The Nation Newspaper

Tag: creation

  • Experts praise ITF on jobs creation

    Experts praise ITF on jobs creation

    The Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) has been praised over its proactive measures taken to eliminating unemployment from the country.

    Some experts, who spoke with The Nation, said the innovations and initiatives that have been brought about by ITF leadership, under its Director- General, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, were diverse and impactful, particularly, given the short time the she has been in office.

    For instance, Managing Partner of Soreb Consulting International Mr. Kunle Rotimi said ITF, under Chukkas-Onaeko’s charge, has entered into an understanding with the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to improve and expand opportunities for young artisans.

    Rotimi also said the agreement and understanding ITF reached with the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CITIN) would lead to the training of builders. He noted that the ITF/Shelter Watch Initiative arrangement, which has been concluded, would ensure unemployment in the country is eliminated through value addition in the building and construction sector.

    According to him, the leadership of the ITF deserves accolades for initiating collaborations with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in less than a year in office.

    His words: “The present leadership of the ITF has already concluded the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)-backed skills gaps survey that will successfully raise and place Nigeria at par with other developed nations of the world.

    “The move will provide skills training for employment and job creation, and identify the challenges of mismatches between skills demands and supply, which the country is presently grappling with. It will help provide vocational and technical training for thousands of internally displaced persons in various parts of the country”.

    On his part, President of Global Peace Movement International, a United Kingdom-based leadership and development organisation, Dr Mike Uyi, said it was not surprising that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has recognised the quality leadership being provided the ITF by the present Director-General. This, he said, necessitated their visit to the Fund with a promise to work with and collaborate in areas of mutual interests.

    Uyi said the standardisation and certification of ITF’s trainees and graduates has been fast-tracked and improved under the present leadership, while the ITF has improved and expanded the partnership with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), leading to improved access and opportunities for the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, (NISDP).

    He added that it was noteworthy that the Fund has initiated the establishment of an e- learning platform to provide access to training and skills development in Nigeria. Already, the Fund is at an advanced stage of launching an online job portal to provide a robust interface between employers of labour and the unemployed youths.

  • Tips for job creation

    Tips for job creation

    The second Nigeria Entrepreneurship Challenge and Enterprise Award has been held in Awka, the Anambra State capital. Speakers gave tips on how the government can solve employment challenges, reports EMEKA CHUKWUEMEKA.

    If government can provide soft loan for young entrepreneurs and support vocational education, the unemployment rate will drop. These were the words of the founder and Chancellor of Prof Johnbosco Akam, Tansian University in Anambra State.

    The don said jobless youths were ready to embrace entrepreneurship, but noted that many of them were discouraged by lack of support and start-up loan to set up their businesses after acquiring vocational skills.

    Akam was delivering a keynote address, titled: Combating unemployment in Nigeria: The role of entrepreneurship at the grand finale of the 2015 Nigeria Entrepreneurship Challenge and Enterprise Awards held at Prof Kenneth Dike Library Auditorium in Awka, Anambra.

    He said the government needed to make entrepreneurship attractive to the youths to revive the nation economy and solve the youth restiveness. According to him, skill acquisition centres should be established in all communities to teach young people skills irrespective of their education status.

    The emerging realities, he said were making theoretical education irrelevant in the 21st century, urging the authorities of higher institutions to review teaching curriculum to accommodate vocational education at undergraduate level.

    Akam said: “Government and policymakers must wake all the authorities of higher institutions of learning from their slumber. They must introduce measures to change the current teaching syllabus and support first-hand training of entrepreneurship in all discipline.”

    The organiser, Mr David Agu, a law graduate of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka and publisher of The Entrepreneur magazine, said the competition was a platform to empower youths.

    He said: “Each year, tertiary institutions, both public and private, churn out thousands of graduates. These young graduates are not prepared for the harsh realities of seeking employment, while some are faced with tough economic situation. There is no assurance that they all would get jobs, considering the competitive nature of labour market and the fact that there are little or no opportunities in the market.

    “These graduates are left to push for jobs in the federal and state civil service. I believe it is time for the youth to use their creativities to create jobs for themselves and others.”

    The participants displayed their entrepreneurial prowess by the products and services they showcased at the contest. Some of the products and services included ice block chest and cooling van, furniture design, locally-made utensils, soap, bead and bag making, fashion designing and academy, books, catering, perfume production, paint production, entertainment and data management, among others.

    Contestants were assessed based on the viability of their products and services and the idea behind the innovation.

    Agu said the contestants’ chances of winning were also based on sale The Entrepreneur in which the products were advertised. This, Agu said, is to test contestants’ marketing skills, which he described as important attributes of an entrepreneur.

    The contest was held in partnership with the office the Senior Special Assistant to Anambra State Government on Youth Mobilisation, which is occupied by Hon Tony-Uche Ezekwelu.

