Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has reiterated the resolve of his administration towards effective implementation of the extended special public works programme in the state.
The Governor was speaking at the flagging off of the commencement of the Federal Government’s extended Special Public Works Programme held at the Multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall, Bauchi, on Wednesday.
Bala Mohammed who was represented by the State Commissioner for Small and Medium Enterprises, Modibbo Ahmed, said that the state government is used to such programmes and is ready to support its existence and implementation in the state.
He also said that working tools and protective gadgets have been provided for all the participants in their working environments while their details have been captured by the designated banks to guarantee fraud-free, transportation and ensure fair service delivery.
The governor who said that for effective monitoring of the programme, supervisors have been appointed in all the projects sites to conduct supervisory roles, noted that each participating Local Government would identify its preferred projects and will be responsible for ensuring that they are executed as planned.
He said already the state government is providing adequate funds for the coordination, monitoring and evaluation for the engagement of the youth into various programmes particularly in YESSO.
The Governor then congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to make judicious use of the opportunity saying, “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Federal Government, the National Directorate of Employment for the successful selection of the beneficiaries of this programme. I believe it will go along way in improving the economic strength of our youths in the country.”
In a keynote address, the Acting Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, (NDE), Malam Abubakar Fikpo, explained that participants are expected to be paid a monthly stipend of N20, 000 each effective from January 2021 to March 2021 as the programme commenced from January 5, 2021, to April 4, 2021.
The Acting Director-General who was represented by the Bauchi State Coordinator of the Directorate, Aliyu Lawal Yaya, said that the programme is very significant in reducing the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and was designed to fast-track the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017-2020).
Malam Abubakar Fikpo also said that the programme as designed will touch the lives of 774,000 unemployed Nigerians for three months where communities will benefit through the activities of the participants who will be engaged in various community/environmental public works.