The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Fed. Govt to ITF: Create 2m jobs annually

    Fed. Govt to ITF: Create 2m jobs annually

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has been directed to train 2m workers annually in order to scale back the country’s woeful unemployment numbers. In a country of around 170m much more people are said to be jobless than those working.

    That was why the ITF, a human capital development unit of the Federal Government, has been asked to help tackle the jobs challenge.

    But, created over 30 years ago, the Fund has trained only 10 million workers. How then can it get 2m working in just one year?

    It is not such a problem, said its Director-General in Jos, Juliet Chukkas-Onaekon. At a forum with reporters in the Plateau State capital, she said, “ITF is Nigeria’s wheel of industry, and it will not see its new mandate to create 2 million jobs annually as insurmountable. Our new mandate is to train 2 million Nigerians annually. It is part of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Development Plan (NIRDP) designed recently by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration. In this plan, the federal government has opened the door for new investors for the establishment of new industries. The dead industries will also be revived. If this feat could be achieved, the population of unemployed Nigerians in the Labour market will be reduced by half.

    She said, “Recently, car manufacturing industries have begun to come up in Nigeria; they now produce spare part for cars. They will expand from producing parts to manufacture a complete car in Nigeria. Then we will stop importing cars into this country because there would be a company that will manufacture cars here.

    “Through a research, ITF has realized that the smaller industries generate more employment than the bigger industries. Hence, the federal government has created Micro, Small and Medium scale Council of Nigeria (MSMES). This council will ensure that these small industries can be encouraged to create jobs for our youths. In addition to this, a job creation board has also been established and given a mandate to create 3 million jobs annually, while we in ITF train the skilled workers to fit into these industries.

    Dr. Chukkas-Onaekon stressed, “Nigerians will be surprised to know that a lot of our graduates looking for jobs today are not employable. Majority of them cannot even defend their acclaimed certificates. But ITF can make them employable through skill training. We shall identify these unemployed graduate across the country and train them in skills, they will get jobs once they acquire relevant skills. There are lots of job vacancies in Nigeria and abroad but there are few qualified applicants. There are vacancies begging for the right applicants to fill in this country, but our graduates cannot fit into theses vacancies because they are not skillful. That is where ITF comes in, we will bring these graduate back for skill training which last just few months and they will be qualified for these vacancies.

    “There are various sectors that require relevant skills for employment; we are going to train these graduates on specific skills. For instance, we will train some for our power sector, we will train some others for the telecom sector, others for the oil sector, some for agro-allied sector and some specifically for ICT and so on. By the time we do that, our industries will not suffer for lack of relevant skilled workers and Nigerian youth will not remain in the labor market any longer”

    She also said, “Now, we all know that there is oil deposit and exploration in Southsouth Nigeria; ITF will specifically train youths for that specific work. In Eastern Nigeria we have manufacturing industries, we will train some Nigerian youths needed for that. Some of the factors that militated against some industries in the past had to do with lack of skilled workers. But the current transformation agenda has been designed to have enough skilled workers for all industries in the country.

    Dr Chukkas-Onaekon who is a professional skill teacher, was currently elected the Chairman of two critical national committees in the field of skill training. She was elected chairperson of World Skills Nigeria. She was also elected chairperson of the National Mirror Technical Committee. The committee, which comprises   representatives from the Industrial Training Fund, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, University of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Society for Human Resources Management, is expected to develop standards in all aspects of human resources practices in line with global standards.

    The World Skills Nigeria is a body vested with the responsibility of spear-heading and coordinating Nigeria’s participation in the world skills competition which is scheduled for Sao-Paulo, Brazil in 2014. The global competition will showcase the efforts of the country in skill training; it will also challenge Nigeria to peer review with other countries of the world in areas of man power development.

    “ITF has 32 Area Offices across the country which serves as training centers, but that is not enough, more Area offices has to be establish if we must train 2 million Nigeria annually. Even in Jos the ITF Headquarter, we need to improve on our training facilities.

    She said, “The ongoing transformation agenda of the federal government is such that will address all the factors that contributed to the failure of past industries. Factors like multiple taxation, inadequate power supply, lack of skills, security, access to credit facilities, lack of standard etc. Already, these factors are been addressed through infrastructural development, at least there are signs that power will improve and ITF is training more skill workers and so on. This government is actually learning from the past to create a better future for industrial development.

