Abuja - The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said in Abuja on Wednesday that the Federal Government had devoted three billion naira to create jobs for women next year.
The minister, who made the announcement at the signing of an agreement by six federal ministries that would facilitate the job creation, said that the money was captured in the 2013 budget.
The facilitating agencies are the ministries of agriculture, communications technology, women affairs, works, health and water resources.
The agreement signing ceremony was witnessed by President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa.
Okonjo-Iweala said the initiative was in line with the administration’s promise to provide jobs, particularly for women.
She said the Federal Ministry of Water Resources is to provide 240 sanitation facilities across the country to be managed by women and girls.
She recalled that the President, in his 2013 budget, said that five million female farmers would get mobile phones in 2013 to access information on agro-inputs through an e-wallet scheme.
The minister said the measure was part of efforts to prove the gender friendliness of his administration.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, said this was the first time women and children were the focus of government in the nation's history.
She promised to monitor the five ministries to ensure that they delivered on their promises.
NAN