    In his remarks, Ezekwelu said any government that empowered the youths would have empowered the society. He said youths were given special consideration in skill acquisition programmes of Governor Willie Obiano.

    Ezekwelu, who used his own career as example, said university certificate would never state the level of competence of the holder, stressing that only innovation could make academic credential meaningful to employers. He advised the participants to improve their skills and create opportunities for themselves and others.

    Over 50 budding entrepreneurs from the different parts of the country participated in the contest. Of these, only one person, Henry Uba, won the star cash prize of N150,000. Consolation prizes were given to other finalists to support their businesses.

    Highpoints of the event was the conferment of Youth Enterprise Award on the Gov. Obiano by the organiser. Other entrepreneurs honoured at the event included Chairman of Orient Group Ltd, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, the keynote speaker, Prof Akam, Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group Limited, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, and the UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ahaneku, among others.

     

     

  • Energy sector leads wealth creation, industrialisation

    Energy sector leads wealth creation, industrialisation

    Despite the challenges facing the energy sector over the past decades, it still remains the nation’s cash cow, holding the key to unlocking the potentials that will make the country attain its aspiration of becoming one of the world’s 20 industrialised economies, writes EMEKA UGWUANYI.

    Nigeria has made tremendous progress in the energy sector over the past 55 years despite the challenges in the sector.  Starting from a production of 5,100 barrels of oil per day (bpd) in 1958, its current production stands at over two million bpd. Nigeria still leads in hydrocarbon development and remains the oil and gas hub in the Gulf of Guinea.

    The nation’s oil output would have reached three million barrels, with reserves reaching 40 billion barrels if not for security challenges including militancy and issues of kidnapping, oil theft, pipeline vandalism and insurgency, as well as some constraining policies.

    The oil and gas industry hitherto controlled by foreigners has gradually started to shift position. Indigenous firms and operators are increasingly participating in exploration and production (E&P) and in the service sector.

    The divestment of oil blocks by the multinational oil firms such as Shell and Chevron, and the marginal field policy boosted local players’ equity in the E&P sector substantially. Indigenous stakes in the upstream are growing; the service sector is reasonably controlled by the locals, which is a development that should be encouraged.

    Over the past five decades, over 20 oil fields have been divested by the international oil companies (IOCs), some marginal fields have been re-streamed, and this enhanced the contribution of indigenous firms to the nation’s total daily oil production, rising from zero to about 20 per cent now. In the downstream, over 95 per cent of the sector is controlled by Nigerians.

    Because Nigeria produces high value, low sulphur content, light crude oils – Antan Blend, Bonny Light, Bonny Medium, Brass Blend, Escravos Light, Forcados Blend, IMA, Odudu Blend, Pennington Light, Qua-Iboe Light and Ukpokiti, its oil is the toast of refineries, despite the current lull in the international price of crude. To derive maximum value from the nation’s oil, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu said the Corporation will strive to secure long term contracts for the crude. According to him, the reason Nigeria’s crude sometimes doesn’t see buyers is because it is contractors that lift the oil and they (contractors) don’t have already secured buyers.

    However,  to address some of the sectoral issues, the Federal Government must tackle the contentious provisions in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) including part of the fiscal regime, which is unacceptable to the multinational oil firms, and the 10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund, which is meant for the development of oil producing communities, which Northern legislators vehemently opposed. These among others, are some of what have been stalling the passage of the bill believed to be the solution to some of the oil industry’s woes.

    Some  areas  that need urgent attention and remedy include reduction of contracting period for projects. The contract cycle in Nigeria is among the longest in the world. Policies that will support renewed aggressive exploration should be encouraged without delay. Oil reserves and output are declining and need to be replaced. Natural gas exploitation and utilisation especially in the area of improving domestic consumption, and elimination of gas flaring need to be fast-tracked. There is also need to properly position the NNPC  as a true national oil firm that can effectively compete with its contemporaries across the globe.

    The oil and gas industry cankerworms including oil theft and pipeline vandalism, massive importation of refined products and the attendant subsidies, and fuel scarcity need urgent solution. Having been in oil exploration and production in the past 55 years, Nigeria is supposed to be a net exporter of refined petroleum products but today, it is the only country in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that imports products for domestic consumption.

    For the first since its establishment, the NNPC is undergoing drastic reforms to be positioned as an independent and profitable enterprise that can have capacity to borrow money from banks to run its operation. The Corporation chief Kachikwu has started sanitizing it, to create sustainable processes, reduce the size of the workforce and make it efficient, retire the aged members of staff and hire the younger energetic ones.

    To enthrone transparency in the Corporation, Kachikwu said he would bring back the auditing firm, PricewaterhouseCooper to fully audit NNPC, as a step to making its books clear and reliable.

