Date: 2019-06-25

WORLD Bank assisted public workfare (PWF) scheme for poor and vulnerable youth in Kwara State will empower 19,200 persons in the next one year.

Speaking during validation, enrolment and orientation programme for the stakeholders and beneficiaries of the scheme, which is under the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO), in Ilorin on Tuesday, the head, PWF in the state, Mallam Shamsudeen Aregbe, said that the programme was meant to graduate beneficiaries from poverty level to self-sufficiency status. Aregbe, who said that beneficiaries would receive a monthly payment of N7,500 each, added that about N1.6billion would be expended on the programme by the state government in one year.

He also said that the beneficiaries are expected to work in their communities four hours in a week except for weekend and public holidays and in such areas as environmental sanitation, desilting of drainages, road rehabilitation, cleaning of public places among others.

The PWF coordinator, who said that the scheme is expected to commence on July 1, 2019, and ending June 30, 2020, advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity to alleviate poverty among vulnerable youth.

Also speaking, permanent secretary, Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Isiaka Al-Amin, commended the state government for being part of 15 states of the federation on the programme, assuring that the programme would continue after the first year duration.

He said that the state government had provided tools and implements to ensure effective take of the scheme, adding that it was in operation in the 16 local government areas of the state.

The permanent secretary, who enjoined the beneficiaries to be prudent and save their money during the programme, added that they could start a meaningful venture afterwards with their earnings.