Speaking during a stakeholders’ workshop on the implementation of the At-Risk Children Programme (ARC-P) in Minna, the Governor’s wife lamented that the group of youths involved in substance and drug abuse in the state has become alarming and a cause for concern.
“In 2017, Niger State recorded the highest number of youths involved in substance abuse in the Northcentral zone and because this trend continues to proliferate, I can only say that we are likely to still be at the same higher level. Even if someone has overtaken us, we need to assume that we are with the highest number of youths with drug abuse.
“Those within and outside Minna can testify to this, especially with the spate of violence we have been seeing with youths lately in Niger State. We can testify that we have a lot of them involved in this”, she stated.
Sani-Bello said when implemented, 1,250 unemployed youths across the state would have jobs while 62,500 out-of-school and vulnerable children would be made to be productive, adding that the impact of the programme is enormous as it would go a long way in reducing the spate of vulnerable children across the state.
“ARC-P’s approach to leverage on central coordination of resources, strategies and monitoring to drive a targeted, efficient and cost-effective solution to the distressing phenomenon is a very welcome one. Niger State is fully committed to seeking innovative approaches to promote inclusion and equity in access to education.”
The Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, Hajiya Maryam Uwais said the programme is a way for the federal government to address the challenge of the out-of-school children, adding that the At-Risk Children programme will offer a multi-dimensional, broad-spectrum approach to the out-of-school children and find a lasting solution to the 13.2 million out-of-school children across the country.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Matane applauded the federal government for the pioneering programme which would find solutions to the documented vulnerabilities of children lacking basic social protection across an array of areas of need adding that the state government would leverage existing state initiatives and programmes to provide support and strengthen efforts for the effective implementation of the ARC-P programme in the state.