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Tag: Dr. Kayode Fayemi

  • Mining: Senate summons Fayemi

    Mining: Senate summons Fayemi

    …To probe Environment ministry

     

    The Senate Tuesday resolved to invite the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to brief it in plenary on his ministry’s mining roadmap and implementation framework.

    The upper chamber also said that Fayemi should brief it on steps by his ministry to ensure protection of the residents of mining host communities.

    It mandated its committees on Environment and Solid Minerals to visit communities affected by lead poisoning in Zamfara State to ascertain the level of damage done.

    It mandated the committee to investigate the activities of the Ministry of Environment as it affects the mining sector and asked urged the minister to ensure the adoption of safer mining methods by mining concerns operating in the country.

    The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion entitled “Update on lead poisoning in Zamfara State and the need to prevent further propagation of the resource curse theory.”

    The motion described as timely, was sponsor by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and eight others.

    Senator Tinubu in her lead debate said that she received with great distress, updates on lead poisoning which occurred in 36 villages and communities in Zamfara State.

    She recalled that in 2014, 38 villages including Anka, Abare, Bagega, Bukkuyum Dareta, Duza, Maru, Sunke, Tungar Daji, Tungar Guru, and Yargalma were reported to have been affected by the effects of artisanal mining, unwholesome mining practices and the resulting processing of gold.

    The lawmaker noted that with varying effects ranging from blindness, infertility, neurological defects, over 400 children casualties were recorded with many others needing treatment.

    She added that sequel to this, a motion was moved by Senator Sahabi Ya’u in the 7th Assembly and also

    recalled that in June 2016, Senator David Umaru moved a motion on ”Urgent Remediation of Lead Poisoning in Shikira Community of Niger State, Nigeria”;

    She further recalled that the motion prayed amongst other things for the Federal Government to urgently approve and release needed intervention funds from the Ecological funds office for urgent remediation of areas affected, and the Committee on Solid Minerals to review the 2007 Mining Act to reflect present realities in the sector as it affects local communities;

    The lawmaker said that she is disturbed that reports show that only eight of the 38 affected communities in Zamfara State have had any remediation carried out with the effect that too many Nigerians are suffering, unable to access effective medical treatment for the resulting ailments, losing loved ones and suffering deformities of varying degrees;

    She referred to the report of Medecin sans frontier (MSF) which said that thousands were reported to have been affected and in need of treatment.

    Senator Tinubu also noted that due to paucity of funds, the MSF and several other Civil Society Organisations have had to pull out of the area.

    She said that she is aware that Bagega, the largest community affected in Zamfara State has been remedied, “however, with no alternative source of livelihood for these artisanal miners, a repeat scenario is in the offing.”

    She observed that besides Zamfara, mining host communities in States like Kogi, Niger and others have also been affected by the negative effects of mining practices.

    Nigeria, she said, does not qualify as a mining state especially with the the 2016 Gross Domestic Product breakdown shows the mining sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP to be abysmal.

    She added: “Further notes that the nation’s mining sector is almost redundant, that the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Fayemi, is working to resuscitate the sector; and that the Ministry has approved a mining road map;

    :Worried however that even though mining is yet to make economic impact, symptoms of the resource curse have begun to be evident particularly in the communities blessed, or cursed if you will, with these natural resources and mineral ore;

    “Further worried that if we do nothing, we may well be on our way to creating a ‘Niger delta‘ situation except on a larger scale as nearly every state of the federation will be affected;

    “Mindful that these environmental abuses negate and breach the rights of citizens to life, dignity of person and other fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

    Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers South East) who seconded that motion said that rules promulgated to guide the extraction of mineral resources should be enforced in the interest of the country.

    Abe said that the problem is the rules that govern the extraction of mineral resources in the country are hardly enforced by agencies created to enforce the rules.

    The River State lawmaker insisted that to avoid the creation of another Niger Delta, “we should enforce the rules that guide the extraction of minerals be it oil or solid minerals.”

