By Hassan Turaki.
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has said youth empowerment and job creation remain the central focus of his administration’s development agenda. He made the statement while hosting a delegation from the Office of the Vice President and the United Nations Development Programme at Government House.
The delegation, led by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination, Mr Akubo Adegbe, and UNDP Nigeria Senior Adviser, Dr Iorwakwagh Apera, was in the state to strengthen collaboration on the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme.
Governor Namadi said the fellowship programme aligns with his administration’s 12-Point Agenda. He noted that concern for young people shaped some of the earliest decisions taken after he assumed office, including the creation of the Jigawa State Economic Empowerment and Youth Employment Agency.
The governor recalled his campaign tour across the state and the large turnout of youths. He said the reception convinced him that his government must justify the confidence reposed in it by prioritizing opportunities for young people.
He disclosed that thousands of youths have already been engaged by his administration. Many secured jobs in education, health and agriculture, while others were deployed as security guards to protect public infrastructure in schools, hospitals and courts.
Namadi assured the FG and UNDP team of Jigawa’s readiness to support the expansion of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme. He said the state would complement efforts to increase beneficiaries and deepen youth participation in national development schemes.
The governor also highlighted investment in technical skills. He said thirty indigenes were trained in China on the operation and maintenance of agricultural machinery before the tractors arrived, and the same youths assembled most of the equipment locally.
Mr Adegbe explained that the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is a federal initiative implemented by UNDP with EU support. He said it was designed to bridge the gap between higher education and the workplace by giving graduates practical experience through a one-year placement.
The presidential aide commended Governor Namadi’s agricultural mechanization drive after touring vocational and equipment centres in the state. He noted that the scale of tractors and harvesters in Jigawa showed serious commitment to creating jobs across the agricultural value chain.
Adegbe said the visit aimed to improve Jigawa’s participation in the fellowship programme and explore sustainable partnerships among federal government, development agencies and state governments. He described Nigerian youths as talented but limited by access to opportunities.
