20:39
The Adamawa State Government has rolled out a N500 million naira Small and Medium Scale micro credit scheme to be disbursed through traditional institutions in the state.
The Adamawa state Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow who disclosed the nature of empowerment scheme meant to support unemployed youths in the state, when traditional rulers in the state led by Lamido Adamawa HRH Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha paid him the Sallah homage, said the funds from scheme would be disbursed through traditional apparatus with the royal fathers standing as surety for benefitting youths in their localities.
The royal fathers who pledged their support for the new administration were also called upon to use their institutional structures to support the government effort in securing the state by sharing information gathered from their communities, to help tackle insurgency, and other criminal activities in the state.
Bindow explained that the empowerment programme was conceived to empower youths in the state, adding that it deviates from previous scheme welfare scheme given by previous administration to undeserving youths as a tool for political patronage.
The conditional grants to be disbursed to youth groups ranged from credits of between N30,000 to N50,000 , Bindow said, adding that it would only be given to youths in the state who needed it for enterprise.
He further noted that the activities of insurgents have continued to thrive partly because traditional rulers have been side-lined in the fight against their activities.
According to him, “If the traditional rulers were adequately carried along, they would have helped in the fight against crimes and insurgency and help find a lasting solution to their activities.
“We will not work without traditional rulers, despite the facts that traditional institutions were neglected in the constitution.
“At least 40 persons from each ward will be beneficiaries of credits ranging between N30,000 to N50,000 and they will be scrutinized from ward to district heads.
“Our ward, village and district heads are perhaps the only people who can vouch for those who would benefit from this scheme just as they can also help to apprehend any person with questionable character,” Bindow said.
In their separate remarks, the Lamido Adamawa Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa, Emir of Mubi Alh.Abubakar Isa Ahmadu,Murum Mbula Chief Jerome Joel Fwa and the Hama Bachama, Col. Honest Irmiya, all lauded the government’s gesture in empowering the youths and ensuring peaceful coexistence, promised to support the initiative.
Lamido Barkindo in his Sallah message thank Allah for a peaceful Sallah celebration in the state and said the traditional institution in the state will give the administration every backing it would need to succeed in its bid to develop the state.
As part of activities to mark the Eid- el Fitri celebrations the wife of Governor Maryam Jibrilla Bindow threw a lavish party for internally displaced persons at one of the camp settlement located at Malkwoi.
She said the gesture was meant to uplift the spirit of the IDPs and give them a sense of hope. “