    Co-sponsors of the motion included Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) Sen. Suleiman O. Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) Sen. Ogola Foster (Bayelsa West) Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe East) £0“ Sen. Magnus Abe (Rivers South-East) Sen. Rose 0. Oko (Cross River North) (K M Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Bomo North) Sen. Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East)

     

  • 300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    Not less than 300 victims of natural disasters in Ekiti State had cause to smile  as the Federal Government commenced distribution of relief materials to them.

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, inaugurated the distribution on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari with the assurance of more relief materials from the Federal Government.

    Fayemi said Buhari was concerned about the plight of victims of natural disasters such as rainstorm and flood many of who had been rendered homeless.

    Relief materials distributed included bags of rice, millet, cement, corrugated iron sheets, nails, blankets, mats, clothings, asbestos, underwear, toiletries and detergents, among others.

    The minister was joined in the distribution exercise by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Mustapha Yinusa Maihaja, Governor Ayo Fayose, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Emergency Matters, Mr. Akinwale Rasheed and General Manager of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Femi Osasona.

    The event, which took place at Ekiti State Office of NEMA located at Ajebamidele area of Ado-Ekiti was witnessed by beneficiaries, emergency officials and leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Fayemi revealed that Buhari, who was concerned about the effects of rainstorm and flood on the people of Ekiti State ordered NEMA to send the relief materials for distribution.

    The minister further explained that Buhari was ready to assist all Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliation, religion, ethnic background, culture and language.

    He stressed that Ekiti State had received much assistance from the Buhari administration since assumption of office in May, 2015. They include two tranches of bailout funds, Budget Support Fund for 13 months, Paris Club refund and N2 billion ecological funds.

    Fayemi said: “What NEMA is doing is not the first time the Federal Government under President Buhari is coming to the rescue of our people.

    “The President believes that he is the President of all Nigerians and that is why the states that had benefited most from his government are opposition states because it is Nigerians that are living and working there.

    “That is the message of Mr. President, he is the President of all Nigerians regardless of race, party affiliation, race, religion, culture and language. He will always work for all Nigerians as long as they are Nigerians.”

    In a chat with reporters, Fayemi further said: “You have heard of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harma and disaster in Puerto Rico and other places and these happen as a result of climate change.

    “So, all we can do is to ensure that we are better prepared and NEMA under Mr. Maihaja is better prepared for this.

    “I have seen him in places such as Benue, Kogi and other places where he have series of floods. The best we can do is to be prepared like the Boys Scout motto indicates. We know the period when these things happen.”

    Fayose, who spoke through Rasheed said: “We are grateful that NEMA is extending hands of fellowship to victims in our state. On behalf of the state governor and the entire people of the state, we sincerely thank NEMA for assisting the flood victims.”

    Earlier in his remarks, NEMA D-G Maihaja, noted that Ekiti was one of the states that first experienced rainstorm around February which he said was witnessed in about 27 other states.

    Maihaja said climate change caused many natural disasters to victims across the country, noting that natural disasters and floods can overstretch federal and state governments.

    He added: “On behalf of my agency, we express our deep concern and sympathy to all the people that were affected.

    “We have brought some of the materials with which we are inaugurating the scheme to alleviate the suffering of the people.

    “Incidences such as floods and rainstorms are natural disasters which we humans cannot stop but NEMA will continue to assist victims to live

    their normal lives through relief materials and rescue operations.”

    When asked on the cost of the materials, Maihaja said: It is difficult to say anything about the cost now due to some factors but the cost can be provided later.”

     

  • Only progressive govt can liberate Ekiti – Group

    Only progressive govt can liberate Ekiti – Group

    A socio-political pressure group, Ekiti Awake, has called on the people of Ekiti State to elect a progressives government to power in the 2018 governorship election.

