The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youth council

  • ‘Youth council to boost young persons’ role in service’

    ‘Youth council to boost young persons’ role in service’

    eti-osa Local Government in Lagos State has inaugurated the council’s  first National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) at the secretariat in Igbo Efon.

    Chairman, Omo’ba Adeola Adetoro, stressed importance of youth empowerment and role of the council in promoting youth participation in governance, economic development, and community service.

    She urged the executives to work towards achieving its objectives, saying residents should support and participate in activities of the council.

    According to her, Eti-Osa Local Government will engaging its youths to curb vices, drug abuse, and other menace.

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    She challenged the council on transparency, accountability, and inclusivity while urging it to promote peace, cohesion and youth development in its new role.

    The executives are: Yusuf Motunrayo (coordinator); Sulaiman Biliamin (deputy coordinator); Akanbi Isiwat (deputy coordinator 2); Elegushi Yunusa (general secretary); Balogun Mustapha (asst. general secretary); Idris Mohammed (treasurer); Kazeem Rufai (financial secretary); Pitt Segun (auditor); Durojaiye Taiwo (publicity secretary); Balogun Temitope (programme coordinator); Idowu Samson (social secretary); Simbiat Lola (legal officer); Daramola Sodiq (directorate 1); Smith Adedayo (directorate 2); Badaru Tosin (directorate 3); Badru Wasiu (directorate 4); and Anthonio Sodiq (directorate 5).

    The Coordinator, Motunrayo, promised to empower youths with skills for economic empowerment, thereby promoting self-reliance.

    She said she would prioritise youth enterprise, digital innovation and job creation.

  • Youth Council backs Ambode for second term

    The Lagos State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria yesterday endorsed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term.

    A statement by its State Chairman Gbenga Ogunsola at the Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard PVC collection enlightenment in Ifelodun Local Council Development Area and Alimosho Local Government Area said the endorsement followed the governor’s extraordinary achievements since he took over power in 2015.

    The statement said the group was working to canvasses for 5 million votes for Ambode.

    It said: “When you talk of achievements, even the blind in Lagos can see what Governor Ambode has done in less than three years. These cut across every sector of the economy.”

    The group hailed Ambode for his employment policy, saying the youth are its greatest beneficiaries.

    It noted that since the governor came to power, over one million people, mainly youths, had been employed as teachers, neighbourhood corps members, traffic control officers and cleaners in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

    The chairman of IBILE Microfinance Bank Limited, Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, said Ambode’s achievements were monumental, hence the need for youths to ask him to continue for another four-year term.

    He said Ambode’s name would go down in the history of Lagos State as the governor who spread development across the state by giving loans to young entrepreneurs in each of the 57 local governments and the LCDAs.

    Taiwo added: “It is the first time we are witnessing the construction of two roads per local government in the history of Lagos State, which Ambode inaugurated in 2016. He has also increased the number of the roads to three in each local government.”

    The State Coordinator of Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vangaurd, Seyi Bamigbade said: “Governor Ambode’s administration will continue to take actions and support all programmes, policies and initiatives meant to enhance gender parity, put an end to all forms of discrimination against youths. We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the ‘Not Too Young To Run bill into law.”

    He urged Lagos residents, especially the youth, to enrol in the ongoing PVC registration.

     

     

  • Crisis rocks youth council in Anambra

    The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) is swimming in crisis in Anambra State, following the emergence of two factions in different election of officers.

    One of the factions elected Comrade Nwosu Ifeanyi Stephen as its state chairman, while the second faction elected Nonso Smart Okafor as its chairman.

    The youth council in Anambra state was allegedly balkanised about seven years ago by some agents of the state government after the expiration of the tenure of Comrade Nwabufo Nwankwo.

    Since then, the state congress had not been held, as a result of the crisis that brought on Frank Maduka, as the leader of NYCN, which had kept the group in comatose.

    However, at the weekend, the council in different locations in Awka came together with some of their stakeholders, conducted factional elections with their delegates from the 21 local government areas in the state to elect those leaders of theirs.

    Speaking with The Nation after the election, the new chairman, Comrade Nwosu Ifeanyi Stephen, extended his hand of fellowship to others who were not successful during the election, adding “together we stand, together we will succeed, build the youth, build the nation.”

  • Youth council to Reps: declare Jibrin’s seat vacant

    Youth council to Reps: declare Jibrin’s seat vacant

    ‘Allegations against me are lies, misinformation’

    The suspended former Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commiittee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has described allegations levelled against him by the National Youth Council as “lies and misinformation”.
    His statement reads: “My attention has been drawn for the umpteenth times to yet again another bunch of lies and misinformation by the discredited and so called “Anti-corruption unit” of the “Nigerian Youth Council,” whose only client now is the corrupt cabal of the House of Representatives, headed by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
    “On the latest misinformation, the Barclays account were opened long before I joined the House. All accounts, including the Euro and Dollar are dormant with no transaction whatsoever as claimed and balance of 1 euro and 1 dollar until they were closed. The mortgage account, which I used to buy 81 Cotswold garden in 2009, is non performing and has been in debit.
    “On the piece of land in my village, it is owned by local farmers, who are willing to donate such lands so long as it will be used to bring massive development to our town. The allegations are false and concocted to portray me in a bad light in the eyes of the public.
    ” I, therefore, wish to state that the allegations are an extension of the witch-hunt by the corrupt cabal in the House. The motive behind this latest hatchet job in the name of investigating me by the Ethics committee is so glaring. The fraudulent cabal of the House are jittery knowing full well that the arms of the law is at close length on the strength of allegations of budget fraud, abuse of office and corruption I levelled against them. And of course, the international dimension of criminal case against Speaker Dogara and others for creating the monumental scam called running cost which has cost the county about N500 billion, which my lawyers in London are preparing to file before the Interpol and FBI. The desperation is real and Nigerians can now understand why they have tried severally to kidnap or assassinate me.”

