- Minister Applauds Elumelu on Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has commended the efforts of the Chairman, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, Tony Elumelu, to job creation as a strategy for poverty alleviation in Nigeria and Africa.
The minister gave the commendation at the 30th anniversary of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
“I am here because Tony Elumelu creates jobs. I take interest in those who create jobs and Tony is one of them,” the minister stated, adding that the Transcorp’s labour statistics showed that 1,500 to 2,000 people were employed at the Transcorp Hilton alone.
According to Ngige, Elumelu’s commitment to poverty alleviation is perfectly expressed in a theory he continues to champion called Africapitalism, which is a belief that Africa’s private sector can, and must play a leading role in the continent’s development.
Africapitalism can be seen in action through the entities under Elumelu’s Heirs Holdings Group, including the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc. which currently has over 3,000 Nigerians in its employ; United Bank for Africa Plc, with over 14,000 Nigerian staff; and the Tony Elumelu Foundation that has so far empowered 3,000 Africans through its flagship entrepreneurship programme.
“Social intervention is about attending to those who are vulnerable, those who can’t afford to eat three, two or even one square meal a day. Social intervention is what Tony Elumelu does,” Ngige said.
