No fewer than 8, 000 unemployed persons have been selected to execute carefully selected projects across the eight local government areas in the Bayelsa State.
Hon Minister for state (Petroleum)’ Chief Timipre Sylva, who on behalf of Federal Government, launched the Extended Special Public Works Programme (ESPW) in the state on yesterady, in Yenagoa, said each participating Local Government identified its preferred projects and will be responsible for ensuring that they are executed as planned.
Represented by his Technical Adviser, Mrs. Ayambo Owei, Sylva said, “The Extended Special Public Works Programme is an outcome of the Pilot Special Public Works Programme in the Rural Area approved by Mr. President and implemented by the NDE in early part of the year 2020.
“The pilot programme was implemented in eight states of the Federation in order to gauge its impact on addressing the ballooning population of the unemployed and rising insecurity in some parts of the Country. This strategy was adopted to fast-track the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017-
2020).
“However, with the emergence of the novel COVID-19 pandemic; the President and Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), directed the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) under the chairmanship of the Vice- President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to craft economic measures to cushion the adverse socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As I address you today, our target is to immediately engage the 8, 000 selected unemployed in Bayelsa State for the programme to execute carefully selected projects across the eight local government areas in the state,” he added.