    It called on Ekiti people to “wake up from their slumber and retrace their steps back to the progressives where good governance, rule of law, integrity, truth, justice and delivery of dividends of democracy are accorded priority.”

    Ekiti Awake in a statement on Monday by its Coordinator, Bamikole Ayekooto, expressed displeasure with the hardship being faced by the people of the state “whose standard of living has plummeted in the last three years.”

    The body regretted the suffering of civil servants owed arrears of salaries and pensioners owed monthly allowances, massive unemployment, unfavourable business environment, harsh tax policies, alleged misplacement of priorities and diversion of bailout funds.

    Ekiti Awake explained that the major achievements which had positive impact on the lives of the people of the state were executed during the progressive administrations led by Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo and Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The statement said: “The hardship being faced by the people of Ekiti State is a wake-up call to reject the conservatives and vote in the progressives in the 2018 governorship election.

    “Considering the achievements recorded in the state during the tenures of former Governors Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi, our state could not afford to do otherwise than to go back to the progressives in the next political dispensation.

    “Nothing is working as far as Ekiti is concerned; our people including school pupils are reeling under tax burden while businesses are closing down and investors are fleeing in droves because of the harsh economic climate under the Fayose government.”

     

     

  • Buhari appoints Shinkafi as SMDF chief

    Buhari appoints Shinkafi as SMDF chief

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Hajia Fatima Shinkafi as the Executive Secretary and Head of the Secretariat of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF).

    The new SMDF Executive Secretary is the daughter of a former presidential aspirant, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi.

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Board of the SMDF on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the government remains committed to the solid minerals roadmap to achieve greater strides in the sector.

    He said, “We remain committed to being guided by our roadmap to achieve greater strides in the sector. It is therefore noteworthy that this inauguration is coming at a time we have commenced the operationalisation of the roadmap as well as the implementation of the World Bank supported Mineral Diversification Project.

    In addition to their statutory mandates, the board is also charged with the following responsibilities: Restructuring and operationalisation of the SMDF by designing the appropriate governance structure, organisation, strategies and operations for effective management.

    “Promote the establishment of the SPV Facilitator Fund and work with investors to establish its governance and financial structure.

    “Mr. President has also approved the appointment of Hajia Fatima Shinkafi as the Executive Secretary and Head of the Secretariat of the SMDF.”

    The board has Alhaji Uba Malami as chairman.

    The members are – Mr. Ademola Gbadegesin, Prince lseghohi, Mr. Samuel Eze, Dr. Uwatt Uwatt and Ms Yinka Mubarak.

     

     

  • FG directs mining companies to ensure human, environmental safety

    The Federal Government has directed mining operators to ensure environmental and human safety to avoid lead contamination during mining.

    Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, gave the directive during a visit to the Royal Salt Lead and Zinc Processing Company at Enyigba community in Abakaliki on Tuesday.

    According to Fayemi, in as much it is a win-win process, the Federal Government would not accept any mining investor across the country to operate without taking considering environmental sensitivity and sensibility.

    He, however, said the company had submitted environmental protection plan to the ministry on how it would reclaim and protect the environment, but the ministry would monitor the whole processes to ensure no stone was left un-turned.

    Fayemi expressed appreciation of the company’s efforts in processing minerals lead and zinc being exploited, rather than exporting them raw, which had benefited the country.

    “One of the primary interests in the ministry’s road map is to increase the level of beneficiation and processing to ensure raw minerals are processed locally rather than exporting them.

    ” This will create jobs for the youth, which the company had taken step to employ over 400 Nigerians in the state,” he said.

    He urged the company to employ more locals than foreigners and train them on jobs that expatriates were doing, to take charge of their responsibilities.

    The minister also urged the company to meet the demands of the host community and legitimate revenues being charged by the federal and the state to ensure smooth operations of its business.

    Gov. David Umahi of the state who was in the minister’s entourage to the company’s sites, said that it acquired 500 hectares of farm land for mining.

