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Tag: Youths

  • NDDC launches talent hunt for Niger Delta youths

    NDDC launches talent hunt for Niger Delta youths

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has rolled out a talent hunt programme to discover and expose creative youths from the region to take advantage of the entertainment industry.

    Speaking during a meeting with some key actors in the creative industry at the Rivers State office of the NDDC in Port Harcourt, the Interim Administrator, Mr. Efiong Akwa, said that NDDC would continue to create programmes to address the challenges of youths in the region.

    Akwa, who spoke through the Director, Youths and Sports, Mr. Offiong Ephraim, said that the programme would accommodate all categories of youths, including the physically-challenged.

    He said that the commission was passionate to youth development as part of measures to end restiveness in the Niger Delta.

    In his speech, the Special Adviser on Youths to the Interim Administrator, Udengs Eradiri, said it was important to debunk the notion that Niger Delta youths were not enterprising.

    He said: “We have a lot of energetic, strong and intelligent young people. We are going to train them to ensure that they are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. The creative industry is one area where young people thrive. We will partner with known artistes in the region as ambassadors to also pull the other ones up.”

    Eradiri explained that the partnership with known artistes from the Niger Delta was meant to develop the talents of youths from across the region.

    He said: “The creative industry is one area that we can engage a lot of idle young people. We will continue to play our role in supporting institutions to create the platform to push our young people to international society. We must keep the creative sector alive in the Niger Delta to develop young talents to showcase to the world.”

    One of the leading artistes in the region, Mr. Okiri Harry, also known as Harry Song, said that the new NDDC youth programme was a dream come true for those in the creative sector, noting that 80 per cent of the entertainment industry was rooted in the Niger Delta.

    He said that artistes from the region had challenges of getting support and platforms to express themselves.

    He said: “Our talented youths are yearning for avenues to express themselves and that is where the Niger Delta talent hunt comes in.”

    Harry said that the Niger Delta Youth Entertainment Talent Hunt (NIDETH) would organize auditions in all the nine states of the region and organize bands for them.

    He said: “We are going to bring in all our Niger Delta Ambassadors in the entertainment industry. These great artistes will be brought in to inspire the young and upcoming ones. We know that when we engage our youths in this platform, we will not just take them off the streets but we will empower them.”

  • Ijaw Youths tackle Akpabio over comment on inauguration of NDDC board

    Ijaw Youths tackle Akpabio over comment on inauguration of NDDC board

    Ijaw Youths from the nine states of the Niger Delta region have described as deceitful and diversionary the comments attributed to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, over the possible constitution of a substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in April 2021 after the forensic audit of the commission.

    Akpabio is reportedly said to have made the comment on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the interim report of the commission from the forensic auditors.

    A statement by the National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Mr Ebilade Erekefe, on Friday insisted that the appointment of a sole administrator which had triggered protests in the region was ordered by a Court and not the Federal Government.

    Erekefe, while reacting to Akpabio’s statement, described the claim on the possible constitution of a substantive board as a deceitful way to divert the attention of the people of the Niger Delta region from agitation against the appointment of a sole administrator and shutting down the headquarters of the commission.

    According to him, the statement is the only reason that will stop the protest is for President Muahammadu Buhari to do the right thing by appointing the substantive board in NDDC that will carry out it6 functions properly.

    “We are calling on every well-meaning Ijaw youths not to be distracted by the statement of Peter Igbifa, which does not reflect the decision of council, while he has refused to react to the allegation of buying the position of the Sole Administrator of the NDDC with N3.5 billion from some aides of President Buhari.

    “The announcement made by Femi Adesina on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari is a clear indication that the sole administrator was concocted by the Federal Government on the financial prompting of the minister,” he said in the statement.

    “We also want to put on record that since the agitation and anger is being expressed by stakeholders from the region, we have noticed a desperate the attempt by the embattled Sole Administrator, Mr Okon Akwa Effiong and his god father, to be desperately spending money to divide the youths of the region and their leadership, including the IYC.

    “We are resolute and demand the immediate constitution of the board. If it is the court that ordered such, why are they desperately spending the NDDC fund to buy conscience and divide the region?

    “The only reason that will stop the protest is for President Muahammadu Buhari to do the right thing by appointing the substantive board in NDDC that will carry out it functions properly.

