NATIONAL: CACOVID pledges N100b for rehabilitation of #EndSARS damaged police stations

•Says N150b will be spent on youth education

THE private sector’s Coalition against Covid-19 (CACOVID) said it would rehabilitate all 44 damaged and destroyed police stations nationwide.

The coalition also promised to provide the sum of N100 billion to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigeria Police Force over the next years.

These moves are parts of the efforts to fully modernise the Nigerian Police and also restore provision of security in areas affected by the havoc wreaked by hoodlums who hijacked the largely peaceful agitation against police brutality tagged as #EndSARS protests.

“CACOVID has committed to fully rehabilitate all 44 damaged and destroyed police stations nationwide in a bid to restore provision of security in affected locations,” Emefiele said.

“To further strengthen the security apparatus in the country, CACOVID has committed to provide over N100bn to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next years; as our contribution to fully modernise the Nigerian Police.”he added.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and CACOVID’s convener, Godwin Emefiele, noted that there was CACOVID’s preliminary analysis indicated that the unrest was largely caused by unemployment amongst the youth.

He said, therefore, the coalition would embark on a youth development programme that will provide technical and vocational education to over 4 million Nigerian youths.

Emefiele disclosed that over N150 billion would be deployed towards setting up and implementing the programme.

“Our preliminary analysis indicates that unemployment particularly amongst the youth was a critical factor behind the unrest,” he said.

“As a result, CACOVID has committed to create a high impact youth development programme that will provide technical and vocational education to over 4 million Nigerian youths over the next 5 years.

“Students will be trained on craftwork, plumbing, masonry, capentry, and other artisanal related skills for which sufficient demand exist in Nigeria.

“Over N150bn is expected to be deployed towards the set up and implementation of the youth development programme, which will be available at select training centers across the country.”

The CBN governor further revealed that selected students, on conclusion of the programme, would be certified by the appropriate standards board and will be eligible to receive loans to support their entrepreneurial pursuits.

“So far, over N25 billion will be domiciled in a fund to support these entrepreneurial pursuits, which would also include acquisition of related equipment’s to conduct business activities,” he said.

“The ultimate objective is to provide young Nigerians with employable skills sets that will enable them to live a gainful life. We believe this initiative can lead to the creation of over 6 million jobs over the next five years.

“For the out-of-school graduates that possess certain Entrepreneural skills, CACOVID will be working with Bankers Committee to complete the Creative center at National Arts Theater area of Lagos in four select areas namely; ICT and software design/development, Fashion, Music and Movies. This project is expected to cost the Bankers Committee over N40 Billion.”

CACOVID is a coalition formed by the CBN, in collaboration with the bankers’ committee and the private sector, led by Aliko Dangote Foundation and Access Bank.

Also present at the press conference were: President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu; and the Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.