SURE-P recruits 83 physically-challenged persons in Nasarawa.

The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme said it had recruited 83 physically-challenged persons in Nasarawa state as part of its empowerment scheme.

The Chairman of SURE-P Committee in the state, Mr Joseph Ishekpa, stated this on Friday in Keffi while briefing House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development on the activities of the programme in the state.

Ishekpa told officials of Absolute Security and Consultancy Services Ltd, which represented the committee that the physically-challenged persons were part of 3,000 people recruited by SURE-P in the state from June, 2013 to date.

He said that the recruited persons, mainly women and youths, were trained and assigned to various jobs, including traffic control and cleaning of roads, hospitals and markets.

He said that the recruitment programme was targeted at reducing unemployment and poverty in the state.

Ishekpa, who was represented by Mr Monday Dalyop, Vice Chairman of the SURE-P committee, said that the programme had provision for the empowerment of people in the low stratum in the society, especially rural dwellers.

Ishekpa said, “As we are all aware, the importance of establishing SURE-P programme in the country by the federal government is to curb unemployment and poverty especially among the rural poor, comprising youths and women.

“We have employed 3,000 youths and women in the state in the first phase of the programme which commenced in June 2013.

“Out of this number, 83 are persons with various disabilities whose hardships needed to be alleviated and improve on their living standards.”

“This has also helped in curbing social vices such as youths’ restiveness in the country.”

He disclosed that beneficiaries of the programme were living up to expectation and were dedicated to their duties, enough to justify the investment of the Federal Government in the scheme.

He, however, appealed to the government to provide more work tools and ensure regular payment of stipends to the beneficiaries of the programme in order to sustain it.

Responding, Mr Israel Gideon, who led the consultancy firm’s team, said that they were in Nasarawa to inspect SURE-P projects and report back to House of Representatives committee.

PUNCH