The Federal Government on Sunday projected that when completed, the Lekki Deep Sea Port project would create 112,000 jobs and by so doing help to partly address the rising unemployment rate in the country.
The Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Muazu Sambo, who made this projection while chatting with media men in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, said the project had the potential of boosting the nations revenue with the attendant implications for the nation’s economic growth.
The minister said: “The Lekki deep-sea port project, which is the second after Onne Deep Sea Port in Nigeria, is very significant because the largest ships in the world can berth at the Port. That means, more tonnage, more cargo, more revenue for the port and for the country, more economic activities.
”And above all, more jobs, like I said, over 112, 000 both direct and indirect jobs will be created as a result of the creation of the Lekki deep-sea port.
“This will be in the first few years and as time goes on and as activities expand the number of the jobs will even multiply and that is what is good for us. For as more jobs we have, the more our ability to put food on the table of many Nigerians”, Sambo added.
He promised the people of the state that his redeployment from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to the Transportation Ministry would not negatively affect the ongoing execution of road projects in the state.
The minister assured: “I have been given assurance from the Ministry of Works and Housing that as soon as funds are released from the federal ministry of Finance, contractors will receive their outstanding payments and will be able to continue with their work.
“My movement to the Ministry of Transportation does not mean that the impact of infrastructure in Taraba as far as road is concerned will end”, Sambo added.
