No Public Funds will Be Used to Finance my NGO, Says Masari

No Public Funds will Be Used to Finance my NGO, Says Masari

By Francis Sardauna

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has said that he will not use public funds to finance his non-governmental organisation (NGO), Aminu Bello Masari Youth Empowerment Foundation, adding that not a single kobo has been diverted for the foundation.

He added that the aim of establishing the NGO was to intervene directly in the lives of the youths and the less privileged, particularly the physically challenged within and outside Katsina State without prejudice to partisanship as he commenced the journey of leaving public office in 2023.

With zero tolerance to money sharing, he said, the foundation would use the existing entrepreneurs to train the new ones as apprentices and assist those with small businesses to develop into a “much bigger business”, so that they can have more hands to work with for ultimate productivity.

Masari, in an interactive session with journalists on the activities of the foundation on Tuesday, said: “It is a non-partisan foundation and whatever we do there won’t be partisanship because it is personal. When l finally leave office, we will put arrangement in place that the foundation will be sustainable even after my life.

“Not a single kobo belonging to the government will be used to finance the foundation. That is why even the launching of the foundation’s office took place outside government properties. But you know, a typical Nigerian opposition, if you give him swan water, he will say it is an acid water because it is clean. Records are there, no government agency or ministry is involved in this.

“Our intention is not to give money to people. No, it’s to train them and put them to work. It is high time to start forcing our youths to be more productive, to depend upon themselves, not depending on government’s patronage or employment.”

Masari said he is putting machinery in motion to reinvigorate the foundation without government’s direct involvement, adding that the foundation would contribute significantly in promoting the role of youths in shaping the future of Nigeria, particularly at this critical moment that the nation is faced with security challenges.

He explained that the foundation is part of his humble contributions towards redirecting youths from dependency to productivity and formidable people with a hope for a better future, noting that it serves as a turning point towards rolling out his dreams and plans for the future of the Nigerian youths.

He reiterated that the foundation would be used to provide the needed support for the youths in the thematic areas of education, youths empowerment, medical outreach and positive mentorship for them to realise their potentials.

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