Over 4,400 Youths in Wajir County will secure jobs for six months in the Kazi Mtaani National Hygiene Program (NHP).
During the launch held at Orahey grounds on Tuesday, the County Government Deputy Secretary, Mahat Dore disclosed that the initiative will engage 4,434 youth drawn from across the county.
“The program implemented by the national government in collaboration with the county government will target youth in Wajir Municipality and major towns in the seven sub counties and will involve manual jobs such as bush clearing, garbage collection, opening of blocked storm water drainage, planting and nurturing of trees, fumigation of congested public places such as markets, prisons and hospitals,” said Dore.
According to the County Governor Mohamed Abdi in a speech read by the Deputy County Secretary, eligible youth will be drawn from the unemployed and those from poor backgrounds not benefiting from government funded social protection mechanisms.
Further, the speech reads, 136 supervisors will be recruited to oversee the engaged youth who must possess national Identity Cards and a registered Mpesa account to facilitate payment.
The supervisors and Youth will each receive Sh. 505 and Sh. 455 shillings daily respectively for 22 days in the six-month engagement. The program is meant to be a mitigation measure towards socio-economic recovery of the Covid 19 pandemic.
“The lockdown restrictions meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted livelihoods of many sectors and therefore the NHP programme will help cushion livelihoods among the youth through labor intensive public works projects in the urban development sector,” reiterated the Governor.
The Governor urged those who will be recruited to serve to be patriotic and serve their county with dedication and honesty and at the same time take caution to comply with the national guidelines on Covid-19 safety measures.
The occasion was also attended by the Wajir East Deputy County Commissioner, Omar Beja, Officers from both national and county Government.
By Donald Ngala
