The Federal Government says it has received 749, 000 applications under its Social Investment Programme aimed at recruiting 500,000 graduates and 100,000 trainees. The 749, 000 applications were received at the close of the online portal on August 31.
Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programme, Mariam Uwais, said the N-Power programme received applications from all the 774 local government areas of the country with the highest figures coming from Lagos, Oyo, Rivers and Bauchi.
She said those in charge of the programme were about compiling the applications and commencing the training of successful applicants by October, adding that the training would last a month before participants are deployed to states to provide extension services.
Uwais said the participants would be provided with a training device, which would be used for the extension services, adding that the aim of the programme was to help young Nigerians acquire and develop lifelong skills needed to become solution providers in their communities and players in the domestic and global markets.
She explained that the programe has been divided into three sections namely: Paid Volunteer Teacher Corps for Graduate (N-Power Corps), Training and Empowerment for Knowledge Work (N-Power Knowledge), Build Nigeria Programme for Training and Empowerment of Artisans (N-Power Build).
Uwais added that the aim of the N-Power Corps was to provide temporary jobs in primary education, agriculture, public health and community education, adding that the programme, which would last for two years, was targeting 50,000 unemployed graduates.
She said trainees would be deployed to their immediate rural communities, where they would assist in meeting the inadequacies in the education, health and agricultural sectors, adding that state governments would assist in the deployment of beneficiaries to the communities.
According to Uwais, others include the N-Power Knowledge, which would train 25,000 Nigerians in technology, and N-Power Build, which would train another 75,000 in building services, construction, utilities, hospitality and catering, automotive vocations, aluminium and gas services.
“Besides their monthly pay estimated at about N23, 000 each, the selected 500,000 graduates will also get computer devices that will contain information necessary for their specific engagement, as well as information for their continuous training and development.
“According to the plan of the Buhari administration, the N-Power Teacher Corps programme is an invaluable opportunity for young Nigerians to make immense economic and social contributions to the nation while developing their skills. It will also help to address the problems of inadequate teachers in public schools,” Uwais said.
