Beneficiaries in Ekiti share testimonies
By Roundoffnews.
Across section of unemployed youths in Ekiti State who benefited from the social support scheme of the Federal Government known as Npower have described the scheme as a veritable platform to end poverty in the country.
N-power was set up by president Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 with the aim of addressing the issue of youth unemployment and help increase social development.
The scheme which is a component of the National Social Investment Programme provides a structure for large scale and relevant work skills acquisition for unemployed youths with a monthly stipend of thirty thousand naira in which youths from Ekiti State were not an exception.
Five years down the line, hundreds of youths from across the sixteen local government areas of Ekiti State who benefited from the scheme have turned out to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
Speaking with Roundoffnews at their separate places of business, the youths including, Temitope Ogunfowokan, Sunday Ajisafe, segun Bokarinwa and Dele Abiola confirmed that their lives have changed after benefiting from the scheme.
Some of the beneficiaries who shared their testimonies in called on successive governments in the country to sustain the initiative saying the scheme must not be stopped.
According to the beneficiaries, the current state of insecurity and economic meltdown experienced in the country would have been disastrous if government had not taken such step which they tagged a major bailout for youths
One of them, Sunday Ajisafe said, I was one of the beneficiaries, I was posted to a school where I got more knowledge about printing press and today I have my own personal shop at Ojido area of Ado Ekiti.
Another beneficiary, who said he got enrolled in 2017 said he ventured into poultry business after his two years of obtaining stipend and today he had been able to make a lot of money to take care of himself and family members.
The beneficiaries thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the initiative adding that the pattern and mode of disbursing the stipend directly to beneficiaries was also commendable.
In his reaction, a lecturer with the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Dr Olusola Muka affirmed that the scheme had moved a lot of people from poverty to the middle class and as well reduced joblessness among youths.
Dr Muka affirmed that the Npower project was one of the reasons Nigeria got out of recession adding that the scheme was a great factor that reduced crime among many youths.
The view of Dr Muka was also corroborated by the speaker of the Ekiti State Youth Parliament, Mr Toba Fatunla and a Public Affairs Anlyst Mr .Okeya who both harped on sustainability of the scheme considering its impact on the people and the economy.
The focal person for the Social Investment Programme in Ekiti State, Mr Victor Kolade had recently at a programme described the programme as a relief mechanism which came at the right time for the Nigerian Youths.
Mr Kolade hoped that soon some of the beneficiaries would turn out to become top richest persons in the country.
Source: Roundoffnews