SAN FRANCISCO, December 03, (THEWILL) – The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Tuesday, said the country will create over 10 million jobs and rake in about N3 trillion from investment projects that will be generated from the Centenary City being proposed by the Federal Government in Abuja in commemoration of Nigeria’s amalgamation.
Anyim disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating alleged improper allocation, cases of land racketeering in the mass housing scheme, land swap and allocations of commercial and residential plots by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 2010 till date.
According to him, about 15,000 jobs would be created from the centenary city project, as he promised that compensation to the Abuja original inhabitants and other property owners displaced to give way for the construction of the city will be settled before commencement of work.
“The FCT administration is charged with anything compensation, resettlement and the authorities have already done the enumeration of those affected by the displacement including economic trees and buildings at the site.
“The FCT has already forwarded the total bill to the planners to pay off all the economic trees, all the structures, compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation. We are in the process of transferring money to the authorities so that they can use the proper process to resolve all that. The centenary city is not doing anything on the area until every challenge about the site is resolved.
“The Centenary City has potentials and we are anticipating that this city alone will bring foreign investment up to N3trillion into the country. It will bring direct foreign investment into the system and create employment and solve social problems like providing for the youths. It will also save foreign reserves because most of the things we go to do outside will now be done here. We are also hoping that international conferences that do not hold here because we don’t have the facilities can now hold in Abuja because those facilities will be in the city, ” he said.
In her presentation on the proposed Aerotropolis project by the Ministry of Aviation through the Abuja Land Swap scheme, the Minister of Aviation; Princess Stella Oduah, said the Aerotropolis project also initiated by the Ministry of Aviation and valued at about N300 billion will create about 10 million jobs in the country.
She explained that the airport infrastructure which is a 21st Century phenomenon gaining ground all over the world will also boost the country’s economy and generate the much needed employment for the teeming youth.
The minister explained: “The Aerotropolis in Abuja will generate N100 billion in revenue, 10 million employment for the Abuja indigenes and infrastructure investment of N300 billion as well as extend our GDP from aviation from 3 percent to 15 percent and create huge value chains in agriculture, tourism and a fatalist to economic growth.”
By Saint Mugaga, Abuja
