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Ngige defends funding of construction sector for job creation

By Collins Olayinka
26 July 2016   |   1:48 am
Speaking in Abuja while receiving the President of Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESA), Isaac Egbugara, the Minister said government places high premium on job creation...
Ngige

Ngige

The decision of the Federal Government to channel about 80 per cent of N247 billion so far released for the capital projects in the 2016 budget to the construction industry was informed by the need to create jobs in the economy, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has said.

Speaking in Abuja while receiving the President of Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESA), Isaac Egbugara, the Minister said government places high premium on job creation especially in the construction industry.

His words: “As of today, the capital releases of the government stand at N247 billion out of which a larger chunk has gone to the construction industry in five ministries -Works and Housing with about 120 billion or thereabout. Transport, the construction angle of it, rail and others account for another large chunk. So in effect, 80 per cent of N247 billion so far released has gone to the construction industry. The idea is that government wants to reflate the economy and put money in the hands of the people through these construction companies that have millions of Nigerians in their employ.”

Ngige urged the construction companies to reciprocate government’s gesture, by swiftly mobilizing to site and recalling all workers earlier disengaged to forestall worsening unemployment index and further aggravate the fragile security situation in the country.

He added: “For the little we have done, we want to see you people in action. Another chunk of money is going to be paid as the economy improves and things get better. The budget also has a special provision for settling outstanding debts and for the completion of on-going projects. Through this, government intends to take away our youths from idleness, fruitfully engage them, and avoid making them easy recruits for insurgents.”

On the abuse of the expatriate quota which the union highlighted as one of the bane of the sector, the Minister said the situation where expatriates take over positions meant for Nigerians, even as low as the menial is no longer unacceptable.

“I have already sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior. I want us to engage the Ministries that are in charge of infrastructure like Transport, Housing, Work and Agriculture so we can have session on job creation and how to protect Nigerians and their rightful quota on jobs. A situation where we have foreigners driving heavy duty and other menial jobs is unacceptable. These are not jobs captured in the immigration Act for the expatriates,” he said.

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