Curbing unemployment: Visiting Chadian official hails strides of National Employment Fund.

The Chadian official was speaking Friday, September 13. This was at the end of a three-day working visit Moussa and other Chadian officials paid to Cameroon.

Moussa lauded the significant strides made by NEF in fighting unemployment, particularly among the youth in Cameroon, adding that it remains a major issue in most countries.

“We came here with a clear objective, which was to exchange ideas and experiences within a short time frame,” Moussa said, adding that: “The purpose of ONAPE is to support the implementation of government policy in Chad concerning youth employment. What we have seen and learned here at NEF in Cameroon will go a long way towards helping us achieve that objective”. 

The visiting official said combating unemployment remains priority for many governments, including Chad. 

“In today’s world, employment is a key factor in the development of any nation. Our visit to Cameroon is part of our ongoing efforts to find innovative ways to create jobs and reduce unemployment,” Moussa added.

Need for innovation in job creation

According to Moussa, he and his team took interest in NEF’s exploits such as its organisation of job fairs. 

Despite admitting that they have also staged similar events in Chad, Moussa said they came to Cameroon after discovering there was need for innovation.

Given the dynamics of the job market, Moussa said they opted to visit NEF given its rich experience in tackling unemployment.

He said from the visit, it emerged that ONAPE and NEF have similar challenges. 

Despite this common ground, he was clear that: “The NEF has developed sophisticated techniques that have made a noticeable impact. Its longevity and expertise in organizing job fairs have provided us with a model we can adapt in Chad”.

He also noted that while Chad stands to gain valuable insights from NEF, there are aspects of ONAPE’s work that NEF can find useful. 

“During our discussions, NEF officials recognized that some of the strategies we employ in Chad could be beneficial to them as well. This mutual learning experience is invaluable,” he said.

Moussa expressed hope for continued collaboration between the two countries. He said their working visit to Cameroon was worth the time. 

Once in Chad, he promised to implement lessons learnt for the good of young people in his country.

The ONAPE Director General thanked the Director General of NEF, Moute à Bidias Camille, and his team for his open leadership.

Enter NEF Director General

Moute à Bidias on his part reiterated the importance of job fairs in bridging the gap between employers and potential employees. 

“Job fairs are a direct way of connecting job seekers with employers, offering immediate opportunities for interviews and sometimes job offers,” he explained, adding that “this is part of our broader strategy to make sure the youth, who are most affected by unemployment, have the opportunities they need”.

Moute à Bidias stressed that the role of the NEF goes beyond job fairs, highlighting its other initiatives, including job training programmes, support for small businesses, and career counseling services.

“Many people believe that not enough is being done by the government to fight unemployment. But I can assure you that through the NEF, we are making significant progress,” he said.

He also underscored the role of the media in keeping the public informed about the government's efforts. 

“The media is an essential link between the public and institutions like NEF. It’s important that journalists engage with us and share the work we’re doing with the public, so they know that real efforts are being made to address unemployment,” he said. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3231 of Monday September 16, 2024