The Nation Newspaper

Tag: jobs

  • Over 15,000 packaging jobs threatened, says MAN

    The National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) may be under threat from the illegal operations of some packaging firms in the Ogun Free Trade Zone.

    Operators in the Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Printing, Publishing and Packaging Sectoral Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) accused companies operating in the zone of manufacturing corrugated cartons,  which is on the banned list of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    A letter signed by the group’s Chairman, Princess Layo Okeowo, to the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it alleged that the companies also sell 100 per cent of their finished goods in the zone at prices lower than those outside without paying duties, taxes and other financial obligations to the various tiers of government.

    The manufacturers said the adverse effect has forced their members to shelve expansion and modernisation plans, while smaller units are on verge of closure the livelihood of thousands of employees under threat as their sales have dropped drastically.

    The National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Product Workers (NUPPPPROW), in a statement signed by its President, Comrade  Ayokunle Olaoye and  General Secretary, Comrade Fatai Salami, said companies, which earlier engaged numerous workers are being forced to reduce their workforce by over 65 per cent because activities in the zone.

    The union said: “With total disregard to Federal Government’s Industrial plan, some non-patriotic companies in the zone have resorted to importing finished printed and cut to size papers, cartons and flexible packaging materials as their raw materials.”

  • Jobs of the day

    A Well Reputed Branding AND Advertising Agency Requires the following position;

    1.Graphic Artist

    2. Copy writer/Client Executive

    3. Executive marketers (print&media)

    4. Social Media Expert

    5. Sales Promotion (SSCE) on Contract basis

    REQUIREMENT

    2-3 Years minimum experience, Prior Experience of Advertising and good creative writing skill is a must.

    Interested candidate may send their Résumé to: jsphisaac3@gmail.com.

     

    PERSONAL ASSISTANT URGENTLY NEEDED

    The Managing Director of a conglomerate is in urgent need of a competent personal assistant.

    REQUIREMENT

    1. Applicants must be graduate

    2. Applicants must not be more than 23 years old

    3. Applicants must be female

    4. Applicants must be computer literate

    5. Applicants must be presentable

    6. Applicants must be intelligent

    7. Applicants must an itinerant person.

    Qualified applicants should send an application with C.V to: wolidultimate@gmail.com

  • A portal for jobs

    Many people searching for jobs find it hard to get one. This has led Temitayo to establish   jobsinNigeria to provide legitimate work opportunities. Daniel Essiet reports.

    A young  Lagos-based   entrepreneur,Temitayo Olufuwa, has established  Jobs In Nigeria to help tackle the nation’s astronomical youth unemployment rate. Co-founder of  Jin Innovations Ltd, Olufuwa said the   jobs portal is designed   for those with varying  levels  of  education, skills, experience, and backgrounds looking  for  employment opportunities.

    Olufuwa said he started the potal  to assist Nigerians looking for legitimate jobs.  The decision  was  borne out of a frustrating experience of knowing that there  are  job opportunities.

    The  other  reason  was  the  difficulties  people face in finding  job leads online–where legitimate jobs are  buried under scams, ads, and sketchy business opportunities. To tackle this, he established the site bringing  all job postings on various job sites on a  mobile optimised platform.

    Instead of people visiting sites that are not mobile enabled, his organisation get all the jobs on its  platform so people  can apply directly.

    To ensure  the  authenticity of job postings, the  company   look at trusted job blogs, talk to them and crawl their job postings. According to him, the web portal has grown very quickly and was an amazing learning experience. But he started  with N15,000.Today,the  business is worth N5million.

    When they launched it on June 1, 2012, they were funding the  business from their little  salaries. Initially, when  the business, started,he  and his partner,Dele Bakare operated from their homes, meeting  once a week  to  sort  out  issues. At the moment, he is operating from a rented  place.

    The venture  has   finally paid off.  Some   15,000 users   signed up on the platform in just two months. That number has since exploded to 200,000 thanks to support from The Tony Elumelu Foundation and African Leadership Academy.

    Jobs inNigeria,according  to him,   gives job-seekers a way to find jobs quickly, easily. The success  has  given  him  a love for entrepreneurship, growing a business, helping people find jobs, and following his passions. Besides this, Olufuwa is a story  of a  youth who rose   from grass to  grace, considering his own troubling upbringing. His father left his mother and three siblings at  six, leaving them in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods of Mushin, Lagos.

