Beneficiaries accuse Bayelsa govt of withholding over N50 million starter packs in World Bank project

The starter packs from the World Bank are said to be gathering dust in warehouses in Yenogoa.

Over 400 beneficiaries of the World Bank-assisted State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) skills acquisition project in Bayelsa have lamented delays in the release of starter packs promised them by the now-closed project.

More than two years after they graduated from various vocational skills training by the project, the beneficiaries lamented they’ve remained idle while waiting for the starter packs promised to them.

The candidates had undergone between two and three years of training at different craft centres in the state to prepare them for self-employment.

They were trained in cosmetology, welding, plumbing, electrical installation, diesel/outboard engine repairs, fashion design, catering, hairdressing, computer repairs and business education, among others.

The over N50 million worth of start-up packs for the beneficiaries, acquired and handed over to the state government by the World Bank, are presently gathering dust in some warehouses in Yenagoa.

Some beneficiaries, who spoke on the development, expressed concern that the items might be diverted by government officials in whose custody they are kept.

The beneficiaries, who wished anonymity, said that they were worried that since the donor had closed the project, there was no way of monitoring the status of the project left in the hands of the state government.

They lamented that they were even more frustrated by the delays in the release of the starter packs, after attending verification exercises, where their hopes were raised.

A female beneficiary, who trained in hairdressing and cosmetology, said the inability of the state government to give them the starter packs had made things difficult for her.

“I trained at Sagbama for two years and it has not been easy for me without the starter pack. They promised that they would give us starter packs after the training.

“Since we finished the training, we have been waiting for the government to give us our starter packs, but they have not given us. By the plans the donor had for us, we ought to be thinking of expanding our trades by now,” she said.

Another beneficiary, who trained on electrical installation and maintenance, said, “I finished training in 2019.

“Since we finished the training, we have not received our items of empowerment because they promised they would give us and we were happy.

“They called us for verification last year. They interviewed and asked us questions on our trades and everything was concluded. They said they would give us the items as soon as possible, but till now we have not seen anything.”

The beneficiaries appealed to the government to distribute the items to enable them to practice their trades effectively to better their lives and also be self-reliant.

Checks at the SEEFOR Project office in Yenagoa, which supervised and implemented the project, showed that the agency rounded off its activities in the state on September 30, 2020.

Some staff of the state government seconded to run the project office had since returned to their parent ministries following the end of the project.

A source in the project office said that the project was now in the hands of the Bayelsa Ministry of Education.

The Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah, said that his ministry was preparing for the distribution of the empowerment packages to the beneficiaries

According to him, everything was ready, only the approval of the date by Governor Douye Diri was being awaited.

(NAN)