Alhaji Ayuba Audu, the Special Adviser to Gov. Muhammadu Bindow on Job Creation and Poverty Alleviation, has disclosed that almost half of the 10,700 youths that benefitted from the state government empowerment programmes have sold the stater packs given to them to start their respective businesses.
Audu made this known in Yola at the presentation of starter packs to 185 youths in Adamawa who benefited from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Empowerment Initiative in Photography.
Audu said it was disturbing that such youths failed to appreciate government effort to make them self reliant and tackle the growing challenge of unemployment among youth.
While commending Federal Government for the SDGs intervention in creating job in Adamawa, Audu urged beneficiaries of the photography training and starter pack not to sale the packs but to make profitable use of the starter packs given to them.
“Please, don’t emulate those selling their packs, use it with the training you acquire to be self-employed and better your lives,” he said.
Mr Usman Bukar, SDG’s Focal Person in Adamawa, said that each pack contained a digital camera, generator, printer and printing papers.
Bukar said the initiative, which was a collaboration between the state and federal government, was in line with the current administration’s commitment to address unemployment.
He further cautioned beneficiaries again selling the items, adding that “ with what we have seen so far, it means there are more to come.”
In his remarks, SDG’s Coordinator, North East, Mr Idris Bawa, represented by Ibrahim Ghaji, Adamawa Liaison Officer, said the photography programme was for beneficiaries in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
He urged the beneficiaries to make maximum use of the opportunity as professional photographers by becoming self-reliant to better their lives and families.
In his goodwill message, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Adamawa, Mr Attah Mustafa, also urged beneficiaries to make good use of the photographic starter pack.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Mallam Abdullahi Musa, expressed their gratitude to the initiative, and assured that they would reciprocate good use of the packs
