How Buhari Saved 2.1m Jobs – Presidency

The presidency has claimed that no fewer 2.1 million jobs were either saved or created by the Muhammadu Buhari administration through various COVID-19 intervention programmes.

According to the presidency, the jobs were saved or created through the release of N288bn out of N500bn appropriated for the intervention programmes under the Economic Sustainability Plan.

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The claim was contained in a statement issued by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity.

Akande said the Federal Government arrived at the figure after members of the Economic Sustainability Committee presented their reports at a weekly meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House on Thursday.

Laolu Akande, who gave highlights of committee’s meeting, said: “With the release of about N288B out of the N500B appropriated for COVID-19 intervention programmes under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), at least 2.1 million jobs have been saved, including new ones created, while over 4000km of federal and rural roads are at least 30% completed since the commencement of the ESP months ago.

“Under the Survival Fund scheme specifically, 1.3 million jobs have been saved, and another 774,000 jobs created from the Public Works Programme. This is apart from the total 26,021 jobs created from construction and rehabilitation works.

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“Other highlights include the release of 100% (i.e. N5bn) appropriation for the COVID-19 Aviation intervention; 50% funding (N26bn) for the Public Works scheme hiring 774,000 persons across the country, among others.”

Akande quoted the vice president as saying during the meeting: “I think that it will be fair to say that on account of the very good work that you all have done, we were able to get out of recession much faster than anyone would have imagined, although only marginally.”

The meeting had in attendance the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Trade and Investment Minister, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Nanono; Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.

Others were the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, amongst others.

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