Tag: NYPF

  • Siasia congratulates Buhari, demands action on youth development

    A former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Movement, PDM in Bayelsa and Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, NYPF, Moses Siloko Siasia has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

    He urged an increase in the level of investment toward youths of the Niger Delta Region and the rest of Nigeria saying that only through such interventions and investment can the region and the nation be fully restored on the part of sustainably development.

    He made the remarks when youths from the Niger Delta under the aegis of Niger Delta Young Professionals paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office on Wednesday.

    In his response, Siasia advised the youths to remain steadfast in the belief that the country will not let them down saying that he will use his capacity as a leader in the region and across the nation to call on governments to pay attention to the plights of youths.

    Siasia said the appointment of Prof. Nelson Brambaifa as the new NDDC boss is a clear demonstration that the federal government has good intentions, he described Professor Brambaifa as accomplished and a seasoned academia who has achieved a lot prior to this new appointment.

    Siasia described Prof Brambaifa as a well-respected administrator who truly loves his people.

    He called on all stakeholders and the youths to support the new acting Managing Director of the NDDC.

    “I have confidence that he will deliver the good mandate of the NDDC to the people of the Niger Delta. I specifically thank President Buhari for this very appointment because it is a big achievement and development in the region which has reflected in the level of support the president received from the region during this election,” he said.

    On the outcome of the presidential election, the 2015 governorship candidate congratulated President Buhari. He called on all stakeholders and politicians to rally behind the president saying “since the election has been concluded and a winner declared, we must now focus on building our country. All patriotic Nigerians must not allow any division to arise as a result of this election”.

    He urged the opposition parties to congratulate the newly elected president while urging Buhari to put the interest of Nigerian youths in the front burner, saying that only through such will the new mandate given him be truly justified.

    Siasia further decried the rising spate of criminality, cult wars and gang violence among youths which he attributed to the current rate of unemployment.

  • EFCC to investigate $3.8bn Egina FPSO project – Magu

    The acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has said the commission will look into the award of $3.8 billion to build Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI).

    The contract to build $3.8 billion Egina FPSO project was awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 2013 to SHI.

    He made the promise when two civil society organisations, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, (NYPF), and Connected Development (CODE) submitted a petition at the EFCC office, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The petition was signed by NYPF’s Chairman, Mr. Moses Siasia and the Chief Executive Officer, CODE), Hamzat Lawal.

    The petition was received by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, on behalf of Mr. Magu.

    Mr. Magu assured the petitioners that the EFCC, as a commission, would consider the allegations raised in the petition and subject them to test.

    He said: “I want to assure you that we will take this petition through the normal process through which we receive petitions in the commission.

    “For us, this is merely an allegation but we will subject it to test and if it is worthy of investigation, the commission will duly investigate it and you will get to know our findings.”

    In the petition, Mr. Siasia and Lawal, called for a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding SHI and Samsung Korea and their involvement in the Egina FPSO project.

    According to them, the investigation should include the estimation of the resulting losses to Nigeria’s economy.

  • NYPF plans workshop on power

    The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) will next month hold a two-day national sensitisation workshop for youth leaders in communities where power stations and pipeline installations are located.

    Acording to the founder of NYPF Mr. Moses Siloko Siasia, the workshop holding on September 25 and 26 would address the nation’s power sector problems as sustainable steps are taken by the federal government to solve them

    Siasia lamented that in spite of the federal government injecting billions of tax payers’ money into the power sector to stimulate economic growth, the nation is still witnessing daily gas pipeline vandalism, destruction and stealing of power stations equipment due to sabotage.

    He added that a critical mass of young professionals have lost their jobs because of companies shutting down their operations due to shortage of power.

    Siasia said: ‘’This shameful act of sabotage is majorly caused by youths of our generation who have lost faith and do not see themselves as stakeholders in our society.

    ‘’It is imperative to note with our recent findings that it’s only few stakeholders and players in the power sector that is concerned about finding a solution to this menace while some sees it as a cash cow because of their selfish interest.

    ”For us as NYPF, we see it as an opportunity to contribute our quota towards nation building. At the end of the workshop, participants will be strategically engaged as volunteers for proper security surveillance of the nation’s power assets for effective and efficient increased power supply and service delivery.“

  • Jonathan advocates removal of age limit for youths

    Jonathan advocates removal of age limit for youths

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has advocated for the removal of the constitutional age limit of 40 years for a Nigerian to become president.

    Jonathan described the provision as discriminatory against young Nigerians with the energy, ideas and other qualities to lead the country to greatness.

    Jonathan spoke at an International Youth Conference organised by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) with the theme, “Capacity for change for a new Nigeria’’ yesterday in Abuja.

    He challenged the youths to forward a constitution amendment bill to the National Assembly for the removal of all discriminatory provisions in terms of age and promised to support them.

    The president said the call by the Chairman and Founder of NYPF, Mr. Moses Siasia, for 35 per cent affirmative action for youths in governance also limited the aspiration of the group.

    He noted that asking for a percentage amounted to self-limitation, considering that youths had all that is required to govern, especially the numerical strength to get to the highest office in the land.

    “The youths have no limit in terms of number and capacity to lead this country to greatness.

    “The only limit is that for youths to contest as president, they need to be 40.

    “If Gen. Yakubu Gowon was able to rule this country at 32, there is no reason why the youths should not be given the chance.

    “So, don’t ask for percent because by that request you are limiting yourselves.

    “I think what the youth should do now is to come together and I will support you, and take a bill to the National Assembly to amend some discriminatory provisions of the constitution in terms of age,’’ Jonathan stated.

    He pledged the continued support of his administration to youths through policies and programmes that would continue to harness their huge potential for national development.

    He said through schemes such as YouWin, SURE-P, Graduate Internship Scheme and the Community Service Programme, his administration would continue to create opportunities for young people.

    He stated that youths deserve encouragement because they were the ones winning laurels and making the country proud in sports and other international competitions.

    “These programmes and many more we are doing to make sure we give opportunities to our young people because we appreciate the young people; they have made this country proud.

    “I always say that whenever you read newspapers, watch television or listen to the radio, those who preach hate, quarrel and try to divide us on the basis of ethnicity and religion are not the young people but grandfathers.

    “The youths live with whomever they are comfortable with regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation; they want to marry whomever they love.

    “They are not like those old people who are disturbing us, who want to divide us based on religion and all kinds of sentiments.

    “But listening to you here gives me hope that this country is beginning to change, and it is changing for the better,’’ Jonathan said.