    For instance, “Issue of multiple taxation is scared a lot of industries, so many funny tax are been advanced by all arms of government, including touts. No industry can thrive under heavy and numerous taxation. Multiple taxation is weighing down the Small and Medium scale industries and will not be allowed in this current dispensation of new industrialization plans, because these small scale industries do more in job creation.”

  • Giving love to inmates’ kids

    Giving love to inmates’ kids

    For no fault of theirs, they find themselves behind bars, alongside their mothers.  Children born to prison inmates often have certain basic rights and comforts cut off simply by their circumstances. Organisations such as the Victorine Home for Children were established to restore some of those abridged rights such as right to proper care and education, among others.

    It is three years now since the Victorine Home has been nurturing children born to people behind bars and other needy kids. Their third Annual General Meeting of the organisation attracted many philanthropists who are equally committed to the welfare of the less-privileged.

    And it was just as well that at the AGM, more help came for the  children whose mothers are prisoners or dead or facing one challenge or another.

    The Victorine Home was established in 2012 by selected individuals to cater for the less privilege children. Some of its members are catholic worshippers.

    Those whose mothers are incapacitated were not left out. Women who were convicted while in pregnancy also had their children picked up.

    When a woman is sentenced to prison, the innocent child sadly partakes in the punishment, and are thus denied good motherly care. Those who also put to bed while serving jail term easily get attention of the Home. It was all a mission to care.

    A visit to the home revealed that the children were as little as two years old. Some could hardly talk while others were excited to welcome the unexpected strangers. They were furnished with all manners of gift. Already, the kids had different toys either purchased by the management or presented by humanitarians. So they enjoyed their day largely dependent on good Samaritans.

    The 2014 winner of Miss Aso, Ogenna Ekwubir, during her visit to the kids, shared her compassion alongside her team. She spent almost the entire evening playing with the less-privileged. They took pictures and had fun. The kids had another opportunity to play with an outsider. Their morale clearly was boosted having a considerable  sense of belonging.

    The expression on their faces told it all. Immediately they saw the goodies, they were filled with enthusiasm, jumping with full excitement.

    Eventually, the kids were presented with food items such as bags of rice, garri, tubers of yam, groundnut oil and toiletries, among other consumables.

    Ekwubiri narrated why she visited the home. She said it was her vision to help the needy at any opportunity, saying, it is part of her empowerment pet project.  The beauty pageant disclosed that the mother of the children should have something to live on, upon gaining their freedom from the prison. People are moved to action based on different variables. But she expressed how she was emotionally touched when she heard that the concerned children have their parents either in the prison or demised.

    According to her, after the imprisoned mothers have been reintegrated into the society, her initiative would provide further assistance especially in terms of empowerment through agriculture. she said the initiative already got supports from development partners while other government institutions such as Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

    “They deserve to be assisted when they get their freedom. It is only when they have something doing that they will be able to cater for these kids. So it’s important other Nigerians show love to these kids. It is our hope that with our programme, their mothers would have better chance to take care of themselves and the children. In fact, that is why we are partnering with the federal ministry of women and social development to further get to the grassroots.”

    In a chat with Matron of the Home, Sr. Jovita Nkem Nzeduru, it was discovered 20 children had left the home to meet their parent while 14 others are currently under tutelage of the home. She said the children are mostly reintegrated back into the society after being offered the needed care. It was gathered that a child recently got scholarship in one of the private schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    President of the Victorine Home, Okechukwu Onyejuwa told Abuja Review activities of the home centred on children whose mothers are in prison. He said the Home absorb children from the least age of one to about four years. “When these women delivered while in prison, the children are taken out of the prison and given best treatment the foundation can offer.”

    “We cater for them, put them in school and later reunite them with the mother when they are released. Some of them don’t even want to go back again because they are offered best treatment. The children don’t know religion; it cuts across religion and denominations,” he said.

    Onyejuwa went further to explain how medical doctors showed their kindness by offering free medical care to the children. The same also applied to pharmacists and other medical officials.  He narrated how the kids were made to experience what a normal child should enjoy while growing up. “They go to party. They attend church services, go to school and enjoy life just like every other kid. Perhaps that’s why they often feel reluctant to go back to their parent when necessary.”

