forward. This is because face unemployment and lack of necessary productivity skill to keep body and soul together.

1.2 History Limbe City Council

The municipality is located at the foot of mount Cameroon in the Ambas Bay along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Tiko council bounded to the East up to Ombe River Bridge to the North by Mutengene, to the West by the Edenau Council and to the South by the Atlantic Ocean. South East by Kange Flash Port. The council was created in 1962 during independence and reunification. In 1974 the Limbe council came to existence as the locality developed in to a complete large community. Law No. 74/73 of 8^th December 1974 organizing council in Cameroon govern Limbe urban council like all others in Cameroon.

By 10^th October 1977, the council elected its first 30 (thirty) councilors. However it was by then governed by a Mayor who was elected by the membership of the councilors. The first government delegate was appointed in 1996. But before then, degree no. 931322 of 25^th November raised the Limbe council to urban council with the presence of multipalism in 1990 which gave rise to first ever multiparty after 1966 saw election of 6^th January 1996 which welcomed the ushering of forty (40) new councilors with Mr. Laily Ekema Burnili from Social Democratic Front (SDF) party as chairman assisted by deputies in the person of Mrs. Lydia Ekunde and Mr. Mukam N. Henry. On January 27^th 1990 the council had the first government delegate in the person of Mr. Henry Nyalla-Duan. He was later replaced by degree no. 98/040 of March 1998 with Mr. ………………as city mayor to Limbe city Coucil.

In 2002, municipal election saw the change of councilors from SDF to Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement Party (CPDM) 41 in number with Mr. Motanga Andrew as the chairperson and Madam Etembo Gladys with Mr. Nechou Thomas as deputies. After the Major National dialogue in Yaoundé, who was first appointed by presidential decree was first now known as city mayor elected by city councilors. However, an indirect electoral process applies. The pioneer city mayor of Limbe city council is Mr. Andrew Motanga.

1.3 Statement of the Problem