SURE-P: Sokoto trains 2,300 unemployed youths on social works

From Raji Bello, Sokoto

As part of efforts to curtail unemployment trend in the state, Sokoto government has trained about 2,300 unemployed youths in order to engage them for community service across the state.

The youths who were drawn from the 23 local government councils of the state were engaged in a seven-week training, held at Wamakko town of Wamakko local government area if the state.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony yesterday, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko said that his administration spent over N299 million to train the unemployed youths as environmental, security and traffic marshals.

The governor stated that the youths were trained under the state’s Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P).

According to him, “The youths would be deployed across the state to complement the efforts of the various security, traffic control, as well as environmental agencies.

“Let me however warn the youths against taking over the jobs of these agencies, but to complement them,” Wamakko, warned.

The governor said that the operations of the youths would be strictly monitored and evaluated, warning, “any acts of indiscipline will be sanctioned accordingly.”

Wamakko stated that an office to serve as the programme’s state headquarters had been provided, while efforts are on to provide other logistics to the youths.

The governor disclosed that his administration had so far trained over 300,000 unemployed youths in various vocational skills from 2007 to date.

He also announced the appointment of a retired Commissioner of Police, Mr Sa’idu Madawaki as the Commandant-General of the programme.

The state Commissioner of Special Duties, Alhaji Abdullahi Dange commended Wamakko for initiating the scheme.

Also speaking, the Consultant of the scheme, Squadron Leader Shehu Ya’u (rtd.) called for its sustenance, saying that, “it serves as a panacea to many of the challenges facing Nigeria, including security.”