No fewer than 16,000 people in Bauchi State will benefit from Public Work Fare (PWF), a World Bank intervention programme aimed at empowering citizens of the state.
The Chairman of Bauchi Commission for Youths and Women Rehabilitation and Development (BACYWORD), Ahmed Umar Faruk, disclosed this during the beneficiary enrollment exercise held at multipurpose hall Bauchi.
Faruk, who said that over 16, 000 poorest of the poor beneficiaries will benefit from the programme said that they would get a monthly stipend of Seven Thousand Five Naira (N7500) for the period of Two and Half years under the programme.
He said that the entire programme was community-driven where according to him, “communities come together to select beneficiaries among them and also design the type of services beneficiaries would be made to render to a community which they deem as beneficial to the community.
“This services could be in the form cleaning their environment, maintaining primary health care facilities, desilting of drainages or any other services the community may come up with that is in line with the Guidelines of the component,” he said.
Faruk also said that Bauchi state is leading in the entire country with the first phase enrollment of over 16, 000 beneficiaries in 12 local government areas of the state, pointing out that “ it is for this reason that the World Bank selected Bauchi to carry out training for new states that are coming on board in the programme. So, the Bauchi state has become a reference point in this regard”.
He urged community leaders in Bauchi to ensure adequate monitoring of beneficiaries of public work fare (PWF) in order to bring about development and economic prosperity to their respective communities.
While commending the efforts of the adhoc staff engaged for the enrollment exercise, Faruk also said, “BACYWORD, as an implementation agency will ensure total compliance with procedures and guidelines in carrying out the PWF component of the program as stipulated by World Bank”.
He thanked the state Governor for approving the timely release of counterpart funding for the program describing it as “ political will and clear demonstration of government’s efforts toward reducing poverty in Bauchi state”.