FG launches community service scheme

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu has reiterated that President Goodluck Jonathan has made youth empowerment the focal point of human development activities of the present Administration with the establishment of Community Service Scheme (CSS) of the Sure-P. Wogu who made the remarks today in Abuja at the first quarterly meeting of the Community Service Scheme of the Sure-P with Chairmen of the state coordination and implementation committee, said the CSS aspect of the Sure-P is one of the many projects that the Federal Government has initiated to address youth empowerment in the Country. "His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, has therefore, made youth employment the focal point of human development activities of this administration, and the community service scheme (CSS) of the Sure-P is one of the many projects government initiated to address youth unemployment in Nigeria". The Minister recalled the menace posed by the high unemployment rate among youths, who constitute a larger percentage of the productive age, regretting that Idleness, hopelessness and poverty that shape the mindset of this segment of our youths force them into activities that threaten our collective peace and security in different shapes and forms in various parts of the country. The Minister stated that, "the Community Service Scheme is an initiative of the Federal Government with the aim to empower unskilled and unemployed Nigeria youths, women and people living with disabilities and at the same time improve the quality of socio-economic infrastructures, especially in rural communities, and renew the confidence and thrust of Nigerian masses in government policies and programmes. "The project is the first of its kind in Nigeria in which the Federal Government is distributing wealth and opportunities for improved well-being directly to individuals and communities and that explains why it has gained rapid popularity". Wogu disclosed that the Project Implementation Unit in his Ministry is set to commence a familiarization and verification visits to Abia, Bauchi, Delta, Kwara, Oyo and Sokoto states. The states were selected based on performance and logistics, to represent all the other states in each geopolitical zone. However, the State Coordination and Implementation Committee members in states that make up each zone would be expected to join the Town Hall meeting in each of the states to be visited in their respective zones. Speaking earlier, Martina Nwordu, Project Director of the (CSS) scheme in the Ministry, stressed that the meeting has objectives that include a review of the implementation status, a brainstorm session on practical modalities to tackle challenges, and to strategise on the way forward towards a more successful, impactful, result oriented, and sustainable implementation of the Community Service Scheme of Sure-P nation-wide. She commended the tremendous support from the management, with a complement of experienced and enthusiastic staff posted from within the Ministry to work in the Project Implementation Unit, the support has in no small measure helped us to cope with the teething problems of transition from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Labour without disrupting the implementation process.URE-P: FG launches community service scheme Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu has reiterated that President Goodluck Jonathan has made youth empowerment the focal point of human development activities of the present Administration with the establishment of Community Service Scheme (CSS) of the Sure-P. Chief Wogu who made the remarks today in Abuja at the first quarterly meeting of the Community Service Scheme of the Sure-P with Chairmen of the state coordination and implementation committee, said the CSS aspect of the Sure-P is one of the many projects that the Federal Government has initiated to address youth empowerment in the Country. "His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, has therefore, made youth employment the focal point of human development activities of this administration, and the community service scheme (CSS) of the Sure-P is one of the many projects government initiated to address youth unemployment in Nigeria". The Minister recalled the menace posed by the high unemployment rate among youths, who constitute a larger percentage of the productive age, regretting that Idleness, hopelessness and poverty that shape the mindset of this segment of our youths force them into activities that threaten our collective peace and security in different shapes and forms in various parts of the country. The Minister stated that, "the Community Service Scheme is an initiative of the Federal Government with the aim to empower unskilled and unemployed Nigeria youths, women and people living with disabilities and at the same time improve the quality of socio-economic infrastructures, especially in rural communities, and renew the confidence and thrust of Nigerian masses in government policies and programmes. "The project is the first of its kind in Nigeria in which the Federal Government is distributing wealth and opportunities for improved well-being directly to individuals and communities and that explains why it has gained rapid popularity". Wogu disclosed that the Project Implementation Unit in his Ministry is set to commence a familiarization and verification visits to Abia, Bauchi, Delta, Kwara, Oyo and Sokoto states. The states were selected based on performance and logistics, to represent all the other states in each geopolitical zone. However, the State Coordination and Implementation Committee members in states that make up each zone would be expected to join the Town Hall meeting in each of the states to be visited in their respective zones. Speaking earlier, Martina Nwordu, Project Director of the (CSS) scheme in the Ministry, stressed that the meeting has objectives that include a review of the implementation status, a brainstorm session on practical modalities to tackle challenges, and to strategise on the way forward towards a more successful, impactful, result oriented, and sustainable implementation of the Community Service Scheme of Sure-P nation-wide. She commended the tremendous support from the management, with a complement of experienced and enthusiastic staff posted from within the Ministry to work in the Project Implementation Unit, the support has in no small measure helped us to cope with the teething problems of transition from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Labour without disrupting the implementation process.