Jonathan Targets 270,000 Jobs With New Scheme

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President Goodluck Jonathan this morning launched the Public Works, Women and Youth Empowerment Programme designed to create 270,000 jobs by the end of the year in Abuja.

The job creation programme is one of the initiatives contained in Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE, to be implemented from the Federal Government’s savings from the removal of subsidy from petrol.

While launching the programme, President Jonathan said that the scheme will provide temporary employment for between 5,000 and 10,000 unemployed youths in each of the 36 states of the federation.

The beneficiaries will be engaged in public works like construction of rural roads, beautification projects, environmental protection projects and so on.

The President presented tools for public works to representatives of beneficiaries during the launching of the programme this morning.

There is also the skills building aspect of the programme, in which school leavers will be attached to acquire experience necessary for them to get jobs.

President Jonathan, who said the job creation scheme will be implemented in an efficient, cost effective and transparent manner, added that the Project Implementation Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance will drive the programme in conjunction with other relevant ministries.

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He added that state level implementation committees will also be established for the programme while arrangement has been made for direct disbursement of funds to beneficiaries to avoid cases of bureaucratic bottlenecks.

The President added that gender and other vulnerabilities will be put into consideration in recruitment of beneficiaries for the programme.

He added that six states, one each from Nigeria’s six geographical zones have already indicated their readiness to commence the programme.

While speaking before the launching, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State promised that state governors will also launch programmes on which they will spend the savings on removal of fuel subsidy.

Vice President Namadi Sambo also noted that providing employment for the youths will lead to peace and create a conducive atmosphere for investment across the country.

Ambassador Christopher Kolade, the Chairman of the implementation committee of the programme, promised that his committee will ensure that the initiative which is put in place to provide genuine relief for the unemployed is implemented. He, however, said the success of the programme will depend on the cooperation of the beneficiaries.

—Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja

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