The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youths

  • Cleric advises govt on self reliance for youths

    The Pastor in charge of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Mountain of Mercy (Oke Erio), Erio Ekiti, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, has said making youths  to be self reliant through financial assistance is one sure way to a peaceful society.

    Olu- Alo warned the authorithies to discourage a system in which  youths depend on government for survival; rather, govrnment should design programmes, projects and policies that would empower youths and promote their potential.

    The cleric spoke at his Ido Ekiti home town during the maiden edition of his yearly empowerment scheme for students and artisans, incorporated into his yearly evangelical programme, Ido/Osi open air crusade,

    He said: “If youths are empowered and developed in a manner they can stand on their own without relying on governments, a chunk of the economic problems of the country would have been solved.”

    In a message entitled: ‘Come, let us rebuild the wall’, Olu-Alo charged youths to “be determined, creative, enterprising and  deemphasise the craze for white-collar jobs” to bail themselves and the nation out of the present economic recession.

    He advised them to have a vision of growth and work towards the realisation of such, adding that they should as a matter of necessity return to God and for a bond to help one another.

    At the event, the cleric bankrolled WASCCE fees for 15 brilliant but indigent candidates. He equally empowered five other artisans by paying for the purchase of their necessary equipment/tools and take-off of their businesses, a step, which he described as part of his contribution to lift the society through investment in youths.

    Olu-Alo also distributed food items to over 200 widows in Ido Ekiti his hometown.

    He challenged Nigerians to join the campaign to combat  hunger and other social vices, saying it is the responsibility of all to put the state back on track.

    Olu-Alo who expressed optimism at the nation’s economic and  social recovery, implored President Muhammadu Buhari to take advice from men of vision to steer the ship back on course.

    “There is light at the end of the tunnel.It will be well with Nigeria if the proper things are done. Nigerians should forsake their sins, return to God and pray for the restoration of the country. I can see hope and bright future for Nigeria,” the cleric said.

  • Itsekiri youths call for naval base at Escravos

    The National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG) has urged the Federal Government to establish a naval base at Escravos in Warri South-West Local Government of Delta State.

    NAIG said this would ensure the security of life and property in the area.

    In a statement at the weekend by officials of its Publicity Committee – Solomon Sholuwa, Dede Shuwa and Toju Apoh – NIAG backed the Olu of Warri, H. M. Ogiame Ikenwoli, for claiming  the land on which Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) at Okerenkoko was built.

    The monarch’s claim generated negative reactions from Ijaw youths and leaders, who viewed his action as capable of igniting ethnic crisis.

    But NAIG’s statement, titled: The visit of Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo To The Niger Delta: Our Position, NAIG noted that the establishment of a naval base at Escravos, as the monarch demanded, would give residents a sense of security and facilitate an enabling environment for multinationals to operate.

    Receiving Prof Osinbajo recently, the Olu of Warri demanded the establishment of a naval base for Escravos-Ogheye waterways, dredging of Escravos Bar and Koko River, revitalisation of Warri Port, kick-off of Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP) of Ogidigben as well as the Koko-Ogheye-Lekki Road and Omadino-Escravos Highway.

    The group noted that the projects could create over 300,000 jobs for Niger Delta youths at the construction stages.

    It added: “We want sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta as this will allay the fears of multinationals, which have refused to relocate their corporate headquarters to their areas of operations, despite the call by the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    “Chevron should relocate its headquarters to Warri, but government should create the enabling environment.”

  • Librarian to youths: read

    OYO State  chapter of the Nigeria Library Association (NLA)chairman Dr Olatunji Olaojo has appealed to youths to develop themselves by reading.

    He gave the charge plea when  The NLA’s new executives visited the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology in Igboora.

    The chairman called on people to make use of libraries, as there are professionals to guide them there.

    He said the library contributes to people’s advancement in life and called on government at all levels to increase the budgetary provisions for libraries.

    Olaojo who described his visit to the college as a homecoming, praised its Provost Prof Gbemiga Adewale for his support. He described Adewale as a friend of the library for his support to NLA members in his institution  and for the payment of institutional dues to the association.

    He solicited for more support from the Provost and other tertiary institutions in the state.

    Responding, Adewale urged Olaojo to work towards ensuring that tertiary and secondary institutions have befitting libraries.

    He should also work towards encouraging good reading culture in Nigeria.

    The NLA chairman and his executives also visited the Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate; The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso; LAUTECH Teaching hospital, Osogbo; and other tertiary institutions in the state.

