Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the Federal Government’s Special Public Works Programme was not a white collar job designed for political patronage, but a scheme created to alleviate the negative effect of COVID-19 on the economy.

He therefore urged prospective participants in the scheme to be prepared to work diligently so that government would achieve the purpose for which the programme was set up.

Dr Fayemi stated this on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti, during the inauguration of members of Ekiti State FGN Public Work Committee.

The Governor who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, urged the selection committee to be transparent, fair and avoid sharp practices in the selection of willing applicants for the programme.

A total 16,000 Ekiti youths are to participate in the programme, which is designed to recruit 1,000 youths per local government. Ekiti has 16 local governments.

The Governor, who stressed that applicants must be ready to put in their best in executing the assignment given them, advised that the nitty-gritty of the job be translated to local language in order for applicants to fully understand the motive behind the programme.

Emphasising the significance of the project to his administration’s plan to lift the State out of poverty, Fayemi said he was optimistic that the public work would inject a monthly sum of N320 million to the local governments in the state.

He said: “The Chairman of the Committee has spoken about the mandate of the Committee and I concur with all he said, especially the aspect that spelt out, that this project is for all Ekiti indigenes devoid of politics and also the issue that anybody that voluntarily applied for this assignment must be ready to work.

“I am so glad that the chairman clearly enumerated the kind of job that would be done by the beneficiary of the programme, this is not a white collar job, so anybody that finds himself in this programme must be ready to work in the areas highlighted.

“Government will not listen to any complaint, I plead with the Committee to ensure that the content of this programme is translated to Ekiti dialect so that people will know what they are being called into, it is very important.

“I want to charge members of this Committee to be fair to all, be fair to Ekiti people and be fair to yourselves.”

In his speech, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Biodun Omoleye, said individuals who were not prepared to be engaged as unskilled personnel need not apply, asking that the programme was designed to create a facelift in the lives of the people.

Omoleye commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the commencement of the programme as a measure to mitigate the biting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable unemployed Nigerians.

The Chairman who assured that members of the Committee would be fair in the selection of applicants into the programme, revealed that successful applicants would be engaged in environmental and sanitation exercise to justify the value of the money they would be paid.

He added that the Committee would not hesitate to relieve erring members who engaged in any unwholesome practices during the exercise.

Explaining the economic importance of the programme to the state, Omoleye said: “It is noteworthy that this single intervention will raise Ekiti State revenue by close to one billion naira in three months, with each local government earning 60 million naira within the period.

“The overall economic impact of the intervention is better imagined as it will also impact on generating additional income, through multiplier effects to well over 5,000 dependants and indirect beneficiaries.”

The brief ceremony was attended by the Deputy Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Hakeem Jamiu, Chairman Traditional council of Oba/ Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti Oba Adebanji Alabi, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Moji Fafure, Special Adviser on Development Partnerships Mrs Margaret Fagboyo, representatives of religious organisations, youth parliaments, stakeholders and top Government functionaries.

PHOTO: L-R: Ekiti State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief (Mrs.) Moji Fafure; Chairman, Ekiti State FGN/Special Public Works Programme, Hon. Biodun Omoleye; State Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment (NDE)/secretary of the Committee, Mr. Alao Babatunde; and Chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Council, HRM. Oba Adebanji Alabi; at the inauguration of the committee in Ado-Ekiti …on Tuesday.

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