Date: 2014-03-10

The Kwara State Government has outlined modalities for engaging 5200 youths in the first phase of its Quickwin Empowerment Programme in the first quarter of this year.

Giving a breakdown of the empowerment at a press briefing in Ilorin today, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of Quickwin implementation committee, said of the figure, 1872 Youths will be engaged for Entrepreneurship training, 1872 for Clean and Green, 1100 for the new Environmental Corps, 350 under KWABES, 156 under the State Road Traffic Management Agency(KWARTMA) and 50 as Special Intervention agents of the State Signage and Advertising Agency (KWASAA).

Alhaji Gold assured that another 200 youths will be engaged monthly to bring the total number of youths to be empowered to 8200 by the end of the year, stressing that Quickwin is open to all youths resident in Kwara State regardless of political affiliation, gender, ethnic or state of origin.

On renumeration, the SSG said KWABES, KWARTMA And KWASAA operatives will receive N10,000 monthly, while Clean and Green and Environmental Corps operatives will be paid N7500 monthly. Those engaged under the Entrepreneurship scheme will be paid N5000 per month for the duration of the training which can be up to 12 months while the Master Trainers will receive N5000 per month per trainee for the duration of the programme.

Alhaji Gold explained that graduate trainees will be trained for a month while non-graduates can be trained for up to a year. All Enterprenuership trainees will be formed into cooperatives and provided access to affordable micro credit on completion of their training, according to the SSG.

Also speaking at the briefing, Alhaji Demola Banu, Commissioner for Finance, said Quickwin will also involve low-hanging infrastructure projects that can be quickly implemented such as borehole and transformer installation, classroom rehabilitation and repair of drainages and culvert across the state. Banu said the state government has set aside N200m monthly for the employment and project components of the Quickwin Empowerment Intervention which starts next month.