  • Youths hail federal lawmaker

    A coalition of youth bodies under the aegis of the Mangu/Bokkos Progressive Movement (MBPM) has hailed the exemplary leadership style and political prowess of the lawmaker representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency, Hon. Solomon Maren.
    Maren, who is a first timer in the lower legislative chamber, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    Speaking at its quarterly briefing, the group’s coordinator Mahan Ezra and Secretary, Daan Andrew, said the lawmaker had done well despite the economic recession.
    “In a normal clime, politics serves as a means of bringing development closer to the people.
    “While the chant of recession is making rounds to find a mitigation for good governance, the people’s honorable has stood tall to transmit hope to the common man during these ugly moments”
    “To assert this position of welfarism at its peak, the lawmaker trained hundreds of women and youths in various vocational skills.
    “Also, he facilitated direct and indirect employment for hundreds of youths in the constituency”
    The group described Maren as a trailblazer whose achievements is second to none.
    It urged the constituents to reward him with ardent prayers to remain focus and keep to tab with the progress being made in office.

  • NGO fetes widows, facilitates employment for youths

    NGO fetes widows, facilitates employment for youths

    The Comrade Chinedu Ogah Foundation (CCOF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has said it facilitated employments for 710 youths across different tribes and political divides since its inception in 2006.

    The Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the foundation, Comrade Chinedu Ogah revealed this at Item-Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State while distributing welfare packages to over 3, 000 widows and other less-privileged people in the community.

    The items distributed were wrappers, maggi, salt, onions; tablets of bathing soap, bowls and cash among others.

    According to Ogah, the foundation, within the year under review, ensured the employment of 120 youths into federal parastatals.

    Ogah, who is also the National Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbanjo Initiative for Demonstrating Change in Nigeria called on well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists to use their wealth to enhance the well-being of the poor in the society.

    “The widows, youths and other less-privileged people are my security and defence. What my foundation is doing now is an opportunity we have from God and that is why we are extending it to others. In this community, 15 people have gone for the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) this year. Today’s event is an annual one meant to take care of some less-privileged people.

    “From January last year till now, 120 youths have been given jobs at federal parastatals and from the inception of this foundation till now, 710 people have been given jobs. This year, we have given out scholarships to the handicapped in the 13 local government areas while widows in Ikwo are equally taken care of,” Ogah said.

    In his remarks, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige explained that the gesture of the foundation was in tandem with the policies of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) of the Federal Government.

    Represented by the State Coordinator of NDE, Mr. Marcel, the Minister said the Federal Government was working assiduously to ensure the speedy employment of youths across the country, even as he urged public-spirited individuals to partner government towards the improvement of the living standards of Nigerians.

    Also, the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Kelechi Igwe who was represented by Mr. Festus Okoha advised the foundation not to relent in its objective of caring for the less-privileged people in the society as the state government has equally set machinery in place for the well-being of all residents of the state.

     

  • Nigerian Army denies ‘mass killing of Igbo youths’ allegation

    Nigerian Army denies ‘mass killing of Igbo youths’ allegation

    The Nigerian Army has refuted the ‘mass killing of Igbo youths’ allegation by the Campaign for Democracy (CD), an online publication recently.

    Col. Sagir Musa, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, in a statement in Awka on Sunday, described it as “an “unjustified, invidious and over flogged accusation’’.

    He said the CD claimed that “no fewer than 2000 Igbo youths had been killed by the Nigerian Army under the guise of Rules of Engagement’’.

    He said that other publication allegations including “Military Killed 150 Pro-Biafra Protesters’’ had also been severally thoroughly refuted in many media platforms by the Nigerian Army.

    “It is the same position that this rejoinder has soundly adopted.

    “For emphasis and clarity, the Nigerian Army as an accountable, morally and professionally sound organisation had variously through its Human Rights Desk at the Army Headquarters, painstakingly investigated allegations of rights violations.

    “The results indicated specifically that this claim is false, malicious and should therefore be ignored for the sake of Nigeria.

    “Instructively, the Nigerian Army under its constitutional authorization to aid Civil Authority and Military Aid to Civil Power must continue to act in the best interest of the nation (in collaboration with other security agencies).

    “This included, de-escalating violence and checkmating security threats across the nation.

    “This task must be done, in spite of the sordid propaganda and possible politicization of the issue by ill meaning Nigerians,’’ Musa said.

    According to him, the relevant authorities in the South East are at liberty to set up an inquiry into the accusation to get to the roots and end of the obnoxious and unfounded claim.

    “Looking at the recurrent posture of this allegation, the 82 Division Nigerian Army wishes to state that relevant authorities in the South East are at liberty to set up an inquiry into this accusation.