    “We are calling on every well-meaning Ijaw youths not to be distracted by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, which does not address the decision of Council on the issue of an immediate constitution of a substantive NDDC board.”

    He also dismissed the claim by Akpabio on the protests by Ijaw Youths in Abuja and some parts of the Niger Delta region.

    “The protests are borne out of genuine desires of the Ijaw youths to demand for a substantive board that will facilitate development in the Niger Delta region.

    “It is a people-driven and people-oriented protest that cannot be cancelled by anybody who has never been a part of the ongoing protests in the region.

    “The protest will go on according to plans as all structures of council have been fully notified for the shut down and they are all ready and waiting for the signal,” he lamented.

  • Insecurity: Ijaw youths push for security outfit in Niger Delta

    Insecurity: Ijaw youths push for security outfit in Niger Delta

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has vowed to pursue the establishment of a regional security outfit in the New Year to police the Niger Delta region, especially the Southsouth geopolitical zone.

    In his New Year address in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, the IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, said like the Amotekun in the West, it had become expedient for the South-South to float its security outfit.

    Igbifa listed the security challenges in the zone, especially the Ijaw-speaking communities, saying the youths would mount pressure on the governors to undertake all executive and legislative processes required to evolve the outfit.

    He said: “We are not alien to the reports of infiltrations of the herdsmen and other groups in our bushes and environment. The recurrent discovery of guns and live ammunitions on the highways is a clear indication that we must be prepared at all times.

    “The news of our women being raped and killed in bushes, farmers intimidated and maimed on a regular basis and travellers robbed and killed is becoming unbearable.

    “We, therefore, call on all structures of the council, zonal chapters and clans to set up mechanisms to check this unfortunate security threat in our region. I and my team are seriously considering the establishment of our own regional security outfit in line with the proposal made by the governors of our region. We shall push for this outfit and impress it upon the governors to invoke the required legislative process to give it a legal backing”.

    Igbifa said the IYC under his leadership would push for the relocation of the headquarters of oil multinationals to the Niger Delta region in obedience to presidential directives; the passage of the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) into law; practice of true federalism, stoppage of military invasion in Ijaw communities and issuance of indigenous licenses for modula refineries.

    He said the IYC would hold all political holders from the region accountable and compel them to defend the common course of the Ijaw people.

    “As 8th President of IYC, I urge all political office holders both at the national, regional, state and local levels to rise up and defend the cause of the Ijawland and challenge every law that has kept us as tenants even in our own homes.

    “We want them to challenge the Land Use Act; the waterways laws; environmental acts, the ecological problems among others. We the IYC will collaborate to defend any of our political office holders willing to tread on the path of Ijaw”, he said.

    Igbifa decried the disunity among different stakeholders in Ijawland lamenting that if the division remained unabated, the Ijaw people would not be able to realise their common aspirations.

  • 2021 Prophecies: Youths may end Buhari-led govt if he fails to yield their demands – Mbaka

    A Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, has prophesied the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

    This he said depends on Buhari’s ability to act fast and save his government from looming extinction.

    Mbaka spoke at the 2020 edition of his popular annual December 31 Crossover Night ministration, advising the federal government to take swift moves to create jobs to prevent Nigerian youths from embarking on restiveness that may consume the regime.

    The event, which held at the AMEN Arena, Enugu, was tagged, “Cornucopia of New Miracles from God”.

    The fiery priest also took a swipe at the country’s lawmakers, especially members of the National Assembly (NASS).

    Describing the lawmakers as “kidnappers”, he maintained that unless the Buhari administration hastened move to genuinely start taking care of the youths, that they (youths) “will rise and end the current political system”.

    While noting that Nigerians were going through horrible conditions, Mbaka also cautioned state governors, ministers and all political office holders, stressing that they have alone the choice of repenting and start “doing the needful” otherwise, what awaited them would be unbearable.

    His words:

    “The Holy Spirit of God asked me to warn the government of the day to be very careful; to change policies and take care of the youths without politicising their (youths’) condition.

    “That the government should rise and urgently create jobs and innovate opportunities that would benefit the youths of the nation because they have suffered so much.

    “Don’t politicise the condition of the youths, otherwise, they will arise and end the political system.

    “Should the government fail to do so as soon as possible that time is coming when the youths will rise against the government, and that any attempt to stop them will end the government?”

