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Tag: Ojokoro

  • FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD ) says it will empower about two million Nigerian youths and women in the first three years of its new initiative, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise ( LIFE ).

    The LIFE Programme Coordinator, Ms Keke Bongos-Ikwue, disclosed this on Tuesday at the commencement of registration of LIFE cooperatives at Ojokoro LCDA in Ifako/Ijaye Local Government, Lagos state.

    Bongos-Ikwue said that the LIFE was an initiative of the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, targeting unemployed or underemployed women and youths.

    “We have been planning this programme for over two years and this is our first outing.

    “The pilot phase of the outing is being replicated in 24 states plus the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) simultaneously by different groups as we speak.

    Read also: Lagos empowers 150 women

    “We want to empower women and youths along the agricultural value chain of high value commodities like ground nut, palm products, wheat, rice, cashew nuts.

    “Also included are commodities like cassava, honey, cocoa, sugarcane, tomato, sesame seed, livestock dairy and aquaculture.

    “The second phase of this programme will cover the whole country within two years.

    “Research has shown that the major cause of insurgency is poverty and idleness; it has led many of the nation’s youth to look outside the country, causing them to become vulnerable and easily manipulated, and eventually some lose their lives.”

    The coordinator said the programme intended to directly empower approximately three million rural youths and women within five years of implementation.

    She added that it would also produce about 14 million metric tons of food in the 9,975 council wards across the 774 local government areas.

    According to her, the programme starts with registration of youths and women as LIFE clusters at the council/ward level to develop LIFE cooperative database.

    The LIFE coordinator said that all geopolitical zones in Nigeria would be visited, adding that the ministry was working with the state governments and local government authorities to achieve its aims.

    Ms Bongos-Ikwue said that the ministry was partnering with state and local governments, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, international partners and other ministries and agencies on the programme.

    The Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Dr Olukayode Oyeleye, said that the programme was a developmental intervention, targeting an often overlooked and ignored group in Nigeria.

    Oyeleye said that the programme was to deal only with family enterprises, which had potential to grow.

    “This initiative is to help those already into small agribusiness to grow, who are constrained by finance or technology.

    “The team from FMARD has been divided into 12 to cover 24 states.

    “We will register the would-be beneficiaries and on the basis of the questionnaire they fill, we will collate and analyse to determine the kind of specific intervention to be given to each intended beneficiary.

    “The support we will grant them include access to finance, affordable agricultural inputs for sustainable production, agro-processing and packaging.

    “A robust marketing system that connects rural food surplus to urban cities will also be put in place for efficient market linkage and access,’’ Oyeleye said.

    Also speaking to the LIFE group in his office, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau commended the initiative but called for caution by the team.

    “We are in the time of politics and you cannot afford to give these would-be beneficiaries money as past experience shows that they can misuse it.

    “Also the age group you are concentrating on, which is 18 years to 35 years, are still majorly students, you have to ensure that your beneficiaries have tangible, visible existing farms or enterprise.

    “You also have to monitor these farmers very well to ensure success of the programme.

    “On our part in the state, we will work with you to verify and identify your beneficiaries.

    “Once again, I want to thank you for including Lagos in the pilot stage of this intervention,’’ the commissioner said.

    NAN

  • Lagos to launch rent-to-own housing scheme December 8

    Lagos to launch rent-to-own housing scheme December 8

    …Says Scheme targets low income earners, artisans

    In an effort to cushion the effects of economic recession in the country, the Lagos State Government on Thursday said it has concluded plans to start allocation of houses under the newly introduced rent-to-own policy.

    The State’s Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this at a press conference ahead of the launch of the schemes at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, said the Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing Policies of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration is aimed at making housing more readily affordable and accessible for Lagosians.

    According to him, the schemes listed for the programme include Sir Michael Otedola Estate, Odoragunshin-Epe; CHOIS City, Agbowa; Alhaji Adetoun Mustapha Estate, Ojokoro and Oba Adeboruwa Estate, Igbogbo-Ikorodu, adding that it will be launched simultaneously on Thursday, December 8, 2016.

    Lawal said accessing housing units in the state has been largely on cash and carry basis which ends up excluding majority of the citizenry until when recently the Mortgage Scheme was introduced.

    “Even though the Mortgage Scheme was able to accommodate more people on the home ownership ladder, a large number can still not afford to become home owners as they are unable to meet the requirement of 30 per cent equity contribution which the mortgage scheme demands”, he said.  

    He said Government has always been challenged by the arduous task of providing affordable and decent accommodation for the people of the state in view of its ever growing population which reflected in the various housing schemes developed by different administrations over the years.

    He emphasized that shelter is one of the basic needs of man, saying that is why governments all over the world accord top priority to the provision of housing for their citizens.

    Lawal said inadequate housing is responsible for so many health and social ills in the society, adding that, “The Rent-to-own policy targets the low and medium income earners in both the formal and informal sectors. Under this arrangement, individuals are required to pay 5 per cent of the value of the housing unit as commitment fee and the balance is spread over 10 years. The programme allows the tenant to live on the property while paying towards ownership as a fixed rent within the period of ten years.

    “The Lagos state rental housing policy is to further ensure housing accessibility and affordability in Lagos state. The rent for the rental housing will be collected on a monthly basis. The tenants are however required to pay one month deposit.”

    On the criteria for interested applicants, Lawal said they must be primarily resident in Lagos State and will be required  to submit a copy of their Lagos State Residents Registration (LASSRA) Card and must be a first time home buyer, which must be 21 years old and above. 

    He also said that applicants must be tax compliant and provide the proof of tax payment and must have capacity to pay the 5 per cent commitment fee.

    He explained that the rent to be paid will be determined by the prevailing rent in each of the locations while mode of payment will be direct debit by the employer/banker to ensure easy collection, just as he stressed that the rented accommodation is not transferable. 

    This scheme is targeted at the working class and people with regular source of income who may not want to participate in the rent-to-own or mortgage program. “Government intends to earmark 20 per cent of the available housing units in each of the dedicated rent-to-own estates for rental housing.”

  • Ojokoro for Christ crusade holds

    The New Covenant Baptist Church (TNCBC), Ojokoro, Lagos, is to hold a four-day crusade beginning from this Sunday, November 13, 2016.

    According to the host pastor, Rev. Dr. Stephen Bolarinwa, the theme of the crusade is ‘the favoured community’ with Rev Bola Adeyemo of the First Baptist Church, AlakukoAkinde, Lagos.

    The venue of the crusade is 8, Folashade Street, Jankara, in front ofAdunmo Hospital.

    It starts at 6pm daily.