YouWin awardees accuse Finance Minister, Adeosun of lip-service

…Take protest to APC secretariat over unpaid fund

Hundreds of Nigerian graduates who are beneficiaries of Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) programme Monday temporarily disrupted activities at the National Secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to protest against failure of the federal government to fund the programme as promised.

The protesters, armed with placards with various inscriptions accused APC administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun of paying lip-service to the yearnings of beneficiaries, calling on the National chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole to prevail.

YouWin was an empowerment set up by the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan where $50 million Venture Capital Fund was launched to aid Small and Medium Enterprise, SME,-Growth Fund and help unemployed graduates.

Federal Government had earlier this year said it disbursed over N11 billion to the beneficiaries of the third edition of the YouWiN! programme from 2015 to date.

But while speaking with newsmen during the protest, one of the protesters, Mathew Osaruyi said, “we came all the way from Benin city, Edo state. This is a programme that was rolled out by the federal ministry of finance, and this is a programme that was established even in the past administration. It has only been rebranded in this administration by carrying another name “YOUWIN-Connect.

“Everybody knows YouWin to be a brand-based finance programme for young entrepreneurs. We are out here to protest against the lingering part of funding.”

When asked why the protest was done at the APC secretariat rather than the Ministry of Finance, he said, “we have been there but we came here because his excellency, Adams Oshiomole has the power and the numbers to tap into and intercede on our behalf, for the reason we are here. We just came from the ministry of Finance.”

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Abass Buraimoh, however calmed down the protesting youths, assuring them that all issues will be resolved in due time.

He also told them to submit a formal petition to the appropriate place in order to allow party to work on it.

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