    It was eventually gartered during the AGM that the home made N2 million as income while N13.4 million was made in 2013 accounting year. Though, the entire income was not in cash but some were quantified at market value. It had a physical cash of about N2.9 million in 2013 and made an overall running cost of N8.4 million for the year.

    The home appealed to generous Nigerians to support the vision by transforming lives of the under privilege children in the home and country at large.

  • Bala urges prayers against insurgency

    Bala urges prayers against insurgency

    Prayer has come up again as one veritable weapon with which to defeat insurgents who have destabilised the Northeast of the country and continue to cause the nation’s leadership and the entire citizens much worry.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed called on Nigerians, especially religious leaders, to offer prayers so that the nation will overcome the daunting challenges posed by insecurity in some parts of the country and ensure continued peace and stability.

    Senator Mohammed gave the advice while declaring open the National Executive Committee meeting of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lugbe, Abuja.

    Insurgents have caused much havoc in many parts of the country, especially the North, including the FCT. Their bombs have killed  many, wrecked houses, worship centres and altered the economy of the North and the people’s lifestyle.

    The Minister who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu recognised the importance and inestimable contributions of the Christian Association of Nigeria to the development and growth of Nigerian state through fervent prayers, useful suggestions and constructive advice.

    His words: “It is against this backdrop that we expect CAN to, among other things, utilise the platform offered by this meeting for a sober reflection and mediation on the state of the sation”.

    He said, “Nigeria needs your prayers to overcome the daunting challenges posed by insecurity in some parts of the country so as to ensure continued peace and stability.”

    Mohammed reminded the religious leaders to also pray for Nigeria as the country is at the threshold of another political transition in a few months from now, adding that “your prayers and advice to ensure a peaceful electoral process are most needed at this moment”.

    While remarking that religious organisations remain one of the most potent channels of sensitisation and mobilisation, he admonished CAN and other religious bodies to help in the sensitization of their faithful on the need to eschew violence and maintain a culture of peaceful co-existence.

    The Minister assured that the FCT Administration on its part would continue to provide the required infrastructure and services to make Abuja a world-class city as envisaged by its founding fathers.

    Speaking earlier, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor said “what is happening in the North East is totally unacceptable to us”.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the FCT CAN, Rev. Israel Akanji appreciated the FCT Administration, particularly the FCT Minister for his uncommon effort to raise the standard of living of the residents of the Territory.

    The President of CAN, Vice President CAN, General Secretary, CAN, all directors of CAN, President of WOWICAN, President of YOWICAN as well as the Zonal Chairmen and Heads of various churches in the country attended the meeting.

     

  • Rendering Defence Chief homeless

    Many towns in the Northeast in the past few days have continued to fall to the violent Islamist sect, Boko Haram, including Adamawa State, the home state of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.

    Boko Haram has not only captured Mubi in Adamawa State as at last Tuesday, but renamed it Madinatul Islam daring the Federal Government and the security agencies.

    It even appealed to the fleeing residents to return home under its Islamic caliphate, promising to provide them with better security than the Federal Government.

    The situation in Mubi is an example of the new trend in many areas of Adamawa State in particular and the Northeast in general.

    One would have expected Badeh to immediately deploy from his  arsenal and uproot the insurgents from his home state, to at least stop it from scoring a cheap point against the Federal Government and the state.

    But he has declared that it was immaterial if he is homeless as long as he does not lose focus on securing Nigeria as a whole.

    Speaking with State House correspondents last Tuesday Badeh said: “How can Nigeria be helpless? If CDS loses his hometown, it is the same thing as losing Lagos. Any part of Nigeria that is lost, the CDS carries the weight.”

    “It is immaterial whether it is my hometown, whether it is my house that is burnt or it is Emeka’s house that is burnt. Whoever’s house is burnt in Nigeria, the CDS is pained.” He said

    On the taking over of Badeh’s hometown, Adamawa State governor, James Ngilari said: “We shouldn’t reduce this issue of the insurgency to simply the taking over of the house of the Defence Chief. I think it is more than that. We look up to God; God is there; there is nothing impossible for Him.”

