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Tag: Nigerian Youths

  • Stop renouncing your citizenship, FG appeals Nigerian youths

    Stop renouncing your citizenship, FG appeals Nigerian youths

    The Federal Government has decried the rate at which young Nigerians renounce their citizenship in pursuit of greener pasture.

    The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said the trend was worrisome and counterproductive.

    He assured that the Federal government would put mechanism in place that would keep young Nigerians busy in productive activities.

    He urged them to stop renouncing their citizenship.

    Aregbesola spoke during the Ministerial Alignment Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Deliverables for Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government.

    A statement by Mr Towoju Raphael on behalf of the Director of Press in the Ministry, Mrs Lere- Adams, said the Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Shuaib Belgore.

    Aregbesola said a committee would be set up in the Ministry with stakeholders to oversee the operations and implementation of the deliverables.

    He announced that the committee would be chaired by the Director, Planning Research and Statistics (PRS) in the Ministry, Mr. Kabiru Ayuba, with representatives of the four Services under the Ministry and other relevant officers.

  • #EndSARS protests happened because of ignorance of Nigerian youths – Sunday Dare

    #EndSARS protests happened because of ignorance of Nigerian youths – Sunday Dare

    The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, on Thursday, alleged that many youths across the country were not aware of the various ongoing Federal Government’s youth intervention programmes.

    Dare, who was in Minna, Niger, to inaugurate the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leaders meeting for the 36 states and Abuja, said that their ignorance of the programmes resulted in the #ENDSARS protests across the country.

    “My ministry compiled a compendium of the opportunities and intervention programmes created for the youth by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last five years and a half, and we were able to come up with as many as 25 of them.

    “Unfortunately, we also found out that most, if not all, of those that protested, were not aware of these opportunities. They were in part angry with the government without realizing that the government has created and continues to create these opportunities for them. The scenario need not have been like this,” he said.

    He said that the government decided to make the information available to the youth leaders so that they can in turn disseminate it to the teeming youth of the country, using their extensive network, pointing out that knowing about these opportunities was not enough unless the youth took advantage of them.

    “We must make conscious efforts to follow up with the people in our networks and constituencies to take action and apply for these programmes so as to derive the benefits they have to offer,” he said.

    He said that the Digital skills acquisition, Employability, Entrepreneurship and Leadership (DEEL) initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development was prepared to train 500,000 youth in digital skills, to ensure they are appropriately equipped with the skills necessary to disseminate information.

    The minister said that the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), approved by the Federal Executive Council, had begun accepting applications from youths who wished to access loans of between N250,000.00 and N3,000,000.00, once they met the criteria.

    He said that government had also set up the Work Experience Programme to make our youth employable, by placing them in a work environment to get on the job training and experience, adding that leadership skills and mentorship programme had also been provided by the government, through the Citizen Leadership and Training Centre (CLTC) of the youth ministry.

    Dare urged the youth leaders to propagate the message and other opportunities to the grassroots because ”as mobilizers and networkers, you are uniquely positioned to reach people in the grassroots who the traditional media of communication may not be ubiquitous.

    “You must make use of this network at the grassroots to tell the youth about the opportunities that our government has provided for them and tell them about the other achievements of the government in order to counter the wrong notion that the government is not doing much”, he added.

    The minister also said that the bulk of the youth population were online, on the social media and messaging platforms, therefore these platforms should be leveraged to reach them.

    ”The #EndSARS protests were coordinated from such platforms, which makes it pertinent that you take your message about what this government is doing to the youth online and to the social media space”, he explained.

    He said that the APC, the government and all Nigerians have learnt the importance of constructively engaging the youth, “and that is precisely what we have started doing going forward”.

    In his own address, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, the Niger governor, urged the youth to use the forum to discuss the socio-political challenges facing the nation.

    Bello, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Mr Emmanuel Umar, enjoined the youth to talk about the unity and development of the country and the sustainability of the APC.

