By Usman Usman Garba
Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has launched the flag-off of the extended Special Public Works (SPW) programme tagged temporary employment of 774,000 youths on Wednesday held at Convocation Arena, Bayero University, Kano.
The governor pointed out that despite economic challenges in the country, his administration focuses on numerous programmes of human development of all aspects of life.
Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the governor appreciated the effort of Muhammad Buhari’s administration for implementing various social investment and intervention programmes aimed at alleviating the suffering of the nation’s citizens.
“We are commending the Federal Government for initiating this extended special public works programme whereby 1,000 citizens from each of the 774 local government areas in the country would be temporarily employed and be paid N20,000 each monthly for three consecutive months.
“On Monday, the Federal Government has also launched a programme where 8,000 rural women received N20, 000 each all in an effort of Mr. President to eradicate poverty and create self-reliance among youth in the country,” said Ganduje.
While reiterating his commitment towards uplifting the lives of the people of the state, Ganduje further explained that the state and Federal Government share the same ideal and introduced numerous social intervention programmes as well as entered partnership with various multi-national corporations on skills acquisition training programmes for the teeming youths.
He however urged the participants of the programme to be diligent and hardworking while discharging the responsibility bestowed on them.
Speaking earlier at the programme, the Minister of Defence, Rtd. Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, said the programme is a proactive approach to engage the country’s unemployed youths to execute carefully selected projects across the 774 local government areas.
“…Our target is to immediately engage the 774,000 selected unemployed Nigerians for the programme to execute carefully selected projects across the 774 local government areas in the country.
“Each participating local government identified its preferred projects and will be responsible for ensuring that they are executed as planned.
“It is instructive to mention that all tools and equipment required have been provided hence the Federal Government expects strong commitment from all stakeholders in ensuring efficient implementation,” Magashi said.
The minister also called the Federal Government to monitor the implementation of the programme to ascertain the efficient utilization of every resource and material committed to the programme.
In his remarks, the Acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, represented by Mallam Aliyu Abubakar Bichi, described the programme as a war against mass unemployment as well as fight against poverty and joblessness in the country.
He also stated that the programme has designed to touch the lives of 774,000 unemployed Nigerians in the next three months and communities would receive facelift through the activities of the participants.
Malam Fikpo said: “Our communities will receive facelift through the activities of the participants as they will engage in various community/environment specific public works activities ranging from: drainage cleaning and maintenance, vegetation control, feeder roads maintenance, irrigation, great green wall and orchard maintenance among many others.”
He urged the communities to cooperate with the participants and officials as they go about their duties.
