Despite the recent revelation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that over 133 million Nigerians are living in poverty, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) is relentless in saving Nigerians from poverty and unemployment through its numerous programmes. PAUL OKAH reports
The revelation by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that over 133 million Nigerians are poor appears to be a major motivation to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) as it is working round the clock to lift millions of Nigeria from poverty.
When the ministry was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, the president gave marching orders to the pioneer minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, to rescue Nigerians from the shackles of poverty.
Earlier in 2016, the administration created the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP), which was overseen by the Office of the Vice President, until the creation of the ministry in 2019.
The N-Power programme, under NSIP is targeted at Nigerian youths, especially school leavers (non graduates) and school graduates between the ages of 18-35 and ensures that beneficiaries earn N30, 000 (for graduates) or N10, 000 (for non graduates) monthly stipends from the federal government until they are exited from the programme or secure permanent employments.
From inception, N-Power had three core segments, including N-Power Volunteer Corps (for graduates), N-Power Build (for non graduates) and N-Power Knowledge- which is also a non-graduate programme for ICT-inclined Nigerians and that embodies the N-Tech Hardware, N-Tech Software and the N-Creative training programme.
Being an all-inclusive programme, N-Power focuses primarily on unemployed Nigerian youths with the aim of developing their employability and entrepreneurship skills and capacity, which is geared towards making these youths, self-reliant and future employers of labour after going through the learn-work-entrepreneurship culture of the N-Power programme.
N-Knowledge training for 7,000 beneficiaries
As a result of its relentless effort to tackle poverty, unemployment and other social vices, the ministry trained 7,000 beneficiaries in the Batch C Stream 2 of the N-Knowledge programme in the 6 geo-political zones of the country.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, December 15, at the closing ceremony of the training for beneficiaries from North-central held at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), the minister, Hajia Sadiya said that the training is a clear demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to collectively address youth unemployment, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s deliberate efforts to empower Nigerian youths and to reduce poverty in Nigeria.
She said, “I am delighted to bid farewell to trainees of the N-Knowledge training programme for the six geo-political zones of the country. It is worthy to note that what is happening in PSIN here in Abuja today is also taking place in 11 Training Camps across the six geo-political zones in the country, where 7,000 trainees are successfully trained in the Batch C-Steam 2 of the N-Knowledge Programme.
“This event is a clear demonstration of our commitment to collectively address youth unemployment in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s deliberate efforts to empower Nigerian youths and to reduce poverty in Nigeria.
“It is worthy to note that the NSIP is one of the largest social protection programmes in Africa with about $1billion invested annually to improve the lives of the poor and most vulnerable in the country. N-Power that has brought us here today is one of the key programmes that has impacted positively on the lives of vulnerable youths in Nigeria, including persons with disability.
“The N- Knowledge programme, is a three (3) month in-camp and six (6) month apprenticeship training programme that is designed to build competencies and capacity in highly demanding technical and vocational skills in the: N-Tech Software and N-Tech Hardware programmes.
“It is worthy to note that, the federal government has made an investment in each of these trainees in the above listed trades by acquiring and providing for each of them, the required tool kits to enable them become and operate as skilled professional technicians. The federal government has also approved N10,000 monthly stipends for nine months. As you graduate from the in-camp training today, you will also undergo a six-month compulsory apprenticeship programme.
“Having completed the in-camp training, you will be attached directly to relevant institutions for your Six (6) month apprenticeship. This attachment would enable you to have work-based learning experience. During this six-month attachment period, your performance will be assessed and examined by: Training Service Providers (TSP), FMHADMSD Independent Monitors and N-Power Team. I would love our trainees to know and understand that they are all lucky for being selected from the pool of many qualified Nigerian youths that applied for this programme.
“The knowledge that you have been impacted with, while in camp here will remain necessary skills for today and tomorrow in any global economy. The ministry and other relevant stakeholders have worked assiduously to ensure that what we are witnessing here today is a reality and would help in bridging the gap in demand for standard and market relevant skills. I acknowledge the support and cooperation of the state government and other stakeholders towards the realisation of Mr. President’s agenda of lifting 100 Million Nigerians out of poverty.”
Perm sec speaks
Also speaking, the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Nasiru Sani-Gwarzo, said the programme witnessed an intensive crashed and undiluted training programme aimed at making the trainees well equipped for the tasks ahead of them.
“As we all know, N-Power programme is an all-inclusive programme that focuses primarily on unemployed Nigerian youth with the aim of developing their employability and entrepreneurial skills. The N-Power programme which is for young Nigerians between the ages of 18-35 is a brain child of the Buhari-Osinbajo administration and this has recorded tremendous successes over the years.
“I want to sincerely thank the Honourable minister for graciously approving the commencement of the N-Knowledge Training programme for the six geo-political zones which today has marked the end of the centralised training and commencement of a new phase of apprenticeship and attachment.
“This journey witnessed an intensive crashed and undiluted training programme aimed at making the trainees well equipped for the tasks ahead of them. Our dear trainees were well informed during the training sessions of this programme that you should make judicious use of this rare opportunity, you were also well advised to imbibe all the skills and reorientation that were well organised for you during your stay in the different training camps.
“I would want to emphasise again that every trainee must see this opportunity as a blessing that must not be wasted. Having interacted with various kinds of people from different background, making friends, learning together, discovering together, then put all these efforts to practice as this will shape your future. Recall that several thousand applied for this same programme and you got the opportunity to be engaged into it having satisfied the selection criteria. This should be taken seriously.”
Beneficiaries laud minister
While appreciating the ministry, many of the N-Knowledge beneficiaries said they would make use of the knowledge from the programme to lift themselves from poverty, even as they advised other beneficiaries not to joke with the knowledge gotten from instructors in the programme.
Khadija Abdulrahman Yunus, who hails from Plateau state, said that the training would be of immense benefit to her as she is a computer scientist in search of practical knowledge.
“We were given tools, which will help us in repairing laptops, iPads, smartphones. This training would greatly impact on us. I am a computer scientist. I am studying Computer Science. This programme is part of my course and I am glad to benefit from it because it is in field. Where I come from, we believe in not ignoring things that will add to us. The government has taught us and given us tools to work with and I will exploit it. I will urge the beneficiaries to know that this will not end here. As a beneficiary, keep the tools and use it effectively,” she said.
On his part, Ogenyi Isaac, who hails from Benue state said that with the skills he acquire in the training, he would undertake the hardware repairs of phones, laptops and other gadgets for people.
“I have never seen this kind of empowerment before. I feel overwhelmed. I am grateful to Mr President and the Honourable minister for giving me the chance to benefit from this training. I learnt hardware repairs. As a beneficiary, if I have any issue with my hardware, I don’t have to take it anywhere. With the skills I have learnt, there is no need to take it anywhere or to pay anyone.
“Some youths will sit at home and think that the government is not doing anything. This is real at PSIN. Some, as a youth, whenever there is an opportunity, always apply. When I was applying, I didn’t know it will be like this. Today, I have been given packages to help me in practicing the skills, apart from numerous allowances I got in the course of the training. The money will help me to set up my own business.”