FG accuses youths of squandering grants, says no more grants

The Federal Government has accused youths of misappropriating and/or squandering grants given to them to start up businesses or other forms of entrepreneurial activities.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, disclosed this in Awka, the Anambra State capital at the end of a two-day workshop.

The workshop was organised by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan in partnership with the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

The workshop was titled “Challenges and opportunities for rural youth employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: A mixed-method study to inform policy and development programmes.”

Mr. Dare, who was represented by an Assistant Director of Vocational Skills in the ministry, Adamu Usman Kaina, said that, henceforth, the Federal Government will not be giving grants to youths anymore but will, alternatively, give them revolving loans.

He said: “With this we have decided that there would be no more grants to the youths, instead they shall be given loans that they will repay after an agreed period so that others will benefit from the same scheme.”

The Minister noted that the Federal Government had created several avenues to engage youth in agriculture and other vocations activities.

He called on well-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to partner government to empower youths across the nation.

He enjoined youth learn lessons from the nationwide #EndSARS protests.

Dare asked them to disabuse their minds from the notion among every young person that those in government are their enemies.

According to him, some 4600 youths had benefitted N500,000 each from the COVID-19 grants provided by the government.

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