    It is really hoped that every effort will be engaged now to stop the onslought of the insurgents once and for all.

     

    Promotion in midst of storm

     The acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba rushed into muddy waters a forthnight ago when he ordered the withdrawal of the security aides of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

    The order from ‘above’ followed the defection of Tambuwal from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Many Nigerians have kicked against and faulted the action of Abba, who has occupied the position in acting capacity since the former IGP Mohammed Abubakar retired from service on 31st July 2014.

    Stressing that his action was against the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, they went ahead to call for the sack of Abba from office over the act.

    They felt that Abba will not be neutral in the affairs of state and may become a willing pawn in the hand of the Presidency, which they believed is a threat to democracy in Nigeria, especially as it moves towards 2015 general elections.

    But rather than heed the call, the Police Council headed by President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday confirmed Abba as substantive Inspector General of Police.

    Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the Police Council meeting, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said: “We reviewed his CV, his level of competence by those who have worked with him at one time or the order and the council was unanimous that the Acting IGP be confirmed as a substantive IG and the President was accordingly advised and the President accepted the advise and appointed Mallam Abba as the substantive IG of Police.”

    According to him, the issues surrounding the call for Abba’s sack was not discussed in Council since  the matter was already in court.

    He said: “Well, I think the issue is not about the person of Mr. Abba. I think the issue you are refering to is the decision of the IGP to withdraw the security details of the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. I’m not aware before then that anybody had issues, it is the decision of police which shocked many of us myself inclusive that has led to those sentiments.”

    Abba on the issue, said: “Well, that is a matter before the court and it is prejudice for me to comment on it. I wouldn’t want to have any problem with the judiciary.”

     

    Actualising States’ one per cent fund to police

     Despite the huge annual budgetary allocation to security agencies, funding has been identified as one of the major hurdle working against making the Nigerian Police Force a truly pfofessional body.

    Training of its personnel and provision of equipment have been said to be grossly inadequate.

    To boost the fortune of the force, the National Economic Council (NEC), comprising of state governors, has long approved one percent to be deducted from states’ allocation for the police.

    This, however, has ran into a hitch due to lack of appropriate regulatory framework.

    Speaking on the issue at the end of the Police Council meeting last Tuesday, Kogi State governor, Idris Wada said: “A decision was made earlier by the National Economic Council that one percent of our statutory revenue allocations be reserved for the police. This started but has now been stopped because it was identified that certain regulatory steps need to be taken to formalise it for the funds to be properly appropriated.”

    “It was decided that state assemblies need to pass a resolution authorising the deduction of the fund from the Federation account. Every state will approve the fund and it will be used under the control of governor and the state’s Security Council to buy equipment and provide support.”

    The need to urgently put the necessary framework in place cannot be overemphasized to make the police a more professional body in the face of rising insecurity in the country.

  • Succour for Kwara rehab centre

    Succour for Kwara rehab centre

    The challenges at the centre are typical of the care-giving sector. The idea is noble: providing care and hope to the needy, but such centres often find themselves in dire need of charity from the larger society. Such is the plight of the Amoyo Rehabilitation Centre on the outskirts of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, but help has come its way. The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) donated a block of kitchens to the centre.

    Also, items worth thousands of naira were presented to the over three-decade-old facility. That should bring some relief.

    In a remark during the donation, the Managing Director of NDIC, Umaru Ibrahim urged public-spirited Nigerians and philanthropists to come to the aid of the less-privileged and persons living with disability across the country.

    Mr. Ibrahim, represented by the corporation’s Director, Insurance and Surveillance, Mr.  Zaccheus Anate, said that the gesture is part of the organisation’s social responsibility in marking the 25th anniversary of the corporation.

    The MD said the NDIC decided to support its Ilorin zonal office to upgrade the status of the rehabilitation centre by giving it a befitting kitchen as well as food items for the upkeep of the inmates.

    Earlier, Ilorin zonal Controller, Ferdinand M. Jego said that the zone has in the last two years,  donated food items and essential materials to the center on a monthly basis.

    “We decided to make this year’s donation formal as part of activities to mark the corporation’s silver jubilee celebration.

    Jego added that the decision to employ a mender and cook, who is on the payroll of the zonal staff, was informed by the request put forward by the management of the center.

