The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has generated a total of 195,534 jobs in the year 2012 through contract awards as FCT develops robust business plans to tackle financial challenges.
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, made the disclosure in company of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Muhammed, at a media briefing on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting presided by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday, March 6.
"In 2012, the Federal Government generated 195,534 new jobs from the various contracts awarded by the FEC. It is the practice that ministers must say how many jobs they will create through contracts before they are approved by the council," he said.
Maku stated that the figure was given by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, while briefing the Council on the performance and challenges of his ministry in the year 2012.
According to him, 212 cases of industrial disputes were referred to the Ministry of Labour and Productivity under its arbitration role noting that Twenty-five of these cases are going for arbitration while efforts aimed at resolving 114 cases were still ongoing.
He said that the Minister for Labour proactively engaged with labour unions thereby averting many trade disputes that could have cost the government heavy economic losses.
The Ministry he noted also embarked on skills acquisition in favour of workers and labour leaders to create skills needed for amicable resolution of conflicts, observing however, that inadequate funding militated against many of its efforts.
In his briefing, FCT Minister disclosed that the FCT Administration was owing its contractors and other creditors over N420billion noting however that though his ministry had financial challenges but it has developed a robust business plan.
"We are heavily indebted to the tune of N420billion. That is why we are leveraging on PPP. Eight districts will be developed through land swap," Bala stated.
He said that he has sought the indulgence of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy who has agreed and that the Council has noted his ministry's recommendation to float an FCT development fund to facilitate floating of bond after putting in place a sound legal framework.
He added that with the establishment of FCT revenue Board that can be given the task of floating the bond, the ministry will be in a position to pay her indebtedness and execute new projects and programmes.
He stated further that his ministry is planning to concession the Airport and Kubwa Roads noting that the main goal is to provide efficient framework for the FCT adding that ensuring a framework for waste management is also of priority for the year 2013.
Speaking on security, Bala Mohammed disclosed that a robust relationship was being maintained with security agencies and neighbouring state governments noting however that population explosion was putting pressure on infrastructure in the FCT explaining that a city designed for less than one million, now has over five million people.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria
We are not seeing any jobs yet so far in this country. Where are the jobs if I may ask? We are seeing none of it jawe so they should stop deceiving us