Today, this address to Nigerians appeared on Goodluck
Jonathan's Facebook page. The piece focuses on economy and investment,
also on youths' employment, railways and pipelines' rehabilitation and
opening of the new universities.
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 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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» FRESH: Jonathan's Facebook Address to Nigerians
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