    He also urged faith-based organisations, philanthropists and others to make it a duty to visit such centres to know what they need, adding that government alone cannot do the job of taking care of the less privileged in the society.

    Also speaking, Director, Rehabilitation, Kwara state Ministry of Social Development Mr Olarewaju Ajani thanked the corporation for its gesture, promising to make the maximum use of all items donated to the centre adding that this will in no little way motivate other companies around in coming to the aid of the less privileged in the society.

    Olarewaju recalled the history of the centre, saying that the idea for the building of the centre was conceived by some medical youth corpers in 1981.

    He further stated that but for their initiative, such a center did not occur to government as at that time.

    He said that the gesture is putting the name of the corporation and that of the initiators in the sand of time “because it takes a godly person to extend such to the less privileged in the society.”

    The Principal of the school, Alhaji  A. B. Idris who was visibly happy at the gesture of NDIC showered  prayers on all members of the corporation present, adding that he was sure in his spirit that God is happy with people who put smiles on the faces of other.

  • Kingdom without its king

    Kingdom without its king

    Gwoza once enchanted its residents with a scenic rocky landscape, prestigious mobile police training school and revered monarchy. Now, this kingdom in Borno State has been seized by Boko Haram insurgents who have turned it into their caliphate headquarters, its monarch sheltering far away from his throne. DUKU JOEL reports

    A black flag now flies over the town. Its people feel assaulted, conquered and having lost all. Until the Nigerian military reclaims Gwoza, that feeling will persist.

    The town was until August 6th,  a part of Borno State, submitting to the Nigerian constitution. But on that day Abubakar Shekau, leader of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents declared the town the administrative headquarters of his Islamic caliphate.

    The people’s fondness for their rocks has been cut off. The impressive Nigeria Mobile Police Training School located in their community has been taken over by the invaders while a new Emir chosen by Boko Haram has been installed.

    Gwoza Emir, Mustapha Idrissa Timta ran away when he was informed that the insurgents were approaching his domain.

    He ascended the throne after gunnmen ambushed and killed his father, Idrissa Timta who was the Emir. Timta and three other Emirs were travelling in a convoy along Tashan Alade in Biu Local Government of Borno State on their way to Gombe to attend the burial of the late Emir of Gombe Shehu Abubakar when their assailants killed them.

    The death of his father did not stop the travails of the town as their woes merely continued. In one of the attacks on his kingdom, the young Emir escaped by the whiskers and went into hiding. For several days, the Mandara hills became his home before he was rescued and brought to Maiduguri where he has been sheltering.

    Mustapha Timta’s sojourn in Maiduguri away from his people has left him just as shattered as his subjects. He is fed up with life in forced exile.

    His greatest prayer is for the Nigerian government and President Goodluck Jonathan to recover his kingdom from the hands of the insurgents and return him to his throne. Mustapha Timta also wants the military to step up and sustain operations against the insurgents.

    Unfortunately, the embattled traditional ruler never really had time to enjoy what it takes traditional ruler as he had to flee for his life only a few days after he succeeded his father.

    He said he was at the Presidential Villa earlier when his domain fell to the insurgents and was able to extract a promise from the President to recover the town. He wants the President to live up to that promise.

    He said: “I am calling on the president of this country Goodluck Jonathan to fulfil the promise he made to me in Abuja that he will ensure that he takes back Gwoza from the hands of Boko Haram so that my people will go back to their abode”.

    The people of the community are today scattered all over, with some of them making the mountains their home. Several others remain unaccounted for. Those who could not run for their lives are living in Gwoza but in fear and hardship. His lamentation is that his people are experiencing serious hardship in different locations in the country.

    “It is unfortunate that I have been disconnected with many of my people who are suffering in different parts of the country. I feel so sad that I cannot reach out to them. I wish to appeal to the Federal Government to come to the aid of our people. As I am talking to you, many of them are trapped in Cameroon and many others are taking refuge in various places here in Nigeria. We appreciate the efforts of both the Federal Government and the Borno State government but a lot need to be done so that our people would go back home,” the Emir said.

    He called on his people to thank God for being alive and to continue praying for peace to return. But it is obvious that with the renaming of Gwoza as Darul Hikma  (house of wisdom) by  the Boko Haram insurgents, the hope of  His Royal Highness Mustapha Idrissa Timta of returning back to his kingdom is obvious not in the near future.

