About 5,000 youths in Kwara State are to get jobs under the Federal Government Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P).

Recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had promised in January that money saved by the Federal Government from the partial withdrawal of subsidy on petrol would be re-invested to create employment and improve critical infrastructure in the country.

The state Implementation Committee chairman of the scheme, Hon. Moses Ibiyemi, disclosed this to journalists at the weekend during the inaugural meeting of the committee held in Ilorin.

According to him, "By the time this is achieved, it will create economic empowerment, reduce unemployment and minimise the pangs of poverty and associated societal vices like armed robbery, prostitution and drug abuse, especially among young people."

He said: "The committee has approved strategies and modalities for the successful implementation of the programme so as to achieve maximum results for the teeming youths in the state.

"The committee will soon embark on a state-wide advocacy and sensitisation tour."

Ibiyemi disclosed further that during the pilot stage of the scheme, 500 women and youths were recruited and deployed to various projects in seven local government areas.

He said that additional 2,500 qualified unemployed women and youths would be recruited before the end of this month while the balance of 2,000 people would join the scheme in December.

The state chairman emphasised that those engaged will be deployed to work on projects and in institutions identified and selected by the local communities across the 16 local government areas in the state.

He listed the beneficiaries of SURE-P as school leavers, vulnerable individuals, especially women and youths and described the scheme as a bold and determined step by the Federal Government to empower the poor in the society in a bid to alleviate poverty in the country.

He also solicited the support and co-operation of all stakeholders to achieve the lofty objectives of the programme.