The Yobe Government has employed 3,196 youths into the state’s civil service in the last five years.
Alhaji Barma Shettima, the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Friday.
He said that those employed during the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led administration since 2019, were holders of degree, diploma and National Certificate of Education ( NCE).
Shettima listed the professions where youths were employed to include doctors, pharmacists, midwives, nurses and laboratory technicians.
The commissioner noted that the recruitment was to empower youths and minimise redundancy, crimes and other social vices in the state.
He said the governor had also appointed youths as chief executives of many government establishments, including the Yobe Scholarship Board, Yobe Microfinance Bank, Yobe Emergency Management Agency and the Yobe Information Technology Development Agency.
He explained that “many youths have also been trained and retrained in different trades such as cosmetology, modern methods of crop cultivation, animal production, among others.
“The goal of this administration is to create enabling environment for youths to engage in meaningful ventures for the development of the state and the country at large.”
Shettima identified the domestication of the Child Rights Protection Act in the state as one of the major achievement of the ministry.
He said for seamless implementation, critical stakeholders had already been trained in how to sensitise the public on the need to obey the law, which is translated in local languages.
On sports, Shettima announced that Yobe would host the 2024 edition of the North East Zonal Sports Festival, saying that details would be released shortly.
The commissioner said Buni had directed that local wrestling and ‘langa’- which a player hops on one leg and tries to push the other – should be promoted and encouraged among youths.
He said plans had reached advanced stage to upgrade the August 27 Stadium, Damaturu, to international standard, adding that the stadia in Geidam, Potiskum, Gujba and Nguru would also be upgraded.
NAN