  • Abuja residents reject mass relocation in 2015

    Indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Greater Gbagyi Development Initiative (GG-DIN) have described the purported plan to relocate the original inhabitants of Abuja to a proposed permanent site in 2015 as unrealistic, unattainable and unacceptable.

    In a statement signed by the President of GG-DIN, Prince Gbaiza Gimba, they reject in totality any such relocation as historically it has not worked and tantamount to dislocation, further impoverishment and deprivation of their people and that it shows clear and shear shallowness in the approach developed by the government in recent years to solving the artificial problem of how to deal with the original inhabitants of Abuja.

    Gbaiza said they read with great shock the comment in the news by Senator Smart Adeyemi, Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, that original inhabitants of Abuja are to be relocated to their permanent site in 2015.

    He said, “The purported plan to us is tantamount to further human rights abuses and does not in any way make provision for the livelihood of our people as it treats us as refugees and other unthinkable things. The plan to carry out wholesome or unwholesome relocation of the indigenous peoples of Abuja to the fictitious permanent site without any prior consultation or discussion on the matter is unacceptable and is genocidal.

    “We have met with Senator Smart several times and believe in his sincerity, feelings and wishes for the indigenous peoples of the FCT.  Our problem is with their praxis, with the poor intellectual and elitist solution for our predicament that was artificially imposed on us.

    “We find exception to Senator Adeyemi’s remark that our people sell houses given to them. The so-called houses are a dislocation from our homes. They take our homes and give us houses. They take our lands and give us nothing and compensate their bank accounts and those of their cronies.

    “Why would we not sell those houses when we are artificially turned into destitute and there are no economic activities and sustainable system attached to the houses given to some of us? How do we feed our families?  How do we send our children to schools and cater for their welfare. How do we cater for our children and women? Where do we farm to continue our existence? How do we maintain our culture and tradition? Where is the economy in the so called relocation centres?”

    Gbaiza said that the government should leave them alone where they are and provide them with development programmes that befits their status as original inhabitants and owners of the land FCT, saying that what is good for the Niger Deltans is good for the Abuja indigenes.

    “We are not homeless and there is no justification for relocating us away from the center of development at the Federal Capital. If the statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan that he wants to make us happy is true and sincere, he should leave us where we are to enjoy the development of the Federal Capital, rather than sending us on exile.

    “We never asked for houses as we are not homeless neither are we destitute. We have homes, houses and accommodate others. We are asking for development. Relocation is not development but abuse of power and oppression as far as our people are concerned. We have cried for decades and government and political office holders have been deaf because they aggrandize for and covet our land.”

     

  • Monarch makes case for health insurance

    The ongoing community-based health insurance scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has inspired a traditional ruler, the  Agora of Zuba, Alhaji Mohammed Umar, to call for the immediate implementation of the plan in his community.

    The monarch, who took it upon himself to invite the Director of FCT Area Councils Health Insurance Scheme (FAHIS), Dr. Grace Aganaba to his palace, said that there is the need for the scheme to be introduced in his community for the health benefit of his people.

    According to Umar, receiving the presence of the Dr. Grace Aganaba and her team in his palace, was an indication that the FCT Health Insurance Scheme would commence immediately in Zuba, because, the people are in need of health care assistance from the government.

    “Because, I have been hearing about this scheme from people and I have read about it in different newspapers, wandering when it will get to Zuba community. The last one I heard was on radio, when the team went for distribution of health insurance cards at Gwargwada community, that when I called the chief of Gwargwada to intimate me on how he got the scheme to his community.

    “He gave me the director’s number, which I called her. But, I am not happy that the scheme went round my chiefdom without getting to my domain up until now. As far the director of the scheme has come today, I am happy and I am willing to support it to the fullest for the benefit of my people.”

  • Orphanage celebrates growth at anniversary

    Orphanage celebrates growth at anniversary

    Operators of an orphanage in Kaduna State have expressed happiness that a school has been incorporated into the facility to educate the inmates. The orphanage named Mercy Home Orphanage, Maternity and Vocation Centre was commissioned in October 2000 by a representative of the then First Lady, the late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo. However, as the home grew with more orphaned children being admitted, the need to provide them with some education became apparent and the owners were compelled by circumstances to set up a school for the orphaned children.