    Mbaka, who did not specify when the lurking youth agitation would take place, however, dropped another puzzling pronouncement.

    He said: “I can see a year ahead; it is not specific whether it is in 2021 that this will happen, but it is within a time in the time of life, that the anger of God will befall many people in the political circle because they have looted so much and disgraced this nation enough.

    “Those who should be serving the country have looted the country dry for their personal aggrandisement, such that our children and grandchildren no longer have a future”.

    He pointed out that politicians had for long busied themselves in “packing and packing the nation’s commonwealth, refusing to create wealth, but that they now turned around to tag the youths kidnappers, criminals, hoodlums and so on.

    He also declared that God was angry with past and present leaders for turning Nigerian youths into beggars in other countries due to overwhelming hardship in the nation, and urged them to find a way to right their wrongs.

    “They should obey the voice of God, sit together and think out how to reshape Nigeria.

    “The situation in the country portends wickedness, wicked ruling in high places, in the name of legislators; they are the real kidnappers, and the anger of God is upon them.

    “I know they would want to attack this message, as usual, but I warn, let nobody, whether you are a politician or a man of God, attacks this message so you do not become a victim!

    “Whoever that would conspire against this message or partake in any gang-up against me or this ministry, your evil plans will turn back and befall you.

    “Be warned, this is no longer the Fr Mbaka of 2020 but that of 2021,” he said, adding that, “it will be fire for fire this year; if you attack us, you will be attacked.”

    “They have kidnapped the opportunities meant for the youths, kidnapped the nation’s wealth and jobs meant for the youths.

    “They have kidnapped a lot of infrastructure development,” he added.

  • CACOVID unveils over N300b ‘Marshall’ plan to rebuild 44 police stations, train 4m youths

    CACOVID unveils over N300b ‘Marshall’ plan to rebuild 44 police stations, train 4m youths

    Coalition Alliance Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), comprising the Bankers Committee and major operators in the private sector on Wednesday unveiled a Marshall plan of some sort to help in rebuilding Nigeria.

    CACOVID surfaced in March to help in funding Nigeria’s response to COVID-19 pandemic, but it has expanded its agenda.

    Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, who rendered the account of the N39.6 billion raised by the group, said it has decided to take on the challenge of rebuilding 44 police stations damaged during the October #EndSARS protests.

    In addition, it is committed to providing over N100billion to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next two years.

    The intervention is expected to modernise the Nigerian police.

    CACOVID also released its plans to offer vocational, technical and ICT training for four million of educated but unemployed young Nigerians.

    An estimated N150 billion will go into this.

    Emefiele explained the plan: “Our preliminary analysis indicates that unemployment particularly amongst the youth was a critical factor behind the unrest.

    “As a result, CACOVID has committed to create a high impact youth development program that will provide technical and vocational education to over 4 million Nigerian youths over the next 5 years. Students will be trained on craftwork, plumbing, masonry , carpentry, and other artisanal related skills for which sufficient demand exist in Nigeria .

    “Over N150bn is expected to be deployed towards the set up and implementation of the youth development program, which will be available at select training centers across the country .

    “Selected students on conclusion of the program will be certified by the appropriate standards board and will be eligible to receive loans to support their entrepreneurial pursuits.

    “So far, over N25bn will be domiciled in a fund to support these entrepreneurial pursuits, which would also include acquisition of related equipment’s to conduct business activities.

    “The ultimate objective is to provide young Nigerians with employable skills sets that will enable them to live a gainful life. We believe this initiative can lead to the creation of over 4m jobs over the next five years.

    “For the out of school graduates that possess certain Entrepreneurial skills, CACOVID will be working with Bankers Committee to complete the Creative centre at National Arts Theatre area of Lagos in four select areas namely; ICT and software design / development, Fashion, Music and Movies.

    This project is expected to cost the Bankers Committee over N40 Billion.

    Emefiele also spoke about CACOVID plans to help businesses vandalised during the protest.

    He said banks and financial institutions would be required to extend relief through concessionary loans to affected businesses and firms, so they can rebuild and restock their stores and continue to conduct their business activities.