    He  grew up witnessing gruesome mob lynching, gang fights and ethnic clashes.

    For Olufuwa, his childhood made him stronger. Circumstances that would make many western children and families crumble brought out the best in Olufuwa.

    Thriving off of his obstacles, Olufuwa managed to gain a place at the Igbobi College Yaba. This eventually led to his studying software engineering at N.I.I.T. where he met his  partner, Dele Bakare.

    He has been able to network  with  other entrepreneurs, building the confidence to share his  challenges and hear about theirs.

    The site prides itself as being able to provide the opportunities relevant for individuals at the low-level income group. It provides a platform for people  to receive guidance and make employers aware of the availability of skilled Nigerians.

    The major challenge is that of finding the available job opportunities which their users can benefit from.  To this end, the  company  is  ready to meet the emerging and growing needs of  companies, supporting local businesses in overcoming their skills gaps. This aligns with the plan to improve   the site  for economic prosperity.

  • ‘Non-oil sector drives jobs, wealth’

    ‘Non-oil sector drives jobs, wealth’

    Former Director of Product and Market Development, National Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Omowunmi Osibo, has urged state and federal governments to help the nation’s artisans and operators of small and medium scale enterprises to succeed and expand in their trades.

    According to her, this will create more wealth and jobs for the citizens. Osibo also noted that unless the nation’s leaders demonstrate the “political will” to nurture the non-oil sector of the economy, the solutions to graduate unemployment in the country may remain forlorn.

    She said there is the need for a paradigm shift in the country from the oil economy to the non-oil sector, developing it to the height of viability through “policies and political will” so that more jobs and wealth could be created for the unemployed.

    The ex – NEPC Director spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at a forum/exhibition of artisanal products organised by the Council’s Abeokuta office.

    Osibo said: “The current unemployment level is as a result of thousands graduating annually (without jobs) which makes it more imperative that a change must be made. It is time for Nigeria to make a change with policies and political will that would truly grow the non-oil sector.”

    According to her, the provision of support and advocacy for small scale sub-sector including artisans through innovative policies such as establishment of industrial parks and clusters would also go a long way towards achieving this common objective.

    Also, the Ogun State government urged artisans in the state to take advantage of the state government and Bank of Industry N1bn revolving industrial development fund to expand their businesses to enhance productivity and profitability.

    The Commissioner for Commerce and industry, Bimbo Ashiru, who was represented at the event by Mr. Kayode Ogunti, equally advised the artisans to produce high quality products that can compete with global standards.

  • Kaduna partners SMEDAN to create 5,000 jobs

    Kaduna partners SMEDAN to create 5,000 jobs

    Kaduna State Government has entered into a partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for the establishment of business support centres to provide support services and capacity building to MSMEs.

    It has, also, consummated an agreement to conduct Graduate Vocational and Entrepreneurship Skills Training (GVEST) to build capacity of 1,000 graduates expected to create 5,000 jobs in the state.

    Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero disclosed this yesterday while declaring open a three-day opportunity exhibition and trade fair for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the North West region organised by SMEDAN in Kaduna.

    Yero said, as a deliberate policy, the government has established the Kaduna State industrialisation and micro-credit management board as a special purpose vehicle for micro delivery to support the growth of SMEs.

    Represented by the Director in the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Mr. Mamman E. Danka, Yero urged the participating entrepreneurs to take advantage of the fair and exhibition to ensure the sustained development of the SMEs sub-sector in their states.

    “Just recently, the government entered into a matching fund partnership with two major development banks, the BoI and BoA and created a pool of funds to the tune of N2 billion to be disbursed to MSMEs as micro loans as well as for the development of agriculture in the state,” Yero stated.

    The representative of SMEDAN Director-General, a Deputy Director in the agency, Alhaji Shehu Sada, urged the participants to take advantage of the exhibition/trade fair to showcase their skills, and interact with one another to build capacities through idea sharing among other opportunities.

    He assured that the agency is doing all it can to encourage entrepreneurs in all ways, and further urged entrepreneurs to tap into government policies aimed at bettering their lives and businesses.