    The gas sector is also being developed impressively. Previously all the associated gas was flared for lack of storage and utilization, but today, operators look for non-associated gas assets. The volume of flared gas has been significantly reduced. Many industrial concerns in Nigeria have switched to natural gas-as fuel to power their machineries for power generation to run their operations.

     

    Nigerian Content Act

     

    To substantially increase indigenous participation, ownership and control of assets in the upstream, the Federal Government passed the Nigerian (local) content into law in 2010. Many indigenous firms have been empowered through the Act and lots of capacities and capabilities have been developed by Nigerians.

    Because access to funds constitutes a major challenge to indigenous players in the oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) that foresees the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act, created the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF). The Fund as at the end of April, was above $540 million, and the Board said it is gradually growing to reach $700 million at the end of December this year.

    The Fund started with only $50 million in 2010. “The projected growth chart was that by 2011, it would rise to $70 million and $150 million by 2012 and to $350 million by 2013 while we were looking at $450 million and $700 million by end of 2014 and 2015 respectively.

    “Considering the current growth potentials of the Fund, we expect a continuous increase in its size and its capacity to attract other sources of funds both locally and internationally to support Nigerian oil and gas content development,” the Board said.

    The Fund, according to the Board could have helped a lot of Nigerian firms if not because of the challenges encountered at its formative year. Banks were not willing to lend under the programme because some bankers demonstrated limited understanding of oil and gas business and the peculiarities; therefore, they gave all manner of conditions that could not be met by the emerging and growing Nigerian companies. This resulted in consistent delays in concluding transactions and often stalled some applications, but the story has changed today, the Board added.

     

    Power

     

    The power sector has undergone series of transformations and reforms but with little results. Over N5 trillion is estimated to have been spent on Nigeria’s power sector in the last 16 years. This figure includes expenditures on the defunct national utility, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) before it was unbundled into 18 successor companies – six generation, one transmission and 11 distribution companies.

    Following the inefficiency of the PHCN and near total blackout in the nation, the Federal Government created the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), which is supervised by a special purpose vehicle, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Limited. The NDPHC was created to fast-track the attainment of stable power supply in the country when all efforts, financially and technically pumped into the PHCN to make it efficient failed. The PHCN formerly the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) was ranked as one of the most corrupt agencies.

    The NIPP programme was conceived in 2004 and the NDPHC created in 2005. The project was also enmeshed in alleged that $16 billion embezzlement and was also engulfed in controversy and litigation because of the alleged unexplained utilization of the fund. In view of those issues surrounding the project, the government in power suspended the NIPP programme dismissing it as huge fraud and drainpipe but after two years, the suspension was lifted and the government continued with the project.

    Following the alleged outrageous corruption in PHCN, the Federal Government began a process of privatisation of the power sector. The Federal Government on November 1, 2013, ceded 60 per cent equity of the distribution companies to the private sector, and 100 percent equity of some of the generation plants to the private sector. The privatisation was considered the most outstanding achievement of the government in recent time and a major milestone, by industry experts. The privatisation marked a gradual but total handover of the sector to the private sector. The 18 successor companies unbundled from the defunct PHCN have all been privatised except for the transmission company, which hopefully will be privatised with time.

    However, the Federal Government also secured funds for the power sector from different international development organisations and companies to develop the entire value chain of the power sector. For instance, the development of some projects such as the Zungeru hydro electric power plant with installed capacity 700Mw was funded by such funds. The Federal Government in 2012 spent a total $377,723,701.31 plus ¥3,701,664,848,66 plus N44,007,398,398.00 equivalent to N162,990,364,379.30 to implement the project.

    The Exim Bank of China shouldered 75 per cent of the project while the counterpart funding of $309 million was kept with the Ministry of Power. The project was being implemented by a Chinese consortium, CNEEC-Sino Hydro.

    The Kashambilla hydro dam has reached about 95 percent completion and the construction of the Mambilla hydro dam is on course. The plant is targeted to generate 3,000Mw.

    For renewable energy, there is an inter-governmental organisation: International Renewable Agency (IRENA) supporting countries in development of sustainable energy future. Besides budgetary allocations, interventions by different development organisations such as the European Union, JICA and GIZ directly undertake the projects they choose to work on. Last year, several supports from bilateral partners in form of loans such as $700million from the World Bank, $200million from JICA, $370million from African Development Bank, $500million from EXIM China and $1billion from Contractor financed Turkey Projects flowed in into the power sector development.

    The African Development Bank also released a loan of $100 million to Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for critical transmission projects. Last year, it was estimated that the TCN required about US$3.7billion to increase power transmission capacity, make the network more stable and reliable, and improve efficiency of electric power supply by reducing transmission technical losses.

    The National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) programme has also seen the completion of 10 midsized power plants, which were being privatised before the privatisation process was stalled. The 10 power plants include Alaoji, Ihovbor,  Egbema, Gbarain, Calabar, Geregu, Ogorode, Olorunsogo, Omoku,  and Omotosho.

