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By Babajide Komolafe

The United States yesterday said it is committed to supporting the federal government to create enabling environment for Nigerian businesses to enhance job creation for the country’s growing population.

U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington stated this in Lagos at the 2nd annual conference of the Employee Assistance Professional Association of Nigeria (EAPA).

Represented by the Commercial Counsellor, US Mission to Nigeria, Mr. Brent Omdahl, he said: “The US has three overarching priority in Nigeria. Whether it is in tackling public health issues like communicable disease such as HIV, polio or in tackling terrorism in the north, the US government is fully committed in assisting Nigeria to save lives. We are here to support government in whatever way. “Secondly, Nigeria faces a population dividend or a population bubble, depending on how you look at the situation.

If the current growth rate remains, Nigeria would overtake the US as the third most populous country in the world by 2050. “How you go about these issues would be determined by the decisions made by the Nigerian government as well as Nigerian civil society. The US is committed to supporting Nigerian government, to create an enabling environment and to support the industry and ingenuity of Nigerian private sector, to solve this challenge.

“The US government recognises that the challenges and opportunities facing Nigeria are Nigeria’s responsibilities to see and to solve.

“When we compare our relationship with other governments across the world, we have no better standing compared with Nigeria. There is need to create the right working environment.

Also speaking at the conference, President of EAPA EAPA, Dr. Marcel Nwaogu said that the conference is designed to raise awareness on the various issues affecting productivity of employees and the role of Employee Assistance services in tackling them. He said: Our nation and the world at large are going through many changes. These changes are complicated by natural and man-made disasters.

These disasters leave behind lives shattered by physical injuries, losses and emotional troubles. We are living at a time where majority are concerned about overcoming poverty, unemployment and other manifestation of social and economic disadvantages. The solution is the EAPA.”

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