The Federal Government has commenced shortlisting candidates for the 500,000 jobs it promised.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this on Wednesday in Abuja when a delegation of the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Mr. Mohammed said applications were being received and the government had started processing them for the recruitment.

“The process for the recruitment has started.

“About 1.2 million people applied and they classified them into categories including agriculture support officers, teachers, technical officers and so on,” he said.

The minister also said that the payment of N5,000 conditional cash transfer promised by the government would begin before the end of the month.

He said the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had earlier announced this.

Mr. Mohammed reaffirmed the commitment of the government to improve the well-being and standard of living of the citizens.

“We are very concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and we are not sleeping; we are working day and night to ensure that the country retraces its step.

“Many of our critics have been unfair to us because many of them know that we did not invent the problems we are facing today.

“This is time to join hands together to support the government to move the nation forward,” he said.

The National President of NCWS, Gloria Shoda, expressed confidence in the resolve of the government to implement programmes for the advancement of girls and women in the society.

She drew the attention of government to its promise of providing free maternal and children health care and implementation of the National Gender Policy.

Shoda also appealed to government to consider scholarship for girls pursuing medical courses in the universities to address maternal and child mortality. (NAN)

•Photo shows Lai Mohammed.

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