    The NIPP projects are funded from the excess crude account, with the Federal Government contributing 47 per cent of the funds, while the 36 state governments contribute 35 per cent and the 774 local governments 18 per cent. As at May this year, about $11.1 billion has been committed to the project,

    The introduction of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), helped to boost power generation, transmission and distribution. Currently, power output stands at above 4,600 megawatts (Mw), though inadequate but a huge improvement over about 2,000Mw a few years ago.

  • Job creation beyond lip service

    Speaking at the 11th Benson Idahosa University convocation in July, former president Olusegun Obasanjo advised that the nation has to reverse the trend of unemployment by “empowering the youth with skills and taking them off the yoke of the unemployed.”

    Interestingly, it was exactly a week after President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as saying: “We will no longer allow our markets to be flooded with things we can produce ourselves. We must believe in our system. Whenever you need my intervention at anytime, please come to me.” President Buhari was speaking to the Permanent Secretary, Abdulkadir Musa, and senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Also, Buhari said with its focus on job creation, his government was ready to do whatever it considers necessary to boost domestic manufacturing and industrialisation.  Buhari said: “So, we will shun all anti-development policies, and make the climate more suitable for entrepreneurs. We will create the environment for them to thrive. Generating employment was one of our key campaign promises and we will keep that promise”.

    While there seems to be a consensus on the need to teach Entrepreneurship in the formal schools as one of the strategies to create employment, little is done to practically and effectively achieve this. While there seems to be more emphasis and energy on the ‘hardware’ of infrastructure needs by entrepreneurial endeavour, the actual ‘software’ that will make more Nigerians willingly (my emphasis on ‘actual willingness’) embrace entrepreneurship with their heart and soul seems to remain unaddressed –  or is, at best, not yielding noticeable result.

    Consequently, I suggest the following steps must be urgently implemented: Firstly, public office holders must identify with fledgling business owners/entrepreneurs in their constituencies and tacitly endorse made-in-Nigeria service/product through visits to the entrepreneurs’ business premises. This will serve as a form of motivation to these entrepreneurs grabbling with a lot of discouraging factors and help stimulate patronage for such businesses as people will love to patronise such businesses on the strength of such endorsements. In turn, business owners will work hard not to lower quality of service in order to live up to such endorsements. I commend and recommend to other political leaders, the personal example set by the current governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, who has personally attended the launch of a few startups like a new school recently set up in Lekki and a hotel on the mainland. He should keep it up and extend such visits to other sectors like the printer in Shomolu, the fish farmer in Epe, the Cane village in Mende etc.

    Secondly, most Nigerian formal educational institutions are presently teaching entrepreneurship without a comprehensive business opportunity handbook that adequately compiles the thousands of local and international business opportunities like it is done in most nations that have successfully got more of their citizens to start and run their own businesses. The scope of entrepreneurial education for most Nigerian undergraduates  is restricted to the knowledge of the few popular business ideas commonly executed in Nigeria and most of them are not even aware that there is a Nigerian-published comprehensive business opportunity handbook that contains thousands of business ideas, summary of how to execute each idea, contacts of credible local and international funding sources, sample business plans and business plan templates, marketing tips and so much more valuable practical business information. Consequently, most undergraduates are not sufficiently exposed to the limitless benefit of a business opportunity handbook. To reverse this trend, schools should take a cue from what’s being done in Covenant University, Ota, which has integrated entrepreneurship education into its academic programme and gone an extra length to provide its students access to the mobile app of a popular business opportunity handbook. The uniqueness is that this mobile application is regularly updated with new business ideas, funding sources, business contacts etc. at no extra cost even after leaving the university.  Such a laudable programme and initiative should be extended to all schools all over the federation.

    Thirdly, the media has a critical role in giving enough exposure to Nigerian entrepreneurs to serve as motivation for aspiring entrepreneurs. Most Nigerian media houses, especially those in the online, print and electronic categories are guilty of a discouraging practice of having the same advert cost regime for large corporate organisations and small/ medium scale business owners and startups. Perhaps, by no fault of the media organisations, the cost of acquiring media leverage by Nigerian startups for their goods and services is presently to the disadvantage of such category of Nigerian entrepreneurs’ potential marketing gains and brand penetration. The ultimate loser is the society in terms of job creation and the media itself, which in the long run may lose patronage from struggling entrepreneurs who eventually turn out successful.

    To address this concern, media organisations should provide special advertising price packages for the Nigerian small or medium business owners either through individual or trade group mutual partnership arrangement or outright discount incentives.  Influential organisations like National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Nigerian Guild of Editors(NGE), Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON),Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) and Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria(NPAN) can facilitate such partnerships. Furthermore, the media should do more to extol the merits of self-employment and the small firm as a vehicle for self-fulfillment, economic rejuvenation and employment generation.

