President Goodluck Jonathan said Tuesday in Abuja that the Federal Government would continue to give all necessary encouragement and protection to emerging industries in Nigeria to ensure steady economic growth and facilitate the creation of more jobs in the country.
Speaking at an audience with the new Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion, President Jonathan said that in protecting its emerging industries, Nigeria will not be acting differently from the advanced nations of the world who, at similar stages in their development, put measures in place to protect their domestic production.
“We will need to protect the budding industries in Nigeria because we know that every country in the world that wants to grow industrially, at some stage, needs to put instruments in place to protect the upcoming industries in order to stimulate and sustain growth and employment.
“We have a lot of young people coming out of the universities and we have to plan for them,’’ the President said.
Jonathan who identified adequate power supply as essential for rapid economic growth and job creation, called on the European Union to support ongoing efforts to ensure stable and constant electricity in Nigeria.
He commended the European Union for its ongoing support for other developmental programmes in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Mr. Arrion assured President Jonathan that the European Union will give Nigeria all possible assistance for the development of its energy sector.
He commended Jonathan over Nigeria’s improving economic outlook and promised that the European Union will continue to support growth and development in the country.
Also Tuesday in Abuja, Jonathan received the outgoing Indian Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Mhesh Kumar Sached.
The President assured Sached that Nigeria will continue to work for greater bilateral cooperation between her and India because of the many things both countries have in common such as huge markets, entrepreneurial skills and human resources.
He wished the outgoing ambassador success in his future endeavours.
