The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youths

  • Unemployment: ITF to fill youths’ skills gap

    Unemployment: ITF to fill youths’ skills gap

    About 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will benefit from the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), its Acting Director–General Dickson Chinedum, has said.

    He listed some of the beneficiaries as Sokoto, Kwara, Ogun, Katsina, Cross River, Lagos, Adamawa and Ebonyi. Others are Abia, Anambra, Borno, and Plateau.

    The ITF chief said NISDP was aimed at closing the skills’ gaps in youths which made them unemployable. This, according to him, has made it mandatory to equip the youth with skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

    Chinedum further said the NISDP, which began in 2012, would furnish the human capacity requirements of the National Enterprises Development Programme (NEDEP), a scheme put in place by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to fast-track the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

    The ITF chief explained: “In the light of the result of the interim report of ITF/United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Skills Gap Survey, management has set in motion process to commence graduate up-skilling programme for the purpose of re-skilling 3,000 graduates of engineering and technology with vocational and entrepreneurial skills in the six geo-political zones.

    “This is aside from the ongoing review of the ITF/DVT (GERMAN chamber of Crafts and Commerce) collaboration, which seeks to train apprentices in line with the German dual system. The programme matches skills development with market needs and contributes in reducing unemployment by providing competences for job creation.”

    Chinedum said ITF entered into a deal with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in 2009 to provide technical and vocational skills training to young Nigerians using ITF facilities and those of members of the organised private sector.

    He said to provide opportunity for evaluation and validation of skills requirement at national and state levels, ITF was collaborating with UNIDO to establish Sector Skills Councils (SSCs).

    He said 9,500 youths, translating to 500 youths per state and the FCT, aged between 18 and 35, would be trained in 38 trade and craft areas.

    He explained that this would be based on their projected value addition to citizens of the states and their potential to provide a sustainable means of livelihood for youths in their states.

  • Firm trains Delta, Kaduna youths in skills

    Firm trains Delta, Kaduna youths in skills

    In October 10, in Kaduna State and October 18 in Koko, Delta State, 47 candidates were interviewed for eligibility into Total Nigeria Plc’s Skills Acquisition Programme.

    The programme eligibility criteria included that the candidates must be youths who are indigenous to the host communities. They must be less-privileged and show enthusiasm to understudy a vocation of their choice and possess abilities to communicate effectively.

    In Kaduna State, the interview panel comprised representatives of Total Nigeria Plc, namely Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr. Albert Mabuyaku, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Mrs. Chinwe Ifechigha, Kaduna Plant Manager, Mr. Daniel Chukwu and Production Planning Engineer, Mrs. Hope Nnaji.

    The community representatives included the District Scribe of Makera, Alhaji Yusuf and District Scribe of Kakuri, Alhaji Yero who stand as guarantors for the candidates. Twenty candidates were interviewed out of which 10 were selected to train for various vocations of their choice such as tailoring, welding and fabrication, hair dressing and carpentry, among others.

    In Koko Delta State, the community representatives were members of the Koko Community Management Authority (KCMA), Mr. Solomon Mikie, Mrs. Rose Kpenosen, Mr. Emmanuel Oti and Mr. Samson Edun.

    Twenty-Seven candidates were interviewed out of which 5 candidates were selected for this year’s programme. They are Ruth Aduwenye, Ololo Oritsegbe-gbemi, Beatrice Bemigho, Bojor Bemigho and Joseph Bathuel.  Another five candidates were selected for the 2017 programme. They are Ogunwo Endurance, Henrietta Ede, Glory Nesiama, Nanna Appearance and Azuka Enebeli.

  • Rivers youths protest alleged marginalisation by Lafarge

    Rivers youths protest alleged marginalisation by Lafarge

    No fewer than 500 youths from Akamkpa and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas of Cross River on Monday protested against alleged marginalisation by Lafarge Holcim Cement Company in contract award and employment.

    Youths from the communities hosting the cement company decried the company’s inability to implement the 80 per cent local content agreement it entered with the host communities.

