By Amos Tauna, Kaduna ;-
Northern Civil Society Groups, NCSG, have noted with delight the efforts of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development,
Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq for running a unique, exemplified, transparent, accessible and sentiment free programme meant to uplift the living standards of the youths in the country.
The youths noted that the national empowerment programme called the N-Power, the pains of unemployment and poverty has been reduced drastically by engaging thousand of Nigerian youths into various sections of the N-power programme viza viz N- teac, N-agro and N- health.
The spokesman of the groups, Mallam Yusuf Idris Amok, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna called on Nigerian youths to fully embrace the N-Power batch programme initiated by the federal government to significantly reduce the pains of unemployment and poverty that is stirring in their faces.
The Civil Society groups expressed delight with the federal government through the Office of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk that has prepared to enroll youths in their hundreds of thousand into the N-Power programme at this trying times of economic crunch from the COVID 19 Pandemic.
The groups noted that through the programme, the pains of
unemployment and poverty has been reduced by engaging hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youths into various sections of the N-power programme.
The statement explained, “The programme which started with 200,000 youths has since been increased to 500,000 overtime. This is a huge number that has surely made a significant impact in assisting this youths by putting food on their table.”
As the first phase comes to an end, the civil society groups urged the government through the Minister to provide soft loan for the beneficiaries of this phase to establish businesses.
They urged the Minister to pay much attention on people who are already working but still enrolled on the programme there by blocking the spaces of other genuine youths who are in dire need to earn a living.
“Such people should be prosecuted to serve as lessons to others. Northern Youths have in the past neglected such efforts provided to them by saying this is for those who only know people up there,” the groups emphasized.
The groups said that the Minister has assured that equal treatment be given to all those who apply, as transparency, equity and merit will be up held in the selection
process.
They called on the Nothern youths to endeavor to apply to the N power programme in other to fill the
quota of the 19 Northern states to avoid crying foul that people from other parts of the country have taken their space.
They also called on Northern political office holders ranging from Councillors, Council Chairmen to Members of Houses of Assembly and Representatives to convert their campaign/constituency offices into registration points by providing free internet facilities to aid easy registration by the youths.
There is a pressing need to loudly speak on the issue frustrating the N-power programme, which is that of doublers, stressing that they are those persons who are gainfully employed but still lack the
contentment to let the application of this N-power to people who are jobless and in need of urgent help most especially amidst this covid19 pandemonium.
