Dear friends on facebook,
The determination of this
administration to create wealth in Nigeria and for Nigerians has led us
to focus our investment drive towards attracting Foreign Direct
Investments in manufacturing and the service sector to ensure that jobs
are created. And this drive is not an exercise in futility as Nigeria is
becoming the preferred destination for FDI. Just last week, General
Electric announced a decision to invest $1 billion in setting up a
manufacturing plant to support power generation and oil production.
Their plant, to be situated in Calabar, will provide jobs for thousands
with multiplier effect for tens of thousands more and will make Nigeria a
hub for power equipment in the region. The end result of this
investment is that Nigeria’s power generating infrastructure will be
expanded meaning more power for Nigerians which translates to even more
jobs.
While we continue to encourage the Private Sector to help
grow our economy and create jobs for our youths, we will do all within
our powers to also keep our youths engaged. In this regard I am happy to
report that the 600 bed Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, Ebonyi
State which this administration began working on in February 2011. This
project has reached 95% completion and when commissioned later this year
it will provide jobs for 3000 people. Similar projects are ongoing in
other geo-political zones and I will keep you updated.
Similarly,
ongoing massive investments in the rehabilitation of our railways are
being carried out with direct labour, thereby providing jobs to
thousands of our youths especially around the Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna-Kano
corridor of our rail network. In addition to the regular Lagos to Kano
service, the Nigerian Railway Corporation has introduced new routes
including the Offa-Kano intercity service. These initiatives are
generating employment and providing an inexpensive means of travel as
well as an alternative means of hauling heavy goods and petroleum
products to the hinterland.
Rehabilitation works are also
ongoing in the nation’s pipelines to ensure a resumption of the supply
of petroleum products by pipelines all over the nation thus reducing the
pressure on our roads and railways and freeing up space for hauling
other products. Jobs are being created as this is ongoing and moribund
services are being resumed.
Just last month, the Benin Depot of
the Pipeline Product Marketing Company (PPMC) was reopened after a
successful completion of rehabilitation works. Products can now be
transferred by pipelines to this facility.
And it is not just in
the service sectors that we are seeing construction and rehabilitation.
During the maiden meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation
meeting, the Federal Government approved the establishment of three new
universities in Yobe, Kebbi and Zamfara states. Apart from the jobs that
the construction works will generate in those states, value is being
added to the local economy as more citizens will have access to tertiary
education with its attendant effect in wealth generation and improved
health.
My dear friends on facebook, may God bless you, even as I pray for Almighty God to bless our country, Nigeria. GEJ
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