Yobe spends N14m annually on maintaining remand home

By Bala Dauda Damaturu

Yobe State Government spends N14 million annually on the maintenance of Potiskum remand home.

Alhaji Barma Shetima, Commissioner, state Ministry of Sports, Social and Community Development, disclosed this to our correspondent in Damaturu.

According to him, the expenditure is for the upkeep of the facility and minors, especially in feeding, medical services, social amenities, among others.

He said that the ministry was planning to establish four additional remand homes in Damaturu, Nguru, Gashua and Geidam towns.

Shetima noted that the Potiskum remand home was the only functional remand home in the state as the ones in Nguru and Gashua were dilapidated.

The Commissioner said that the ministry had begun the renovation and upgrade of the August 27 Stadium, Damaturu, and the Gujba mini stadium to international standard.

He said the projects would be handled by Damule Investment and would be handed over to the ministry within eight months.

On youth empowerment, he over 3,500 youths were employed into the state civil service since 2019.

Barma said those employed were doctors, pharmacists, midwives, nurses and laboratory technicians, holding degrees, diplomas and National Certificate of Education ( NCE).

He said many youths were trained in different trades such as cosmetology, modern methods of crop cultivation, animal production, among others.

The Commissioner noted that the empowerment was aimed at making the youth self-reliant to minimise redundancy and crimes.

Shetima commended Gov Mai Mala Buni for supporting the ministry to deliver on its mandate.