    Umahi said the operations had devastated the state’s vegetation, ecosystem, adding that the state had not made revenue from the company.

    He advised the company to comply with all its obligations to the state and the host community to avoid loosing the land.

    He also urged the state Commissioner for Environment to take water from the boreholes drilled by the company to a reputable laboratory to ascertain that it was free of lead.

    Mr Vassu Gowda, the Project Manager of the company, assured the minister and the state government that it would comply with all the terms and conditions.

    The two ministers of the sector had embarked on a nationwide tour to all mine sites, to build stakeholders’ confidence, get feedback from them, identify challenges and proffer solutions.

    The ministers have so far visited seven states: Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu and Ebonyi.

  • Attract investors to Nigeria ­- Osinbajo

    Attract investors to Nigeria ­- Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday urged the ambassadors-designate to use their positions to attract investors and enhance the Foreign Direct Investment of the country.

    Osinbajo made the call in Abuja at the closing ceremony of a five-day induction programme for the 45 non-career ambassadors-designate.

    He said that the present administration was determined to create a favourable environment for investors by making the process of doing business very easy.

    He said: “Use your position as ambassadors to serve and attract investors to the country.

    “We have been working on so many things on ease of doing business in the country.

    “One of the key measures is visa on arrival for investors, the implementation of which will attract investors to the country,” he said.

    Osinbajo said that another one was getting approval on doing business as well as the one stop shop policy of the government

    The vice president challenged the ambassadors-designate to be friendly in their relationships and be good image makers of the country.

    “We need to know that persons need to be served with dignities and respect, this is very important,” he said.

    The Vice President said that the government would work very hard to put in place all that would be needed to make the embassies what is expected of them.

    According to the Vice President, Nigeria is fortunate to have the crop of the ambassadors-designate to represent the nation in various countries across the world.

    “It is also an incredible opportunity and privilege to represent your country in various countries you will be posted.

    It is in my view a very wholesome responsibility and honour for you to represent your country and given opportunity to serve the nation,” he said.

    Earlier,  Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, urged the ambassadors-designate to attract investors into the mining sector of the economy.

    Fayemi said that the ministry had put in place measures to end the exportation of raw solid mineral by miners.

    He said that the move to end the era of exporting unprocessed solid minerals from the country was part of the ministry’s roadmap.

    He said that any miner ready to invest in the sector must be willing to set up processing plants in host communities in order to create jobs for the people.

    Fayemi said that whosoever that could not afford setting up a plant should collaborate with others.

     

  • Fayemi slams N3bn libel suit against Fayose’s Aaides

    Fayemi slams N3bn libel suit against Fayose’s Aaides

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has dragged a member of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Samuel Omotoso and Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka to court for libel.

    Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, is claiming N3 billion as damages from Omotoso and Olayinka in a libel suit filed by his counsel, Rafiu Balogun, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for alleged offensive statements made against him (Fayemi).

    The Minister’s action follows the failure of the defendants to retract the libellous statements and tender public apology as demanded by Balogun, in a letter dated November 19, 2016.

    According copies of court papers made available to reporters on Wednesday, the plaintiff is seeking among others, payment of an aggravated damages to the tune of N3billion.

    (N2billion against Lere Olayinka, the first defendant and another N1 billion aggravated damages against Dr. Omotoso, the second defendant.)

    Besides these, the plaintiff is also seeking a retraction of the offensive statements/utterances; a public apology to be published and aired on Ekiti State Television (EKTV) and Channels Television as well as the social media.

    He is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from publishing or making statements or utterances similar or further libelous publications or statements or utterances against the plaintiff.

    The duo of Omotoso and Olayinka had during an EKTV live programme also broadcast on a cable network Startimes, tagged Ejiire on July 6, 2016 alleged that Fayemi illegally took N1.5b from Ekiti treasury and gave it to the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, to win the 2015 presidential election.

    Olayinka also said that Fayemi illegally collected N5b from Ecobank in the name of Fountain Holdings for purported road construction.