    Finally, the small and medium enterprise economy relates to the large corporations and public sector sub-economies in a variety of ways. The real economic implications of the present Forex squeeze and tactical banning of 40 imported items by the Federal Government are yet to be fully understood even by most stakeholders and the government. The general theoretical assumption that these policies will automatically benefit the Nigerian entrepreneur as it is expected that more indigenous made-in-Nigeria products will be patronised will prove to be unrealistic unless the new government chooses to act differently.   The immediate beneficiaries of this policy are the smugglers and corrupt customs/immigration officers because the demand for such imported products will result in their scarcity and fuel increase in such commodities’ prices which will in turn serve as incentives to the smugglers. Within a week of this policy, the unofficial price of forex in the parallel market has spiralled out of control, further increasing the pressure on the depreciating naira. Also, within a week, the price of frozen chicken (one of the 40 items removed from the import list) has surged from N750 per kilogram to N1100 per kilogram, an equivalent of approximately 50 per cent increase.

    Yet these are the same imported poultry products, not those supplied by the Nigerian poultry farmer-entrepreneur. Except the government moves in immediately, this policy will not translate into economic benefits for the Nigerian entrepreneur. Government should immediately meet with the large corporations, wholesale importers, mega superstores and trade associations to track the sourcing of these ‘banned’ items by the big players, address their genuine fears and give incentives to large corporations that will genuinely abide by this policy by patronising local producers and suppliers of these items. The media should also help to report progress made in this regard. No doubt, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will need to investigate and possibly prosecute corporate players that may want to support smuggling or sabotage this policy.

     

    • Vaughan is the host of Biz Lifelines on Lagos-based Inspiration FM and Radio Continental.
  • Folarin: ‘I ‘ll fight for Ibadan State creation’

    Folarin: ‘I ‘ll fight for Ibadan State creation’

    Former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin is the Oyo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next month’s general elections. He spoke with reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, about his programmes and chances at the poll. Jeremiah Oke was there. 

    Why do you want to become the next governor of Oyo State?

    Like I always say, there are lots to be achieved in government, especially in a state where we have teeming youths and limited industries. Many of our youths are so smart, intelligent and industrious, but there is nobody out there to assist them to achieve their goals.  I believe when I become governor, it will be a gateway for the people of the state to improve their standard of living, especially the youths.

    While in the Senate, the people of Ibadan expected you to facilitate the creation of Ibadan State as one of the ranking members of the House. Did you make any effort at all?

    Yes, I did. You will agree with me that there are procedures and stages of facilitating and executing of projects in democracy, unlike military regimes. Having said this, during my tenure in the Senate, we were going round the 36 states of the federation to meet with the traditional rulers and opinion leaders to know their plight. Topmost on our findings was the quest for the creation of more states; it was the only thing from Maiduguri to Calabar, from Lagos to Sokoto, it kept reverberating. The report was submitted to the President and he was bold enough to set up a National Conference to discuss how Nigeria will move forward, unlike his predecessors. Meanwhile, topmost on the agenda of the National Conference was the creation of more states, of which Ibadan State was among. The document has been submitted to the President and he is working on it. The President just mentioned in Lagos recently that he deliberately did not hand over the document to the present  Senate because they might not be able to conclude working on it. He said he will submit it to the incoming Senate. So, we can see that to create states in a democratic government is not a child’s play. We kick-started the process of creating Ibadan State and we are happy the process is still progressing and I’m sure that the next four years, starting from May 29, Ibadan State is going to be created.

    Many people believe you did not execute any project in Oyo State while in the Senate. How will you react to this?

    As a senator, you are just a glorified councillor. It is not as if you are given an allocation to run the affairs of your state or you are getting funds somewhere to run the affairs of your state. A lot of people are looking at it as if, as a senator, I should have been be able to affect the whole of the state, forgetting that my constituency is limited to Oyo Central, which comprises of five local governments in Ibadan, four in Oyo and two in Ogbomosho land, which makes it 11 local governments. So, if you are in Oyo South and you are expecting my project in such areas, it is not possible because I cannot bring money from the Central to spend in the South. I cannot influence the siting of projects in the Central and push it to the South. Having said that, I did a lot of projects while in the Senate; the kind of hospitals that were influenced here, the state government does not have such standard of hospitals. Olode used to be a remote area without health centre before we facilitated a comprehensive one there. Pade village used to be a village of one of the former governors of this state, another hospital was also sited there with full facility. Read my lips, go there and confirm these. All were well equipped, but the inability of the state government to staff the hospital is shameful and disgraceful. Apart from the hospital in Oyo, we also facilitated the Araromi market in Oyo and 7.5 kilometre of road was tarred in Sanusi Ishola to link Oyo-Ogbomosho Road. We also facilitated the construction of many roads in that community, which also include Awe-Ilora Road. Olubadan-Gbagi-Monatan express roads, which links Iwo roads and Olode area with drainages were facilitated by me too. Our intention was to bring Egbeda Local Government, which is far from people, closer to them and to reduce the traffic pressure on Iwo Road, by bringing people off from Gbagi. It will make it easier for those who are coming from any part of that axis to use that road as alternative and it really worked. In terms of education, we constructed many classrooms across our constituency. In terms of water, over 100 communities benefited from enjoyed borehole projects from me. Ordinarily, I don’t believe in celebrating such things. Over 52 communities also benefited from our electrification projects. We gave 500kva transformers to nothing less than 15 communities or more. We have roads that were tarred and fitted with streetlights in Egbeda Local Government. I did all these things, but I don’t believe in celebrating them. Now, gentle men of the press, let me ask you this question: how many times did you see Obama commissioning a project like that? These are the things that should ordinarily come to the people because it is their money.

