Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Replies House Committee’s 50 Questions

The Finance Minister/Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has replied the 50 questions posed by the House...

The Finance Minister/Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has replied the 50 questions posed by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance in a detailed 102-page document including tables and graphs. In her response, the Minister stressed that, "The Jonathan administration, contrary to the impression given by some critics, is making impact in the areas that, according to credible opinion polls, Nigerians are most passionate about. For instance, on job creation which is a central focus of the administration, a total of 1.6 million jobs were created last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of which 250,000 were seasonal jobs created in dry season farming in 10 northern states.


In manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. The government special intervention programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs, creating over 18,000 jobs. The SURE-P Community Services programme has also created 120,000 job opportunities".



The response further noted that "The Railway Modernisation Programme involving the construction of standard gauge lines is underway" explaining that "the 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos and Kano is now functional while work on the Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is about 36% complete. The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line has attained 68% completion, and the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77% completed, will be completed next year.


The annual passenger traffic on our railways has increased steadily: rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5 million in 2013. It is important to note that many of the 50 Questions had been adequately answered at various fora, including meetings and open hearings organized by the House Committee. The detailed response in spite of this, is a reflection of her well-known high regard for the National Assembly as an institution".