FG appeals to World Bank over job creation

By EMMA UJAH

Abuja—The Federal Government, yesterday, appealed to the World Bank for its support in the nation’s efforts towards creating jobs for its huge unemployed population.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, told visiting World Bank Vice President for Africa, Mr. Makhtar Diop, at a meeting in Abuja, that the Federal Government had put in place a wide range of programmes and progjects for job creation and needed the help of the bank to maximize the impacts.

Sectors of need

According to her, “Nigeria needs the support of the World Bank in sectors such as as agriculture, water resources, education, infrastructure, particularly power, where it has enormous potentials.”

In his response, Mr. Diop said he was in Nigeria to “seek guidance in areas of support for Nigeria because Nigeria was important for Africa and whatever affects Nigeria will affect the continent.”

*Job seekers

He commended Nigeria’s macro-economic policies which enabled Nigeria to post impressive growth rates of well over 6 per cent in the last few years and a time global economic performance was negative.

The World Bank chief described Nigeria as a very important member of the organization and a significant player in the world economy and especially in the African region.

Mr. Diop assured that the bank would partner with the Federal Government with a view to ensuring that Nigerians enjoyed the benefits of the country’s membership of the global body.