    NAN reports that Lafarge Holcim is hosted by six communities under Akamkpa and Akpabuyo LGAs.

    They were armed with placards of various inscriptions which read: “Give us employment and contracts; “We want the position of Human Resource Manager to come from the host communities’’.

    Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved youths, Mr Bassey Effiong, Youth Leader from Akansoko Community, said that the company’s marginalisation had rendered many youths in the area jobless.

    Effiong said that they had written many letters to the company to consider them for employment and award of contracts, which he said, yielded no result.

    “We have graduates and technicians who are willing to do this job, but Lafarge prefers to bring people from outside to work in the company.

    “We want the office to be brought back to Calabar from Lagos, and they should stop giving us excuses that we don’t have the technical know-how to work with them.

    “All we are saying is that we need employment and contracts for our youths.

    “The company should implement the 80 per cent local content agreement we entered with it,’’ the youths spokesperson said.

    Also, Mr Ojong Etta, Youth Leader from Mbobui Community in Akamkpa LGA, said that youths were only employed to do `labour jobs’, while the executive positions were allotted to non-indigenes.

    “We want the Human Resource Manager of Lafarge Cement Company to be an indigene of the host communities.

    “We have been over marginalised in terms of employment and award of contracts. We need a change of things in the management of Lafarge Company,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, the traditional ruler of Akamkpa, Ntufam Clement Emayip, said that it was wrong to relocate the company’s head office from Calabar to Lagos.

    Emayip urged the company to consider youths from the host communities for employment and award of contracts.

    Addressing newsmen after the protest, Mrs Folashade Ambrose, the Lafarge Director of Communication and Public Affairs, said that the company appreciated the existing relationship between the host communities and Lafarge.

    “I have heard all their complaints. I will take their messages back to the management of the company, and we will get back to the host communities soon,’’ she said.

  • Borno youths selling fuel to Boko Haram

    •Sect members ‘sending stolen cattle for sale’ 

    The Boko Haram sect has devised survival strategies after being degraded by the troops.

    The objective of this is to enable them to get cash, food and fuel supplies.

    Commandant of the Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi , told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Borno state capital Maiduguri, yesterday that youths were being recruited by Boko Haram to supply fuel to Gamboru Ngala in the northern part of the state.

    Abdullahi said his men had intercepted a reasonable quantity of fuel packaged in cartons of groundnut oil, bound for Gamboru Ngala.

    He said since Boko Haram were running out of food and other supplies, they had employed all sorts of means to replenish their stock.

    “The command arrested a suspect, who confessed that he did not know the owner of the consignment that he was asked to deliver to the insurgents trapped in Gamboru Ngala.

    “He later confessed that each of the five litres of fuel is sold at N15,000 to the insurgents.

    “You will recall we raised the alarm that some agents of Boko Haram were transporting stolen cows from Mafa, Kalabalge and Bomboshe axis in the state to cattle market in Maiduguri.

    “The Boko Haram men usually send the cows to their agents in the city who will then sell them and repatriate either cash or fuel to the terrorists.

    “We are therefore warning the people especially drivers not to accept or convey any form of message that looks suspicious to any one, especially along the Gamboru axis.

    “We are also warning the drivers, park owners and union groups to always check their passengers and their luggages to avoid transporting bad elements that would cause havoc in the society.

    According to him, the command is working with other relevant security agencies to bring all the collaborators of terrorists to book.

    Also yesterday, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advised Borno residents, especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to be more vigilant, following increased suicide attacks targeted at the displaced persons in Maiduguri.

    Malam Muhammad Kanar, the North East Coordinator of the agency said the attacks were a sign of desperation by the Boko Haram insurgents to cause havoc in the IDP camps.

    “It is true that they have been trying all these while to gain access into the city and wreak havoc, but the security agents have been up and doing in preventing them.

    “Those that came in on Saturday were the first two and then today we had another one that was detected early enough by the security agents, ” he said.

    Kanar said that residents must collaborate with the security agents by being more vigilant to prevent future attacks.

    “This is the kind of challenge we sometimes face in carrying out humanitarian service.

