The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed has said that the Federal Government has created a N75 billion entrepreneurship support fund, to enable youth in the country to grow their businesses and be economically independent.
She made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen after a meeting with Kaduna State Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, on Saturday in Kaduna.
According to her, N25 billion will be released over three years starting from 2021. She explained that the fund would support the youth to actualize their innovative and entrepreneurial ideas, and to help them to be productive and employers of labour.
Ahmed further explained that she was in kaduna to meet the Acting Governor in response to directive of President Muhammadu Buhari for all ministers to return to their states and get inputs on best ways to empower the youths in each state.
“We came to meet the Government of Kaduna State to discuss the issue of the protest that has been happening around us, specifically the EndSARS protest. We are happy to report that the state has already prepared an excellent report on all the plans and efforts they have undertaken to manage the protests”
According to the Minister, “we have also come to understand the challenges that they have and how best to support them,” she said.
There has been public outrage in different parts of the country in the last few weeks as youths took to the streets to protest an end to police brutality as well as bad governance in the country.
