By Appolos Christian
After several months of delay, the federal government yesterday launched the Special Public Works (SPW)programme, targeted at employing 774,000 unemployed Nigerian youths.
Minister of state for labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo while flagging off the programme said it will provide the necessary economic palliatives to the 774,000 unemployed youths.
the SPW is expected to last for three months and the 774,000 youths engaged with earn a stipend of N20,000 each month.
Mr Keyamo said the youths who participate in the project may deploy the skills acquired to become self employed.
“In addition, government and the organised private sector may in due course create/provide exit options,” he said.
According, “it is also aimed at shielding the most vulnerable from the ravaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic which include, but are not limited to, pervasive hunger, poverty environmental degradation and joblessness.
“The need to quickly address the above mentioned informed the decision to implement the ESPW. Our target is to immediately engage the 774,000 selected unemployed Nigerians for the programme to execute carefully selected projects across the 774 local government areas in the country.”
In his address, acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo said the flag off marks the actualisation of the single most far-reaching grassroots based employment creation initiative in the history of the country.
