BINIBOR SUCCESS NWAKAEGO

The study examined N-Power policy and youth unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The objectives of the study include the following: to examine how N-Power programme has reduce the rate of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, to investigate N-Power programme influence on skill acquisition amongst youth in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, to examine the challenges facing N-Power programme in the reduction of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, and give possible recommendations to the challenges facing N-Power programme towards unemployment reduction in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study comprises all staff of Egor Local Government Area and all beneficiaries of the Npower programme in Egor Local Government Area. According to the Human Resource Department of Egor Local Government Area, the total staff strength of council members is 1087, while that of Npower (N-Agro, N-Comm, N-Health and N-Tech) beneficiaries is 556. The instrument used for the collection of data was the questionnaire, which was administered to the study's sampled respondents. Out of the 185 questionnaires distributed, 177 copies were retrieved. The data collected was analyzed using simple percentage and chi chi-square analytical method to test the hypotheses generated for the study. The study discovered, amongst others, that, N-power programme has contributed to the reduction of unemployment in Egor Local Government Area. The study also discovered that factors like inadequate funding, lack of fairness in the selection, and inadequate supervision are challenges facing the N-Power policy and youth unemployment in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Furthermore, policy recommendations were adopted which include, amongst others, that adequate funding of the N-power programme should be made available for the sustainability of the programme. Also, programme continuity should be ensured at all costs. Every succeeding government should evaluate the social intervention programmes of the preceding government, adopt, implement and sustain the positive impacting ones and abrogate the negative ones.