    Speaking earlier, SMEDAN Consultant Hajia Safiya Adamu of Messrs Leadership Paradigm Consultants Limited welcomed the participants, stressing that the exhibition and trade fair was for entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and skills, and also create an enabling market environment for them.

    She said the fair would also introduce them to financial opportunities that could be assessed from relevant agencies, such that they would help strengthen their businesses and make them employers of labours, and reduce the rate of unemployment.

    The participants commended the opportunity availed them by SMEDAN to showcase their businesses and talents.

  • Lawmaker’s jobs tools for constituents

    Lawmaker’s jobs tools for constituents

    There  is relief in Plateau North senatorial zone after its representative at the Senate, Gyang Nyam Shom Pwajok provided working tools for the residents.

    The senator purchased and distributed items worth N150 million to the people as aprt of his constitueny economic empowerment programme.

    The launching of the programme and distribution of the items were done to mark the second year anniversary of the senator in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Senator Pwajok was elected in a by-election in 2012 to replace the late Senator Gyang Dantong who was killed by unknown gunmen at the peak of violence in the zone.

    The senator believes that he owes his people a lot for giving him the mandate to represent them in the senate.

    “It will get to a point you need to express appreciation to, not only God but also to people who gave you the mandate, those who gave you support when you needed them,” he said. “I could not have been a senator today without the consent of God and people of my constituency. I have to consider the fact that, just as I went to my people to ask for their favour to become a senator, these people also has some needs that requires my intervention. They had stood behind me to make me solve my need at that time, it is now my turn to help them solve their own need as well.

    “To that extent, it is a way of giving back to the people. The slogan of our great party the People’s Democratic Party is power to the people. So what I am doing is giving back the power to the people. My belief is that the people need a certain measure of economic empowerment for their individual or personal development.

    “Again, God has blessed me through these people, and I need to also share part of this blessing with the people. So this empowerment programme was designed to say ‘Thank You, my people’

    “Basically, as a lawmaker, we are not executive; our basic role is different from that of the executive. We make laws, appropriate government expenditure and carry out oversight functions. So our performance as law makers is supposed to be measured based on quality contribution to law making as well as protecting and defending the yearnings and aspirations of your constituency. But the kind of democracy we practice in this country is such that our people tend to measure the performance of lawmakers like the executive arm of government.

    “So, as lawmakers, we try to find a way of bridging the gap, considering the fact that our constituencies are lacking various needs of life like house, food and clothing. Then I thought that if you give them economic empowerment, they will feed themselves, cloth themselves and provide shelter for themselves with proceeds of economic activities you introduced them to through these facilities.

    “Apart from that, I see it as a way of bringing federal presence to the common people since we are part of the federal government. We just need to impact on the lives of the people that elected us in a positive way. I have lasted two years in the senate, and I thought the best way to mark this eventful two year is to provide one or two things to them.

    The items presented to people of the senatorial zone includes tricycles, sewing machines, wheelchairs, vehicles, water pump engines, computer sets, hair-dryers, electricity power generators, etc.

    This is not the first time of this gesture from Senator Pwajok, right from day one of his admission into the senate, he has developed a plan to touch the lives of his constituents in a positive way. He embarked on capital intensive projects like provision of power transformer to several rural communities, community hall, construction of primary schools, construction of primary health clinics and rural water projects.

    Some of the benefiting communities from the capital projects sponsored by the senator are Vom, Gurra Top, Bisichi, Loh, Mr Ali, Dorowa, Ganawuri, Maza, Forbur, Rahol Kanang, Vwang, Rantiya etc.

    The senator said, “I was inspired into this economic empowerment scheme because, I inherited two things from the predecessor, security challenges and challenges of poverty. And from day one, I made up my mind to tackle the two challenges together.

    “But the happy thing in spite of the security challenges is that our efforts has paid off because we have been able to address the sources of conflict, re-unite the people and restore the needed peace. And at the same time I have been able to provide certain basic social amenities for the people of my constituency.

    “So, with some efforts here and there, the spate of bloodshed has reduced significantly, people can graze their livestock and farmers can cultivate their land without any fear of attack. The next efforts are to continued to cement the prevailing cordial relationship existing among the people, so as to sustain the current peace and make it a permanent one” said Senator Pwajok.

