Mulls Project For youths empowerment
By Onuminya Innocent
The Sokoto State Government has spent N740 million for the settlement of West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) registration fees for its students.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal stated this Sunday at the inauguration of the Sokoto State chapter of the elected executives of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and the Federation of Sokoto Students Organization (FOSSOSA) held at the auditorium of Sultan Maccido Quranic institute, Sokoto.
In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello, Tambuwal said plans are currently under way by the state government to unveil the Sokoto Youth Economic Empowerment Project (SO-YEEP).
According to the governor, the programme is designed to involve thousands of youths across the 3,032 polling units of the 23 local government areas in the state.
Tambuwal further explained that the project will include skills training, direct disbursement and mentoring.
The governor, who said that the state government is aware that majority of the youths have lots of businesses and ideas but lack start-up capital, assured them that arrangements have reached advanced stage towards establishing the Sokoto Youth Development Fund (SOYDEF) to assist them.
”This is in continuation of our efforts in making Sokoto youths not only self reliant but also employers of labour and creators of wealth,” he added, while challenging them to be very focused towards the realization of the youth development agenda of his administration.
He said his administration is focused on transforming the state through numerous ongoing projects and programmes that include the ongoing construction of a new ultra-modern sports complex and indoor sports hall.
He said the two facilities will be the launching pads for the grooming of future champions from the state in the arenas of national and international competitions.
In his address, the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Bashir Usman Gorau, thanked the governor for giving the youths the opportunity to serve in different capacity.
