Buhari promises Igbo youths one million jobs

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has
promised to create one million jobs for Igbo youths
by revamping huge coal deposits in Enugu State for
generation of electricity and export.
Buhari said this at the Enugu West APC zonal rally on
Saturday, where he was represented by the
spokesman of the party in the South-East, Osita
Okechukwu.
Speaking through Okechukwu, the presidential
candidate explained that the coal industry would be
revamped with the objective of generating electricity
to serve the entire South-East.
He assured the people that he would award the
contract immediately he comes into office to avoid
the mistakes made by the Peoples Democratic Party,
which he said squandered over N2bn voted for a coal
project between 2012 and 2014.
"We are banking on huge coal deposits located at
Amasiodo, Inyi and Leje axis of Enugu Coal belt. We
are going to award contract for mining and
construction of coal-fired power plant, unlike the PDP
that since 1999 promised to revamp the coal fields
and 16 years after, nothing has been done.
"We believe that coal is the most abundant fossil fuel
in Enugu State and Enugu Coal is one of the most
qualitative coal brands in the world, which means that
while some are used to generate electricity, some will
be exported," he said.
The former Head of State said his objective was to
create one million jobs directly and indirectly from
the coal sector, as ancillary projects would follow.
"My idea is to emulate the Taichung Coal-Fired Power
Plant in Taiwan, the largest coal power station in the
world.
"Coal supplies 46 per cent electricity in the United
States and over 60 per cent electricity in China – it is
callous to abandon such a golden treasury.
"For 16 years, every election Igbo voted for the PDP
and yet, the coal belt remains untapped; hence there is
no commensurate reward.
"In 2014 budget, for instance, over N600bn capital
projects were executed in the South-South, while less
than N200bn was executed in the South-East. Is that
equity or justice?"
Also speaking at the rally, the APC Vice Chairman in the
Enugu East, Anike Nwoga, expressed confidence that
Buhari would win the presidential election.
Nwoga said, "Many of you are Catholics. Did you hear
what Father Mbaka said? Every patriot must vote for
the APC."
The statement disclosed that three senatorial
candidates from other political parties – Chukwu
Ijeoma of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Mabel
Onwukwe of the Labour Party and Nwabuike Oliver of
the Advanced Congress of Democrats – endorsed
Buhari as their candidate for the February 14
Presidential election rally