Nigeria, May 28 -- The federal government has unveiled the details of its plan to employ at 1,000 persons from each of the 774 local government areas in the country.

The initiative will start October 1 and each beneficiary will be paid N20,000 monthly to carry out public works, the minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, announced Thursday.

Mr Keyamo provided more details of the programme, saying each state will have a committee to choose those to be employed and the jobs they will perform.

He said political leaders in all areas will be allowed to select not more than 10 per cent of the beneficiaries in their areas.

Read Mr Keyamo's speech at a press conference below:

It is my singular honour and pleasure to welco...