    With only one teacher in 2004 when the primary school started, the Mercy Home Primary and Secondary School now has over 200 pupils in the primary section and about 72 others in the secondary, with over 20 teachers.

    All this was revealed at the 10th anniversary of the facility.

    Founder and President of Mercy Home Orphanage, Rev. Tunde Bolanta said at the event that the need to establish the school became overwhelming when the church he pastors began to pay heavily to send the children to school.

    Apart from the orphans from the home who are regular pupils in the primary and secondary school, children from the immediate Romi community whose parents cannot afford to send to school are accommodated in the school with support from well-meaning individuals.

    At the anniversary celebrations, Rev. Bolanta expressed appreciation to parents of the children from the community “for having faith in us to do the work we are doing here”.

    Speaking further, he said: “When we started the orphanage, it became a challenge because we were paying a lot of fees outside. The Lord spoke to me to have our own place here. At that time, we had no money for the project and we didn’t know where the money would come from. I asked the boys working with us to start digging the foundation.

    “One of the questions I was asked was where the blocks would come from. I was sitting under the tree while the boys were digging when one woman came and saw us digging the foundation and asked what we were doing. I told her we were trying to build a block of classrooms for our kids and she gave us 4000 blocks.

    “From there, others started joining and contributing to the project and the school is a success story today.”

    He said further that at the beginning, the school had 86 children on scholarship, 46 of whom from the orphanage home, while the others were from the immediate community.

    He explained that from a modest beginning with the primary school, the home had to build a secondary school which has started graduating the pupils. The secondary school has found itself squashed inside its small premises, which it shares with the primary school, hence the need to build a separate more classrooms for the secondary school.

    He stressed: “We are trusting God to build a two-storey building which will serve as the secondary school block. We are trusting God to touch people to donate to the project.

    “Christian education is very important. We have many people who went to school in this nation, but not all have wisdom. I believe that these children are the future of Nigeria and I believe that as they grow, they will be good ambassadors of Nigeria”.

    Proprietor of the school and wife of the founder of the home, Pastor Tina Bolanta described the day as a very special one, saying, “Mercy Home Primary School started 10 years ago with the principal as the only teacher in all the classes. With all her hard work and dedication, we started with children from the orphanage and grew till we now have over 200 children and 72 in the secondary school. We thank God for his faithfulness. It is by God’s grace that we have come this far. However, as we celebrate, let us reflect on God faithfulness this past 10 years. Appreciate t.he sacrifice and to teach the children. Some of you have taken it as a sacrifice to teach the children and pray that God blesses you. As you invest in their life, we pray that God will bless you. As you make the sacrifice, God will take care of your personal needs”.

    Part of events marking the 10th anniversary of the school was the foundation laying ceremony of the two story secondary school block by the President of Mercy Home Orphanage, Rev. Tunde Bolanta.

  • Fed Govt, Kwara hail new mill

    Government efforts at generating employment for the people appear to be yielding dividends in Kwara State as a multi-billion naira rolling mill has been inaugurated in Ilorin, the state capital. The company which is expected to produce iron rods, nails and roofing sheets, among others,  was unveiled by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga who described the owners of the company as heroes.

    The Minister said: “Anyone in the country who is creating thousands of jobs is a hero. This company, Kamwire Industries Ltd today creates directly more than 3,000 jobs…It is a sector that is the backbone of any economic or industrial development in any nation. So this sector is a big sector and we have our own Nigeria leading that sector; our job as a government is to make sure that it succeeds. We are to create the enabling environment for the private sector to drive the economy.

    “That is what we have done so far, and we need to do a little bit more…When you have crude oil and you export it, they pay you for that crude. But let us say they pay you $100 per barrel. You get that money and you are happy that you have gotten money; they take your crude oil, process it, create jobs in their economy; they add value to it and sell it back to you, and you take that $100 and more to buy that. How rich are you as a nation?”

