Buhari pays N1.6bn to 638 YouWin awardees
Adetokunbo Fakeye
The Federal Government has paid N1.6 billion to 638 awardees of the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) programme, an initiative of the past government.
This was disclosed by the Director of Information in the ministry of information, Na’inna Dambata.
According to him, under the programme which took off in 2011, a total of 18, 000 young entrepreneurs were trained in management and business skills for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Dambatta said 3, 900 of the trainees, including 1, 200 women, were each given non-repayable take-off grants ranging from N1 million to a maximum of N10 million for businesses of their choice.
“The third edition of the programme, which is still running with 1,500 beneficiaries has received the sum of N11.2 billion in funding,” he said in a statement.
“So far, grants totaling N7.4 billion have been disbursed to the awardees.”
The minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said the current administration was set to restructure the programme in line with its “change” agenda.
According to her, the restructuring would ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability in investing the capital grants given to the beneficiaries.
She added that all the commitments made by the federal government under the YouWIN programme would be fully met.
The Minister explained further that every beneficiary would be duly verified, using tools like bank verification number (BVN), before disbursements.
There have been fears about the government of President Muhammadu Buhari scrapping the programme, with series of protests over the delay in grants.
