I WILL CREATE 3 MILLION JOBS YEARLY IF ELECTED, ATIKU
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has started his campaign for the 2019 elections.
Atiku, a former Vice President, started the campaign with an address to Nigerians via the social media platform, Facebook, at noon.
The PDP Presidential the candidate in his address, presented his vision for Nigeria which was contained in a seven year action plan.
Atiku lamented high u
nemployment rate in the country, noting that close to 16 million Nigerians were unemployed, a figure which he said was nine million more than that recorded in 2014.
“Close to 16 million people are unemployed, nine million more than in 2014.
“Over two million new entrants join the labour force each year meaning the unemployed share of the labour force more than tripled in less than a decade: from 5.1% in 2010 to 18.8% in 2017
“Unemployment for women and young people is at 33%, 70% of unemployed youths are uneducated and unskilled.
“Creating jobs and economic opportunities for these people will be vital both for reducing the pool of easy recruits for violent groups and reducing underlying grievances that feed the conflict,” Atiku Stated.
The PDP Presidential candidate promised that if elected his administration would “Launch a new, more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable national Entrepreneurship Development and Job Creation Programme.
“Target the creation of up to three million self and wage-paying employment opportunities in the private sector annually.
“Target all categories of youth, including graduates, early school leavers as well as the massive numbers of uneducated youth who are currently not in schools, employment or training.
“Create incubation centres, clusters and industrial/commercial hubs to provide a marketplace for MSMEs and SMPs.
“Champion the repositioning and streamlining the activities of the existing Federal and State Government Job Creation Agencies”.
According to the former Vice President, he has plans to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty, by 2025 and to privatise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as to sell all four national refineries.
Atiku listed the construction of 5,000 kilometres of roads, and 5,000 kilometres of modern railway as other areas of focus if elected into power.
CHUKWUBUIKE MADU