President Jonathan’s Address To Facebook Friends

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.