By Adekola Afolabi
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A total of 14, 455 unemployed graduates across the 18 Local Government areas of Ondo State have been employed through the Federal Government sponsored N-power programme within the two years of the programme.

The Ondo state Project Manager of the N-power programme, Barrister Sola Ajisafe, made this known in Akure, the Ondo state capital while speaking with The Hope.

Ajisafe, who is also a Special Assistant to the Ondo state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Social Intervention, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the laudable programme which, he said, has taken thousands of graduates off the streets.

He explained that in the first batch of the programme, between 2016 and 2017, 6, 422 volunteers were taken, while in the current one, between 2017-2018 recorded 8, 033 volunteers working in three key aspects of the socio-economic life of the nation.

“These volunteers are working in three key aspects of our socio-economic life, one, in the health sector, at our primary health centres across the state. Two, at all the extension services of agric development project across the 18 Local Government Areas, and three, in all our primary and secondary schools across Ondo State”, he added.

“Through the N-power programme, the federal government engaged 500, 000 volunteers across the country at the completion of the programme which was in two batches. The volunteers were working in various sectors of the economy. Out of the figure, 14, 455 graduate volunteers were engaged in Ondo State.”

The Project Manager stressed that since the inception of the programme in 2016, the various levels of monitoring team have been leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the volunteers discharge their respective duties as expected of them.

According to him, performances of students in schools have increased through the complementary activities of the volunteers.

” Yes, it is likely that some of the volunteers may not show up, but anyone we lay our hands on will be dealt with accordingly. We know how we do our work to get our report, apart from organised monitoring we normally do. People from Abuja too may also come to have on-the-spot assessment even without contacting us, which is normal.

“So far, the programme is assisting our society and complementing the existing provisions in the affected sectors across the country.

“We have to give kudos to Mr President and equally the governor of Ondo State for their support”, he emphasised.