    Aganga who was full of praise for the initiative, said, “when you have a different structure in the country where you still sell it at $100 per barrel to an investor in this country,  you sell it to that company and still make that money, that company processes it in this country, they create jobs in this country, they pay people their salary and factory people, the company pays corporate tax to the government; that is two other sources to revenue; they sell their products and above all, they sell it to the Nigerian people.

    “That is what makes sense and that is what makes economy grow. That is why we came with the industrial revolution. The good thing about this Kamwire is that it is also connected to SMES and creating jobs for other people, making its products to become raw materials for other industries and also creating job in those industries. He was telling me that he will supply raw materials to about 17 industries and more.

    “That is what tells me why it is so important. By the time we get to that level that we are going, we will be saving about $15bn per annum. I think your first phase, looking back is a project that will at least save us $4bn in our foreign reserves annually. And then you look at what it will cost us in the next 10 years, it will be $15bn. We will not be able to afford it as a nation and it will become a balance of payment deficit. That is why we came with the industrial revolution plan”.

    The minister stressed that despite Nigeria having about two million metric tons of iron ore reserves it spends $3.3 billion annually importing steel and iron into the country. He disclosed that the country has the second largest iron ore deposits in Africa and 12th largest in the world, adding that the way things are today, the country might end up spending $15 billion every year to import steel. He said that the President “has already set up a committee about how we can make sure that our industries especially in the real sector have access to affordable finance and the Bank of Industry is going to play a major role.

    We spend $3.3bn every year importing those items. In the next decade because of the way we are growing that $3.3bn will become $15bn. Today we have about minimum of $14bn committed to the petrochemical sector where its spread as I have just described to you; hopefully will be gained by 2017 or 2018, where we will be self sufficient and we would no longer need to import petroleum products in this country. Any country that relies entirely on exporting raw materials without having a strong industrial and related services sector will remain poor.

    We have made a mistake as a nation for decades thinking we are a rich nation exporting crude oil, thinking we have money. But we do not have money. I happened to be your former finance minister, so I know. We may have that competitive advantage but what makes us different is what you do with that competitive advantage. We are working on infrastructure and power already, with a lot of commitments going into the power sector. We are working on it and we would get there. It takes three years or there about from where you start.”

    Kwara State Commissioner for Industry and Solid Minerals Development, Alhaji Aliyu Lade, said the industries had impacted positively on the lives of many Kwarans in the area of job provision. He added that the industries had also contributed enormously on the state’s economic growth and development. The commissioner said “all these have been made possible through the frantic efforts of the present administration’s various positive industrial policies that created an enabling environment for the industries to thrive. Among the essential ingredients for industrial development by the state government is the 33KVA power sub-station at the Ganmo from which the Kam Industries have a dedicated line. We are all aware that electricity is one of the major components that is required by industrialists. The sub-station at Ganmo was put in place to boost electricity supply to industrialists in the state.

    In addition, the state government is in the process of setting up an industrial cluster where small companies that can provide services and inputs to the bigger companies like Kam Industries will be located. We are hereby seeking the Federal Government support in the setting up of the industrial cluster in the state.”

    Deputy Managing Director of the company, Alhaja Mariam B. Yusuf listed insecurity, unstable foreign currency earnings due to a monolithic economy, harsh political environment, force majeure and national comparative disadvantages as some of the challenges militating against smooth industrial operations in the country. She said: “We on our part have been grappling with these challenges particularly those peculiar to industry, astronomical and injurious interest rate, dearth of technical skills, inadequate energy supply and inadequate transportation network etc. We are determined to take the risks and forcefully revolutionise industrialization in our country Nigeria.”

    While saying that the cold steel rolling mill complex is the third in the country in terms of age, she but first of its kind in terms of machinery configurations and quality. She said “Cold steel rolling mill is the centre hook chain, holding together the upstream and downstream of steel industry.

    The complex comprises of HR slitting line, push-pull pickling line, cold rolling mill, trimming and rewinding line. Others are continuous galvanizing lines, colour coating, cut to length and profiling lines and many ancillary support machinery and service centres.

    The existence of the mill in the state has created employment opportunities and satellite investment opportunities for downstream companies to use the cold rolled sheets of the required gauge to produce products like galvanized roofing sheets, pipes, shovels, trowels, head pans etc. With a little addition of equipment, we can produce vehicle panel bodies here in Nigeria and a host of raw materials for many companies.”