    “This is with the view to getting to the roots and end of this obnoxious and unfounded claim,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Youths decry maginalisation of Southwest

    A group, the Southwest Youths and Peoples Movement (SWPYPM), has called on the Federal Government to stop the marginilisation of youths from the zone.
    At a conference in Lagos, its National Coordinator, Taiwo Ajayi, said the interest of Southwest youths was not adequately considered in the 2017 budget.
    He said the government should not wait till when the youths resort to violence like their counterparts in the Niger Delta and the Northeast before doing the right thing.
    Ajayi said the Southwest has been unduly marginalised because of its peaceful nature, adding that it will continue to demand for its rightful entitlements without recourse to violence.
    He said: “The Southwest is at the receiving end in terms of the sharing formula of the federation revenue which does not match the population and contribution of the zone to national development.
    “Out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria, the Southwest has only 137 local governments compared to the over 400 local government in the north, this injustice must be addressed quickly by the government.”
    Ajayi said the movement is aware of efforts to frustrate the Lagos megacity project, despite its contribution to national growth. He said efforts by well meaning Nigerians to get a fair deal for Lagos have met brick walls.
    “Lagos State has the highest population in Nigeria with an attendant pressure on all the infrastructure, therefore, the issue of the special status for Lagos must be addressed.
    “On this note, we are planning a one day Southwest state simultaneous three million youths walk to demand from the National Assembly the release of special grants to accelerate development in the Southwest.
    “Government should as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency in the area of youth unemployment and take positive steps to address the situation especially in the Southwest.
    He said there was no division in the Southwest among the progressive political leaders.

  • Youths attack monarch for insulting Olugbo

    A group, the Ugbo Kingdom Youths (UKY), has attacked the  traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, for allegedly insulting the Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, following his comments on the Ooni and Ile-Ife heroine Moremi.

    In a magazine interview, Odidiomo was said to have described the Ugbo people as thieves, who invaded Ife to steal food.

    The Olu was also said to have described Olugbo as a traitor who, out of greed, lust and inability to keep secrets, betrayed his people instead of attributing the act of treachery to Moremi.

    A statement by UKY Chairman Nana Sunday described Odidiomo and the Igbokoda people as ingrates, “who have benefited a lot from the Ugbo people”.

    The group wondered why a third class monarch would involve himself in an issue between two first class monarchs.

    It said Ugbo was the only oil producing community in Yorubaland and its indigenes have contributed to the nation’s development.

    The youth noted that Odidiomo should always be grateful to Akinruntan for coming to his aid when he was detained for alleged murder.

    They said Ugbo people are accommodating,  honest and hardworking.

  • ‘Make youths self-reliant’

    The pastor in charge of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Mountain of Mercy (Oke Erio), Erio-Ekiti, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, has said it is imperative for government and well-meaning individuals to make youths self-reliant.

    Olu-Alo said the system has left youths totally dependent on the government for survival, noting that it was contributory to the crushing effects of the recession.

    He urged government to design deliberate programmes, projects and policies that would empower youths and bring out their potentials.

    The cleric spoke at Ido-Ekiti during the maiden edition of his yearly empowerment scheme for students and artisans, incorporated into his yearly evangelical programme, Ido/Osi Open Air Crusade.

    He said: “If youths are empowered and developed so that they can stand on their own , then a large chunk of the nation’s economic problems would be solved.”

    In a message titled: “Come, Let us Rebuild the Wall”, Olu-Alo advised youths to “be determined, creative, enterprising and as well deemphasise craze for white-collar jobs”.

  • Senate and bills that have impact on youths

    Senate and bills that have impact on youths

    Year 2016 will go down in history as the year that the Senate passed legislations that would positively impact on the lives and welfare of Nigerians, especially youths and the physically challenged persons. From the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill to the amendment of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the legislation against discrimination against the physically challenged persons, the Senate came out as a group of elected representatives with listening ear to plights of the people they represent.

    For instance, with recent statistical data showing that the average rate of unemployment in Nigeria is now 24 percent in the second quarter of 2016, the passage of the Nigerian Peace Corps establishment Bill by the 8th Senate could not have come at a better time.

    The Nigerian Peace Corps Bill that scaled third reading in the Senate and is currently awaiting concurrence by the House of Representatives was principally targeted at curbing youth unemployment, and helping to render community services and other civic duties in the country.

