It has emerged that four doctorate and 200 master’s degree holders have applied for the Federal Government’s Special Public Works programme in Ogun State.
The Ogun State Chairman of Special Public Works, Senator Gbenga Obadara, made the disclosure.
The Federal Government had months ago introduced the 774,000 jobs for unskilled youths as part of efforts to mitigate the effect of COVID-19-induced hardship.
Under the programme, 1,000 youths are to be employed from each of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
The enrollees will get N20,000 stipend for three months after which they will be disengaged.
The minimum wage in Nigeria is N30,000.
Obadara revealed that nearly 20,000 applicants have so far indicated an interest in the programme out of which four were PhD holders and 200 Master’s degree holders.
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However, he lamented the inadequacy of the 20,000 slots allotted to Ogun State.
“Poverty is ravaging. Unemployment is extremely on the high rise. People with master’s degrees and even PhD degrees are applying for 20,000 jobs. That is the problem. It cannot cover everybody. We cannot blame the Federal Government,” The Punch quoted him to have said.
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