    Read the entire press statement:

    Good afternoon ladies and Gentlemen. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan China, in December 2019, and its eventual spread to over 190 countries, nations like Nigeria were faced with a dual shock; a public health crisis, and, an over 60 percent decline in commodity prices. The decline in crude prices and the containment measures put in place to deal with the public health crisis, led to a constriction in business activities, with resulting implications for federal and state governments, as well as households and businesses.

    Cognizant of the funding challenge faced by Federal and State governments and the need to improve the capacity of our health institutions to deal with emerging cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Bankers Committee, comprising the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Deposit Money Banks as well as key stakeholders in the private sector came together to set up an alliance in March 2020, known as the Coalition Alliance Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).
    The ultimate objective of CACOVID was to work with the government in providing support in areas that would result in improved health and societal outcomes. We sought to aid the government’s in improving testing capability, and management of positive cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria. In addition, CACOVID was expected to provide palliatives to vulnerable members of our society, particularly those who earn daily incomes, and had been severely affected by the lockdown.
    As a result of these objectives, CACOVID requested and indeed received an outpouring of support from over 200 well- meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations, who provided in kind donations, as well as funds to the tune of N39,646,100,039.00 billion in support of the fight against COVID-19.
    In order to ensure that these funds were judiciously utilized, a transparent and accountable framework was put in place by highly rated firms of chartered accountants. We engaged KPMG Professional Services as book keepers and Messrs Enrst and Young as Auditors. Ladies and Gentlemen , in Line with our promise to be open and Transparent in the utilization of the funds donated by our partners, CACOVID has today decided to provide the general public with full details relating to the procurement of goods and services along with the disbursement schedule of procured items.

    These details will be posted on our website in due course.

    On the expenditure side, the CACOVID has far incurred expenditure , in the sum of N43,272,562,831 on the acquisition of , not only medical equipment and supplies , but also Food palliatives for the vulnerable amongst us.The funds raised by CACOVID was used to support 3 key priorities. These priorities include;
    I. Medical Facilities and Equipment – Working with other stakeholders, CACOVID developed 39 fully equipped isolation centers across the 36 States of the Country including the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) . The sum of

    N4,194,262,899 was spent in Building Isolation Centers. In addition, medical equipments such as PCR test kits for suspected cases of COVID-19 were procured along with other required medical items at a cost of N9,017,561,723. This support by CACOVID enabled many states to deal with an unexpected surge in cases of COVID-19.
    II. Food relief programs – As part of our efforts to cushion the effects of the lockdown on vulnerable Nigerians affected by the restrictions in movement, CACOVID provided palliatives in the form of essential food items to 1.7m households, which is equivalent to supporting 8 million Nigerians. A total of N28,767,590,517 was spent procuring these Food supplies. These palliatives were acknowledged and disbursed by various state governments; and a schedule showing the various quantities and dates of delivery will also be posted on our website for public scrutiny. Our intention for distributing these items through the State Government , just like in the case of the isolation centers was based on the thinking that the state governments has the closest contacts with the most vulnerable in our society for whom these support were meant.

    III. Communication Plans – CACOVID also worked to improve awareness in rural communities on the COVID-19 virus, and the measures community health workers

    and other members of society should take when someone in the community is suspected of having symptoms similar to that of COVID-

    Print, TV, radio and social media were leveraged as part of CACOVID communication plans.
    We would like to use this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to well- meaning Nigerians and businesses, who supported CACOVID in its effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, as well as in the support provided to vulnerable Nigerians.

    Response to the #EndSARS Protest
    As we are all aware, the aftermath of the EndSARS protest that took place in several parts of the country in October 2020, led to the vandalization of private and public assets, which includes business houses, shopping malls, banks and police stations. Many small and medium scale businesses that were affected have struggled to resume full business activities. In addition, the provision of security which is essential to the conduct of business activities has been hampered due to the damage of 44 police stations across the country. If left unattended, this situation could undermine confidence in our economy and derail the efforts of the government in enabling faster recovery of the Nigerian economy, following the impact of COVID-19.

    As a result, the Bankers Committee and critical stakeholders in the private sector, under the auspices of the CACOVID alliance, held series of meetings towards developing measures that will support the government’s efforts in rebuilding confidence in our nation’s economy. Some of the measures agreed upon by the CACOVID alliance include;

    1. Banks and financial institutions would be required to extend relief through concessionary loans to affected businesses and firms, so they can rebuild and restock their stores and continue to conduct their business activities.

