THE Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that youth empowerment is “very key” to the Buhari administration’s agenda to make them contribute meaningfully to nation-building.
Dr Fayemi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital at the weekend, also urged the youths of Ekiti State who are yet to get their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to do so to vote for his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) at both the Ekiti governorship election in July this year, and the general election next year.
Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State spoke at an event in Ado Ekiti to commemorate the first anniversary of the Federal Government’s N-Power scheme in the state.
Fayemi, who charged the beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme to support the APC at the forthcoming governorship polls in the state, said this was imperative for them to have such schemes sustained.
The minister, who said he was impressed with the testimonies given by beneficiaries on how N-Power had transformed their lives, said the scheme would continue as long as the APC remained in power.
He said: “The vision and mission of Mr President is to assure you of a better future. You must support the president to sustain the scheme.
“The President is in love with the young people and that is why he will continue to empower you. Make sure you collect your PVCs.
“If you want this programme to continue, vote wisely and vote intelligently to ensure that APC continues at the centre and ensure that APC returns to power (in Ekiti) this year so that programmes like this continue.”
Beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme, who are supporters of APC and those among them supporting the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, had earlier marched from the from EKSUTH to the venue of the event at Adedayo area of the state capital.
The march, with placards in support of their opposing camps, had created tension in the town, but the security personnel were on hand to forestall violence, and there was no incidence.
A section of the beneficiaries of the scheme in Ekiti State pledged support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari if he declares an interest to run in 2019, saying that the scheme had “lifted them from poverty and saved them from the pangs of unemployment.”
A total of 3,600 beneficiaries in Ekiti State joined the N-Power scheme in 2016 while 8,000 were admitted into the scheme in 2017.
A beneficiary, Biodun Daramola, said Buhari has shown commitment to the empowerment of the youth by committing N6 billion as monthly stipends to over 200,000 beneficiaries all over the country.
Daramola said: “Because of what our President has done, I want every youth in Nigeria to support this APC government in 2019. In 2019 general election, we want all youths in Nigeria to support APC and all youths in Ekiti to support APC in the 2018 governorship election.”
Some of the beneficiaries also urged the Federal Government transform the scheme into permanent jobs for them.