By Akintunde Martins.
Last year when President Goodluck Jonathan promised to use part of the savings from the partial removal of oil subsidy to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal policy, it was viewed by some as a mere promise.
However, fifteen months after the introduction of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), by the Federal Government, the programme has started yielding results with the empowerment of women, youths and people living with disabilities through the Community Services Women and Youth Employment CSWYE project of SURE-P.
Grace Rakava, who is one of the beneficiaries of the CSWYE project in the North West Geo-political zone, could not hide her joy as ten years of joblessness was terminated through the CSWYE project. According to her "For almost ten years I have not been working but when God opened this work for me I received it with glory."
Street begging by children is a common feature in the northern part of Nigeria, but with the introduction of this programme parents have been able to take some of these children off the streets by paying their school fees. Thanks to the Community Services Women and Youth Employment Project of SURE-P, Ishaku Lale can now pay his rent and send his children to school. "Now I can pay my rent, feed myself and pay my children's school fees."
The Community Services Women and Youth Employment project which started in fourteen pilot states with 300 to 1000 beneficiaries has scaled up to 3000 beneficiaries in each state and the Federal Capital Territory. To date, a total of 116,000 beneficiaries which comprises 74,863 males 41,137 females including 5,432 people living with disabilities are benefitting with about N3, 183,820,150.00 paid as stipends to beneficiaries.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Consultative Committee of the CSWYE project, in continuation of the National Geo-Political Zone sensitization and appraisal tours, led a high powered delegation which consists of the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdkadir, Esq., and his counterpart in Ministry of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafa, the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, on sensitization and appraisal visit of North West Geo-Political zone.
The event which was tagged, "sensitization and appraisal visit" was held in Kaduna state, starting with a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, followed by a visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji, Dr. Shehu Idris CFR, and a town hall with meeting with traditional rulers, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
While addressing the Kaduna State Governor, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, disclosed that the CSWYE project had created 21,000 job opportunities in the North West Geo-Political Zone. He enumerated other gains of the SURE-P in the zone to include; the Kano Maiduguri Road Dual-carriage way, construction of bridges, the Abuja-Kaduna Railway modernization project, Maternal and Child Health project as well as over 4 132km road maintenance project, among others.
Wogu, while addressing the Emir of Zazzau, used the occasion to solicit continued support of the Royal Father for the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Similarly, the Minister urged beneficiaries to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the project to aspire to greater heights, shun violence in whatever form and join hands with the Federal Government to transform themselves and their communities.
In his address, Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, tasked the Federal Government on sustainability of the project, stating that the project would help in creating opportunities for the youths to be useful to themselves and the entire nation
In the same vein, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris on his part affirmed continued support to the project and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
While also speaking at the occasion, the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak said that President Jonathan led administration has fulfilled its promises to Nigerians through the implementation of the SURE-P programme. He added that the present administration is committed to implementation of socio-economic development projects, urging Nigerians to support the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President.
The event which witnessed a large turnout of Kaduna State Government officials, representatives of State Governors in the North-West Geo-Political Zone, Traditional Rulers and beneficiaries among others, was a demonstration of unalloyed support to the Community Services Women and Youths Employment Project of SURE-P, a social safety net intervention which has been described as a laudable job and empowerment creation initiative of the Federal Government, and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Akintunde Martins writes from Abuja.Print PDF
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