    ”But definitely, we have confidence in the military and other security agents, the challenges shall come to pass,” he said.

    Nine persons were killed in a twin suicide attacks in Maiduguri on Saturday while another suspected suicide attack was foiled by the military on Sunday near the scene of that of Saturday.

  • Recession: Bank of Agriculture to assist farmers, youths with loans

    Recession: Bank of Agriculture to assist farmers, youths with loans

    The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) says it is ready to provide financial assistance to farmers and youths in the country to boost food production through mechanised farming.

    Mr Babatunde Igun, an Executive Director of the bank, said this during a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Thursday.

    He expressed the bank’s willingness to partner with the traditional ruler on engaging youths in farming.

    Igun added that with the dwindling effects of crude oil price and the negative impact on the economy, there was urgent need to assist farmers and youths in diversifying the economy.
    “We have all seen the dwindling effects of crude oil price on our economy in the last one or two years.

    “We need to feed ourselves, stop importation of unnecessary food items and that is why BOA is relevant.

    “We are ready to assist farmers as well as youths to go back to farming. Our plan is not for them to go back to hoes and cutlasses farming but rather mechanised farming.

    “I believe with the assistance BOA is ready to give, our agriculture system will begin to take a new shape in the next few years,’’ he said.

    Igun also said that the bank was ready to partner with the Ooni’s agriculture development initiative for the youths in the town.

    He said that BOA would assist 150 youths who were being trained by the traditional ruler on agriculture mechanisation and production skill with loan facility.

    “The most important thing for anyone going to agriculture is skills acquisition.

    “That is where the Ooni has played a dominant role by bringing 150 youths together in the last four months to train them in agricultural mechanisation.

    “And that is why we are interested in giving them loan after their training.

    “In BOA, once we see an organisation, state or individual that is passionate about youths, women and agriculture, we try to come to them and find a way we can work together,’’ he said.

    Igun added that more than 400 farmers had been empowered in Ile-Ife with N500 million loan facilities in the last few years, adding that the bank would do more.

    In his remarks, the Ooni said he was ready to partner with the bank to encourage youths in food production.
    The monarch, who noted that there were a lot of unemployed youths, said governments and the private sector, should be willing to assist youths to embrace farming.

    He, however, urged BOA management to make their presence more visible by providing loans to farmers.

    “If BOA can be used as a proper conduit in terms of giving soft loans on a long term basis, it will encourage the youths to go back to the farm,’’ the monarch said.

  • Youths, Dickson disagree over N12b project loan

    Youths, Dickson disagree over N12b project loan

    Youths under the auspices of the Democratic Youth Watch (DEYOW), yesterday, asked the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to give account of N12 billion loan he allegedly collected to complete ongoing projects across the state.

    The group accused the government of diverting the money alleging that since the loan was collected, there was nothing on ground at project sites to justify it.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, through its Chairman, Mr. Ayawei Zikala and Secretary, Mr. Anthony Ebiendu, the group insisted that the government declared the loan at one of its transparency briefing, but had yet to mobilise contractors to site.

    DEYOW said:  “After independently inspecting the many abandoned projects across the state, they are convinced that the state government didn’t put a dime from the N12billion into any of abandoned projects littered across the state.

    But the government through the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, described the position of the youth body as propaganda sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva to incite the people.

    He said: “This latest move to paint the government in bad light is on its final stage of being sold to the public? and pertains the ten billion naira that was sometime ago released to states for completion of ongoing projects. We are aware that Sylva and his army of dishonorable party men have engaged the services of some media organisations to publish damaging details of how the money was allegedly diverted and embezzled by the government.”

     

  • Pandemonium in Kaduna as Shi’ites, youths clash again

    Pandemonium in Kaduna as Shi’ites, youths clash again

    There was pandemonium in Tudun Wada area of Kaduna yesterday morning when members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly called Shi’ites, clashed with youths of the area again.

    It was gathered the whole Tudun Wada, Zango, Kinkinau, Kabala West, Unguwan Mu’azu, Hanyi Malam Bello and other communities within the axis were thrown into confusion during the clash.

