By Yunus S Saliu
Having launched and have in place the National Employment Policy (NEP) and National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) seeking to provide a coherent and comprehensive approach to promoting decent and productive employment opportunities across the country, the director of employment at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) has encouraged everyone to be acquainted with the content.
Mr. Fabba Jammeh, responding to some questions during a brief interview said in 2022, the National Employment Policy and Action Plan was successfully launched and graced by the President, and “It is important for the public to be notified on the content and not only to acquaint themselves with the content of these policies but also to understand the expectations outlined in the Labour Act,” thus violation may lead to penalties.
Recognizing the importance of transparency and outreach, he said the MOTIE through Employment Unit joined by LabourDepartment among others engaged the grassroots communities from different regions particularly collaborating with the governors’ offices in different regions with associated entities to popularize and disseminate information regarding the NEP and NEAP, while noting that same engagement is in offing for BCC, KMC and WCR.
He described the engagement to be a very successful and interactive one, noting that its implementation is crucial to ensure that their objectives are met within stipulated timelines though establishing efficient implementation structures has been a primary focus culminating with the “creation of the National Employment Technical Committee, consisting of experienced individuals from diverse sectors. With the aims of providing guidance and resource mobilization support for effective implementation.”
However, he dilated on the Labor Market and Migration Information System, saying it is a system they are also introducing into the labor market, to track employment information, and migration information, that will help them in policy, and decision-making. “Probably one of the good things that it can give us is information about how to dispatch employment and individuals’ skill trade.”
Measures like establishing the Government Industry Academia, a tripartite body that seeks to enhance collaboration between government, industry, and academic institutions to address skill gaps and job mismatches in the labor market, and also in full gear to ensure what capacities are needed.
Regarding unemployment rates, data from the labor force survey conducted by GBOS reported a 7.6% unemployment rate, meeting international labor statistics standards. The definition of unemployment emphasizes active participation in the labor market with a willingness to work and availability for employment.