    2. CACOVID has committed to fully rehabilitate all 44 damaged and destroyed police stations nationwide in a bid to restore provision of security in affected locations.

    3. To further strengthen the security apparatus in the country, CACOVID has committed to provide over N100bn to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next 2 years; as our contribution to fully modernize the Nigerian Police.

    4. Our preliminary analysis indicates that unemployment particularly amongst the youth was a critical factor behind the unrest. As a result, CACOVID has committed to create a high impact youth development program that will provide technical and vocational education to over 4 million Nigerian youths over the next 5 years. Students will be trained on craftwork, plumbing, masonry , capentry, and other artisanal related skills for which sufficient demand exist in Nigeria . Over N150bn is expected to be deployed towards the set up and implementation of the youth development program, which will be available at select training centers across the country .

    5. Selected students on conclusion of the program will be certified by the appropriate standards board and will be eligible to receive loans to support their entrepreneurial pursuits. So far, over N25bn will be domiciled in a fund to support these entrepreneurial pursuits, which would also include acquisition of related equipment’s to conduct business activities. The ultimate objective is to provide young Nigerians with employable skills sets that will enable them to live a gainful life. We believe this initiative can lead to the creation of over 4m jobs over the next five years.

    6. For the out of school graduates that possess certain Entrepreneural skills, CACOVID will be working with Bankers Committee to complete the Creative center at National Arts Theater area of Lagos in four select areas namely; ICT and software design / development, Fashion, Music and Movies. This project is expected to cost the Bankers Committee over N40 Billion.

    7. Given the impact the unrest had on the conduct of business activities, members of CACOVID has committed to develop a business continuity plan, that will enable businesses and firms to share timely information and resources to forestall physical or cyber-attacks, which could derail the smooth functioning of business activities in the country.

    Details of all the support stated above will be released in due course to Nigerians. Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen, these efforts represent some of the essential steps that are important in rebuilding trust and preventing future unrest within our communities. It would also complement the government’s efforts aimed at creating jobs for our youths and in strengthening the security apparatus in the country. More importantly, it would also prevent the challenges which have emanated from the protest, from affecting the long-term growth prospects for households and businesses in the country.

    In closing, let me say that providing adequate security is not only the task before the government but also that of the private sector.. Indeed , owners of business premises desire a secure environment to conduct their legitimate businesses. We therefore seize this opportunity to once again , appeal to members of the private sector, who we will be calling on again, to rally round CACOVID to secure not only our businesses but also our country. We also request the private sector to work with to operate under this platform which has been approved by Mr President.

    We thank you most sincerely for your attention.

  • Youths destroyed employment opportunities during #EndSARS protests – Lalong

    Youths destroyed employment opportunities during #EndSARS protests – Lalong

    Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has assured youths of participation in his administration in order to address their problems and enhance development in the state.

    Lalong gave the assurance on Sunday at the 2020 Harvest and Thanksgiving mass of St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Rantya, Jos.

    While stating that his administration would embark on constructive engagements with the youth, he urged them to be law-abiding and separate criminality from genuine agitations to enhance a secure future.

    “This is because, during the #EndSARS protests, some youths looted and destroyed items at organisations which should have served as employment centres for them,” he said.

    Lalong explained that the positive engagements would facilitate opportunities for youths through skill acquisition, in addition to employment opportunities.

    He said that despite the economic challenges of COVID-19, his administration was able to implement a new minimum wage for civil servants and pay their salaries as at when due.

    “We have many things to thank God for. We felt the health, economic, and social challenges that COVID-19 came with, as our state was at a point an epicentre of the virus.

    “Today, however, the prevalence rate has dropped and we have been able to sustain payment of salaries. We have also implemented a new minimum wage. So, I am grateful to God,” he said.

    In his homily, the Parish Priest of the church, Rev. Fr. Anthony Okparaji, who celebrated the mass, thanked God for protecting Nigeria from recording severe casualties during the COVID-19 pandemic, as was the case in some countries.

    He urged Christians to be grateful to God, even in challenging situations, saying that a courageous Christian would have the capacity to win in whatever situation, while fear destroyed one’s spiritual immune system.

