SPEECH: Launch Of The Youth Employment And Social Support Operation (YESSO)

Protocols

Today marks another historic event in Ekiti State and indeed Nigeria as the State formally launches YESSO in demonstration of our commitment to the constructive engagement of our teeming youths in productive ventures. This is in furtherance of our determination to combat poverty frontally. No doubt, YESSO will further complement our various interventions at instituting an enduring and well structured poverty reduction strategy in Ekiti State.

At the inauguration of this Administration in October 2010, various initiatives were put in place to create wealth and provide employment opportunities for the youth in our dear State such as the Ekiti State Traffic Management Corps, the Fire Brigade Corps, Neighborhood Peace Corps, Environmental and Sanitary Inspectors, Street Sweepers, and the Youth Volunteer Corps, etc.  Similarly the Ekiti State Social Security Scheme was also introduced, the first of its kind in the country to cater for the welfare of the elderly through monthly payment of N5,000 as stipends to vulnerable people above 65 years of age irrespective of political affiliation. The programme is currently undergoing a review to make it more effective.

Also, Government restructured  Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through the mandate mapping exercise to delineate  roles and responsibilities with a view to reducing frictions and roles conflict, in order to increase workers output and productivity. By this, the Coordination of Development Partners Assistance platform in the MBEP&SD was strengthened. The Job Creation and Employment Agency (JCEA) was also repositioned to compliment our poverty reduction interventions.

These initiatives clearly encouraged the World Bank and Federal Ministry of Finance to partner with our Government and other pilots States currently implementing the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO). I am glad that Ekiti is the first State among the seven to formally launch the Scheme after the National launch in September, 2013.

Ekiti State became effective on Monday, July 1, 2013 and the Operation will run for 7 years (2013-2020) with a portfolio of about 18 million US dollars. Ekiti State has accessed N199,192,955.50 as at April, 2014, being 50% of the 2014 annual work plan and the Government of Ekiti State is committed to the payment of the  N168,802,200.00
counterpart share for 2014 annual work plan. By the time the State Operation Coordination Unit (SOCU), housed in the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Service Delivery, submits the first Ekiti State Single Register of Poor and Vulnerable Households in Mid-October, 2014, the Job Creation and Employment Agency will subsequently commence the recruitment of beneficiaries into Public Work Fare (PWF) and Skill for Job (S4J) components of YESSO using the Single Register of Poor/Vulnerable Household data. We expect this to happen before the year runs out. In addition, there is an on-going arrangement to facilitate the eligibility of Ekiti State for the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) component of YESSO by 2015. I hope the State will receive the maximum support of the World Bank to make this a reality.

Let me emphasise here, that YESSO has an overall policy document named the ‘’Generic Operational Manual (GOM)” for the implementation of the scheme. Ekiti State has the Domesticated Operation Manual (DOM) document which drew inspiration from the GOM and our own extant experience from running our Youth Volunteer Scheme. Therefore there are clearly defined procedures guiding the structure and the financing of the implementation of this intervention. The World Bank is very strict with its policies and programmes, hence, it is certain that we would derive value for money because of our Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

On our part, Ekiti State is already rated highly in terms of efficiency, transparency and competitiveness amongst Sub-National governments in the country. Only this week, the World Bank launched its latest ‘Ease of Doing Business’ report which highlighted state competitiveness rankings. The bank concluded that Ekiti State was among the five leading states that had made remarkable progress on all indices of doing business with ease. The World Bank further affirmed that Ekiti State was among the states that stood out for introducing several high-impact reforms that narrowed the gap to best practices the most.

In the last four years of this administration, it is remarkable that Ekiti State has been the beneficiary of at least six World Bank projects in the areas of Agriculture (FADAMA); Health (Health Systems Development Project – HSDP II); Education (State Education Program Investment Project – SEPIP); Water (National Urban Water Sector Reform Project); Governance; as well as Public Finance Management. We should however not rest on our oars but build on this through the YESSO operations.

At this juncture, I wish to appreciate the support and confidence that the World Bank has in this Administration which has led to our selection as one of the pilot States for the implementation of this project. I thank all invited dignitaries for making this launch a reality. I also congratulate the six Pilot Local Governments of Ekiti West, Ado, Ido/Osi, Oye, Ekiti South West and Gboyin for being selected. I hope the honourable people of Ekiti will take full advantage of this scheme to support the poorest of the poor and vulnerable households in their communities and help make poverty history in our state. The Operation intervention is a continuous process, and I want to assure those that are yet to benefit that the remaining LGAs will be reached in due course with all the three components of YESSO.

It is on this note that I formally launch the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) and Domesticated Operation Manual (DOM) in Ekiti State to the Glory of God, and the benefit of our people. On leaving this hall you are all cordially invited to join me in commissioning the YESSO Operational Vehicles parked outside.

Thank you and God Bless.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Governor, Ekiti State

Friday, October 3, 2014

Ekiti State Government Press Release