Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Monday, said that the Federal Government created 1.4 million jobs in the past three years in a bid to address unemployment in the country.
The minister said this at a meeting on government policies, programmes and activities organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja.
Although she acknowledged unemployment as one of the major challenges facing the government, Okonjo-Iweala noted that efforts were ongoing to adequately address the challenge.
“The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is working tirelessly to create 1.8 million jobs in each year but we have made tremendous impact by creating 1.4 million jobs in the past three years.
“This shows that we are making progress in developing the economy of the country.”
She said that the president is also planning to create two million jobs in the near future so as to bridge the unemployment gap.
She said that the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) programme had also created about 22,000 jobs.
It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youths in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas.
In addition, he said that the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE- P) was also creating jobs for youths.
“It is also worthy of note that the Graduate Internship Scheme of SURE-P has placed many Nigerian graduates on jobs while some of these graduates have been employed by their employers,” she said.
The minister commended the present administration for providing three billion naira grant for the creative industry, saying that it would support the manufacturing industry in providing jobs for the teeming youths.
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