The Chairman of the FERMA Governing Board, Ezekiel Adeniji has recently flagged-off the Public Works Scheme of the Agency's South-West (II) Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) on the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
During the ceremony which was attended by ten out of the 14-member Governing Board, the Chairman said that the FERMA SURE-P Public Works scheme in the zone actually came into effect earlier in the year, adding that the flag-off is a formalization of the scheme.
He averred that currently, about 6, 700 youths all over the country from communities adjoined by federal roads and other critical road infrastructure to continuously carry out such routine maintenance operations as vegetation control, de-silting of drains, patching of potholes and sundry road maintenance operations under the supervision of experienced engineers and technicians.
He also informed that the number of participants will be increased from the current to 10, 000 before the end of the year, while envisaging reaching 45, 000 participants by the end of 2014. According to Adeniji, President Goodluck Jonathan has involved communities and youths especially in the scheme to gainfully employ the teaming unemployed youths in the country and commit communities to actively participate in monitoring and maintaining national road assets in line with the President's transformation agenda in the road sector.
He added that the choice of Third Mainland Bridge to launch the scheme is in recognition of the vital place of the 13-kilometre facility in the socio-economic life of the nation. The Chairman inferred that necessary equipment and materials have been deployed to every unit and adequate measures to protect participants from maintenance mishaps and associated shortcomings have been put in place.
Speaking on behalf of participants, Muniru Busari who identified himself as a member of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) thanked the FERMA Board and Management for the opportunity offered to him to be gainfully employed in a scheme that directly benefits the public. He also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the SURE-P Programme as a whole; saying he has given the nation's youths a sense of belonging and opportunity to contribute to nation building.
Source: FERMA flags-off South-West (II) SURE-P Scheme, pledges involvement of all stakeholders (http://fmi.gov.ng/latest/32031/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ferma-flags-off-south-west-ii-sure-p-scheme-pledges-involvement-of-all-stakeholders)
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria