Nigerian Govt Reveals Plan On 4 Million Jobs

The Federal Government says it will create more than four million jobs through oil palm production in the country.

Mr Sunday Akpan, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said this in a statement signed by Mr Sorinolu Olayinka, Senior Information Officer in the ministry in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Akpan, who was represented by the Director, Department of Commodity Produce and Inspectorate (CPI), Mrs Omololu Ope-Ewe, said this during the presentation of the draft Oil Palm Policy document value chain.

He said that the Federal Government was working toward ensuring the repositioning of the Oil Palm sector for optimal contribution in terms of job creation and revenue sources for both government and the private sector.

Akpan said that oil palm, which once played a predominant role in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, depended on imported ones to augment local production.

He said the local production was just about one per cent GDP, unlike the contribution of 70 per cent GDP in the past.

Akpan said that potentiality in the sector with the propensity to sufficiently and conveniently to place the country as a major oil palm producer and exporter, “as against what is obtainable in the crude oil sector”.