  • Your time has come, Buhari’s minister assures Nigerian youths

    Your time has come, Buhari’s minister assures Nigerian youths

    The Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Mr Sunday Dare has appealed to the youth to embrace dialogue in order to move the country forward.

    Dare said this on Sunday in Abuja at the maiden edition of the National Youth Day celebration with the theme ” Invest in the Youth, Secure Our Future”.

    He said that with what the country had witnessed in the past three weeks, there could be no better time than now to celebrate the youth and validate their contributions to national economic development.

    According to him, the celebration is an opportunity to reflect, take stock and chart a new youth action plan that will tackle headlong the issues that confront our teeming youth population.

    “Let me start with a direct reference to the new focus and youth vision of the African Development Bank (AfDB) led by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

    “That the establishment of Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks will help to fully unleash youth potential through technology and entrepreneurship.

    “This assertion made in September 2020, first validates the strength of our youth and secondly demands from government and the private sector direct investments in the youth population with a de-risking mentality.

    “We will return to dissect this momentarily,” Dare said.

    According to him, many of the youth can achieve a lot but for lack of opportunities, education that is not suitable for the jobs available, a huge unemployment popular market occasioned by a struggling and sluggish economy,

    Others he said were lack of relevant skills, lack of credit and access to finance for youth enterprises and businesses, low investment from the public and private sector,” he said.

    Dare said it was time to change the trajectory to one that was capable of lifting millions of youth out of unemployment, under employment, frustration with the system, dearth of opportunities and stunted growth.

    “The dreams and careers of our youth must receive a new burst of energy and renewed hope so that as a country our future can be secured,”’ he said.

    Dare said the theme was apt as it wouldp enable the country to invest more and deliberately in the innovative minds, skills, talents and enterprise of the youth.

    He said it would equip them with needed and relevant technical, digital skills and also make them wealth creators, self starters, employers of labour and leaders in their own right.

    “Globally, there is a paradign shift from merely empowering the youth to directly investing in them,” Dare said.

    He said the president, African Developement Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina challenged governments and the private sector to shift focus from youth empowerment to youth investments.

    Dare said that without investments in the youth today, there would be no returns either now or in the future.

    “Adesina did not stop there, he wanted the establishment of youth Enterprenuership and investment banks that can cater for and provide funds for enterprenuers,” he said.

    “A bank you can walk into where they see assets not liabilities, where they have faith and confidence in young people,”. he quoted Adesina as saying.

    He said that the country was blessed, and saddled with a bulging youth population that could turn out to be the country’s greatest resource if Nigeria made the right investments and in a timely manner.

    Dare said that President Muhammadu Buhari since the inception of his administration had never taken his eyes off the ball when it comes to youth developmental issues.

    According to him, the president believes when the youth are given to hard work, they should also be provided with opportunities.

    Dare said the government had initiated a slew of multifaceted youth focused programmes that were cross cutting.

    “Wherever a youth group is found, these programmes target them. Indeed, in July 22, the president and council approved the establishment of the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund, (NYIF).

    “It was a culmination of all efforts geared at giving our youth access to funds needed for enterprise.

    “The president, through the NYIF demonstrated that Nigeria was in sync and agreement with the new thinking in youth development and that sees investing in the youth as a condition to unleash their potential,” he said.

    According to him, the NYIF has been over subscribed for the 2020 half year funding provided for. More than one million applications have been received with more expected to come.

    Dare said that with the protests took place across the country, Nigeria was taking measures to change the narrative by investing in youth development.

    He said that change has begun and that what was needed was to deepen the youth initiatives and accelerate the onboarding of beneficiaries in a transparent and effectual manner.

    Dare said that Nigeria must license a new tribe of youth investment banks with single digit loans dedicated to our youth.

    “Through the NYIF, the Federal Government has set the tone and leading the way,” he said.

    Dare said during the celebration 10 winners of the 60-day APP challenge competition and five young innovators in different fields received #12.5 million.

    He said that Buhari had faith in the youth and was committed to his meeting the demands of the protesting youth.

    Dare said Buhari was convinced that the acts of brutality against the youth and the larger Nigerian population needed to be addressed.