    He also alleged that Fayemi spent the state’s funds to build a private university for himself in Ghana.

    For failing to retract the offending statements and tender public apology within the stipulated period, Fayemi’s counsel is asking the court for reliefs compelling the defendants to pay damages for the statements against him which had portrayed him as a “very corrupt public office holder and fraudulent person who siphoned public funds at the detriment of Ekiti citizens while serving as governor”.

    Balogun also argued that his client was exposed to “public ridicule, odium, opprobrium, embarrassment and unprecedented disrepute”, arguing that the duo had done “incalculable and tremendous injury to our client’s image and personality as an international figure”.

    The plaintiff averred that having regard to the nature of the libel, the wider publication of the offending statements and posting same on Internet, and having done it maliciously and failure to apologise to him when requested to do so, he is entitled to aggravated damages from the defendants.

    No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.

     

  • Fayose shuts down NSCDC command headquarters in Ekiti

    Fayose shuts down NSCDC command headquarters in Ekiti

    • Demands payment of N27.5million

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to vacate its state command headquarters located along Afao Road with immediate effect or pay N27.5million to government coffers within 5days. 

    The state government during the administration of Chief Segun Oni allocated the facility to the NSCDC in 2010 to ease the accommodation problems faced by the security agency and other federal government institutions.

    The same policy was sustained by the administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi which allowed the NSCDC and other sister federal government agencies to utilise the complex which had been hitherto abandoned.

    The complex was initially constructed by the Fayose during his first stint in office and was commissioned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo but was abandoned after Fayose was impeached from office in 2006.

    In a bid to put them into functional use, Oni allocated the buildings to federal government parastatals some of which included National Population Commission (NPC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), among others since Ekiti is yet to have a Federal Secretariat.

    The Command Headquarters was allocated to the Corps in 2010 when Engr Segun Oni was Governor and was sustained by the successive leadership of Dr Kayode Fayemi.

    [news_list display=”tag” tag=”NSCDC” count=”3″ show_more=”on”]

    A source in the know quoted Fayose to have said “the need became necessary because the State may find it difficult to pay salaries of civil servants in 2017” despite just received N8.8 billion Paris Club refund. 

    The governor was also alleged to have said that “the era of government providing accommodation for the security outfits in Ekiti is gone, stressing that he cannot be providing counterpart support for a Buhari-led Government agency as an opposition leader.”

    A source in NSCDC craved anonymity said: “During a visit by the Commandant of the Corps with the governor, the government had valued the facility at N27.5m and every effort to appeal to the Governor to tarry a while to get the Corps organised was rebuffed by Fayose.

    “Tension rose at the Command Headquarters as the NSCDC officers  were infuriated that despite the N250m monthly security the governor collects and no logistic support whatsoever since 2014 when Mr Fayose was sworn-in, it was a rude shock that he could shut down the Command Headquarters within such a very short notice.”

    Speaking further, the source said: “As it stands, the officers of the Corps as law-abiding and highly disciplined public servants will not take laws into her hands as law enforcement officers, rather, we have commenced the process of contributing half of our salaries and will also solicit for funds to buy the place for our comfort.

    “It is highly unfortunate that despite the fact we pay taxes running to hundreds of millions to the State Government and had some of our officers fallen in service to our fatherland, we got this poor welfare package in the New Year, but we shall keep it dear in our heart for history sake.”

    When contacted for reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Idowu Adelusi, promised to get back to our reporter but he was yet to do so at the time of filing the story.

  • Govt partners steel developers on access to forex

    Govt partners steel developers on access to forex

    The Federal Government has disclosed plans to partner private stakeholders in the mines and steel industry on how to generate foreign exchange.

    The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mines and Steels, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who made this pledge during a stakeholders’ parley.

