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From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Yobe State government has introduced measures to curb diversion, sales and misuse of empowerment supports given to its citizens to create employment and alleviate poverty.
Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Empowerment and Employment Generation, Alhaji Yerima Bularafa disclosed this in an interview with Saturday Sun yesterday (Friday) in Damaturu, the state capital.
Bularafa who was reacting to reports of abuse of empowerment and poverty reduction supports, said government was aware of the ugly trend. He said his ministry with other government and private bodies, is monitoring how beneficiaries are using the facilities given to them.
“We have introduced a monitoring and evaluating unit with a team of personnel to ensure these abuses do not continue. We cannot say 100 percent assurance that all beneficiaries use the empowerment supports from the government for the purposes they were meant to serve,” he explained.
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He disclosed that the abuses are reported among some beneficiaries of tricycles, rickshaws, sewing and welding machines, and others. According to him, 500 tricycles were given to youths for economic engagement.
The commissioner said government recently purchased and distributed 100 cars to commercial drivers for intra and inter-state shuttles.
He explained the intervention was done in collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state to ensure the right person benefit. He disclosed that the cars were given on 50 percent soft loan basis payable within two years.
He said more skill acquisition trainings on leather works and welding are underway to complement the recent training of 850 youth in the state.
Youths constitute a significant proportion of the estimated 2.4 million population of Yobe State based on the 2006 national census.
