We’ve created millions of jobs - FG

The Federal Government said it has created millions of jobs through various programmes cutting across many sectors.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said agricultural sector has created 7 million jobs, while 69,736 jobs have been created in the Power, Works and Housing Sector.

Speaking at the 6th Graduation Ceremony of the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI), founded by former Rivers State first lady, Dame Judith Amaechi, in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Alhaji Mohammed said the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, through which “6.4 million school children in 33,981 schools across 20 states are being fed with one meal a day, has created jobs for 61,352 cooks.

‘‘When the Administration assumed office in May 2015, about million 5 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,’’ he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said 69,736 jobs have been created in the Power, Works and Housing sector, while the administration’s National Social Investment Programmes have created at least 200,000 jobs, in addition to empowering 500,000 others under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

He commended Mrs Amaechi for establishing the ESI programme, which is an entrepreneurial and skills acquisition programme for youths and women of the Niger Delta, saying such programmes complement the Federal Government’s efforts to provide jobs for the citizens.