    Fayemi who was represented by Assistant Director Steel, Ministry of Solid Minerals, Ime Ekrikpo, said that the ministry has put this  together to ensure the diversification of the nation’s source of revenue at the steel importers, sellers and installers association of Nigeria.

    While noting that the country is not yet a steel producing country as it presently thrives on the recycling of scraps, the minister however assured that there is a renewed vigour on the part of the current administration to make the sector occupy its pride of place among steel producing nations of the world.

    “What we want to achieve within the shortest possible time is to see how we can jump start and encourage the private sector to accomplish what we probably couldn’t accomplish as a government. Nikel is among our latest discovery and one out of several raw materials that we have, there is need for us to encourage the private sector to grow.”

    Fayemi lamented lack of steel production in the country stating that Nigeria is not a steel producing nation at the moment , people who melt scrap to produce steel are intermediary they do not produce steel from the primary raw materials , we should be in a position where we mine the iron-ore resources in Nigeria and produce what we call full steel, strictly speaking we have not started steel production in Nigeria.

  • How we’ll grow Nigeria’s steel sector- Fayemi

    How we’ll grow Nigeria’s steel sector- Fayemi

    To fund the infrastructure needs of its growing economy over the next 30 years, Nigeria would spend about USD 3 trillion.

    Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this on Thursday in London, United Kingdom, at a business forum organised by the Royal African Society.

    Quoting a recent report by the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, he said Nigeria’s current core infrastructure stocks gap, based on international benchmarks, is estimated at USD 80 billion.

    Fayemi who presented a keynote address titled :  “Mining for Prosperity: fueling Nigeria’s industrialisation in the 21st Century”, said the investment  would allow Nigeria to close its current infrastructure gap and sustain an ideal infrastructure stock level of 70 per cent of GDP and build infrastructure assets across the seven critical sectors-  roads, rail, ports, airports, power, water and ICT.

    He said iron ore and steel would account for the bulk of materials inputs needed to industrialise Nigeria, just as  he urged investors to take advantage of the country’s huge steel market.

    The Minister said “We project a steady increase in domestic demand for steel in Nigeria in the coming decade, driven by increased industrialisation that will ignite a surge in building construction, power, automotive construction, agriculture, road and bridge building, military technology and infrastructure development, refinery investments and other heavy duty machinery.

    “This ever-widening vortex of hunger for steel and iron ore is an opportunity for local and international investors to participate in the consolidation and expansion of Africa’s largest economy.”

    He added that local producers are currently meeting just about 25 per cent of demand in the sub-sector, a development he said provides the required optimism for foreign investors.

    Fayemi hailed the success recorded in the limestone, where Nigeria moved from being a net-importer of cement to a net-exporter in less than a decade of putting in place the right policy and necessary incentives for local manufacturers.

    “We are working with all stakeholders in the industry to encourage replication of the limestone success story in the beneficiation of other industrial minerals, towards powering the industrialisation of the country.

    “Our aspiration is to build a world class minerals and mining ecosystem designed to serve a targeted domestic and export market for minerals and ores.”, he added.

    The Minister said the country would focus on  minerals , mining and related processing industry over a three -phased period to achieve this.

    “Phase 1: Nigeria will seek to rebuild market confidence in its minerals and mining sector and win over domestic users of industrial minerals that currently import. During this Phase, Nigeria will also seek to expand use of its energy minerals. This phase will likely last about 2 – 3 years.

    “Phase 2: Nigeria will focus on expanding our domestic ore and mineral asset processing industry. This phase will last about 5 to 10 years.

    “Phase 3: Nigeria should seek to return to global ore and mineral markets at a market competitive price point. We expect this to coincide with the next commodity upswing.”

    Speaking further, Fayemi said should Nigeria successfully follow through with the implementation plans, growth is expected to return to the sector in the form of new exploration activity, operations and production from active mining, functional (and expanded) processing and refining capacity, and higher value-addition in exports.

    “ The net outcome will be the creation of thousands of direct jobs and potentially hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs.”