NDE flag-off 774,000 Special Public Works in Kano

The much awaited Special Public Works for the 744 Local Government Councils in the country has been flagged off in Kano.

The scheme which was initiated by the Federal Government was being executed through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to create temporary employment for 774,000 youth across the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.

The scheme which was conceived by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister Festus Keyamo would see to the disbursement of N20,000 each to the beneficiaries.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, held at Bayero University Kano on Wednesday, the Acting Director General of NDE, Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, described the scheme as “a very significant step in Nigeria’s quest to win the war against mass unemployment as well as to ameliorate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.”

He stressed that the approval of the scheme by President Muhammadu Buhari followed the pilot phase of the programme in the first quarter of last year in aboutv8 States.

The pilot States States according to him, are: “Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina and Kwara States.”

The Acting Director General who was represented by Aliyu Abubakar Bichi, Director Procurement of NDE, Fikpo revealed that Kano’s number if youths that would benefit stood at 44,000 with 1000 of them per Local Government.

The Acting NDE DG urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that the programme is the best and most far reaching grass root based employment creation in Nigeria.

In his remarks, President Buhari, said SPW came to limelight in a bid to quickly address the issue of pervasive hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and joblessness.

Mr Buhari, represented by Minister of Defense, Bashir Salihi Mgashi explained that each participating Local Government was responsible for identifying its preferred projects and would ensure that they are executed as planned.

The president expressed optimism that the scheme would provide necessary economic palliative to the 774,000 unemployed youths, adding that the beneficiaries might deploy the knowledge/skills acquired to become self-employed.

In his part, the Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said his administration had provided numerous programmes aimed at empowering youth in the state.

According to him, over 700 youth that have undergone training on modern auto-mechanic and have since commenced operating in different locations of Kano metropolis.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, also stated that the Federal Government has on Monday launched a programme where 8,000 rural women received N20, 000 each in order to cushion their economic effects.