    According Mr Chuwang Davou, Chief Press Secretary to Senator Pwajok, “The senator believes that though his constituency is located within the state capital and cover areas of the Greater Jos Master Plan, the satelite communities lack some basic social infrastructures. He also believes that it is obvious government cannot cater for all needs of its citizens considering the lean reassures at its disposal, “hence I began to look at areas where I can intervene with my own little resources. That was when I discovered my people’s needs are vast. You will be scared to know the level of poverty around you.

    Chuwang said, “Other innovations that have made positive impact on the people of the constituency was the construction of Ultra-modern town halls installed with high capacity generators in all the six local government within his constituency for social and recreation activities, some of the halls which have the capacity of accomodating over 3000 people can even serve as examination centres and seminar venue for youths of the communities.

    “Jos Township Primary school has benefited with the construction of 3-classroom blocks and VIP toilets. That project has been completed and already been put to use by students. Then a Computer center was constructed for youths of Vwang district of  Jos south LGA.

    Communities like Fobor in Jos East LGA, Mazah in Jos North Local Government Area, Rantiya in. Jos North, Rahol Kanang of Jos South, Dorowa Vilkage of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area and Gyel, Agingi, Mr Ali of Bassa Local Government Area as well as Ganawuri, Ali Kazaure are some of the communities that benefited from the Installation of 300KVA transformer or 500KVA transformers as part of his rural electricity program.

    Communities that benefited from Primary Health Care projects includes Bisichi and Fan. The communities were provided with medical facilities at their various health centers. As for communities like Vom, Makoli, Riyom, Ugwuan Galadima, Nuku, Prison service, St. Morumba, Ondus, Bakin Kogi, Rabin Biu, Bimbop etc all benefited from hand pump borehole for their peculiar water need.

    Members of the Plateau North zone were full of praises and appreciation to Senator Pwajok. One of them who got a free block moulding engine to establish a block producing factory during the launching of economic empowerment scheme, Mr Markus Azi said,

    Mrs Ladi Markus from Mazah Vilkage said, To me, I ve got a life lime today, this machine, I have been looking for a loan to buy it, but the senator has provided it for me free of charge. I am going to start my business right away”

    Miss Lydia Choji, a physically challenged member of the zone who got a wheel Chair has this to say; “I have been praying for this, as you can see, I don’t have legs to move, I can only move about on wheel chair, the only one I got from government five years ago has parked up, I kept spending money to repare it. God knows I need a new chair and God has provided for me through our Senator”

    Some young girls who got Hair Dryers to commence a hair saloon business said, “The senator gave us these equipment and the most important thing, he gave us a generator to provide us electric light to run our saloon, he has done everything for us.

    The event was witnessed by local government executive of the People’s Democratic Party, state executive of the party and deputy governor of Plateau State as well as his teaming supporters and beneficiaries.

    The constituency economic empowerment programme of Senator Pwajok was witnessed by the Senate President, Senator David Mark who presented some of the items to the beneficiaries.

    The senate president called on people of the zone to continued to support the senator in all his political endeavors. Senator Mark said, “This is one of the youngest senator in the senate and he has spent just two years. But the contribution he has made in the senate within the spate of two years is outstanding and remarkable. He made me to belief that it is not how long you stay in the senate that counts but the impact you made within a short period.

    “I will advise people of Plateau North to continue to support him because that is the kind of senator the country needs to grow our democracy,” said Senator Mark.

    Senator GNS Pwajok has been  endorsed by Governor Jonah Jang and other stakeholders in Plateau state to succeed Gov Jang in 2015 as governor of the state.

     

  • Fighting violence with jobs in Ebonyi

    Fighting violence with jobs in Ebonyi

    It is just as well that jobs are proving far more effective in fighting crime than bullets.

    In Okposi, a community in Ebonyi State, armed youths were once daily terrors. They spilled blood, killing many and maiming others. Quite a number of residents fled their community for dear life. Some others would not risk coming home. Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed. The youths simply ran wild in the community located in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.

    It was alleged that the anarchy was perpetrated by youths loyal to the then coordinator of Okposi Development Centre, who was accused of recruiting some boys said to be members of various cult groups to maintain control of the area for his godfather.

