Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno on Sunday inaugurated Borno State Youth Empowerment Scheme, BOYES, to empower youths and end political thuggery in the state.
Mr Zulum, who inaugurated the programme at the El-Kanemi Sports Centre, Maiduguri, said the gesture was part of the government’s comprehensive programme designed to empower the youths.
The governor said the programme was to help youths, who were hoodwinked into thuggery, to create job opportunities and reduce poverty.
He said the programme also sought to discourage thuggery and promote political decency among the youths and women.
Mr Zulum said that his administration had initiated sound empowerment programmes to address unemployment and youth restiveness in the state.
The governor announced plans to provide skills acquisition training to 4, 000 youths within the next six months, to enable them to learn trades and become self-reliant.
He disclosed that the state government would also provide cash support to another set 2, 760 youths to enable them set up their own businesses, adding that each of the beneficiaries would receive N30, 000 loans under the state’s Micro-Credit Loan scheme.
According to him, the state government would rehabilitate mental health facilities to enhance its operations and collaborate with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to check the menace of drug of abuse in the society.
Mr Zulum urged the youths to avail themselves the opportunities of the programme to learn trades and contribute to the social and economic development of the state.
Kaka Shehu, the BOYES’s Coordinator, said the programme would be implemented in the 27 local government areas of the state to mobilise participation.
Also, Aliyu Dalori, the Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, called on the youths to be disciplined and use what they would learn during the training to engage in productive activities.
NAN
