Jobs time bomb ticking faster

NAMIBIA is not generating jobs fast enough to make inroads into an already critical unemployment situation, compounded by the insatiable demand of a rapidly growing population.

Young people under the age of 24 are hardest hit in securing employment. Research by the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) indicates that unemployment in this category is as high as 60 per cent.In Windhoek yesterday, researchers at a public discussion on the Namibian workforce, the economy and employment creation said it was evident that the country was not producing enough jobs to accommodate the growing army of unemployed.Overall, the national unemployment figure is estimated at 35 per cent or more.According to a recently completed LaRRI report on the Namibian labour market, the country’s main income earners – the agriculture, fishing and mining sectors – have over the years, shown decreases in the number of people they employed.LaRRI Director Herbert Jauch suggested yesterday that foreign investment was however not key to job creation in Namibia.Instead, he said, the focus should be on manufacturing and processing.Jauch said Namibia had to ensure that foreigners imparted their skills and that enterprises they established in Namibia continued running after they left.Robin Sherbourne from the Institute for Public Policy Research said findings from their research concurred with LaRRI’s: that job creation is not growing at the same rate as the population.”Considering how much the population has grown, we are not creating jobs fast enough,” he said.The country, he said, was not alone in having to choose between providing greater protection for workers with the aim of a more productive economy or whether to opt for making labour more affordable so that more jobs could be created.With political parties contesting next month’s elections having recently distributed their manifestos, Sherbourne noted that few expressed themselves in detail as to how they would tackle Namibia’s unemployment problem.While Swapo made promises five years ago of creating 50 000 jobs, it is silent this time around on its intentions over the next five years, other than to stress the importance of labour relations.Sherbourne noted that no mention is also made of the future of EPZ companies.On the other hand the DTA, RP and Swanu have all made it clear that they were not in favour of foreigners doing the jobs that locals could do.The DTA expressly singled out the Ramatex Textile Factory in this regard, while the RP claimed that the country was employing as many as 50 000 Asians especially in the building industry.The manifesto of the Congress of Democrats also does not propose any major reform to the country’s labour laws, other than to advocate more work rights, as does Nudo.Of 2 000 people interviewed by LaRRI, most indicated that wages and salaries were their most important source of household income.About 20 per cent of workers interviewed, only received a basic salary, with respondents citing low salaries, lack of benefits and work pressures as the biggest problems they experienced in the work place.Most Namibian households have a total income of less than N$3 000 a month to support in most cases between two and seven dependents.Research by the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) indicates that unemployment in this category is as high as 60 per cent.In Windhoek yesterday, researchers at a public discussion on the Namibian workforce, the economy and employment creation said it was evident that the country was not producing enough jobs to accommodate the growing army of unemployed.Overall, the national unemployment figure is estimated at 35 per cent or more.According to a recently completed LaRRI report on the Namibian labour market, the country’s main income earners – the agriculture, fishing and mining sectors – have over the years, shown decreases in the number of people they employed.LaRRI Director Herbert Jauch suggested yesterday that foreign investment was however not key to job creation in Namibia.Instead, he said, the focus should be on manufacturing and processing.Jauch said Namibia had to ensure that foreigners imparted their skills and that enterprises they established in Namibia continued running after they left.Robin Sherbourne from the Institute for Public Policy Research said findings from their research concurred with LaRRI’s: that job creation is not growing at the same rate as the population.”Considering how much the population has grown, we are not creating jobs fast enough,” he said.The country, he said, was not alone in having to choose between providing greater protection for workers with the aim of a more productive economy or whether to opt for making labour more affordable so that more jobs could be created.With political parties contesting next month’s elections having recently distributed their manifestos, Sherbourne noted that few expressed themselves in detail as to how they would tackle Namibia’s unemployment problem.While Swapo made promises five years ago of creating 50 000 jobs, it is silent this time around on its intentions over the next five years, other than to stress the importance of labour relations.Sherbourne noted that no mention is also made of the future of EPZ companies.On the other hand the DTA, RP and Swanu have all made it clear that they were not in favour of foreigners doing the jobs that locals could do.The DTA expressly singled out the Ramatex Textile Factory in this regard, while the RP claimed that the country was employing as many as 50 000 Asians especially in the building industry.The manifesto of the Congress of Democrats also does not propose any major reform to the country’s labour laws, other than to advocate more work rights, as does Nudo.Of 2 000 people interviewed by LaRRI, most indicated that wages and salaries were their most important source of household income.About 20 per cent of workers interviewed, only received a basic salary, with respondents citing low salaries, lack of benefits and work pressures as the biggest problems they experienced in the work place.Most Namibian households have a total income of less than N$3 000 a month to support in most cases between two and seven dependents.