The Federal Government has flagged off the Extended Special Public Works Programme targeted to engage the selected 774,000 unemployed Nigerians in the nation’s 774 local government areas.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Dr. Chris Ngige, who flagged off the exercise at Awka South Local Government Secretariat, Amawbia, said the programme was the outcome of the Pilot Special Public Works Programme in rural areas approved by Federal Government, and implemented by the National Directorate of Employment in the early part of 2020.
According to him, the pilot programme was implemented in eight States of the federation in order to guage its impact in addressing the ballooning population of the unemployed and rising insecurity in some parts of the country.
The Minister noted that under the scheme, the ministry decided to adopt a proactive approach by engaging the nation’s youths in some important sectors of the economy to facilitate the creation of productive and inclusive societies in the country.
Dr. Ngige further noted that the scheme is an ephemeral strategy, to last for three months, 5th January, 2021, to 4th April, 2021, and is intended to offer self employment to beneficiaries.
He announced federal government’s intention to monitor the implementation to ascertain the efficient utilization of every resource, human and material committed to the programme.
The Transition Committee Chairman of Awka South Local Government, Chief Leo Nwuba and other government officials were part of the epoch making event.
