The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, on Wednesday, said the Federal Government has set aside N5.9 billion for the training, tooling, and monthly stipends of the Batch C beneficiaries of the N-Power programme in Kano State.
The minister stated this during the closing ceremony of 177 beneficiaries of a training in Smart Phone repairs and servicing under the N-Skills programme, a component of the N-Power programme in Kano State.
Mrs Farouq said 16,629 youths are currently benefiting from the programme in the state while about 18,042 were beneficiaries of Batch A and Batch B of the programme.
“Through the N-Power Programme, the provision of much-needed services in the education, health and agricultural sectors will be enhanced in the state and the beneficiaries will be engaged in income-generating activities that would contribute to local economic growth,” the minister said.
Mrs Farouq, represented by Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on N-Skills, Nasiru Mahmoud, advised the beneficiaries not to sell the starter packs they received after the training.
“We have had such experience in the past where beneficiaries engaged in selling of the starter packs, that is unfortunate. Do not sell them as they are meant for your judicious use to take you out of the unemployment circle and turn you to employers of labour,” she said.
“The N-Skills programme is based on a certification system and accreditation of practical training provided through the informal apprenticeship System anchored by Master Craft Persons (MCPs) and the formal training system including using the Community Skills Development Centres (COSDECs) in many states.
According to Mrs Farouq, the programme aims to improve the quality and relevance of skills delivered using a certification system and to ease the transition of target beneficiaries to full-time skilled employment, self-employment and/or further their education.
“It targets marginalized and disadvantaged populations, including those with primary or no-formal education,” she said.
“The N-Skills programme is in line with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies acquired by individuals, irrespective of where and how the training or skill is acquired.
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“It will help in bridging the gap in demand for standard and market-relevant skills.
“The N-Skills accommodates many skills-based enterprises, this Smart Phone Repairs is used to pilot the programme under the N-Power non-graduate component.
“The programme is designed to train, tool and transition marginalized unemployed youths into the labour market to gainfully be employed.
“The Ministry worked with technical service providers to provide the N-Skills training services to 6,475 unemployed youths across the Federation.
“This is consistent with the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years,” she said.
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