FG Has Created Over 7 Million Jobs -Lai Mohammed

 

Millions of jobs have been created under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, through the different programmes organized by the Federal Government.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed revealed the FG’s job creation achievement over the weekend, at the Sixth Graduation Ceremony of the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) founded by former Rivers First Lady Dame Judith Amaechi in Port Harcourt.

A statement issued by Senior Adviser (media) to the minister, Segun Adeyemi, quoted Mohammed as saying more than seven million jobs have been created in just the agriculture sector.

According to him, “In agriculture, for example, this administration has created over seven million jobs. When the administration assumed office in May 2015, about five million farmers were engaged in rice production.

“Thanks to the administration’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, the number of farmers engaged in rice production today stands at 12.2 million. These are verifiable facts, not fiction.”

The Information Minister added that 69,736 jobs have been created in the Power, Works and Housing Sector, while the administration’s National Social Investment Programmes, have created about 200,000 jobs, in addition to empowering 500,000 others under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has created 69,736 jobs (direct and indirect) across the country. The power sector projects created 1,740 jobs, the Works Sector created 38,391 jobs while the Housing Sector created 29,605 jobs.”

In addition, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, via which 6.4 million school children in 33,981 schools across 20 states are being fed with one meal a day, has created employment for 61,352 cooks, Mohammed included.

Commending Dame Amaechi for establishing the ESI programme, an entrepreneurial and skills acquisition programme for youths and women of the Niger Delta, Mohammed said the initiative complements the Federal Government’s efforts to provide jobs for the citizens.

“National development is not just the duty of the government, but that of the citizens. In other words, all of us, as citizens, have a role to play in ensuring the development of our nation. This has been amply demonstrated by Dame Judith Amaechi in setting up this Empowerment Support Initiative,” Mohammed said.

The minister enjoined the graduands to harness the opportunities that the ESI programme has given them.