Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo stateJethro Ibileke/Benin
In line with his promise to create at least 200,000 jobs within four years, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has ordered the employment of 4,200 youths across under the State Public Works Programme.
At least, 45 inner roads will be constructed under the Programme which is to take off from July 1.
Obaseki who disclosed this in a statementn signed by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, also directed the engagement and training of 50 civil engineers to supervise the public works programme.
The statement further explained that the successful applicants were to be sourced from the database of unemployed youths developed by the government under the Edo Jobs Initiative.
“The new beneficiaries will work across the State on 45 inner roads selected under this special window. The governor also promised to engage another set of 4,200 in August 2017 under another window that will see the State Government constructing and maintaining another set of 55 roads, culminating in almost 100 kilometres across the State,” the statement said.
The Governor further enjoined those to be employed to be dedicated for the period of their engagement with the State Government, as they would have the opportunity of gathering experience gathering and building capacity.
Meanwhile, to complement jobs originating from road construction, the State Government also finalised arrangements to train young electrical and electronic engineers under a special arrangement with Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The programme, government said, is expected to help build capacity of young men and women on the practical side of electrical engineering in line with the “Electrify Edo Project,” which kicked off with the signing of a power purchase agreement between the state and, at different times, Siemens AG and Ossiomo Power limited, few months ago.