FG committed to boosting local production, job creation - Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said that his administration will continue to promote the rapid diversification and industrialization of the Nigerian economy in order to create more employment opportunities in the country.
He made this remark while receiving a delegation from Alstom Worldwide which won the bid for the Afam Power Plant at the State House, Abuja. The delegation was led by Mr. Patrick Kron.
The President stressed that the Federal Government will also continue to do its best to encourage investors who will support its efforts towards creating more jobs for qualified Nigerian youth.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said: 'The population of our young people is high. If we are unable to provide jobs for these young people, the country could face serious problems. That is why we will continue to encourage companies like yours which can contribute to the training and employment of young Nigerians,'
Reaffirming his administration's full commitment to the efficient implementation of its road-map for the development of Nigeria's power sector, he said that government will continue to ensure that international best practices and standards were maintained in the ongoing privatization of the sector's assets.
Jonathan said that he was particularly pleased that the recent bidding for some of Nigeria's power generation and distribution companies had been considered transparent and fair by the international business community.
He said: 'We will continue to do more in line with globally-accepted business standards and ethics.'
Mr. Kron, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Alstom, told President Jonathan that Alstom which is one of the world's leading power engineering and infrastructure companies, will work with the Federal Government and the French Government on capacity-building schemes to train more Nigerian youth in the field of power engineering and technology.
He was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jacques Champagne de Labriolle and the Managing Director of Alstom (Nigeria) Limited, Mrs. Victoria Adefala.