Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Federal Government, through its Extended Special Public Works Programme, has engaged 8,000 unemployed indigenes of Bayelsa State for the 774,000 jobs under the National Directorate of Employment.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, made this known at the commencement of the ESWP in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Tuesday.
Sylva said that the programme was designed to protect the most vulnerable from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including pervasive hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and joblessness.
Sylva, represented by his Technical Adviser on Niger Delta, Mr Oyambo Owei, said the 8,000 beneficialaries were recruited from the eight local government areas of the state and the engagement would last between January and April, 2021.
He said the need to address the challenges faced by the people doe to Covid-19 crisis informed the decision to implement the ESPW as a strategy to facilitate the creation of productive and inclusive societies in the nation.
Sylva said, “As I address you today, our target is to immediately engage the 8,000 selected unemployed persons in Bayelsa State for the programme to execute carefully selected projects across the eight local government areas in the state.
Each participating local government identified its preferred projects and will be responsible for ensuring that they are executed as planned.”It is instructive to mention that all the tools and equippment required have been provided, hence the Federal Government expects strong commitment from all stakeholders in ensuring efficient implementation.”
Although the ESPW is an ephemeral strategy to last for three months, I am convinced that it will provide the necessary economic palliatives to these 8,000 unemployed youths.”In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Labour and Employment, Otokito Federal, who represented Governor Douye Diri, commended the Federal Government for the initiative and expressed the conviction that the aim of the programme would be achieved.
He said the state government was ready to partner with the NDE to provide more opportunities for the people of the state.Â