The Nation Newspaper

Tag: New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)

  • Moribund Oyo council facility transformed to training school

    Moribund Oyo council facility transformed to training school

    The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has adopted a moribund vocational centre in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo  State as its flagship council project in Nigeria. The centre is to be upgraded to an enterpreneuship and skills acquisition school.

    During a tour of the facility by NEPAD leadership on last week, the National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Gloria Akobundu, said the centre would become a centre of excellence for the training of women and youths from the local government and the entire state.

    Commending the Chairman of the local government, Mr Adeniyi Adeagbo, and his team for approaching NEPAD for the project, Akobundu, who was represented by the Director, Programmes and Implementation, Mr Enobong Emmanuel Abang, revealed that Itesiwaju was the first public sector to partner with the international organisation on grassroots development initiatives.

    According to her, Adeagbo and his team visited the Abuja office of the organisation in June last year to finalise discussions on the project. She said the visit and subsequent efforts confirmed Adeagbo’s seriousness in facilitating empowerment of youths and women in the area.

    She said: “I specially want to thank the Caretaker Chairman of Itesiwaju Local Government Area, Hon. Niyi Adeagbo, and his team for his earlier visit to NEPAD, Nigeria Office in Abuja, sometime in June, last year in his quest to fulfill his dreams of galvanising the potential of the youth in his area for the overall development of his local government, Oyo State and the country at large. I am happy that their visit has metamorphosed to today’s tour and familiarisation visit.

    “As you are aware, NEPAD Nigeria is the socio-economic flagship progamme of the African Union; and has the primary responsibility for facilitating the domestication of programmes and projects adopted at the continental level.

    “In this regard, we are mandated to identify and work with partners in the public and private sectors, including civil societies and international organisations operating in Nigeria to facilitate, promote and monitor the implementation of programmes and projects. NEPAD Nigeria is happy to make it abundantly clear to the entire continent that Itesiwaju LGA was the first public sector to partner with us.”

    Akobundu pointed out that the new partnership was in line with the current administration’s goal of bringing change to Nigeria.

    While thanking NEPAD, Adeagbo said the partnership with NEPAD Nigeria would transform the moribund centre to a modern training school that will bring great dividends to residents of the area.

    According to him, the vocational school, which is located in Okakaa, will offer training mainly in tailoring, cosmetology, agriculture, technology, shoe making, building and computer technology.

    The council chief said he was convinced that the economy of the area will greatly improve while crime will also reduce if youths and women are gainfully engaged in productive activities.

    According to him, the council has more than 120,000 hectares of arable land suitable for agriculture which will enable youths go into food production to ensure food security for the masses.

  • NEPAD boss tasks youths to be advocates of peace

    NEPAD boss tasks youths to be advocates of peace

    Mrs Gloria Akobundu, the Chief Executive Officer, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Nigeria, has urged Nigerian youths to advocate for peace and national development for a unified Nigeria.

    She made the call when an NGO known as Northern Youth Initiative for Peace and Good Governance conferred on her the ‘Ahmadu Bello Icon of Societal Transformation’ award on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Receiving the award, Akobundu thanked the group for the laudable initiative and for recognising her efforts in repositioning NEPAD, especially in the area of youth empowerment.

    She said that the award would spur her to do more in achieving the NEPAD mandate and making NEPAD Nigeria a pacesetter for other countries.

    Akobundu charged youths to build on the legacies of peace and unity left by the founding fathers, who looked beyond religious and tribal differences.

    She said that the growth of the nation’s economy lay in the hands of youths, adding that if the current anomalies were not corrected, the efforts of the founding fathers would have been in vain.

    She said that beyond the award, NEPAD would foster partnership with the group through the signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

    “We are adopting you as an organisation to advocate for peace and nation building to other youths across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

    “We want a Nigeria where the Arewa youths will meet with the Oduduwa youths, the youths of the Niger Delta, the South-East and Middle belt, to draw a single communiqué for peace, economic and national development.

    “The youths are the engine room for the development of the economy and are supposed to build on the foundation that had been laid by the nation’s founding fathers.

    “NEPAD is for the people and the economy and we are driving so many programmes that cut across all MDAs, to boost economic development, poverty alleviation, youth and women empowerment and many more.”

    Akobundu said that as future leaders, youths should not allow themselves to be used as tools for violence and destruction in the hands of some leaders and elders who do not mean well for the nation.

    She said that violence and crises only lead to destruction of lives and property, which would further lead to retrogression as resources that should have been channelled for development, would be used in rebuilding destroyed infrastructures.

