The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated 20,000 Extended Special Public Works (SPW) Programme in Lagos state.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, made this known in Lagos during the inauguration of the Extended SPW Programme of the 774,000 jobs in the country.
Fashola, represented by the ministry’s Head of Works in Lagos State, Mr Kayode Popoola, said the programme aimed at providing employment opportunities for unemployed Nigerians
The minister congratulated the 20,000 Lagosians that had been selected to participate in the programme.
He urged the participants to be at their very best and be good ambassadors of the state.
Fashola added that their attitude and commitment to the assignment would flag more opportunities for the teeming unemployed in the state.
He expressed the conviction that the three months programme would provide the necessary economic palliative for the beneficial unemployed youths.
The minister assured them that government would closely monitor the implementation of the programme to ascertain the efficient utilisation of every resources, human and material committed to the programme.
He noted that youth who diligently participate in the programme implementation might deploy the knowledge and skills acquired to become self employed.
Also, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the project.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the project would complement the efforts of the state government at providing jobs for the youth.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the state on its part had earmarked a substantial amount in the 2021 budget to cater for job creation.
He said: “While we appreciate the efforts of the Federal Government through this initiative, we would like to appeal for an increase in the allocation for the state in consideration of the increasing population that must be catered for.
“This initiative is taking off at the right time when governments at all level need to do everything possible to stem the tide of rising unemployment and also cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people.
“Our administration has always been a stakeholder and partner of the Federal Government in the quest to achieve the growth and development of our economy for the benefit of our people.
“The Extended Special Public Works Jobs Programme being flagged off today, is the brainchild of the Federal Government and one of the strategies to address the issue of unemployment.”
Sanwo-Olu said the state government a couple of weeks ago, flagged off its Graduate Internship Placement Programme, an initiative being implemented in collaboration with the private sector.
Earlier, in his address of welcome, the Acting Director General, National Directorate of Employment, Mr Nuhu Fikpo, said the programme was designed as a veritable tool through which unemployed Nigerians would be positively touched in the next three months.
Fikpo said the communities would also receive facelift through various activities of participants as they would engage in various community and environmental works.
In his good will message, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu, represented by Obanikoro of Lagos, Chief Ajaiyi Benbe, commended the Federal Government for the initiative and prayed for the success of the programme. (NAN)
