Kaduna State government has flagged-off engagement of 23,000 youths and middle working class into the special public works programme on behalf of the Federal government of Nigeria.
Performing the ceremony under strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines at Fatika in Giwa Local Government Area of the state, the chairman of the state selection committee and the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, said the target beneficiaries were among the 774, 000 people set to be enroled in the 36 states of the federation, including Federal Capital Territory.
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She explained that, since the inception of the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari, a number of sustainable social safety nets were introduced and being implemented to uplift the living condition of the people including the current public works programme.
She identified such sustainable social programmes to include, school ground feeding programme, N-Power, Anchor Borrowers and conditional cash transfers to mention among others.
Hajiya Baba said that the current public works programme was carefully designed to directly address unemployment gaps among the teaming Nigerian, including people of Kaduna State.
The sharing formula
According to her: “The people under the programme will be engaged to directly address issues of abundant government projects in their respective local government areas.
“About 13 percent of the total number allocated to Kaduna state is shared among the elected and appointed political office holders from the state, while the 87 percent will be given to the people through a random selection committee.”
The state chairman of the selection committee thanked President Buhari, the minister of state labour and employment, Barrister Festus Keyamo and Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasiru El-rufa’i for their commitment towards making the programme a reality.
The selection committee, according to her, had spread the employment allocations to groups like religious institutions, youth associations, civil society organizations, national union of road transport workers and women societies across Kaduna State.
She urged the beneficiaries of the programme to make good use of the opportunity before them to better their living condition in the three months terminal empowerment.
Also speaking, the District Head of Fatika, Kaigaman Zazzau, Alhaji Lawal Nuhu Umar said the inclusion of farmers association into the programme will give people at the grassroot a sense of belonging in reaping devidents of democracy provided by both federal and Kaduna state government.