Addressing Youth Unemployment through S-Power Francis Sardauna
Writes that the S-Power programme of Governor Aminu Bello Masari has addressed the challenges of youth unemployment in Katsina State as 7,500 youths have so far been employed under the scheme
In May 2018, the Katsina State government under the leadership of Governor Aminu Bello Masari commenced the employment of unemployed youths in the state under its S- power programme with a N20,000 and N25,000 renumeration. The initiative, which is being spearhead by a committee headed by a seasoned and grassroot politician, who is also the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, has been described by many political gladiators and technocrats as unprecedented in the history of the state.
The beneficiaries of the programme were employed into the scheme in two categories depending on their educational qualifications.
In the first batch, 5000 NCE holders were recruited to teach in primary schools across the state on a monthly stipend of N20,000 for a period of two years; while in the second batch, 2000 thousand university graduates were engaged to teach in the secondary schools based on a monthly stipend of N25,000 for a period of 24 months with effect from the day they assumed duties.
S- power, a social intervention programme, is the job creation programme of Masari aimed at alleviating poverty among youths in the state and tackling the problem of massive unemployment among the teeming graduates, as well as to avert the acute shortage of teaching staff in the state public- owned schools
Masari, through the S- power programme, has so far employed and empowered 7,500 graduates who are currently teaching in both primary and secondary schools across the 34 local government areas of the state.
Apart from providing the beneficiaries with their daily bread, some of them have also used the modest sum to start and run personal businesses.
One of the beneficiaries, Ibrahim Sani told our correspondent that he opened a provision shop by saving a part of his monthly stipend for a year.
Sani who teaches at LGEA Primary School Dan- Musa in Dan- Musa Local Government Area of the state, said his monthly payment has been consistent since he enrolled in the scheme about 16 months ago.
He added that beyond the financial benefits, he has gained and passed knowledge and experience. ” I teach primary one pupils. Since I resumed as an S- Power teacher, I have made a lot of positive impact on the lives of these pupils".
Another beneficiary, Fatima Abdulkadir, who teaches at LGEA Primary School Kofar Yandaka, said she set up her own her restaurant from her monthly stipend.
“With my monthly stipends of N20,000, I was able to establish a restaurant and I employed two women who are working for me. I do join them immediately after the school hours and weekends. Fortunately for me, the profit I am making now is beyond human imagination. I thanked Katsina State government for giving me the opportunity", she explained.
Meanwhile, to ensure the sustainability of the programme, the governor has being approving a whooping sum of N103 million monthly through the salary system to cater for the monthly stipends of the beneficiaries. Arrangements are also on the pipeline to kickstart the payment of their allowances together with conventional teachers in the state.
The state government has also converted the appointments of 867 beneficiaries of the programme who are teaching in primary schools across the state to a permanent and pensionable appointments and concluded arrangements to appoint 867 additional NCE holders to replace those given permanent appointments.
The Secretary of the S- power committee, Kasimu Ibrahim Nagari, who broke the news of the replacement while briefing journalists on the success of the scheme, said 50,000 job seekers have so far applied for the job and screening was ongoing to ascertain those qualified for employment.
He reiterated that the 867 persons to be engaged under the social intervention programme would replace those given permanent and pensionable appointment by the state government in 2018.
According to him, "by the end of last year, 867 out of the 5,000 NCE and Diploma in education holders were engaged on permanent and pensionable appointment that is why we placed an advertisement for interested NCE and Diploma in education holders to apply for replacement of this 867.”
He explained that the governor has been constantly paying the beneficiaries of the programme, just as he expressed optimism that the remaining 300 employed on May this year would soon receive their salaries after the scrutinisation of their bank details by the committee's members.
The secretary of the S- power programme added: "about 250 out of the 300 persons engaged in May this year are yet to provide their account numbers to even facilitate for the payment of their salaries".
However, the beneficiaries who teach in secondary schools, in a statement issued to THISDAY, claimed that the state government was owing them five months salary arrears, threatening to embark on industrial action if government fails to pay them.
But Masari in an exclusive interview with THISDAY faulted salary arrears claims made by the beneficiaries, insisting that no worker in the state service is being owed salaries.
The governor described the allegation raised by the beneficiaries as falsehood and calculated attempt to tarnish the unflinching efforts of his administration in repositioning the loss glory of the education sector in the state.
Consequently, he said his administration has been promptly paying the S-power beneficiaries, adding that even last month, a whooping sum of N103 million was released to them through the salary system.
He said: "It is not true. We are paying them through salary system even the last one, we paid them N103 million through salary system. The information they gave you is not true, we are paying them through salary system because I don't want any failure with regard to payment of salaries.”
Masari added that those with NCE certificate and are working under the local government system, were receiving their salaries through the local government's joint account.
He further explained that: "And every month I approve it so that it goes with the salary. They are not employees, so if they go on strike we will pay them, change them and take new ones. We have a desk officer in the officer of the Secretary to State Government who is responsible for this".
However, amidst the success stories emanating from various quarters on the huge impact the programme is having on beneficiaries and society at large, government should monitor the beneficiaries, particularly those working in rural areas to ensure that they discharge their obligations effectively.