Minister Promises N5, 000 Stipends to Unemployed Nigerian Youth come 2016
The federal government has assured that it would start the payment of N5, 000 stipends promised unemployed Nigerian youth during the electioneering campaign, from next year.
This commitment was made known in Abuja by the minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon when he paid a condolence visit on the national chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, over the death of the party’s governorship candidate in the recently held inconclusive election in Kogi state, Abubakar Audu.
Mr. Dalong, in a chat with Journalists assured Nigerians that the APC government is so passionate about fulfilling all campaign promises made during the last elections.
He said thepayment of the promised N5, 000 can only begin after it had been included in the budget.
“I would want the youth to understand that every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision and our promise to pay N5000 is not contained in the 2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as we have made budgetary allocations for it.” He said.
“We are committed to the campaign promises of creating jobs, providing wealth and combat poverty. We have embedded in our manifesto things that we are translating to reality.”
The minister also added that some of the youth empowerment programmes that are ongoing are being reviewed so that they become more viable and people-oriented.
He included that a definite programme of orientation for Nigerian youth must be in existence, according to him, the youth “have been frustrated for so long”.
“They have lost confidence in the system and we need to build that back. In not too long a time, I will be hosting a stakeholder’s summit so that we can reason together in order to grow their confidence so they can benefit from this laudable ideas,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the APC Chairman, Mr. Oyegun said he was happy with the appointment of Mr. Dalong as the minister of Youth and Sports due to his experience and performance in public life, and that he would implement the needed change in the ministry.
