We are not employing Nigerians to clear gutters alone- Keyamo

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) has given a few clarifications on the Special Public Works Programme.

In an interview with Channels TV, he said the Federal Government was not just employing jobless youths to sweep markets, clear gutters alone.

He argued that there were so many things they participants would be involved in. The Minister cited instances in Agriculture, public infrastructure, roads, traffic control and so many other things depending on the need of the Local Government Area.

"I am amused when I see headlines that say we are employing Nigerians just to clear gutters. I mean that is extremely mischievous. There are so many things they could be involved. For example, they can be engaged in irrigation, clear irrigation paths so water can get so many farms in the area," he stated.

Keyamo added that the programme is not temporal.

"The President extended the Special Public Works program to get to all the Local Governments in the country. We are going to engage them in the first instance for the first three months to maintain infrastructure. People should not think it is temporary. We want to see how it goes," the Minister explained.

Giving kudos to the President, he said the scheme is trying to raise several Nigerians out of poverty. He named Asian nations who utilised this method to lift their citizens out of extreme poverty.

“What the #SpecialPublicWorks programme is trying to do is to reach the very bottom of the economy, the very poor, the unskilled labour, the unemployed at the very bottom," he added.

“What the #SpecialPublicWorks programme is trying to do is to reach the very bottom of the economy, the very poor, the unskilled labour, the unemployed at the very bottom."- Minister of State for @LabourMinNG, @fkeyamo. https://t.co/wcjgatXmaD

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) June 4, 2020

The Special Public Works Programme in the Rural Areas is domiciled in the National Directorate of Employment for implementation and is expected to take off in October.

It targets 1,000 youths from the 774 local governments across the country.