Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to launch an unemployment benefits scheme aimed at cushioning the impact of joblessness among Nigerian youths.
Gatekeepers News reports that Kalu made the disclosure at a town hall meeting of the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) held in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. At the event, he also announced a N1 billion support package for 2,000 small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across the state.
According to the Deputy Speaker, the proposed unemployment benefits scheme is one of several social protection programmes being planned by the Tinubu administration to address economic hardship and strengthen citizens’ welfare.
“My people, there are several other programmes in the pipeline, including the unemployment benefits scheme soon to be launched by Mr. President to cater to our unemployed youth,” Kalu said.
He urged residents to continue supporting the President and the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on national recovery and long-term development.
“Your legislature is working. Your President is working. And your Deputy Speaker, from Bende to Abuja, is working tirelessly, accountable to you, driven by the conviction that Nigeria’s best days are not behind us but ahead of us,” he said.
“I ask you today: Support President Tinubu. Support our party, the All Progressives Congress. Support the Renewed Hope Agenda. Support Nigeria. We are not just rebuilding a country; we are building a legacy for our children.”
At the meeting, Kalu distributed trailer loads of rice, other food items and N100 million in cash to over 100 churches, the APC and various support groups. He explained that the intervention was part of efforts to strengthen party structures and support vulnerable groups.
He recalled that about six months ago, he donated N500 million through the Renewed Hope Partners to assist businesses in Abia State, adding that the newly announced N1 billion SME intervention would cover all 17 local government areas of the state.
“We are going to support 2,000 businesses with N1 billion across the entire Abia State. Each business will get about N500,000 to start with. From there, we will invite the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, SMEDAN, CREDICORP and others to partner with us and match our fund,” he said.
Kalu said the programme would be implemented in collaboration with financial institutions, including the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and the Nigeria Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP).
He directed the Director-General of the Benjamin Kalu Movement, Pastor Emma Trumps Eke, to ensure that eligible businesses are properly identified and structured ahead of the empowerment exercise scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
Describing Abia as an enterprising state with a strong culture of trade and entrepreneurship, Kalu said the intervention was designed to stimulate economic growth and boost local productivity.
On his legislative record, the Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, said he had sponsored 127 bills in the past two years, covering governance, inclusion, infrastructure, security and economic reforms.
He also listed over 50 constituency projects completed or ongoing across the 13 electoral wards in Bende, including schools, ICT centres, health facilities, roads, agricultural processing centres, electricity restoration, water projects and skills acquisition centres.
Beyond infrastructure, Kalu said more than 150 constituents had benefited from employment facilitation, scholarships and overseas training, while about 1,600 individuals accessed the Benjamin Kalu Grants.
Commending President Tinubu’s economic policies, Kalu said reforms such as fuel subsidy removal, fiscal and tax reforms, power sector improvement, social protection initiatives and measures to enhance security and food security were already yielding results.
He urged Nigerians to remain patient and supportive of the administration.
“We must give honour where it is due. In the last two and a half years, our nation has navigated turbulent global economic waters. That we are standing strong today is a testament to the steady hand of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
“I want to use this platform to thank Mr. President for his role as the Unifier-in-Chief. He has not only stabilised our great party, the APC, but has also engendered a harmonious relationship between the Executive and the Legislature that is unprecedented in our democratic history.”
“This stability is not accidental; it is the bedrock upon which development is built. Because the centre is holding, we in the legislature can work.”