    He said that the president had activated all necessary levels of government to deal with the demands of the youth.

    “These protests had earned the youth a well-deserved place at the table. So, take your seat in order to continue the progress and reform you have called for.

    “From the protest, it is time for the next phase which is dialogue, ldentify trusted leaders and have them come forward.

    “Any movement without leaders becomes rudderless and susceptible to being hijacked by people with agenda inimical to the very reasons behind the protests.

    “The youth have a unique opportunity to help write a new chapter in our journey to a more compassionate and benign society and a greater nation.

    “Don’t let this historic chance pass through your hands. You deserve this moment, as does the nation we love,” he said.

  • #EndSARS: Apologies to Nigerian youths not enough – Ex-A’Ibom Gov, Attah

    #EndSARS: Apologies to Nigerian youths not enough – Ex-A’Ibom Gov, Attah

    Former Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah, has recommended the urgent “rebirth” of the country as a major response to the recent demands by Nigerian youths to fix not just the police force (#EndSARS) but the nation at large.

    The elder statesman, who condemned in strong terms the looting, arson and mindless attack on security agencies said those unwholesome acts were not part of the demands of the EndSARS protests.

    Attah explained that the decision by some state governments to apologise to the youths and called them to a negotiation table is not enough. He explained that the youths need assurances that the future will be better.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Attah spoke at press briefing on Friday on the recent happenings in the country.

    Read full speech below:

    A STATEMENT ISSUED BY (OBONG) VICTOR B. ATTAH AT A PRESS BRIEFING HELD AT THE NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS (NUJ) PRESS CENTRE AT UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE ON FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2020.

    The events of the last three weeks which have enveloped our country in gloom are not ethnic, religious or, by any means sectional. They are national. However, given my primary constituency of Akwa lbom state, I want to start this statement by quoting the second and last stanza of Akwa lbom state Anthem which was recently launched by Our State Governor:

    God of mercy hear our plea
    Make our land a place to be
    Let the war-like sheathe his sword
    Still all vices in the land
    Grant your rule O Prince of Peace
    That our state may ever be
    Peaceful ever! Warring never!
    Let your will O God forever reign.

    Such sentiments as are expressed above do not admit of such activities as have plagued us in recent times. I therefore urge all Akwa lbom youths to rally in strong defence of their inheritance and to be totally united in their condemnation of all manner of unethical behavior and hooliganism that can lead to the destruction of personal and public property.

    l also join my voice with others in prayer that God, in His loving mercy, may forgive their sins and grant kind admittance into His kingdom of peace to the souls of those who have lost their lives in this struggle. May He also heal our land and comfort us as we try to bear this irreparable loss.

    The question that must be asked is, how did we get here? I am aware that our police have won several acclaims and accolades during peace keeping missions abroad so why do they exhibit such abominably unacceptable behavior at home! I also know that public resentment to police brutality, particularly SARS, is not a sudden thing, it has been building up.

    In response, the Federal Government set up in 2018, a presidential panel on SARS reforms. After thorough investigation, the panel recommended the sacking of 37 police officers, and the prosecution of 24 others.

    The panel further tasked the Inspector General of Police (1GP) to unravel the identity of 22 other officers involved in the violation of human rights of innocent citizens. To the best of my knowledge no effect has been given to the panel’s report.

    During the COVID-19 lockdown, the atrocities increased; voices of protests got strident but the authorities turned a deaf ear and the impunities multiplied. When the shouting got to a deafening pitch somebody callously dismissed it with the comments that the President will not succumb to intimidation or blackmail. Then the dam burst.

    Out of a feeling of total frustration and impotency, our youths poured out on the streets on a legitimate protest mission and suddenly the President could hear them loud and clear. But not before a legitimate protest mission that started out quite peacefully had turned into an orgy of looting, killing, wanton and mindless destruction.

    Our youths were shot and killed for seeking a change in the social order; for seeking a better future for themselves which we, the elders have denied them. In the process, a number of policemen and officers were also killed in the line of legitimate duty. The youths are our future; why must we deliberately set out to destroy our own future!!

