By Stella Odueme
Minister, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, has announced that the Portal for the Restructured Youth Investment Fund of N110 billion will be accessible in the coming days.
The Minister made this announcement during a courtesy visit from the Middle Belt Youth Council, led by President Hon. Emmanuel Zopmal, to her office in Abuja.
She emphasized that the fund is designed to provide crucial support for businesses led by young entrepreneurs who are currently experiencing financial challenges. She said the fund aims to offer financial assistance, mentorship, and resources to help these businesses overcome their struggles and thrive.
“We are working very hard so that the portal can be opened to allow young people to register to access the fund. When the portal is opened, we will continue to inform and guide young people on how to access the N110 billion committed by the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“This fund will prioritize existing businesses. We understand that they are already established and have their clients. What they need is a little push to avoid sinking due to the current state of the economy,” she stated.
According to her, within one year, the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu has achieved numerous milestones, including the approval of a 30% youth quota for government appointments, the implementation of the Presidential Initiatives on Youth Enterprise Clusters, the establishment of a 70,000 minimum wage for Civil servants ,the introduction of CNG buses to transport citizens, direct purchase and distribution of food items to the most vulnerable families across the nation, plans to resume local production in refineries to reduce the cost of fuel, and the rehabilitation and commissioning of the Abuja Metro Stations. The government is also committed to providing free services by the end of 2024, as directed by Mr. President.
She informed that the recently passed North Central Development Commission bill is a testament that the President is very supportive of that Region.
Earlier, President of the Middle Belt Youth Council and the leader of the team,Hon. Emmanuel Zopmal, stated that the purpose of the visit was to engage with the Federal Government regarding the policies that affect the youth and to discuss how they can contribute to governance.
On behalf of the middle belt youths,Zopmal also made it known that the Youth from his region are not in support of the planned protestthe opinion of the middle belt youth to the Minister, stressing that they do not support the planned protest against the government scheduled for next month(August 1,2024)
He stressed the importance of understanding government’s initiatives designed for the youth through constructive engagement.
