The Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has unfolded plans to commit over N150 billion to set up and implement a youth development programme to support the federal government’s job creation drive.
CACOVID said the youth development programme would provide technical and vocational education to over four million Nigerian youths over the next five years.
In addition, the private sector-led coalition unveiled plans to raise and spend N100 billion over the next two years to renovate and buy rifles as well as other security gadgets for the Nigeria Police Force, with special focus on the 44 police stations destroyed by hoodlums in the wake of the #EndSARS protest against police brutality.
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Co-Chair, CACOVID and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, outlined the organisation’s plans to assist the federal government in tackling issues that triggered youth restiveness, which ignited the #EndSARS protests. He also rendered account on the activities of the group.
He spoke in the company of President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu; and Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Chief Herbert Wigwe.
Emefiele said preliminary analysis indicated that unemployment, particularly amongst the youth, was a critical factor behind the recent unrest experienced in some parts of the country.
He said: “As a result, CACOVID has committed to creating a high impact youth development programme that will provide technical and vocational education to over four million Nigerian youths over the next five years.
“Students will be trained on craftwork, plumbing, masonry, carpentry, and other artisanal related skills for which sufficient demand exist in Nigeria.”
According to him, selected students on the conclusion of the programme will be certified by the appropriate standards board and will be eligible to receive loans to support their entrepreneurial pursuits.
“So far, over N25 billion will be domiciled in a fund to support these entrepreneurial pursuits, which would also include acquisition of related equipment to conduct business activities.
“The ultimate objective is to provide young Nigerians with employable skill sets that will enable them to live a gainful life. We believe this initiative can lead to the creation of over four million jobs over the next five years,” he added.
For the out-of-school graduates that possess certain entrepreneurial skills, Emefiele also said CACOVID would be working with the Bankers’ Committee to complete the creative centre at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos in four select areas namely: ICT and software design / development, fashion, music, and movies.
The project is expected to cost the Bankers’ Committee over N40 billion, he said.
Emefiele said to further strengthen the security apparatus in the country, CACOVID has committed to providing over N100 billion to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next two years as its contribution to fully modernise the Nigerian police.
“Providing adequate security is not only the task before the government but also that of the private sector,” he said.
The CBN governor said owners of business premises desire a secure environment to conduct their legitimate businesses.
“We, therefore, seize this opportunity to once again, appeal to members of the private sector, who we will be calling on again, to rally round CACOVID to secure not only our businesses but also our country,” he said.
