100,000 vulnerable children to benefit from at-risk programme in Niger

The wife of the Niger State governor and Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the At-Risk Programme, Hajiya Fatima Umaru Bago, has appealed to the federal government to expand the programme due to the high number of out-of-school children in the state.

The governor’s wife made the appeal during the official flag-off of the training of facilitators, held at the Women Multipurpose Center, Minna, on Tuesday, 17th September 2024.

Hajiya Fatima disclosed that the Niger State government has commenced the implementation of a programme targeting 100,000 children and young people in the state.

She advised the facilitators to pay adequate attention to the training so as to make an impact on the lives of the children in order to achieve successful implementation of the programme.

According to her, the decision to use youths as facilitators is because they play a pivotal role in shaping the lives of the children and work to give these vulnerable children a sense of belonging.

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She assured of the state government’s commitment to the success of the project.

The Team Lead and Coordinator of ARC-P, Hajiya Aisha Tafida, explained that the target beneficiaries in the first phase were 70,000 but were increased to 100,000 by the state government.

“She added,” the beneficiaries are vulnerable children and young people between the ages of five and 26 years, to teach them skills to become self-reliant.

Aisha’s words: “Children who are not opportune in the society to have a sense of belonging in order to reduce their vulnerability,” she said.

She noted that 1,250 selected youth facilitators were to be trained and would be engaged to teach basic skills to the children to become self-reliant.

Tafida hinted that Chanchaga, Paikoro, and Bosso would be used as pilot local councils, adding that the remaining councils would thereafter follow suit.

Earlier in her keynote address, Mrs. Grace Obi, Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning, revealed that Niger State was very important to the Federal Government and appreciated the state for keying into the project.

She stated that Niger State has 71 percent female girls between the ages of 25 to 29 in their productive age, adding that only ARCH-P can reduce unplanned children in the state.

Obi maintained that the President Bola Tinubu administration had set a target to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, adding that ARCH-P aimed to engage young people in meaningful ventures.

Also speaking, the Secretary to Niger State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, represented by Alhaji Buhari Danladi, urged the facilitators to be committed to the implementation of the programme.