Assessing Kano youths empowerment programs

It is apparent that youths in Kano state are presently experiencing tremendous improvement in terms of productivity in the socio-economic sector. Kano Chronicle of investigation has shown that, unlike previous years when youths were famous for what was known then as ‘Jagaliya’. Jagaliya, which literally translated to systematic begging was in those years gradually become […]

It is apparent that youths in Kano state are presently experiencing tremendous improvement in terms of productivity in the socio-economic sector. Kano Chronicle of investigation has shown that, unlike previous years when youths were famous for what was known then as ‘Jagaliya’. Jagaliya, which literally translated to systematic begging was in those years gradually become synonymous to youths’ known phenomena.
Records have also shown that, several governments especially the immediate past administration of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has deviced measures to actively engage the youths in its empowerments programmes. These attempts were at the backdrop of the fact that that the state has been facing alarming increases in the number of unemployed youths.
The state government under the directorate of youths and economic empowerment has contributed in ensuring that youths have regain their rightful place in their communities and also sustainable youth development strategy was said to have been adopted by the directorate.
Alhaji Ado Abba Tudunwada is the Director General of Kano state Directorate of Youth Development and Economic Empowerment. He said the state had shifted emphasis to youth development which was the nucleus of the state’s economic development vis-à-vis the 2016 state and national budget provision.
He said it was globally accepted that productive youths were the back bone of national development adding that Kano state was not an island and therefore would not be left behind.
“Our economic empowerment strategy is aimed at developing the capacity of women and men, respect their dignity and make it possible to negotiate a fairer distribution of the benefits of growth  just to ensure sustainable self-reliance among our youths,” said the DG.
The DG added that under the scheme, traditional birth attendants were also trained and empowered with modern kits, 100 Fulani youths were also sent to Turkey to study artificial insemination, adding that there were also serious efforts in the fight against drug abuse among youths.
“It is on this note that I implore individuals, multi-national bodies and other Non-Governmental agencies that are in one way or the other connected to empowerment to partner with the directorate to develope a socio-economic scenario that can leads to stability. Our doors are always open for such organizations whose mandate entails empowering the youths,” the director said.
At the moment, there are 250 youths that have received Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training and they were empowered with free laptops, modems and internet data. Kano Chronicle also gathered that 100 others are undergoing one-year training on automobile repairing and maintenance at Peugeot automobile company and four mechanical villages would be established in the state for the youths after graduation.
One of the beneficiaries of the automobile repairing project Abdul Usman said he was jobless for three years after his diploma program and he decided to take-up the opportunity the state government brought. According to him, though it was not easy being away from home but the training they had been receiving was worthwhile.
 He said they were receiving training on the most modern repairing techniques of Toyota, Honda and Peugeot. “The training is excellent and it makes us passionate and desire to be perfect citizens,” said Usman.
Many have come to realize that gone are the days when youth who are mostly unemployed and in many instances drug addicts move from one government establishment to another and, or agencies seeking the little tips given out to them by political office holders to ward them off.
In those years, these young able youths gradually become thugs, the most common sight in public places like the state secretariat, the government house, the house of assembly. They were usually the simplest and most available means used by politicians to fight their polical opponents especially during campaigns.