RAMADAN IFTAR: Aliyu Reaffirms Commitment to Youth Empowerment, Job Creation
RAMADAN IFTAR: Aliyu Reaffirms Commitment to Youth Empowerment, Job Creation
From Shehu M. Wamakko
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, on Wednesday evening hosted members of the State Executive Council, Special Advisers (SAs) and Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) to an Iftar (breaking of fast) at the Presidential Lodge, Sokoto, reaffirming his administration’s resolve to sustain youth empowerment initiatives.
Speaking shortly after the Iftar, the governor said job creation and skills acquisition programmes would remain central to his government’s strategy to address unemployment and curb youth restiveness.
Aliyu noted that since the inception of his administration, thousands of youths and women across the state had been trained in various vocational and entrepreneurial skills to enhance self-reliance and productivity.
“It is our belief that the most effective way to reduce youth restiveness and crime is to ensure that our youths are gainfully employed,” he said.
The governor explained that the creation of the Ministry for Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship was a deliberate step to equip young people with practical skills needed to thrive in today’s economy.
He added that more beneficiaries had been empowered through initiatives implemented by the Ministries of Local Government Affairs and Women Affairs, as well as the State Poverty Reduction Agency.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy, Aliyu assured that critical sectors including security, religious affairs, education, healthcare, water supply and infrastructure would continue to receive priority attention.
He commended the commissioners and other political appointees for their support and urged them to remain dedicated to the administration’s development agenda.
The governor also called on residents to extend acts of kindness to vulnerable groups and the less privileged during Ramadan, stressing that such gestures would attract divine mercy and blessings.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Muhammad Bello Sifawa, praised the governor for executing people-oriented projects across the state, saying the achievements recorded within two years surpassed those of the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in its eight years.
Sifawa assured the governor of the continued loyalty and cooperation of members of the State Executive Council and political aides, describing the Iftar as a demonstration of inclusive leadership.
Hosting members of the three arms of government for Iftar during Ramadan remains a long-standing tradition in Sokoto State, fostering unity and harmonious working relationships among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