    The National Youth Council of Nigeria is asking the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara to declare vacant the seat of suspended ex-Chairman of the House ComAbdulmumin Jibrin.
    TNYCN Coordinator Ifeanyi Okonkwo made the demand in a petition to the Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Ossai Nicholas Ossai.
    In its petition, the NYCN sought the investigation and persecution of the former chairman, saying “Jibrin should be investigated for operating five foreign accounts ” in violation of the 1999 Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.”
    Okonkwo further states: ” we have uncovered several foreign bank accounts still being operated by Jibrin in the Barclays Bank, United Kingdom.These accounts include: Barclays Bank International accounts – SC 204744 AC 33471268; Barclays Bank Reserve Account – SC 204744 AC 43707164; Barclays Bank Mortgage Account SC 204744 AC 94030664; Barclays Bank Euro Currency Account SC 204744 AC 52339433; Barclays Bank USD Currency Account SC 204744 AC 74521222.
    “Address used in opening the accounts; 81 Cotswold Gardens, London, NW2 1PE.”
    He added: “Fifth Schedule, Paragraph 3 of the 1999 constitution provides the list of public officers who shall not maintain or operate a bank account outside Nigeria and that list includes members of the National Assembly.”
    He said the action of Jibrin also contravenes Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
    He said: ” We have also obtained many other Code of Conduct Bureau Assets Declaration Form of several Nigerians. We are investigating that of Abdulmumin Jibrin, which he deposed to at the FCT High Court on June 8, 2016.
    He said it was evident Jibrin “set out to deceive the Code of Conduct Bureau and in the process made depositions he knew at the time of making them not to be true.
    “Abdulmumin Jibrin owns at least five accounts with Barclays Bank alone, with a Euro Account, Dollar Account, Mortgage Account , Reserve Account and International Account.
    ” All accounts are functional and he uses them all while still a member of the House of Representatives and have not declared their existence to the relevant authorities. ”
    The NYCN called on “the Speaker and the House to publicly investigate the fresh evidence of corruption and pass a resolution and declare the seat of Abdulmumin Jibrin vacant so INEC can conduct election into the Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency for the people to have a befitting representation.
    The group urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to act on their petition.
    It called ” on the chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau to refer Jibrin to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for trial, and to bar him from holding public office for life. ”
    It urged “the federal attorney- general to prosecute Abdulmumin Jibrin for perjury, as his depositions in his Code of Conduct Bureau Asset Declaration Form are not true reflection of facts known to him.”

  • Ihejirika praises Jonathan at youth council inauguration

    Ihejirika praises Jonathan at youth council inauguration

    Ihanaeze Youth Council, the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been inaugurated with Mazi Ikechukwu Isiguzo as its chairman. Isiguzo is the first elected chairman of the group since the previous leaders were selected.

    The ceremony attracted prominent Igbo leaders, youth organisations from the Southwest, Southsouth and North of the country. The occasion was co-chaired by former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika and the publisher of Champion Newspaper, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

    Abia State Governor and Chairman, Southeast Governors Forum, Chief Theodore Orji was also there as well as the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Enwo Gary-Igariwey. Traditional rulers and politicians were equally there.

    Ihejirika in his remarks urged Nigerian youths to fight insurgency and insecurity that is fast spreading in Nigeria. Making his case, he said that the Nigerian youths should understand the enormity of President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort in combating insurgency.

    The retired general urged the Igbo youths to liaise with the youths of other nationalities across the country to complement government’s fight against insecurity. He equally urged the youths to help inform the larger society so they could vote wisely when it comes to election time.

    Ihejirika said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is performing very well. There is so much we can do in this country but without security we cannot do much.

    “When you empower the youths, you fight insecurity, youths must not go to sleep. I therefore call on youths both within and outside the south east to wake up and help government quell insecurity in the country. Anybody who loves youths loves this country.”

    Governor Orji in his own speech stated that since his government embarked on laudable youth empowerment projects, kidnapping has reduced in his state.

    He noted that when it comes to war, it was always the youths that are used to fight wars and cited the instance of Biafra war which was fought mostly by the youths.

    Orji said: “If you have not taken care of the youths, then you have not done anything. We don’t want war again but the unity of this country because Igbos lost all for the unity of this country.”

    Governor Orji urged the Igbo youths to be proud of their heritage, the values and the culture, while reminding them not to be intimidated by anybody since the country belongs to all Nigerians.

    The chairman of the Ohanaeze Youths Council, Mazi Isiguzoro vowed that the council under his leadership “shall fight insecurity in Igboland, both South East and beyond to standstill.” He noted that kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities were being perpetrated by mainly Igbo youths.

    He added: “We have what it takes to go after these miscreants who give Igbo youths a bad name. With the collaboration of our governors as chief security officers of their various states and in partnership with security agencies, insecurity in Igbo land shall be reduced to to the barest minimum within one year.”

    Isiguzoro said his second point in his agenda is youth empowerment which he said is a panacea to insecurity. The Youth Council in that regard launched the Igbo Youth Development/Skill Acquisition Centre. Governor Orji of Abia State granted the centre N1.5million for take off. The centre shal have sections on ICT, entrepreneurship training, skill acquisition etc.

    The youth leader also hinted that he planned to embark on a re-orientation of Igbo youths. “One of the basic problem facing today’s Igbo youth is that of internalizing Igbo cosmology as seposed by Igbo ethos such as igwebuike, onye aghala nwanneya, ezi aha ka ego etc,” he stressed.

    There were goodwill messages from the Ijaw Youth Council, IjawNational Congress led by Charles Ambiowei, Yoruba Youth congress and others.