13,823 unemployed Plateau youths to benefit from Batch C N-power, says Hon. Sadiya Farouq

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hon. Sadiya Umar Farouq has disclosed that the graduate and non-graduate components of the N-Power programme of the Federal Government have been expanded to provide job opportunities for 13,823 unemployed youths in Plateau State under Batch C, following the successfully exiting of 11,505 youths under Batches A & B.

Farouq also reiterate the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to addressing poverty and youth unemployment in Nigeria, through the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP.

The Minister represented by the Deputy Director Administration of the Ministry Mallam Ladan Haruna stated this on Tuesday in Jos during the closing Ceremony of 258 N-Skills (Smart phones repairs) Training programme.

She said under the NSIP, the Federal Government is investing over N4.9 billion for the training, tooling and/or payment of monthly stipends on the Batch C beneficiaries.

According to the Minister, said the N-Skills accommodates many skills-based enterprises, saying the Smart Phone Repairs is used to pilot the programme under the N-Power non-graduate component.

“This is consistent with the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. The programme is designed to train, tool and transition marginalized unemployed youths into the labour market to gainfully be employed. The Ministry worked with technical service providers to provide the N-Skills training services to 6,475 unemployed youths across the Federation.

“Having completed this training, you will be attached directly to Master Craft Persons (MCPs) in the trade for a 6-month apprenticeship.

“This is a tremendous direct injection of resources at the grassroots and in the hands of the youths. Through the N-Power programme, the provision of much-needed services in the education, health and agricultural sectors will be enhanced in the State and the beneficiaries will be engaged in income-generating activities that would contribute to local economic growth.

“With Mr. President’s approval for expansion of the NSIP, we will, in sha Allah, double job and wealth creation opportunities for the teeming youths of the Plateau State soon. I, therefore, acknowledge the support and cooperation of the State Government and other stakeholders towards the realization of Mr. President’s agenda of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. On this note, I formally declare the N-Skills Training on Life, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Skills closed”

Earlier the NSIP Focal Person in Plateau State Dr Sumaiya Hamza, said the exercise basically aimed at reducing unemployment in the state.

She explained that the beneficiaries were drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas of the state, adding that it would also reduce social vices and promote peace and insecurity in all parts of the state.

”During all our training sessions, I have emphasised the need for the beneficiaries to be peace ambassadors and vanguards in their communities.

”The essence of NSIP is partly to take idle youths off the street, so I advised these beneficiaries to be role models in their communities,”she added.