    Few weeks ago, the governor advised you to wait till Ibadan State is created before you can run for governorship…

    By God’s grace, we shall all live to celebrate Ibadan State. Meanwhile, he was not advised to wait till we create Ibadan State in 2011 when he contested for the same office.

    Are you not afraid of the election, considering that you are a first timer, while other candidates are former governors?

    I am not afraid of any of them because I have experience, exposure and commitment to take the state to the next level.

    What gives you the confidence that you will win?

    When you talk too much, you will talk nonsense. If you talk too much, you tell lies.  I am confident of victory and we are going to win with a large margin. I draw my strength from the fact that the people of Oyo State see that there is need for change.  The youth have not really benefited from this democratic government since 1999 because the setting has not been favourable to us. Thank God for somebody like late Chief Adedibu who propped me up in the year 2003 and helped me to clinch the Senate seat. I was in my 30s then. Tell me, which of the political parties have you ever seen sending somebody between the age of 30 and 40 to Senate? For me now to come out and contest for governorship seat, it is commendable. Check all the other contestants, they are all above 60 years old. I have been telling people that it is not possible to solve the problems of ipad with typewriter. I am like an ipad, while other contestants are like typewriters and if you go to some offices today, you will see the typewriters are packed under their tables. So, I believe the Oyo State youths, men and women who believe in us will park all these old cargo under the table and elect me, because my age makes me a link between the old and young.

    What will you do differently, if you win?

    Well, they may have good intentions, but their policies are not impacting positively in the lives of the people. Like I used to say, my government will involve the people of the state and we are going to embark on projects with human face. We are going to consider the interest of our people first before we take any policy.

    If you read through our manifesto, all we have for the four years is people-centred and youths are taking the front seat. A lot of things are going to be done differently. When you talk about youth empowerment, we are not going to do the kind of scheme they called ‘yes oo’ which the present administration is using to enslave our youth. This is wickedness because their children cannot do such job they are giving out to the masses.  We have a better scheme which will help the youth to be  independent on their own and make huge money on their own.  We will not be giving them fish. Rather, we will teach them how to fish. The present administration cannot understand this because his cabinet is full of old cargoes that we need to offload.

    How can you assess the performance of the present administration?

    It is total failure. Now, let’s take it one after the other. In Ibadan, for instance, projects are executed based on sentiments; people should beware. He was saying all the time that major cities have been dualised and so on and so forth. In Ibadan, the major entrance to Ibadan from Lagos, ask them how many killometres of road have they been able to dualise and at what cost? That is the question we should ask them.  From toll gate to challenge is not up to two kilomitres; they should be bold enough to tell us the cost. They have also dualised Iyaganku-Aleshinloye-Jerikho-Eleyele, the whole of that dualization is not up to 10 kilometres. All these areas we mentioned, including Challenge, are not up to 15 kilometres. So, Ibadan does not deserve 20 kilometres of road from the Ajimobi administration in four years?

  • Registered voters to endorse state creation

    Only registered voters will approve any request for the creation of a new state, according to a Bill for an Act to further alter the constitution and other matters connected therewith 2014.

    The bill, which contained amended sections of the constitution, was adopted by the National Assembly on Wednesday, awaiting the President’s assent.

    Before the amendment, only those in the area requesting states voted without distinguishing the demographic details of people that should participate in a referendum.

    The new alteration now simplifies the relevant section by requiring that only registered voters could vote in a referendum to endorse or reject the request for a state.

    The new provision was endorsed by 28 states, including Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau and Rivers.

    States that rejected the provision included Ekiti, Katsina, Kwara, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

    Section 8 (1)(b) of “An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state” says that “a proposal for the creation of the state is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the state originated.”

    Section 8 (1) (c) says: “The result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of all the states of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly.”

    While Section 8(1) (d) says: “The proposal is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.”

