CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The issue of unemployment on youths can not be overemphasized like (2009), posited that Sierra Leone as a country is often described as a rich country majority of poor citizen where 50% of the citizen live below poverty level. Unemployment has been a problem in Sierra Leone especially since 1980’s when the nation economy took a turn for the worse as a world petroleum price tumbled the Sierra Leone currency became devalued corruption became rampant  and the population of Sierra Leone ballooned at a breathtaking pace the resultant poverty has posed question about the wisdom of conventional strategies for nation development both government and the private sector had discussed this issues at forums and conferences but have not found a solution to it. Its continued existence had been linked to lack of power supply and financial empowerment in Sierra Leone.

According to Stats (2010), the out come of unemployment in Sierra Leone had led to various crimes and social vices such as prostitution, internet scam political violence, drug,  trafficking armed robber e.t.c the continued existence of these vices has been linked to the scarcity of job in Sierra Leone. Aganga (2010) opines that prostitution for instance rose during the mid 1990s with female Sierra Leone youth being trafficked to Italy, internet scan had also been on the increase in recent years, political violence kidnapping and other vices had also been increasing recently. However, alarm have been raised over the socio-economic situation of young people and the prospects of creating additional livelihood opportunities for them this is because the youths constitute a major part of the labour force and they have innovative ideals which among other factors are important in the development process of the country.

According to Gullins et al (2008) unemployment is a condition in which a person is able and willing to work normally depend upon his earning to provide the necessities of life for himself  and family is unable to obtain a gainful employment. According to Karl Pribram (2008) unemployment is a condition of the labour market in which the supply of labour power is greater than the number of available openings. Stats (2010) posited that most time many blame the government for unemployment failing to see that in its quest to alleviate the problem of unemployment in the country the government initiated variety of programs to create job for the youths and other unemployment people though the Sierra Leone government has tried a numbers of different measure to get as many youths as possible in to work through the N.Y.C orientation programme that runs for the duration of one year, yet the fact remains that many youths are still unable to get job to help deal with this issues, yet the problem persists the rate of unemployment in the country now is alarming and it is obvious that the Sierra Leone government is helpless in the face of this intimidating challenge, the youths in this case are most affected the majority of youths are jobless they parade around all over the cities looking for jobs which are not there this is why the numbers of unemployment is most in the cities than the rural areas. “Stats” further says that the problem of unemployment can be solved when the youths discard their old and wrong? dependence belief? That once you are a graduate or school leaver government will give you a job people with this mentality get frustrated and disappointed should get rid of such thought. This research was conceptualized against the backdrop of the increasing social and economic problem associated with the youths unemployment.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The issues of the out come of unemployment in Sierra Leone has led to various crime and social vices such as prostitution, drugs, political violence, armed rubbery among them however, the continual existence of these vices has been linked to the scarcity of job in Sierra Leone. Hence unemployment has been a thorn in the flesh of the youths in the country. It is therefore against this backdrop that the research work seeks to critically examine the effect of unemployment on youths in Sierra Leone society.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to

(a)  Investigate the causes of unemployment in the country and find adequate or appropriate solution to it.

(b)   To know the source or cause of unemployment.

(c)    To know the agents that contributes to eradication of unemployment in the country.

(d)   To know the impact of scholars in eradication of unemployment.

(e)    To know the factors that help unemployment in the society.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Some issues can be summarized by the following research question which translated into the objective that the research work is sets to achieve.

(1)   What are the forms of unemployment affecting youths?

(2)   What are the levels of unemployment in the study area?

(3)   What are the factors responsible for unemployment?

(4)   How does unemployment affect the youths of the society?

(5)  What are the implications of unemployment on youth in the study area?

1.5   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work is to examine the effect of unemployment on youth in the Sierra Leone society.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The major significance of the study lies on its ability to answer research question about the effect of unemployment on youth in Sierra Leone society. The findings of this research will assist in particular the unemployed youth in the country on the reason(s) why unemployment should be eradicated in Sierra Leone. The study will provide resources on unemployment among Sierra Leone youth and will also be useful for other purposes needful for the socio- economic development of Sierra Leone. The findings of this study will be of good benefits to other researchers in future who might wants to further on investigating on this similar research work