Friday, June 4, 2021 – Kogi State Government has reiterated its commitment to continue to support various policies and initiatives of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.
Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Ayoade Folashade, PhD, gave this assurance while receiving a delegation from the Office of the Honorable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN. The delegation which was led by Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, the Director of Information and Public Relations in National Directorate of Employment visited the Kogi State for field assessment of operations of the Extended Special Public Works Program initiated by the Federal Government late last year to engage 1,000 persons per Local Government Area for community service.
Mrs Ayoade who thanked the Federal Government for its thoughtfulness in meeting the yearnings of the people also described the Minister of State for Labour and Employment as a bold and courageous individual who will never give up on the cause he believes in.
She described Kogi State as a mini Nigeria with three major ethnic groups and several others which is bothered by ten states including the FCT. She further noted that the dexterity of Governor Yahaya Bello to manage the diversities in the state should be encouraged through overwhelming support for his Presidential ambition.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation – Mr Edmund Onwuliri commended the Kogi State Selection Committee led by Mr. Afolabi Joseph-Raji for the transparency and seriousness in the implementation of the Special Public Works Program in the State. He further thanked the NDE State Coordinator- Alhaji Abubakar Zakari for collaboting with the State Selection Committee for the effective implementation of the program in the State.
Mr. Onwuliri promised that his office would address the various issues and challenges raised by the SPW Participants in the State, particularly the non-payment of stipends to Participants who were duly onboarded.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Bishop (Dr). John Ibenu, a member of the State Selection Committee raised the issues about delays in payment of stipends to the SPW Participants and the omission of some of the names that were submitted by the State Selection Committee. He urged the visiting team to look into the issues which have been a source of concern to beneficiaries who were originally shortlisted.
Also speaking during the inspection of the Old market project site in Lokoja, the State President of the Market Women Association, Hajia Momo Gimba commended the SPW Participants on duty for their sense of dedication and appealed to the Federal Government for an extension of the program to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.
Responding to issues raised during the exercise, the Chairman of the State Selection Committee, Mr. Afolabi Joseph-Raji appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for providing succour to 1,000 persons in every Local Government Area in Nigeria through the SPW Program. He expressed the desire for the program to be sustained and enhanced to tackle the scourge of youth unemployment in the country.
Mr. Joseph-Raji also sought for quick resolution of the issues that were responsible for the delays by Commercial Banks in onboarding selected participants and prompt payment of monthly stipends to the SPW Participants.