Minister Flags Off FG Job Creation Program for 27,000 Youths in Borno

Following the approval of 774,000 jobs to be created for Youths in all the 774 LGAs of the country by President Buhari to cushion the effects of poverty and COVID-19 pandemic flagged off on 5th January 2021 by State Minister of Labour & Employment, Festus Keyamo and NDE Director General,, Abubakar Fikpo.

In Borno State, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon Mustapha Baba Shehuri said President Buhari directed each state of the federation and FCT to implement the program for 1000 youths and women which informed the has flagging off the 774000 jobs for Youths and women program in Borno State Wednesday where 27,000 Youths and women will be engaged for a period of 3 months on N29, 000 monthly payment.

He also disclosed that President Buhari has already approved N1. 62 billion for the payment of monthly allowances of the 774,000 social workers across the country through selected commercial banks via the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which will monitor the payments and implementation of the program in collaboration with the relevant ministries and parastatals.

While flagging off the program, he further explained that the program was aimed at providing succour to cushion the effect of CIVID-19 pandemic and poverty at all the 774 LGAs of the country among the Youths and women after the successful implementation of the Pilot Scheme of the program in 8 selected states and 5 LGAs of each of states 500 Youths and women benefitted.

According to him, the federal government has through the National Directorate Employment (NDE) has created numerous jobs through the NDE Special Public Workers (SPW) for various skills acquisitions while over 4,885 Youths were trained 2000 IDPs and 50,000 unemployment Youths were trained on various skills and resettled including 3,365 Agricultural Small and Entrepreneurship Scheme among others.

He added that federal government has through the NDE 4000 Secondary School Students resat for their NECO and WAEC while other FG interventions he said have been completed and others are ongoing.

The Minister congratulated the participants and urged them to judiciously Utilize the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods and ensure peaceful implementation of the program while thanking Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his support and cooperation in the implementation of the program for setting up a high power committee to execute the project.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State represented by the Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur appreciated the federal government for initiating such a program and said the program was a deliberate strategy to improve the Youths and women living condition.

He also thanked the Minister and NDE for their efforts while recalling that the Youths and women have ritually been e posed to severe hardships and affected adversely by the insurgency in the 11 years.

Zulum added that the program will be beneficial to the Youths as it will alleviate the sufferings and hardships of the Youths, stressing that COVID-19 pandemic has actually affected the state economy and so io economic status of the state.

He urged the FG and NDE to continue to support the Youths in the state while appealing to the FG and NDE settle the 2 months outstanding allowances of the 500 participants of the pilot project.

Earlier, the NDE DG, Abubakar Fikpo rll be properly implemented epresented by the Special Adviser Technical to NDE DG, Sumaila D. Mamman the President graciously approved the implementation of the program across the 774 LGAs of the country following the successful implementation and benefits of the pilot project on 8 selected states and 5 LGAs from each of the selected states spread across the country.

He thanked the president also for his initiative and approval pointing out that the program was aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the Youths and women as a result of the CIVID-19 and poverty level of the national economy as employment creation drive for the Youths.

He assured President Buhari and Nigerians that the program will be delivered accordingly by NDE nation wide while soliciting for innermost support from Governor Zulum as well as thanked the State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri for supporting the laudable project.

The NDE DG expressed confident with the president 's efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the Youths and thanked collaborating partners as well as all the stakeholders, emphasizing NDE commitment to repose the confidence government and people have on NDE

He disclosed that adequate working and safety devices and equipments were provided for the program and banks have been detailed on the monthly allowances to ensure hitch free and smooth payments to the social workers.

Abubakar called on Nigerians to support and cooperate with the social workers in their communities as the program was aimed at improving the community, environment and health of the people apart from the financial benefits.

According to him, state governments were directed to constitute a committee or establish a center for the program.

The Borno State Chairman of the 27-man Committee for the Implementation of the Program who is also the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engineer Bukar Talba thanked President Buhari for initiating and implementing the program.

He assured Governor Zulum 's passionate support to the program while noting that, the program will go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the Youths.