    Today the youths are being asked to return to the negotiation table. I am not aware that they had at any time abandoned such a table. Even now, I do not know if it has been made clear to them where the table for negotiation is set. I believe that there ought to be an institutionalised method for conducting such dialogue.

    I thank the youths for accepting the President’s olive branch and coming out to bravely condemn the reprehensible acts of hooliganism and destruction in which we are now submerged.

    It is now patently clear that those indulging in these criminal acts are not the protesters but miscreants and hooligans who have hijacked the process.

    I want therefore to appeal to our youths, to eschew bitterness and to show further commitment to the peace process by halting all further protests so they will not be accused of participating in the destruction of their own future.

    There is no doubt that their primary purpose of EndSARS has been realized though at a heavy price. The healing process must now begin.

    Today we apologise to the youths and so we should; but is that sufficient succour? They need assurances that the future will be better but can it, if we continue as we are? Here and their voices were raised shouting for Change, for True Federalism, Resource Control, Diversification, a New Constitution for Nigeria. Chile, which had also inherited a Military Constitution has just changed it through a referendum. Why not Nigeria!

    Today, from every part of this country, the South-South, West, East, Middle Belt, North and indeed the Far North, more voices have now risen and combined into a thunderous national crescendo calling for a REBIRTH.

    In every part of this country today the urgent and compelling need for such a change has been acknowledged and endorsed. My plea, my passionate plea to the government is to please DO SOMETHING NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

    Let us not wait for people to come out on the streets to press their demand for change. God forbid, if that should happen, there would be no holding back. It would spell the beginning of an end. This is not a threat or blackmail but a prediction borne out of sound reasoning and the lessons of history.

    I end this statement with this prayer taken from the second and last stanza of our National Anthem:

    O God of creation, direct our noble cause
    Guide our leaders right
    Help our youths the truth to know
    In love and honesty to grow
    And living just and true
    Great lofty heights attain
    To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign

    God bless Akwa lbom State
    God bless and preserve Nigeria.

    Obong Victor Attah
    Elder Statesman and
    Former Governor, AKS

  • #EndSARS: Most Nigerians youths are high on drugs all the time – Lagos lawmaker [VIDEO]

    #EndSARS: Most Nigerians youths are high on drugs all the time – Lagos lawmaker [VIDEO]

    Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Amuwo Odofin 1 constituency, Honourable Mojisola Alli-Maculay has called for the re-orientation of Nigerian Youths.

    According to the lawmaker, most youths are ‘high on drugs at all times.”

    The lawmaker made this statement during the House’s deliberation on the crisis that rocked Lagos State after hoodlums hijacked the #EndSARS protest and carried out wanton destruction of properties and killings this past week.

    She averred that young people now go on social media to do all sorts of things.

    In her words;

    “Look at the children these days. The youths. I like your submission Mr Speaker that it is not unemployment that should be the bane or the reason why youths will come out and misbehave.

    “There are unemployment in so many countries of the world, even in the United States. I schooled in the UK and I saw a lot of young people who were not employed but they didn’t become hoodlums. Why can’t we look inwards and look for solutions to our problems. Why can’t young people look within themselves, look for their talents.”

    “Even as graduates, what stops you from becoming a designer or a professional tiler?”

    “There is no excuse for being a hoodlum.”

    “I think it’s about time that the National Orientation Agency needs to set to work. We need to begin to orientate our young people. They need people who can talk to them from time to time.”

    “They are high on drugs most of the time, most of them. They go to social media, they do all sorts of things.”

  • SARS disbandment is victory for Nigerian youths – Sanwo-Olu

    SARS disbandment is victory for Nigerian youths – Sanwo-Olu

    The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday said the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is a victory for the Nigerian youths following nationwide protests against the squad.

    He disclosed this on Sunday in Ikeja upon his return from Ondo where he led as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the governorship election.