    According to the sponsors of the bill, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Senator Binta Masi Garba, it is structured to address unemployment  especially among the youths that constitute about 70 percent of the population. In addition to this, the Peace Corps Bill has other necessary components like the promotion of civic engagement, volunteerism, community services and nation building across.

    The Peace Corps Bill first came to the National Assembly in the 7th Assembly. However, it was frustrated. But, on Thursday 24th November 2016, it was read for the third time and passed by the Senate, under the leadership of Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who stated that the Bill will allow for a more coordinated and efficient response to many of the pervasive issues confronting the country.

    Presenting the report of the Committee to the Senate at the Plenary, Senator Bayero Nafada said that of the 237 memoranda  received by the committee when it conducted a public hearing on the bill in April,  219 were in support, while fourteen (14) objected to the establishment of the Corps. The implication is that the bill has a wide acceptance.

    Nafada further highlighted that the Ministry of Interior, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in their presentations did not support the establishment of either the Nigerian Peace Corps or National Unity and Peace Corps.

    He told the senate at the plenary that the Senate Committee agreed to merge the two bills sponsored by Ndume and Binta Garba respectively, since the two bills were basically the same, stating therefore that the merged bills shall be known as “Nigerian Peace Corps Bill, 2016.”

    Giving further details on the Bill, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior said that the Head of the Corps will be a Commandant General with six (6) Deputy Commandants-General and Six (6) Assistant Commandants-General drawn from the Six (6) geo-political zones which should reflect the Federal Character principle; and the Corps should be domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Interior.

    Speaking after the Bill’s clause-by-clause passage at the Senate Plenary, Saraki expressed his pleasure that his colleagues allow the bill to proceed to the third reading  saying that the Nigerian Peace Corps would have a stronger framework for addressing the rising unemployment in the country by providing job opportunities for the youth,

    The Senate President further stated that the Bill will also facilitate the training of youths to advance the course of peace building and conflict resolution through education, mediation and arbitration among warring groups or communities, whenever and wherever there is crisis in the country.

    Saraki went on to say that the bill would not have come at a better time than now when the country is witnessing strife in some parts of the country due to the prolonged Boko Haram and Niger Delta militancy. He further stated that the Corps has been functioning for some time without legal backing, adding that now that it is recognized, it will go a long way in institutionalising peace in the country.

    In his contributions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu said the bill would create job opportunities and help in augmenting the efforts of security agencies. In the same vein, Senator Sabi Abdullahi argued that in tackling security issues, there is the need to use multiple approaches, hence the need for the bill. “We need to allow more participation in the security space,” he said.

    Another interesting piece of legislation that portrayed the 8th senate as not only compassionate but possessing the capacity to always positively respond to the plights of Nigerians is the passage of a bill aimed at ending the discrimination faced by Nigerians with physical disability.

    Before proceeding on break, after completing its mandatory 180 legislative sitting,  the Senate  on Wednesday, 13th July 2016 passed the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill. The bill sponsored by Senator Francis Alimikhena was presented for first and second reading in October and December, 2015 respectively.

    The bill seeks to provide social protection to persons with disabilities and provide safeguards against any discrimination they may suffer in the course of their daily life.  It also establishes a National Commission that will ensure that their right to education, healthcare and other social and economic rights contained in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) are guaranteed.

    Commenting before he hit the gavel signifying that the bill had scaled the third reading, Saraki observed that the bill failed to secure Presidential Assent after its passage in the 6th and 7th Assembly. He however expressed desire to see that the Bill was quickly passed into law by the current administration. Already, a similar version of the Disability Bill has been passed by the House of Representatives. What is outstanding now is for both chambers of the National Assembly to harmonise the Bills before it is sent to the President for assent.

    In the same line, the Senate also demonstrated compassion when it passed into law the legislation that would guarantee the validity scores recorded by any candidate in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination for three academic sessions. This will save parents and students the cost of paying for the examinations every year even after scoring the requisite mark but unable to secure admission due to shortage of space in the institutions.

    The Senate has ordered the discontinuation of the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) by the universities. The examination was declared illegal and unconstitutional.

    Deliberating on the report by the Senate  Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND presented by its chairman, Senator Barau Jibrin  on the Bill for an Act to amend the JAMB Act and other matters connected thereof, 2016( SB.245), the senators amended subsection (a) of section 5 to read as follows: ” 5(b) the Matriculations Examinations conducted by the Board shall be the sole examinations required for admission and entry into all Universities, Polytechnics (by whatever name called) and Colleges of Education (by whatever name called), to the exclusion of any other institution or body.

    • Okocha is the Special Assistant to the Senate on Print Media)