The Federal Government on Tuesday said the African Development Bank should step up its efforts in helping African countries to create jobs for youths across the continent.

Governor of Nigeria to AfDB and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said this in her congratulatory message to Akinwumi Adesina on the occasion of his swearing-in ceremony for a second term as AfDB President.

Ahmed said projects in the areas of infrastructure development, the use of guarantee instruments to de-risk investments and promote trade, as well as private sector development were vital for job creation.

She appreciated the quick action of the bank, with the support of the Board of Directors, in providing emergency COVID-19 assistance to regional member countries towards stabilising their economies as they dealt with the health and economic emergencies of the pandemic.

Ahmed said the bank’s relevance to its regional member countries was directly related to its preparedness and ability to stand with them in challenging times.

“I wish to use this opportunity to urge the bank to also consider intervention in the area of health infrastructure, as this will help both in coping with the present crisis, as well as in preparing for possible future episodes,” the minister said.

She further noted that the recent uplift of the bank’s capital base under the GCI-7 and ADF-15 provided an opportunity to scale up its interventions in member countries.

Ahmed observed that with the various domestic reform efforts in African countries in the areas such as resource mobilisation, public finance management and improving the environment for doing business, Africa was well positioned for a new era of growth.

Source:- Punchng