    While commending the youths for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves during the protests, Governor Sanwo-Olu believes their actions have shown what democracy truly stands for.

    “This is actually a victory for our youths. This is a victory because your voice has been heard. So if you say this is not the first time, this is the first time they are disbanding it,” he said.

    “Other pronouncements have been we will do something but there has been clear communication and they have rolled out all of the various things they are going to be doing.”

    The governor also called on the youths to sheathe their swords following the positive response to their demands.

    He wants the young population to collaborate with the police authorities by forming themselves into groups aimed at providing a citizen-oriented policing structure.

    Reacting to the just concluded Ondo governorship election, Sanwo-Olu commended the people of the state for supporting the APC.

    According to the governor, the people’s choice of the party’s candidate in the poll, Rotimi Akeredolu is a victory for democracy.

    The governor’s response followed days of widespread protests by Nigerians demanding to scrap of the unit which had gained notoriety for brutality and human rights violations.

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who announced the scrapping of the unit, acknowledged reports of extortion and brutality, announcing a plan for an investigation.

  • Fraud: EFCC denies nationwide clampdown on successful Nigerian youths

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations it is hounding successful youths in its quest to contain internet fraud aka Yahoo-Yahoo.

    Nigerians on social media have accused the agency and the police of branding, without proof, every young successful person as an internet fraudster.

    But Chairman of the Commission Ibrahim Magu denied these allegations on Monday.

    During an interview after the opening ceremony of a three-day conference and retreat for senior police officers held in Lagos, Magu insisted that the EFCC went after suspects based on credible intelligence.

    He also reiterated that the EFCC was making plans to rehabiliate arrested internet fraudsters so they could be of great use to the country and society.

    Magu said, “We go after fraudsters and not successful young persons.

    “We do due diligence before clamping down on them.

    “I have also mentioned that we are making arrangement to rehabilitate these arrested fraudsters so that they can be useful to the society.”

    Meanwhile, Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki, who was also at the event, said the state was using community policing to tackle the menace of highway kidnapping and armed violence which have been prevalent for some months.

    He said his administration was working very hard with the office of the Inspector General of Police (IG) to ensure that attacks on motorists plying the Ore-Benin Highway was a thing of the past.

    Obaseki said, “Our model for community policing is key and we are working very hard with the IG’s office. Do not forget that the current IG was AIG in Edo State and that was when we started working on the whole concept of community policing.

    “That is one of the reasons I am here: to work with the senior management of the police in terms of providing security in the state.”

  • Why I said Nigerian youths are lazy – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday justified his statement that Nigerian youths are lazy, though he also claimed that the media twisted his comments on the issue.

    Buhari, who spoke with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America in Washington, United States of America, accused the media of doing just what it wants to.

    Buhari, who was asked to respond to his comment on Nigerian youths being lazy while in London for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, said: “You know they say we are between 180 and 200 million people in Nigeria and 60 per cent are the youths below the age of 30.

    “In the North, for instance, most have not attended school or they abandoned halfway.

    “If not because we had favourable rainfall in the past two seasons, most of them have no job, just idling away.

    “People like them, even if they go to the South, for instance, what they will make will not be enough to even pay their rent let alone feeding, clothing and transport back home.

    “That has not been explained enough and you know the media, especially the print, are simply doing whatever they like.

    “We had two successful farming seasons, people went to farm and did very well, but no one is talking about that; only insults.
    “That is why the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had to respond to the letter of insults released by (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo.

    “We spoke about it and I asked him not to respond but he refused and said he would just respond by stating the situation we met the country, where it is now and what has been done in-between and the monies we are getting.”
    Buhari said God will judge past happenings in the country as the Peoples Democratic Party that was in power for 16 years left only debts for his administration despite the huge revenues from oil.

    He said: “Recently, I had to come out and state that from 1999 to 2014, anyone who carries out a study here in America or Europe or India will know that we were producing 2.2 million barrels of crude oil daily at a price of at least $100 per barrel.