    According to her, Nigeria remains a role model for other African countries and as such, youths in Nigeria should serve as role models to their counterparts in other African nations.

    Earlier, Mr Abdulmalk Usman,the National Publicity Secretary of the group, said that the award was being conferred on Akobundu in recognition of her contributions to national and economic development.

    He said that the award was a reputable one given to people who had distinguished themselves in their service to the nation and the people.

    Usman explained that Akobundu’s nomination, scaled through the rigorous screening by the national Congress of the group, due to her present and previous contributions to the development of Nigeria.

    “We are here today because you have done well and also due to your distinguished personality.

    “We don’t just confer people with awards; we select the individuals and see how they have contributed positively to our national development.

    “We have seen the positive impact of NEPAD through the CEO in the aspect of youth development, national integration and other values.”

    Usman said that the group would continue to review Akobundu’s activities, to ensure that she maintained the tempo which made her to deserve the award.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akobundu is the first female Nigerian to be conferred with the award.

  • NEPAD decries nonchalant attitude of youths toward developmental issues

    The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), has decried the “nonchalant attitude of Nigerian youths towards developmental issues in the continent”.

    Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Nigeria, expressed the view on Thursday, when she paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Bello.

    Akobundu called on youths in the country to compete favourably with their counterparts in other African countries, saying that the opportunities were massive and should be fully explored.

    She advised Nigerian youths to get involved and participate in both national and international events.

    “It is time to get serious; Nigerian youths must be serious because the leadership of this country will one day get into their hands.

    “How will they approach the leadership of the country if they failed to get involved now?”, she asked.

    She explained that Africa would be a better place if the youths took advantage of the numerous opportunities that abound on the continent.

    “There are small loans to start up something. Identify the right agencies, go there and ask questions.

    “At NEPAD, our doors are always opened. We will direct and help you because you are our future,” he added.

    In his response, Governor Bello said that the state had outlined activities and programmes targeted at reducing extreme poverty, and ensuring good governance.

    The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Ladan, said that the administration had embarked on programmes that would keep youths engaged so as to reduce youth restiveness.

    Also speaking, NEPAD Director General in Niger, Mr Abdullahi Ketso, said that NEPAD would train 2,000 youths from the 25 Local Governments, in various skills.

  • New standards for rice harvesting, processing – SON

    New standards for rice harvesting, processing – SON

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), says it has developed new standards for rice seeds, harvest, milling, drying and hygiene practice for processing and storage of rice in the country.

    The Director-General of the organisation, Mr Osita Aboloma, said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the 3rd Nigeria Rice Investment Forum organised by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

    Represented by Dr Barth Ugwu, the Head, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) office of the organisation, Aboloma said the standards, developed in 2016 was to improve the quality of paddy and milled rice.

    He said that total compliance with the standards would ensure zero rejection of the country’s agricultural products at the international markets.

    The director-general listed some of the quality parameters embedded in the standards to include germination, huskless seed, pesticides, residues, packaging, labelling and storage.

    “The focus of these developed standards is to provide guidance and recommendations to both small and large operators involved in growing and processing of rice to raise product quality.

    “The use of these standards will provide rice farmers, processors and transporters proper ground to produce safe food that can compete favourably in the international markets.

    “The implementation of these standards will promote the development of the rice industry in Nigeria and grow the rice value chain,’’ he said.

    The Chief Executive Officer, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Business Group, Mrs Gloria Akobundu, said that increase in agricultural production was crucial to promoting the country’s economy.

    Akobundu said that increasing in rice production in the country would guarantee economic growth.

    According to her, an average Nigerian citizen consumes over 24.5 kilogrammes of rice annually, adding that the nation`s production level of 3.5 million tonnes of rice annually is insufficient.

    She said that the theme of the forum entitled: “2018 Self Sufficiency in Rice Production: Opportunities, Challenges and Road Ahead’’, was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to diversify the economy.

    “Nigeria is the second highest importer of rice in the world and the highest in Africa,’’ she said.

    Mr Hiroshi Kodama, the Senior Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said the agency had assisted Nigerian farmers in rice milling and processing in Niger and Nasarawa States.

    He said the agency would extend its assistance to other states of the federation to boost rice production in the country.

    Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, commended NEPAD for its efforts toward boosting rice production in the country.

    Represented by Mr Obinna Opara, an official at the Cereals Unit of the ministry, Ogbeh said the Federal Government would rehabilitate irrigation facilities and support farmers with farm inputs.

    He assured that the country would meet its target of attaining self-sufficiency in rice production by 2018.