N5000 unemployed pay begins 2016 – FG

By Umar Muhammad Puma

The federal government said it will commence the payment of N5000 promised unemployed Nigerian youths during the electioneering campaign early next year.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalong revealed this yesterday in Abuja, during a courtesy visit on the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to commiserate with him on the death of the party’s candidate in Kogi state, Prince Abubakar Audu.

Dalong, in an interview with newsmen said APC government has it in mind to fulfill all the campaign promises made to Nigerians during last elections.

“I would want the youths to understand that every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision and our promise to pay N5000 is not contained in the 2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as we have made budgetary allocations for that.

“We are committed to the campaign promises of creating jobs, providing wealth creation and combat poverty. We have embedded in our manifesto things that we are translating to reality.

“Some of the youth empowerment programmes that are ongoing, we are busy reviewing them to ensure that they are more viable and people oriented. We are also looking at the possibility of realigning some of them to our vision so that in the final analysis, it can add value to the people”.

The minister also said that Nigerian youths need reorientation because having been frustrated for so long.

“They have lost confidence in the system and we need to build that back. In not too long a time, I will be hosting a stakeholder’s summit so that we can reason together so that we can grow their confidence in order for them to benefit from this laudable ideas”.

Responding earlier, the national chairman of APC, Chief Oyegun, expressed happiness over the appointment of Dalong as Youth and Sports minister, saying his past performances in public offices gave him confidence that the minister will deliver on the premises of change.