Government plans to create one million jobs by 2030, report

The National National

THE Government plans to create one million jobs by 2030, focusing on the informal sector, according to a National Research Institute (NRI) report.
The NRI Spolight Vol 17, Issue 5, titled “Why creating jobs in the informal economy matters for Papua New Guinea” by Dr Elizabeth Kopel, focused on the rationale for job creation for people who depended on the informal economy for survival.
“Critically, the Medium Term Development Plan IV includes an ambitious target to create one million jobs over the next four years,” a NRI statement said.
“Creation of jobs is one of the best ways to improve the livelihoods of people across Papua New Guinea.”
The report highlighted fundamental reasons for the Government to ensure effective delivery of its commitment to create jobs.
Kopel said the Government’s job creation strategy should include provisions on how it would support it in the rural and informal economy.
She recommends that the Government should:

  • SUPPORT industries that are labour-intensive to create jobs, especially agriculture;
  •  ESTABLISH more technical and vocational education and training institutions at the provincial level through the private sector, church and donor partnerships to provide training for young people in areas of need;
  •  BUILD on the existing micro, small to medium enterprise credit schemes and continue to work with micro finance institutions to provide opportunity for informal rural businesses to access finance;
  • SUPPORT informal businesses to make the transition to formal MSMEs by providing tax incentives and facilitating financial and business skills training;
  •  PROMOTE investments to improve service delivery to rural and remote areas can create employment and at the same time improve connectivity and access to local markets;
  •  SUPPORT research and development of appropriate technology and equipment to improve productivity of informal and small businesses such as downstream processing of local produce, value adding to products such as animal feed, and preservation of local fresh fruits and vegetables;
  • ENSURE that young people and women are adequately represented and benefit from all job creation initiatives;
  • CREATE financial inclusion and economic opportunities for those in the informal economy.