    The former coordinator always denied it, but the perceptions stuck, as did the mayhem.

    According to reports, the godfather, who hails from a neighbouring town in the local government, had nominated the coordinator for the position in order to use him to fight his political enemy who is from Okposi, all in a bid to control the local government area ahead of the 2015 polls.

    But the situation was said to have got out of control for the coordinator, culminating in his sack by Governor Martin Elechi a few months later. He was replaced by Nze Magnus Eze, a renowned journalist and public relations practitioner.

    Nze Eze immediately swung into action with his Mezia Okposi (develop Okposi) movement to reclaim Okposi community.

    While his peace initiatives led to the return of normalcy in the area, his administration discovered that there was a high level of unemployed youths in the community who can easily be used to foment trouble.

    What did he do next? He put together a comprehensive skills package aimed at taking idle youths off the streets. It worked like magic. Many of the youths became gainfully employed.

    Recently, the second batch of the jobs scheme started with the training of youths in various technical and domestic vocations, including aluminum fabrication, telecommunication, hair dressing, auto electrical, electrical fabrication, fine arts, decoration, mason and bricklaying, fishery and poultry and catering, among others.

    Of late, the centre held a formal inauguration of its Youth Capacity Building and Empowerment Programme (YCABEP), at its Okposi headquarters.

    The 35 beneficiaries of the programme were also enrolled into the programme the same day.

    Speaking at the inauguration, Nze Eze noted that the first batch of 15 beneficiaries had already begun their training in partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    He further said 35 new beneficiaries would be trained and sponsored by the centre, adding that the training and resettlement of all the 50 beneficiaries will cost about N10 million.

    He said: “We are committed to extending the frontiers of result-based governance which the current administration represents. Therefore, in furtherance of the Chief Martin Elechi administration’s commitment to wealth creation and mitigation of our recent history where youth restiveness ravaged the community, Okposi Development Centre is officially instituting a well-mapped-out skill acquisition programme for the youth.

    “A recent data from the centre revealed that the number of youths who are desirous to acquire skills rose to 768.

    “However, as daunting as the challenge of youth unemployment might seem, we are determined to confront the situation within the limit of available resources. We are therefore pleased to announce to you that 35 people would be benefiting from the first batch of the skill acquisition/empowerment programme.

    “As part of the programme’s components, the development centre would also re-settle each trainee on successful completion of the programme with a minimum grant of N100, 000 or its equivalent in tools/equipment. The support at the completion of the training would enable the beneficiaries to start small businesses to be able to create wealth and employment opportunities.

    “While the training lasted, the trainees are also entitled to monthly stipends ranging from N5, 000 to N10, 000.

    “It is important to mention here that the programme will cost the centre about N10 million in 12 months.

    “Three persons who were trained through our partnership with the NDE in May are already doing well for themselves while 10 other people who began in August are currently undergoing similar training. The 10 beneficiaries comprising six males and four females are being trained in welding; aluminum fabrication, printing, catering, auto electrical and electrical installation, among others.

    “We are totally averse to giving out hand-outs to the youth in the name of youth empowerment. Instead, we strongly believe that the best way to go in this circumstance is the Chinese approach of ‘teaching a child how to fish, so that he could go fishing by himself.’

    “This noble path is the most ideal; it does not only engender self-reliance, but it is also sustainable. Our target in the Youth Capacity Building and Empowerment Programme is that, at least 100 youths from Okposi Development Centre would be trained and fully equipped and empowered before the end of Governor Martin Elechi’s administration next year.

    “We are not under any illusion that this programme may encounter some challenges; hence we have designed some safety valves whereby the administrators will, through monitoring and evaluation, tackle such challenges.

    “We believe that a reputable financial institution such as First Bank Plc that serves as bankers to this programme will bring their expertise to bear in making it a huge success.”

    Inaugurating the programme, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Celestine Nwali, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. P.C. I. Umoke, said the programme was timely.

    His words: “I am particularly thrilled by what I have seen today. That a development centre is embarking on this kind of laudable programme to empower our youths and remove them from the streets is quite commendable.

    “It is very auspicious because the coordinator understood that the white collar jobs are nowhere to be found; hence he has packaged this programme to engender self-reliance and create wealth among the youth of Okposi.