    “Year 2020 is a challenging year. What has befallen us whether coronavirus or calamities, is beyond our expectations. Our plans were dashed because of the situations in which we found ourselves, but we must be thankful to God.

    “Many thought Africa would have completely been wiped out because of COVID-19, but God has proven that He is greater than everybody and everything. We are alive today and God has done it for us”, he said.

    He urged Christians not to allow the fear of the unknown to affect their faith in God, stressing that faith was critical in any believer’s life.

    The cleric called for love for one another, stressing “people should treat one another with dignity”.

    According to him, the challenges currently facing the country are man-made, whereas in other climes, people face other forms of calamities.

    “Other nations face other calamities but in Nigeria, we face calamities most of which were caused by us. We see people’s inhumanity to one another and this is not right”, he said.

  • Youths set market ablaze over strange deaths

    Youths set market ablaze over strange deaths

    Furious youths of Ute-Okpu, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, on Tuesday took to the streets to protest rising deaths of youths in the area.

    It was learnt the youths got irritated after four of them died.

    The protesters allegedly burnt the market, but were unable to raze the monarch’s palace as they were stopped by a team of soldiers and policemen.

    About 34 persons have died mysteriously in the last three weeks.

    A resident, Roland Chuks Agbontai, who lost his 22-year-old son, is convinced that the strange deaths have not abated because the communal deities, Agba-Egbo and Akpu, have not been properly pacified.

    He said after the youths consulted the oracle, they were told to appease both deities. But while Agba-Egbo was appeased, Akpu’s shrine was left desolate after a church uprooted the deity, he added.

    But Commissioner for Health Dr Ononye Mordi attributed the demises to yellow fever.

    Police spokesman Onome Onowakpoyeya confirmed the incident.

     

  • Elected people won’t escape if fresh #EndSARS protests break out – Senate President

    Elected people won’t escape if fresh #EndSARS protests break out – Senate President

    The Senate Monday called on the Federal Government to dedicate substantial part of the 2021 budget to create employment opportunities, reduce poverty and ensure food security for Nigerians in order to prevent another youth uprising similar to what was witnessed following the recent #EndSARS protests.

    This is even as the upper chamber decried what it described as “abysmally low” budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector over the years.

    The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abudullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), made these assertions during the 2021 budget defence session by the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, in Abuja.

    Lawan noted that agriculture can provide jobs for everybody while oil can only provide few white collar jobs.

    He said that the Federal Government needed to be “practical and radical” in applying its resources to address the urgent needs of the people.

    Lawan said: “Recently, we had some of our youths protesting genuinely. They were seeking the attention of leaders and they got the attention of leaders.

    “So, our budget, especially for 2021 should be mindful of what we do to provide employment opportunities for these youths.

    “They demonstrated and protested because they could do so, there are so many other people who may not be youthful but are also in the same need and they didn’t protest.

    “Let’s meet them where they are. We don’t have to wait until they also start to grumble or protest.

    “We should be proactive, we should reach them and most of them are in the rural areas and give them what we can and what they need to some extent within the purview of our resources and keep them there to live a productive life and that is the only way that we can make a difference in the lives of the people.

    “And for us, elected people, we are going to be accountable. If we escape this one (#EndSARS protests), the other one is inescapable and I am sure people will know what I am saying.”

    Lawan also insisted that agriculture is enough to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria.

    “This sector can do something that oil has not been able to do. But why hasn’t it been able to do so? We need to be very practical and radical.

    “I believe that the way we are going, will not take us to the El-dorado but there is every potential, every possibility and other countries have made it through the sector.

    “Every time we talk about diversification of the Nigerian economy, the first sector they mention is the agricultural sector.

    “So it means this sector needs to be given all the support that is possible. Oil cannot give jobs to the youths that we have only few people and mostly white collar jobs but we know that this sector can give everybody a job.

    “And it has all the potentials to create the wealth that we need to have a fairly meaningful life for everyone. So we need to apply ourselves fully to operating this sector,” Lawan said.

    Senator Adamu in his opening remarks decried low budgetary allocation to agriculture over the years.

    He said while the Maputo declaration provides that 10 per cent of national budgets should go to agriculture, the 2021 allocation to the agricultural sector is less than two per cent of the N13.8 trillion total appropriations.

    Adamu said: “In 2021, the sector (agriculture) witnessed a slight increase with a total allocation of N139, 458, 322,208.00.

