Kano state Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday, commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for engaging 44,000 youths in the Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme in the state.
The governor, represented by his Deputy, Nasir Yusuf-Gawuna gave the commendation at the inauguration of the programme in Kano on Wednesday.
According to him, the federal government initiated the programme with a view to alleviate the sufferings of several Nigerians, adding that it will assist the beneficiaries to be engaged in three months programme at N20,000 monthly.
Ganduje also commended the federal government for providing N20,000 grants to over 8,000 women across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.
He said that following the commitment of Buhari in empowering the youths in Kano, the state government has also copied such efforts by initiating various Empowerment programmes for youths.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, said the programme was implemented to gauge its impact on addressing the population of the unemployed and rising insecurity in some part of the country.
“This strategy, where 10,000 youths from each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the country, will be engaged to fast track the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth plan.
“However, with the emergence of the novel COVID-19 pandemic, the President directed the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) to craft economic measures to cushion the adverse Socio-economic effects caused by the pandemic.
“I must also mention that the federal government shall closely monitor the implementation of the programme to ascertain the efficient utilisation of every resource, human/material and commitment to the programme.”
Speaking at the event, the acting Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr Abubakar Nuhu, said the programme was the right step in Buhari’s quest to tackle unemployment in Nigeria.
Represented by Mr Aliyu Abubakar, the Director procurement, the NDE boss said that the effort was aimed at ameliorating the effect of COVID-19 pandemic among Nigerians.
“As the Apex of creation agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the NDE in the last three decades has remained in the forefront in the fight against poverty and jobless.
“One of the core mandates of NDE is the exploration and promotion of the job creation potentials available within the Public works sector.
“The labour absorptive capacity of the public works sector makes it a very critical vehicle in the job creation process and maintenance of public infrastructure.
“It is my honour and pleasure to report the successful conduct of pilot phase of this programme within the first quarter of 2020 in eight states, after which President Buhari approved its implementation across all the 36 states and the FCT and indeed, by deliberate strategy to all the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria.
“Today, therefore marks the actualisation of the single most-reaching grassroots based employment creation initiative in the history of our great nation,” he said.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to make proper use of the opportunity provided to them to improve their living conditions.
Mansur Mukhtar, one of the beneficiaries commended the Federal Government for given them the opportunity to build themselves. (NAN)
