Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in Lokoja on Thursday flagged off the N-power programme of the Federal Government for the 4,521 successful beneficiaries in the state.

He also lauded President Muhammad Buhari for the initiative aimed at empowering unemployed graduates across the federation.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to governor on New Media, Joel Minister Odaudu, said Bello charged the beneficiaries to be diligent and give their best in the discharge of their duties.

He gave the assurance that the state government would retain all those that are able to distinguish themselves on their given assignments after the two year period which the N-power programme is expected to last.

The Governor said he was working hard to ensure all the industrial and commercial opportunities available in the state are revived to provide jobs for the youth.

Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Multilateral, Donor Agencies and Special Projects/Focal Person on Social Investment Programme, Mr. Adoga Ibrahim, said physical verification and deployment of beneficiaries to their various places of assignment will begin from next week at the various local government areas.

He warned that those that submitted fake credentials online during the selection process would be weeded out during the physical verification exercise.

Our correspondent reports that the Federal Government designed the N-Power programme to drastically reduce youth unemployment.

The focus is to provide our young graduates and non-graduates with the skills, tools and livelihood to enable them advance from unemployment to employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The first phase of N-Power will target Nigeria’s critical needs in education, agriculture, technology, creative, construction and artisanal industries. N-Power is also preparing Nigeria for a global outsourcing push where our young Nigerians can export their services to work on global projects that earn Nigeria, foreign exchange.

•Photo shows Governor Yahaya Bello.

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