    “Over the years, the sector’s allocation has been abysmally low, a far cry from the Maputo declaration which states that a country should allocate at least 10 per cent of their national budget to the agricultural sector.

    “This year’s budget proposal only allocated less than two per cent to the agricultural sector.

    “The sector’s N139,458,322,208.00 is broken down as follows: Personnel – N68,031,135,074.00, overhead – N3,186,608,895.00, capital – N110,240,253,439.00.”

    However, while the Minister of Agriculture, Nanono, admitted that the current budgetary allocations for the sector have been low, he said that the sector recorded meaningful progress in 2020 and remains one of the fastest growing sectors in the country.”

  • FG is addressing job creation for youths – Lai Mohammed

    FG is addressing job creation for youths – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday in Lagos said that the Federal Government will continue to address the issue of job creation for the youth.

    Mohammed said this while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the meeting of governors, ministers and traditional rulers of South-West states following the EndSARS protest mayhem.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-day meeting was also attended by a Presidential delegation, led by the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

    He said that the government would continue to engage the youths and address the issue of poverty alleviation.

    “It is not as if the government has not been addressing the issue of unemployment. The newly launched funds by the government was actually aimed at creating job opportunities.

    “What the government has done so far is to provide platforms where businesses can thrive,´´ the minister said.

    Mohammed said that the purpose of the South-West meeting was to allow governors and other political leaders in the South-West to interact.

    He also said that the federal government delegation used the moment to commiserate with the Lagos State Government following the attack it suffered recently in the EndSARS protest mayhem.

    “It was a peaceful meeting and it was agreed that the state and the federal government response to the initial demand of the EndSARS protest was appropriate,´´ the minister said.

    He said that the government would continue to invest in the development of human capacity, with more implementation of economic policies that will engender development and building of more public infrastructure that would empower the teeming youths.

    Earlier at the meeting, the South-West traditional rulers blamed politicians for the EndSARS protest mayhem witnessed in the region in the last few weeks.

    The monarchs expressed disappointment at the manner politicians had turned politics into money induced venture at the expense of the interest of the youth.

    They opined that high rate of unemployment among youths caused the agitation in the EndSARS protest.

    “The governors have taken the right steps with this meeting. However, they have been far away from we monarchs. You should not wait till election days before you reach out to us. This type of meeting should come regularly.

    “We know the good and the bad in our communities but we are under-utilised,´´ Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, said.

    In his reaction, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said the destruction had put the region in a complex situation.

    “It is a complex and complicated matter. Our children are jobless and many are hungry. The problems are too much for the states.

    “The states are not independent. The structure we run in Nigeria cannot allow state governors to do much for their states,´´ he said.

    The Oluigbo of Ugbo, Oba Akinruntan Obateru, urged the Inspector General of Police to conduct detailed investigation into the incident and fish out those behind the protest.

    The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu said that “truth is very bitter,´´ noting that majority of the problems were caused by politicians.

    “The power with the federal government is too much. The security architecture of the country needs to be restructured.

    “The problem we have in Lagos is security and unemployment. The youths have to be looked after. What happened is pure case of security breach. The entire system needs reformation,´´ Akiolu said. (

  • Youths threaten ‘second wave’ of #EndSARS protests from Monday

    Youths threaten ‘second wave’ of #EndSARS protests from Monday

    Nigerian youths are threatening a second wave of the #EndSARS protests from Monday 9th November 2020, in some parts of Lagos and Abuja.

    Some aggrieved youths have taken to social media to show their displeasure following a court order granting the Central Bank of Nigeria, the right to freeze the accounts of 19 individuals and a public affairs company linked to the #EndSARS protests.

    The ex-parte request to freeze the accounts granted by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, of the Federal High Court in Abuja was filed by the apex bank on October 20.

    In reaction to the move to freeze the accounts, Nigerians have taken to social media to backlash the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for freezing the bank accounts of #EndSARS protesters and promoters across the country.

    This has birthed fresh threats from youths especially, to resume the #EndSARS protests on Monday at the CBN headquarters in Abuja and its Lagos office while attributing this move to Emefiele’s involvement in the freezing of accounts.

    See some of the reactions below:

     

    https://twitter.com/extrasheeter/status/1324834860658266112?s=20