The Lafiya Jari programme is a brain child of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and was first initiated during his first tenure as governor of the state in 1999. On assumption of office again in 2011 Kwankwaso re-launched the programme which now trains 200 youth every month. Aimed at reducing unemployment to the barest minimum in the state by empowering youths, an estimated 3,800 people have completed health related courses in the state. Edwin Olofu, captures the mood during the presentation of certificates and cheques to beneficiaries in Kano recently.
They were made to undergo a three weeks training programme at the newly established entrepreneurship development institute where they were thought skills on how to manage the business successfully.
At least four persons are selected from each of the 44 local governments by the selection and screening committee of the Lafiya Jari programme that will undergo three weeks training before benefiting from the programme , with the Abestate government procuring the license to sell drugs for them.
The programme which is a brain child of the incumbent governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was first initiated during his first tenure as the governor of the state in 1999.
On assumption of office again in 2011 Kwankwaso re-launched the programme which now trains 200 youth every month.
For now, an estimated 3,800 people have completed health related courses in the state.
The Special Adviser on Sanitation and Immunization to the state governor Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Yamedi explained that the government decided to re-launch the programme to reduce the high unemployment rate in the state.
He urged the beneficiaries not to squander the money but to ensure they make judicious use of it in setting up the shops before the drugs will be given to them.
“The money we gave out today is not for you to waste, it is for you to go out there, get a very good shop and furnish it well. If any one of you think we gave you these monies for you to go out and enjoy his or herself then that person is not serious. This is a trust by his Excellency the executive governor Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso and you have to reciprocate this by living up to expectation.
”We have a monitoring committee on ground that will go round to see if you meet the requirement for you to be given N100, 000 worth of drugs as a loan. Don’t think we will just sit down and wait for you to come and tell us that you have secured the shop and we just provide the drugs.”
Speaking on the same vein, the Chairman of Lafiya Jari Alhaji Mohammed Sani warned the youth not default and make sure they pay back the non-interest loan to the government, saying that will encourage the government to do more for the youth in the state to reduce unemployment rate in the state.
Yammedi disclosed that the state government has a target to engage at least 2,400 by the end of the year.
The state officials said the programme will last throughout the life span of the administration and that the drugs have been procured through the state government agency Drug and Consumable Supply Agency (DCSA) that will be given to beneficiaries as an interest free loan on meeting the requirement of hiring and furnishing a shop with the sum of N50, 000 under the strict subversion of the officials of the Lafiya Jari.
Some of the beneficiaries who were elated by the gesture couldn’t hide their feelings as they expressed gratitude to the government, promising not to let them down.
Maryam Musa Bagwai who is a mother of two who is equally a graduate of school of hygiene said she is grateful to the state government for coming to their rescue.
“I want to use this medium to thank Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for coming to our aid. Since I completed my programme on Food hygiene in this school, I had nothing doing, I have been at home but with this, I can start something and pray that one day I will get employed and combine both.” She stated.
Yusuf Nasir who hails from Dawakin Tofa local government spoke in the same direction commending the state government for the foresight.
“My advice is that my colleagues and I must use this money well, because if we squander this opportunity it will not come again, the state government will be discouraged and every one of us is aware of the economic hardship in the country. So we have to make judicious use of this opportunity. I will like to commend the state government and pray for our governor for the Almighty Allah to give him the strength and wisdom to sustain this programme.”
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