The Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru is set to empower the less privileged indigenes of the state who engage in street hawking and other menial jobs.
This is following the ongoing arrangements by the Governor to change the ugly narratives of Ebonyians who had been neglected and relegated to the background in the midst of other Nigerian citizens.
The Commissioner for information and State Orientation, Engr. Chikadibia Jude Okpor disclosed this on Monday I n Abakalike.
While briefing Newsmen in Abakaliki the State Capital, Okpor noted that the State Executive Council (EXCO) members, during their meeting has approved an empowerment package of two million naira each for one thousand five hundred (1,500) people who will be trained in various skills.
The commissioner also revealed that the empowerment programme which would cost the state government over three billion naira has been planned to be executed in three phases with five hundred people in each phase who will be provided with the financial assistance to start up something meaningful after the vocational training exercise.
Okpor explained that as part of the state government’s efforts to achieve this initiative, the EXCO has approved the said amount as a kick off capital for the implementation of the first phase of the exercise which will take effect as soon as possible.
He disclosed that the governor’s initiatives are part of his plans to uplift the living standard of the people in the state through human capital development.
The Executive Council also approved the payment of arrears, and gratuity to those retired civil servants from 1996 to 2021 of over four billion naira (N4b).
He again disclosed that Governor Nwifuru announces the release of Two Billion Naira and Three Thousand bags of rice to Ebonyi State government as palliatives through Federal Government which constituted a 10-man committee to handle the distribution.
The Governor also constituted another two committees to take care of the empowerment scheme and the payment of gratuity to those retired civil servants from 1996 respectively.
