Chinelo Agina
Policy and development expert, Dr. Gbolahan Agbaje, has said the high volume of registration of youths for the Batch C stream of the N-Power programme is due to what he describes as the transparent process the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has introduced in the implementation of programmes and policies in the ministry.
In an interview, he stated that the initiation of the Batch C stream of the N-Power Scheme by Farooq is an indication that the government is sensitive to the plight of the youths in the country.
Dr. Agbaje also said that the minister has handled the affairs of the ministry transparently and this line of action has instilled confidence in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the choice of Farouq as the head of such a sensitive agency is strategic and buttresses the level of commitment of President Buhari towards uplifting the plight of the youths as well as the vulnerable groups in the country.
“I can’t but laud the honourable minister for the way she has carried on with the implementation of the various interventionist programmes under her ministry. The example of the massive registration by youths for the Batch C Stream of the N-Power is quite overwhelming.
“Even though the Federal Government plans to enrol 400,000 applicants in the Batch C scheme, over 4.48 million youths have applied for the programme. This is an indication that the honourable minister is indeed thinking outside the box in ensuring that the policy of the federal government on the youths in the country is fully implemented.
“The level of transparency exhibited by the minister has been outstanding and a lesson in governance in the country. I believe that if other public office holders imbibe such level of transparency in their conduct, Nigeria would indeed make substantial progress.
“The distribution of humanitarian palliatives during the COVID19 pandemic across the country is another exemplary display of transparency and accountability by the minister. We must admit that she indeed understands what it means to head such a sensitive agency.
“I have no reservation whatsoever with the decision by President Buhari in the choice of the minister because she has displayed a great sense of enthusiasm and commitment to the Nigerian cause. I must add that she can be regarded as a lesson in governance.
“Taking the examples of the conditional cash transfer initiatives, the distribution of food items and other interventions all speaks volume of her level of integrity. I would advise her to continue in this fashion to ensure that the impact of the various government interventions reaches the intended beneficiaries.
“Her work ethic is infectious and that infectious attitude is what I believe she has transmitted to staffers in her ministry and the various agencies under her supervision hence the effective coordination in the implementation of various humanitarian policies of the government,” Agbaje said.