The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to increase the beneficiaries of the Youth empowerment programme, N-Power from five hundred thousand to one million.
It is also seeking to expand the number of those benefitting from the conditional 13 million cash transfer programme to 32 million.
This was contained in the president’s message to commemorate the 2021 workers’ day celebration on Saturday and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
NAN also reports that this year’s Workers’ Day is themed: “COVID-19, Social and Economic Crises: Challenges for Decent Work, Social Protection and Peoples Welfare”.
President Buhari said the expansion of the N-Power programme would ensure job creation and poverty alleviation that would in turn cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians.
In his message, he said it is necessary to put in place some socio-economic policies, like, Conditional Cash Transfer for the vulnerable poor from 2.6 million households (13 million persons) to 7.6 million households (about 32 million persons).
The president narrated in his letter, some programmes that have been put in place to ease good people of Nigeria’s standard of living following the Covid-19 saga.
Mr Buhari said there is COVID-19 Rapid Response Register (RRR) for the urban Poor, which now has 4.8 million households (20 million persons) which also include the urban poor/working class.
He added that there is also an Entrepreneur Support Programme, that is being put in place by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which even, the vulnerable workers amongst the urban poor can benefit from.
We also have the Artisan Support Fund, Payroll Support Fund for small scale businesses, Business Formalisation aimed at encouraging micro, small and medium enterprises by offering free registration for upcoming businesses by the Corporate Affairs Commission, Buhari added.
He also said that there is a Guaranteed Off-take Stimulus Scheme for Small Medium Enterprises for producers of hygienic products and packaged food to encourage entrepreneurship and industries.
Speaking about securing jobs, the president said that the government was promoting social protection and people’s welfare. He added that it is also known that social protection gives peace of mind and hope for a better future.
He concluded that the government have also ensured access to health care and income security for all and provides for you and your family when sick, unemployed, injured, pregnant or too old to work.