    The amended version, however, states 8(1) (b) “ a proposal for the creation of the state is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the registered voters of the local government council in the area voting at the referendum where the demand for creation of the state originated.

    Section 8(1) c of the amended version says: “The result of the referendum is then approved by a resolution of the state Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds majority of all the states of the federation.”

    Also, section 8 (1) d of the amended version says “the approved proposal is passed by a resolution of not less than two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.”

  • Why ITF can’t meet job creation target

    Why ITF can’t meet job creation target

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), according to its Director-General, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, is with the execution of its mandate. It cannot meet up because of non-remittance of the one per cent employers’contribution and inadequate funding, among others,  raising doubts about the Fund meeting its two million jobs creation target, reports TOBA AGBOOLA

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, appears hamstrung. Its efforts at reducing unemployment through vocational training and production of skilled manpower are  being hampered by the non-remittance of the one per cent employers’ contribution and inadequate funding.

    Its immediate past Director-General, Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmuk painted a bleak picture of things at the organisation.  The Fund is struggling with the  implementation of its mandate because of financial challenges. He said the Fund is targeting about N150 billion revenue yearly to meet its major short and medium term human capacity development programmes.

    Wapmuk said the loss of jobs to Asians and other nationals because of lack of technical skills would become history if ITF gets adequate funds.

    “The wholesome and proper implementation, or operation of the ITF Act 2011 as amended, holds immense benefit for the overall socio-economic well being and development of the nation, because poverty eradication is a vital tool in the war against insecurity, unemployment and hunger,” he said, adding that with proper funding, ITF will expand skill training centres across the country, ensuring that there are 37 of them across the country to cover 3,725 trade areas.

    This, he said, would ensure the training of 25 students, amounting to a total of 23,125 highly skilled technicians yearly, adding that the six centres for Advanced Skills Training for Employment (CASTE) across the six geo-political zones, would also turn out 6,750 highly-qualified graduates yearly.

    He said alot of research had focused on the performance of manpower training institutions and manpower needs in Africa, using the ITF, a key manpower training institution in Nigeria, as a case study.

    However, experts said these benefits might elude Nigerians because of poor funding caused by the non-remittance of statutory contributions by operators in the industrial and Organised Private Sector. This was why the Director-General, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo,  decried the attitude of industrialists and business organisations for refusing, or failing to remit their training contributions to the ITF.

    He said it was important for industrialists and enterprises to meet their financial responsibilities to the Fund so that it could continue to effectively carry out its activities.

    Acknowledging that though, businesses and industries were set up for profit-making, Oshinowo  urged firms that are not remitting to have a rethink.

    A training expert and human resource professional, Kunle Rotimi, also said a change of attitude by stakeholders is needed to keep the ITF sustainably funded. According to him, the ITF remains one of the few organisations in the public sector that is fulfilling its mandate.

    He explained that the initiative by ITF to establish industrial skills training centres in each state, and advanced skills training centres might never be realised if partners failed to live up to their responsibilities.

    Noting that the ITF Act spells out sanctions for defaulters, Rotimi, however, admitted that the punishment may be hard to apply since they are not stiff

    Besides, the ITF, he said, might be reluctant to apply sanctions to partners it intends to work with to address a major national challenge such as unemployment.

    Former President, Nigeria Institute of Training and Development, Femi Kilajo, said the role of vocational training and skills in the eradication of youth unemployment is important. He emphasised that vocational training, including plumbing, industrial welding, iron work and fabrications, as well as computer skills, are being imparted on trainees by the ITF  its centres.

    Pointing out that it was technical and vocational skills adopted by China, Brazil, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Canada, among other developed nations, that made them strong in terms of economic and industrial output, Kilajo said technicians, welders amongst other numerous trade and crafts have been trained by the Fund, with all of them contributing their parts towards developing the economy.

    The ITF was established in 1971 by the Federal Government to bridge the unemployment gap through the  vocational training, and also produce skilled manpower for the industrial sector.

    According to stakeholders, ITF stands out among all the interventionist agencies of the Federal and state governments that have been created to tackle the problem of acute unemployment in Nigeria due to  its proactive and sustainable result-oriented methods.

    Some graduates of the ITF’s Industrial Skills Training Centre (ISTC) in Ikeja, Lagos, who spoke with The Nation said apart from the provision of skilled manpower for the industrial sector, the ITF also goes the extra mile of ensuring that global standards are brought to bear in its training curriculum. This, they said, was made possible through the Fund’s understudying and engagement with major technical and vocational training institutions.

  • ITF, NECA partner firms on job creation

    ITF, NECA partner firms on job creation

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) are partnering with some companies on capacity building and training.

    NECA and ITF have met with Kamjay Farms Limited, a poultry/aquaculture outfit, on ways to train more youths to embrace farming.

