CR-YESSO, FCMB sign Mou, set to commence payment of 5,OOO beneficiaries

By Jeno Richard Odu

The Public Workfare Unit (PWF) of the Cross River State Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (CR-YESSO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the First City Monument Bank of Nigeria.

Speaking at the event which took place in his office, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Comrade Asu Okang, described the event as a “major step to the realization of the PWF goals”.

The Commissioner explained that the World Bank had recently given a “No Objection” to engage a Payment Service Provider for the PWF Programme adding that the FCMB emerged victorious after a thorough selection process.

Comrade Okang urged the bank to speedily undertake the biometrics of beneficiaries to ensure prompt payment.

 The State Coordinator of YESSO, Mr. Balinwo Ofegobi, in his remarks, maintained that the PWF which is one of the implementing Units of YESSO, domiciled in the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, as part of its mandate, will empower about 5,000 uneducated and unskilled youths between age 18-35, mined from YESSO’s Single Register for Poor and Vulnerable Households in the State.

He disclosed that the youths will be engaged in such vocations as:
CIVIL SECURITY: where they’ll be used as home-front Vigilante to act as intermediary between the community and the Police.

SCHOOL SECURITY: to help ensure security of children in schools.

Other beneficiaries are to be engaged under the Rural Development Agency (RUDA) for such jobs as filling pot-holes, while others will be engaged in planting of tree-seedlings, Traffic Control, among others for which they will stipends of N7500 monthly.

Mr. Ofegobi stressed that the beneficiaries are to work for 2-3 hours, 3 days a week, not to be used as conventional staff but to offer Social Support Services.

The beneficiaries will also be involved in various skills trainings to further empower them.

In his response, the Branch Manager, FCMB, Mr. Charles Emefiele, who expressed happiness to be part of the “historic activity”, commended the State Government as well as the World Bank for embarking on the YESSO Program adding that its implementation will go a long way in reducing crimes, restiveness, and other vices in the society.

Other dignitaries who witnessed the event included: the representative of the Attorney-General, Barr. Peter Bassey, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Head Project Finance Monitoring Unit, representing the Accountant–General, among others.