#GEJAchievements in Job Creation

Our strong economic performance across various sectors is creating jobs, and improving the livelihoods of our citizens. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) a total of 1.6 million jobs were created in the past year. The NBS jobs data are based on Quarterly Job Creation surveys which are conducted in partnership with the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, the National Planning Commission, and the Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity. The survey is conducted for all 36 States and the FCT and covers all sectors of the economy.

• Of the 1.6 million total jobs created, we can highlight a few examples which demonstrate the impacts made across the country.

o In agriculture, the provision of inputs in 10 Northern States enabled dry season farming; and profitably engaged over 250,000 farmers and youths even during the dry season.

o In manufacturing, many new jobs were also created across the country. For example, the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.

o The Government’s special intervention programs also created job opportunities. The YouWiN program has supported young Nigerian entrepreneurs and created over 18,000 jobs, while the SURE-P Community Services Scheme has also created 120,000 job opportunities across the country.

#GEJAchievements in Job Creation 2/7

Specific job creation initiatives have also been established to improve the unemployment situation particularly amongst youths and disadvantaged population groups (notably women).

These include:
• Community Service Scheme (SURE-P): designed to engage 320,000 youth in labour intensive work such as construction and rehabilitation of social and economic infrastructure; • Graduate Internship Scheme (SURE-P): this aims to attach 50,000 graduates to competent firms that will enhance their skills development towards employability;

• YouWin! Programme: designed to support 3,600 young existing or aspiring entrepreneurs over three years with grants, mentoring, business registration, supporting the creation of up to 110,000 jobs for fellow young people;

By instilling fiscal discipline, stabilising the nation’s banking and financial services industry, Nigerians in the North Central and across the nation are now better poised to participate in the nation’s economy.

Before President Jonathan, the rate of unemployment was pegged at 23.9% in 2011 which was further precipitated by the global economic recession at that time. This was the one of the major structural weakness of the economy.

In response to the high unemployment rate pegged at 23.9 percent in 20111, the structural weaknesses of the economy and the increasing number of people entering the job market, President Jonathan encapsulated a series of economic policies and programmes in his Transformation Agenda in the same year. The Transformation Agenda is hinged on three pillars – fiscal consolidation, private sector-led inclusive growth and job creation. Nonetheless, the overriding objective of the Agenda is the creation of job opportunities for Nigerians such that everyone capable and willing to work will be able to find work.

Prior to Jonathan administration, policies that necessitated the foundation for inclusive growth and Job creation were not present.

President Jonathan administration has emphasized sound macroeconomic policies of low and stable inflation, sustainable public finances and strong external position.

The President Goodluck Jonathan administration views these policies as the necessary foundation for sustainable inclusive growth and job creation in the economy. Besides maintaining stability, many sets of reforms have been carried out in the last decade. Indeed, the recent growth trajectory of the Nigerian economy cannot be explained outside the tough but extremely beneficial economic reforms during the period. For instance, the 7 percent growth per annum recorded during the period, driven by non-oil sectors of the economy, is faster than the average growth rate for the Sub Saharan Africa region at 5 percent. The reforms pursued in the last decade were not only extensive, but also detailed and specific in addressing some critical and structural weaknesses of the economy.

There have been different approaches by different government to solve unemployment. But the government of previous government before 2011, did not approach job creation the area of policies and reforms which is the foundation to make the environment ready for investment and then creating jobs.

The government of President Goodluck Jonathan restricted itself to facilitating sustainable private sector investment and growth, and in the process, creating jobs. This administration has also approached job creation from two broad perspectives.

First, it has initiated policy reform and programmes aimed at boosting the demand side of the labour market by inducing economic expansion. In this regard, the Transformation Agenda has job creation as one of its three pillars.

Secondly, government has initiated a number of policies and interventions geared towards boosting the supply-side of the labour market. All of this typically pertains to training and skills acquisition programmes.

Previous governments prior to 2011 did little or nothing to promote activities that can employ most Nigerians.

The objective of the Jonathan Administration was to fight unemployment or reduce it to an acceptably low level. Since this goal cuts across the main pillars, it becomes a major target of the Transformation Agenda. In a bid to increase job creation, the Transformation Agenda focuses on promoting activities that employ many Nigerians. Thus, it aimed to: encourage the development of agribusiness through a focus on the entire agriculture value chain, encourage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) without overlooking the large-scale industries, resuscitate ailing industries, and promote local content in the oil and gas sector.

Before 2011, Nigeria economy was known for volatility characterized by inflation, unstable exchange rate and unfavourable policies for job creation.

Nigeria today offers a stable macroeconomic environment with low inflation, stable exchange rate and a very low public debt. As of May 2014, inflation had fallen to 8 percent, compared to 12.9 percent in May 2010. Since the start of 2014, inflation has averaged 7.88 percent which is the longest successive stretch of single-digit inflation rate in 6 years.

Also, the exchange rate between the Naira and the major trading currencies of the world such as the US dollar, the Euro and the UK Sterling has been relatively stable for two years. Though the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) was introduced in 2006, it has been strengthened in the last few years. As a result, the gap between the parallel and bank’s exchange rate has narrowed considerably.

This has minimised the Naira’s volatility while the access to foreign exchange has been expanded.

Compare #Nigeriab4GEJ

Although I love GEJ but information like this should be substantiated with names, phone numbers etc of beneficiaries as proof of success.

Submarine, Haba!

That is not advisable for certain reasons: security, confidentiality and rigour.

Please continue to spread the good news and mobilise those in your circle of influence to go all out and support our cause come Feb 14.
God bless You.

SUBMARINE:
Although I love GEJ but information like this should be substantiated with names, phone numbers etc of beneficiaries as proof of success.

GEJAchievements:
Submarine, Haba!

That is not advisable for certain reasons: security, confidentiality and rigour.

Please continue to spread the good news and mobilise those in your circle of influence to go all out and support our cause come Feb 14.
God bless You.

My brother

Sometimes it is necessary to silent critics with facts and sometimes it is best to ignore them

This time, proof is necessary to silent and put to shame opposition that supports BH

Sure-p is ineffective and a fake job creating initiative and why didn't you talk about the deaths of corp members seeking for immigration jobs as part of his achievements and the fact that you mentioned WDAS narrowing the gap between the parallel and bank's exchange rate is a lie! The exchange rate of the Naira to foreign currencies as stable is also a lie, the naira is going down! The jobs said to be created are ghost jobs 'you need super 4G connection', there are many graduates out there still unemployed and why is the new minimum wage policy not followed? Please is a senator or HOR member not a civil or public servant? And they earn an annual salary which can feed a Nigerian family for a good number of years and for life if invested properly!
Please help me tell GEJ that in 2011 he said " a country without security has no president, if i can't fix power in four years then i am useless don't vote for me "
the lives of many Nigerians aren't secured with terrorist attacks day by day although "a thousand shall fall @my side and ten thousand @my right hand but it shall not come near me" power has only increased by a hundred number of mega watts and not the thousand mega watts has promised by GEJ and his people.
My points may be somehow to you but i am speaking the truth! I acknowledged his partial success but he has performed under expectations. My prayer for Nigeria is for God to give Nigeria and Nigerians a good, God-fearing, and a well performing leader in Jesus name. Amen!

@berem i see you ooo, barcanista and the rest come and see lies and partial truth concocted to please GEJ

Hahahahaha fraudulent people, fraudulent government!! Liars