    “Coming from your recent experience earlier this year, when the youth of the area caused all manner of crises, there is no doubt that this programme is very timely. There is a popular saying that an idle man is devil’s workshop; so I believe that the beneficiaries of this programme would not be tools for any form of social vices again in life.

    “As for the trainees, I urge you to take this programme very serious because your life and future depend on it. You are lucky to have a man who thinks deeply about your well-being.

    “With the thorough manner the programme is packed; involving the National Directorate of Employment and a financial institution like First Bank; I have no doubt that it would bear good result. We are prepared to partner with the NDE at a larger scale to create jobs and wealth for our people.

    “Let me assure you Mr. Coordinator that the ministry will give you any kind of assistance you may require because this is not a small project. Please, don’t hesitate to come to us in case you need any assistance.”

    In her remarks, Mrs. Ngozi Ihenacho, state coordinator of NDE, urged the coordinator to ensure that the trainees are adequately monitored after they are settled.

    She said: “We, at the National Directorate of Employment, have found a good partner in the Coordinator of Okposi Development Centre. I must confess that the Coordinator has uncommon passion for his people and that is why we are partnering with the development centre to create jobs and empower the youth of the area.

    “So far, 15 youths from this centre are benefiting from our various training programmes.

    “With what I have seen today, we will continue to assist the centre in training and empowering the youth. We will always consider your area in any opportunities we have.

    “I urge the trainees to be very committed and ensure that they do not toy with this golden opportunity you have offered them.

    “My advice is that in resettling them at the successful completion of the programme; do not give them cash. We have the experience that when you give trainees cash, it is usually subject to misuse.

    “So, in settling them, provide them with tools and equipments. Don’t give them cash”

  • Agricultural sector created 3m jobs in three years- minister

    Agricultural sector created 3m jobs in three years- minister

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the agricultural sector created three million jobs in the last three years.

    Adesina said the government was driving agriculture through the commodity and value chains approach to achieve results.

    He spoke at the 2014 World Food Day with the theme: “Family Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth.”

    The Minister, who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture in the Ministry, Demola Emmanuel, said this year’s theme is aimed at heightening the role of family farming in achieving food security as well as signifying the contribution of small scale farmers.

    He said: “The agricultural sector over the last three years has created three million farm jobs thereby putting young people to work as the agricultural revolution deepened across rural areas and agricultural value chains, leading to reduction in rural urban migration.

    “The private sector participation in driving ATA shows that between 2011 and 2014, the sector attracted over $5.6 billion of private sector investments. Between 2012 and 2014, a total of 14 million farmers received their subsidised farm inputs using electronic voucher on their mobile phones to directly pay private sector input retailers.”

    According to the minister, the government has recorded 21 million metric tonnes of food from 2011 to 2014, surpassing the 20 million mt of food target set for 2015.

    “Between 2012 and 2014, six million rice farmers were reached with improved rice varieties through the e-wallet system. The total cumulated rice area rose by two million hectares, national paddy rice production rose by an additional seven million MT.

    “The rice policy has attracted $1.6 billion of private sector investment and it is expected that Nigeria will become a net exporter of rice like Thailand or India very soon.”

    Adesina added that investment by fertiliser companies expanded from 100 million in 2012 to $500 million by 2014.

    Earlier, the country Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, Dr. Louise Setshwaelo, said a growing and increasingly urbanised world population was relying on food produced by a much smaller percentage of farmers.

    According to her, family farming and the support it receives need to adjust in ways that can respond to these changing conditions.

    Dr. Setshwaelo said: “Innovation is key to make this happen. Family farmers need to innovate, in the systems they use; governments need to innovate, in specific policies they implement to support family farming.

    “Clearly, family farmers need to produce enough food, not just for them but also for people in rural areas not involved in farming or city dwellers. They also generate income -money to buy inputs, such as seeds and fertilisers.”

  • CREATING JOBS WITHIN SPORT

    I remember once  asking my professor what the future holds for we the younger generation that are future sport administrators and managers.  He stared into my eyes and said to me boy with what I can see on-ground there is no future because of the current structure of our sport in Nigeria. As I sat in my office remunerating about what to write for this weekend, I cannot but remember this fundamental interaction I had with my professor some 15 years ago.

