The Yobe State Governo, Mai Mala-Buni has said the state, in collaboration with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), acquired and distributed vocational tools worth N114 million to graduates of various skills acquisition training.
Mala-Buni made the disclosure in Damaturu at the inauguration of members of the state’s Social Protection Council chaired by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Gubana.
He said the programme was part of the state’s efforts at creating jobs and minimising poverty.
Represented by Gubana, the governor said that the state had also provided 500 hectares of land to 5,000 youths under its Irrigation Farming Programme.
He added that the lands, acquired in Jakusko, Boloram, Mugura and Nguru, would be used by the youths to cultivate food and cash crops.
The governor said that the state recently harrowed 1,000 hectares of land, planted seeds and provided free fertilizer to youths in Damaturu under the Youth Farm Empowerment Programme.
“We intend to buy the produce when harvested and use them as certified seeds in collaboration with the Seed Council of Nigeria,” he said.
Mala-Buni noted that “the social protection programme is a collaborative effort of the state, Federal Government and development partners at addressing poverty, inequality and joblessness.”
He listed the terms and references to include monitoring, evaluation and review of programme, coordinating development partner contributions to social protection, among others.
Representative of Save the Children, an NGO, Mr Atiku Yola, said the organisation was helping people to overcome the effect of insurgency.
He said 10,000 children would receive N5,000 as monthly stipend for 33 months in some parts of the state.
Yola said the organisation was also training health workers on management of malnutrition.
