Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to take no fewer than 1,000 Almajiris off the street of the nation’s capital.
Alhaji Sani Amar, acting Director, Department of Social Welfare Services, Social Development Secretariat, FCTA, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Amar explained that the move was part of the efforts toward ensuring the attainment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s determination to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
“The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, directed that as part of the presidential mandate to remove 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, we engage Almajiris on vocational skills training and education.
“That will make them to be self-reliant and ensure that they too become employers of labour, as beggars and Almajiris have nothing doing other than going round soliciting for what to eat.
“So we moved round the city and identified some Islamic schools closer to the city, to start with.
“We are able to come out with 120 Almajiris and engage them in different skills acquisition, such as carpentry, shoe making and painting.
“As time goes by and based on our target, we are going to engage over 1,000 Almajiris in different skills acquisition training.
“At the end of their training, there will be a ceremony where each and every one of them will be given a starter-pack and money to rent a space for their business,” he said.
Amar said that the Department of Social Welfare Services of the FCTA Social Development Secretariat was mandated to ensure that FCT streets were free of all human nuisance.
“At this juncture, I have to appreciate President Buhari for appointing the two gentle personalities, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, and the Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu.
“The duo have human feelings; they are very upright and are up and doing to ensure the attainment of the 13 goals of the Next Level mandate of the president in the FCT, as part of his campaign promises.
“The Almajiris programme has alright been institutionalised under destitution management and it is being supervised by the Mandate Secretary for FCTA Social Development Secretariat, Hajiya Hadiz Kabir.
“The mandate secretary is at the forefront in ensuring that the programme is successful,”
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