    However between the time I had this interaction with my professor and now I am sure that thousands of sport managers have been produced by our various universities and the question that  has been bothering me is out of these sport professionals how many have been absolved into sport related jobs.  More painful is the fact that the best sport administrators are gradually retiring from active service with little or no opportunity to transfer their years of experience to the younger generation.

    We need to develop the sport industry to enable us cater for the thousands of professionals that are being chunked out of our various universities yearly. Many sport professionals have had to deviate from their professional calling because they are unable to find the professional platform for which to practice their profession.

    The development of a viable sport industry will enable the nation to accommodate these categories of persons and also enhance the managerial capacity of our sport in Nigeria. While it is instructive to note that the government institutions cannot be relied upon as the sole segment that will employ these professionals we need to also crate the enabling environment for private sport sectors to strive so that we can also create jobs from such areas.

    Fundamentally, we need to have a situation whereby sport will be regarded as a proper investment opportunity whereby, the desire on to drive development for the entire sector will be considered as part of the transformation programmes of government. Sport, if properly harnessed, will create millions of jobs for Nigerians

    While we continue to encourage government at all levels to concentrate in developing the sport economy at their levels, we must also state clearly that the inherent potentials of making Nigeria a sport sector the most viable in Africa is readily available. We have the resources in terms of the manpower and we can also for now commit into advancing financial investment into the sector with the expectation of getting a good reward for their investment.

    The mentality that sport is to be classified as a social service venture calls for great concern because the truth of the matter is that while we can ascribe such notion to community sport developmental programmes we also must not relent in stressing the fact that sport as a business concern is also viable because it can be taken up as a career as well as a recreation.

    The development of a clear blue print that will see our sport metamorphise from its current state to becoming a viable industry is needed if we must enjoy the benefits of sport economy in Nigeria. We need to have this working blue print if we must move on to the next level of our sport development agenda for Nigeria.

    While it is also instructive to note that we may need to have people that will be committed in championing this noble call of promoting the economy of sport in Nigeria much is still expected from the various governments to do.  I have not seen a country that has so much opportunity of activating a docile industry like sport than Nigeria in my sojourn and studies of sports economy world over.

    The earlier we begin to address our minds to the fact that sport is more than the winning of laurels and trophies and that it is considered as a serious business concern we will continue to miss the point. The simple reason, however, why we have failed to see the private sector come into sport is because sport as a business concern has not been properly packaged and sold to them.

    We need to have people committed to the cause of propelling our sport to the next level and by this I will like to also state that the way and manner towards achieving these noble objectives is by inviting those that can help chart a clear road map for these achievements lest I forget passion without a corresponding skill and expertise will not be able to deliver sport economy to Nigerians hence we need to match passion with qualified professionals that will help drive the process.

  • Job website partner Accenture, others to empower Job seekers

    Job website partner Accenture, others to empower Job seekers

    Africa’s 1st social jobsite, Insidify.com in partnership with Accenture, VLA, TheCable.ng, OLCA and a host of other organizations is commemorating Nigeria’s Independence with a promotional package for professionals and jobseekers.

    According to the Social Job site, the promotion seeks to transform Nigeria’s professionals and jobseekers into what the company calls “Premium Professionals”.

    If selected as one of the “54 premium professionals”, participants in the free independence offer, will partake in a 1 on 1 Life coaching, training session with Nigeria’s foremost Life coach, Lanre Olusola and other leaders in the human resource industry; including Victor Adebayo; VP Human Resources at FBN Capital and Jimi Tewe.

    In addition the “selected 54” will enjoy a free professional CV crafting service by the company’s experienced team of CV writers in collaboration with Jarushub.

    Furthermore, the company promises to actively market this group of professionals to its partner firms for employment opportunities. The partners of the offer include recruiting agency VLA, consulting firm Accenture, OLCA and over 1000 employers on the company’s employer platform.

    According to the CEO of the Company, Dr. Emmanuel Okeleji, “At insidify.com, we believe that the future of Nigeria will be determined by the quality of its citizens. That is why we have chosen to invest in the human competence of Nigerians by giving them the resources that will drive excellence and success.

    To participate, apply at www.insidify.com/independence.