N52bn voted for 744,000 job programme is misplaced priority —APC Senator

The Senator representing Osun West Senatorial district at the National Assembly, Adelere Oriolowo, has described the much touted 774,000 Special Public Works (SPW) Programme of the Federal Government as a scam, undesirable and a waste of public funds.

Oriolowo who spoke at a public lecture at The Wings Schools, Iwo, Osun State, on Thursday, said the N52 billion voted for the programme by the Ministry of Labour and approved by the FG, would have been put to better use if it was channelled into establishing industries in the 109 senatorial districts across the country to provide employment for youths or create skills acquisition schemes.

The Senator also revealed that politicians and government officials have resorted to “sharing the money” meant for the programme, thereby making it impossible for its successful implementation.

Speaking on the theme “Connecting Nigeria to its teeming youth: detonating time bomb,” to commemorate the International Youth Day, Oriolowo frowned at the politics that has delayed the payment of the stipend to the participants even with the appropriation of N52 billion for the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in the 2021 budget.

“Sometimes ago, the Federal Government disclosed that they want to distribute money. They earmarked N52 billion to empower the youths picked from 774 councils in the country by giving them N20,000 monthly for three months.

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“They were to be given N60,000 each at the end of three months, but instead of the youths getting what was meant for them, this has resulted in fights and contests.

“The important thing is that the N52 billion could have been used to establish industries if the government had given the amount to all the 109 senatorial districts to create jobs and establish industries for youths. That will help a lot.

“We all know that the meaning of empowerment to an average Nigerian is to give money but this is an insatiable urge. The money can never go round, the vulnerable will be disadvantaged”, he stated.

The lawmaker further stressed the need for employment and skill acquisition programmes for Nigerians youths many of whom, he said, cannot defend their certificates, and called for sanctions against politicians responsible for the delay and causing “fights and contests” over the appropriated fund.

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