    “In those 16 years of the PDP rule, Nigeria was getting 2.1 million x $100 every day, every week, but when we came on board, the price fell to between $37 and $38 and hanged around $40 and $50.

    “I went to the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) – the governor of CBN is here – and asked him how far and he said nothing was left apart from debts.

    “I said but this is what the country made?

    “And he said yes, he knew.

    “And I asked him where is the money?

    “All is gone.

    “Nigerians know that there were no roads or rail lines, there was no power, despite the billions of dollars spent.

    “Only God will judge this thing.”

  • ‘Go to farm, earn yourselves some respect’ Buhari tells ‘lazy’ Nigerian youths

    ‘Go to farm, earn yourselves some respect’ Buhari tells ‘lazy’ Nigerian youths

    President Muhammadu Buhari has advised both the educated and uneducated youths in the country should go into farming to earn respect for themselves.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement Tuesday, quoted Buhari as saying this at Blair House, Washington DC, after his White House engagements with President Donald Trump, while meeting with Chief Executive Officers of six US agricultural companies and their Nigerian counterparts including Aliko Dangote and John Coumantaros.

    Buhari promised the support of his administration in the promotion of skill development, innovation and entrepreneurship among the young population.

    The president stated: “We realized, rather belatedly that we ought to have been investing in agriculture. We are now aiming at food security because of our large population.

    “Our youths, the ones who have gone to school and even those that have not, should go to the farm, to earn respect for themselves. Agriculture is providing jobs for millions of our citizens and we are doing well towards the attainment of food security and jobs. The media may not appreciate the work we are doing but we will shock them by the success we are recording.”

    The president lamented the challenges of the country’s youth bulge, with “sixty percent of the population below 30 years.”

    He said the country must help the young people to plan their future and urged them to explore opportunities easily accessible in agriculture because, as he said, “agriculture is the future.”

    According to the president, planning in Nigeria must take into consideration the factors of climate and a bulging youth population.

    President Buhari welcomed the several investment proposals being put in place by the Americans and their Nigerian counterparts.

    Among those brought up for discussions were the three million tons fertilizer by Dangote, the largest in Africa coming on stream in July, to be followed by another one to produce 1.4 million tons of the commodity; a large-scale modern seed production company, and weed and pest management and chemicals products companies by the Americans.

    Similarly, the Burger King food chain with plans to integrate local farmers in livestock production; the Heinz tomatoes production, with backward integration of Nigerian tomato farmers; and another company coming to set up a local branch to facilitate merchandising of commodities, in effect establishing a link between the Nigerian producers and the global market.

    A tractor manufacturing company, John Deer, also unfolded a plan for an assembly plant to produce 10,000 tractors in four years in Nigeria. They will all come with jobs for Nigerians.

    In a second business meeting same day, President Buhari brought together Nigerian businessmen and their American counterparts from the U.S Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council on Africa, (CCA.).

    The U.S Chamber, on behalf of its three million member-companies which included General Electric, Chevron, Proctor and Gamble and Boeing aircraft manufacturers, expressed happiness with improved security in the Niger Delta, reforms in the economy leading to ease in doing business, and the war the administration is waging against corruption.

    Several of the oncoming plans were disclosed to the president who demanded concrete plans and an aggressive timetable for their actualization.

    He envisaged that the investment schemes will lead to a lot of new opportunities for the Nigerian youth.

  • My generation is responsible for this rot- Charly Boy

    Nigerian activist and singer, Charly Boy has stated that his generation is responsible for the rot in Nigeria. He said his generation has failed young Nigerians and urged Nigerian youths to be active players in nation building.

    He made this statement as a guest on The Other News, a talk-show that highlights the other side of the news.

    In his words:”Young people are disenfranchised it’s all because of their docility. My generation is responsible for this rot because we do not create the right kind of environment for these youths. Rather than agonize about it, I am asking young people to organize themselves.

     

    “They have all the tools that they need, they have the social media. Social media is not about posting nude pictures and talking trash assaulting us with their terrible grammar, it’s about mobilizing and organizing themselves. As the Area Fada, that is what I am about”.