FG tapping population for economic growth – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said that the Federal Government is utilising the country’s abundant human resources to develop the economy.

Ngige said this while presenting Nigeria’s position in an address entitled: ‘Investment in Employment and Social Security for Harnessing Demographic Dividend’, at the 2nd ordinary session of the Specialised Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment in Algiers, Algeria.

He said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was committed to growing the economy through strategic initiatives that engaged the huge population as a fulcrum, especially the recently released Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Ngige stated, “The present administration in Nigeria has demonstrated its capacity to exploit our huge population for wealth creation and economic growth. This explains the capacity shown so far for an early exit from recession.

“Our shift is the engagement of our large population in a well-articulated diversification programme, which has shifted attention to agriculture and mining, in a process intended to be driven by diverse skills acquisition and subsequent job creation.”

The minister stressed that Nigeria was resolute in exploiting the untapped potential of its population to grow the economy through dynamic micro-economic policies.

He added, “The focus of the present administration in Nigeria is to invest in our huge population through massive job creation, youth empowerment, social inclusion and strengthening of our educational and health system so as to achieve macro-economic stability and diversification.