Determined to alleviate the sufferings of the Kano youth and uplift their living standard, so as to curb youth restiveness, the Kano state Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has launched another empowerment programme of 8,800 youth across the 44 local government areas of the state.
He provided them with the capital of N20, 000 each as a start-up capital for them to support their businesses, adding that, “It is with great pleasure to be here in your midst for the issuance of start-ups capital in the sum of N20,000 each to a total of 8,800 males drawn from the 44 local governments “.
According to him, this programme is in continuation of the present administration’s empowerment schemes and tailored towards providing opportunities to our youth to embark on various businesses so that they become self-reliant.”
Ganduje further reveals that, “In our effort to attain this goal, the state government has approved the release of N275 Million for immediate disbursement to the beneficiaries across the 44 local governments.”
He said the empowerment programme was not meant to benefit only males, but also over 6,600 women will equally benefit from the programme, where each of them will received N15,000, out of the N132 million. Ours is to make sure that families become happier and self-reliant.”
He made it clear that, from the inception of his administration, priority attention, as a matter of policy, has been given to such empowerment programme schemes, taking into cognisance of the state numerical strength.
He added that, “there is the need to uplift the living standard of our citizens and by extension to stimulate the growth of the state economically. To also do away with the poverty plaguing our society, as poverty breeds restiveness, while restiveness brings religious extremism. So by doing this kind of programme we are addressing these societal ills.”
Ganduje explained that, “If you could recall, government has undertaken programmes and projects aimed at empowering our people which include the construction of Community Skills and Development Centres at Rumfa College and Dawakin Tofa, to start with 360 apprentice in two centres.”
Ganduje said we have trained over 5,000 apprentices in different trades under the supervision of 655 master craft persons. We are doing all these things to bring succour to an important segment of our population especially, our youth.”
According to him, the Phase II programme will also recruit 3,000 apprentices under the supervision of 900 master craft persons in collaboration with Mafita (The Way Out) of DFID-UK.
Governor Ganduje also made it clear to the gathering that, “We had similar programme last year 2017, when we empowered 8,800 men from the 44 local government areas and another 8,800 female youth when we spent over N300m in all the programmes. Just similar to what we are doing now.”
“Our dear President Muhammadu Buhari ordered all the states to always give an important concern to empowerment of our youth. What we are doing today is that we are only obeying what our President directed us to do.”
Ganduje affirmed that, “During the forthcoming 2019 election, Buhari will floor all other not-people-oriented contestants with the widest margin ever witnessed in the history of Presidential election in the country.
He said Kano “Will always support our dear President to come back and continue steering the ship to the promised land. As he has started already. This is our wish and we are always determined to see to its fulfilment. I urge you to go and make sure that your voters cards are much ready for the election,” he concludes.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo, hailed Ganduje for his continued effort and support, to the upliftment of the teeming youth in the state, adding that, “A total number of 200 male youth were drawn from each of the 44 local governments.stressing that,recently a total number of 745 were trained and recruited as road traffic officers.”
“Today’s event marks an indelible mark in addressing the critical issue of unemployment plaguing our youth. This is part of the critical areas His Excellency is putting extra effort to address for the betterment of our people,” he added.
Also, the chairman of the committee on empowerment programme, and the commissioner of information, Mallam Mahammad Garba, said the state government has trained two million youths in different skills acquisition programme, in which 3million of them is targeted for training before the end of the administration.