    Speaking during tour of the company,  ITF Director-General Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, said more people would be trained when NECA and IFFcollaborate with more companies, the agricultural sector, she noted, is larger than other sectors in terms of employment and job creation. She also stressed the need for government’s support for their activities.

    The company trains 25 to 30 youth per batch. However, Dr. Onaeko said the number would be increased to 100 next year to accommodate those who wish to key into the programme.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kamjay Farms Limited, Mr Bode Oyedele,  said real growth cannot be achieved without the agricultural sector.

    “If we are talking of real growth, we cannot leave out agriculture because without it, there is no life, there is no economy,” he said.

    He stressed the need for support from the government, especially for the trained youths to stand on their feet.

    With the collaboration of NECA and ITF, Oyedele said, Kamjay had been able to train more youths on various aspects of agriculture. He disclosed that the trainees were more interested in the aspect of fingerlings rearing because it is more lucrative than others and requires less capital to set up.

    “Because Lagos is an aquatic state, we initially concentrated on aquaculture, but our students and the trainees showed much interest in fingerlings so we have to do more of that,” he explained, adding that with few pieces of fingerlings (two males and three females), one could produce about 25,000 fingerlings within a short period of time and realise about N750,000. A fingerling is sold for N30.

    He added that many people were keying into fingerling production because of its higher demand. Oyedele, who said he has keyed into the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the administration, explained that his company is the only firm approved to supply fingerlings to farmers in Lagos State under the GES scheme.

    However, with the present 500,000 production capacity, the company is yet to meet up with the demand for the fingerlings in the state. Oyedele, however, explained that the support of NECA and ITF in the procurement of feed mills has helped the company to increase its production and produce feeds for its own farm and other farmers in Lagos State.

    He called on the Federal Government to subsidise agricultural products for the growth of the real sector, saying that unlike any other goods, price of agricultural products could not be easily controlled by the farmers.

    For example, he said, while the price of feed mills keeps soaring, the price of eggs has not changed in the market.

    The aim of NECA/ITF collaboration is to get youths out of unemployment by giving them training on poultry, aquaculture and other aspects of agriculture to be job creators.

    NECA’s Director-General, Mr. Segun Oshinowo, said the purpose of the synergy is to reduce the rate of unemployment among youths by training them on how they can create jobs even with little capital at their disposal.

    “By being here, we hope to create jobs by getting the youths trained so that they can stand on their own,” he said, noting that there are huge potentials in the agricultural sector especially, in the area of aquaculture.

    The NECA boss appealed to the government to support the initiatives with funds as both organisations lack financial capacity to carry out their assignments.

  • ‘Creation of more states will bring development’

    Community leaders in Arigidi-Akoko,Ondo State have commended all the delegates to the just-concluded National Conference for recommending additional States in the country including Ose to be carved out of the present Ondo State.

    It would be recalled that the Conference ratified the creation of 18 new states cutting across the six geo-political zones in the country.

    A statement by Arigidi Leaders of Thoughts (ALT), signed by its Acting Chairman, Lawson Owadokun and Secretary, Bola Olutoye hailed the president of the Senate, David Mark for upholding the delegates’ recommendation.

    Besides, the Community leaders praised the indigenes of Akokoland especially the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, Taofik Abdusalam and Mrs Yemi Mahmud Fasominu for their commitment to the ratification of the proposed Ose State.

    The group also appreciated the Southwest Leadership of the Conference particularly Chiefs Olu Falae, Kunle Olajide and others for displaying exemplary behaviour during the Conference.

    It urged Owo and Akoko indigenes to ensure that the proposed State becomes a reality, stressing that the valedictory speech made by President Goodluck Jonathan during the closing ceremony re-affirmed the strong disposition of the President to the supremacy of the rule of law.

    The Community leaders said:”The President’s willingness to work hand in hand with members of the National Assembly to ensure that necessary legal frameworks are perfected to ensure that the outcome of the conference is diligently implemented is a pointer to the fact that the deliberations are not in vain.”

     

  • Group tasks students on wealth creation

    The Bastiat Society, an international free market think-tank organisation, has educated the youth on the need to generate wealth from their talent. Its country Director, Adewale Bankole, spoke at the maiden African Students for Liberty (ASFL) Conference held at the expansive Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan (UI).

    Bankole said the group was out to educate young professionals and entrepreneurs on the need to derive values from their abilities.

    He said: “A society built on limited individual knowledge is a free market’s greatest weakness. It leaves those within the system vulnerable to those who claim that their perfect knowledge or theory is more valid than individual knowledge or the individual will.”

    Bankole said unless individuals restored popular confidence in an economic order based on freedom, the society would continue to be under an immoral economic system based on absolute power, theft and envy. “Business must take the lead in defending the morality and productivity of free societies,” he said.

    He called on students to join group of wealth creator, adding: “It is only through personal development and liberty that you can achieve prosperity.”