    Our correspondent, who visited the area, observed that shops were suddenly shut and residents stayed indoors.

    The clash between the group and youths started last Wednesday in Kaduna, leaving two people dead and residence of the Shi’ites’ leader razed.

    A school belonging to the sect was also demolished.

    Yesterday’s clash, according to eye witnesses, erupted when the Shi’ite members placed their flag and started sweeping premises of the burnt house of their leader, Mukhtar Sahabi in Tudun wada.

    The youth were said to have asked the Shi’ites members ?to leave the premises.

    When they refused, it was gathered the youths attacked them with clubs and knives injuring a few of the Shi’ites members.

    An eye witness, Abdullahi Muazu said: “I just saw people running up and down when I was returning from my children’s Islamic school around 9am.

    “I later learnt that trouble began when the Shi’ites tried to place their flag in the premises of their leaders house burnt on Wednesday and I quickly went to collect my children from school in case anything happens.”

    Another resident, who preferred anonymity, said: “When the Shi’ites came to clean the burnt house of their leader, they were attacked by the youths.

    “I learnt the Shi’ites retreated to Unguwan Mu’azu but the youths followed them there and confronted them with knives and clubs and even injured some of them.”

    It was gathered parents who had taken their wards for Islamiyya were called by the school authorities to pick their wards over the incident.

    Meanwhile, normalcy had returned at the time of filing this report as police operatives have taken over strategic locations to curtail escalation of the crisis.

    When contacted, the Police spokesperson in Kaduna said the Command is issuing a warning letter to people in Kaduna state.

     

  • New film project to engage 500 Niger Delta youths

    A new film project bankrolled by a group of individuals and hoteliers, expected to engage more than 5,000 Niger Delta youths in acting, has started auditioning in Delta and Bayelsa states.

    The Audition Coordinator and Nollywood film producer, Mr Efekoha Ikimi, said in Yenagoa on Tuesday that the objective was to take talented youths of the Niger Delta out of the creeks and expose them to

    legitimate source of income and career in acting.

    According to him, the project, which will last for one year, will see the production of 50 films, a soap opera and a featureless film.

    He added that the soap opera and the featureless film would be shown in cinemas across the country.

    The Nollywood producer said “the project is a partnership arrangement with some hoteliers, television stations and private individuals.

    “We plan to produce 50 short films, a soap opera and a featureless film; the featureless film and

    soap opera are going to be shown in cinemas across the country.

    “It is going to be a one-year project; we are interested in grooming new talents and we will be engaging more than 5,000 casts from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

    “We are trying to do this because we have come to understand that the youths of the region will not be involved in criminality if they have legitimate source of earning income.

    “They will not be involved and influenced negatively to carry guns if they are exposed to career opportunities,” he added.”

  • Taking pension to Nigerian youths

    SIR: Capturing the informal sector of the economy has been a major concern for administrators of pension in Nigeria as noted by former Director-General of National Pension Commission (Pencom) Mallam Mohammed Ahmad. He reportedly said that “there is the problem of the informal sector (not being captured in the scheme) which constitutes a major part of the Nigerian economy, where about 47 per cent of the working populations are engaged in agriculture, petty trading, domestic, artisan and other related fields”.

    This is a source of concern, no doubt, but what is being done to address the issue? Well, the Pension Reform Act of 2014 has expanded the coverage of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in the private sector organizations with three employees and above. This in addition to the introduction of micro-Pension by PENCOM will go a long way in tackling the issue but a lot of Nigerians, particularly youths who make up the bulk of the informal sector, are still ignorant of these pension programmes. This situation creates an urgent need to embark on a campaign to educate youths. This can be done through the following ways:

    Inclusion of pension studies to form part of school curriculum at the tertiary education level: there needs to be an immediate introduction of pension studies to students at undergraduate levels of education so as to arm them with requisite knowledge on pension before taking up any employment or setting up a business of their own.

    Mass campaigns through the use of engaging resources: it is no longer news that the social media has become a fundamental part of the average Nigerian youth. Making use of social media platforms such as facebook, twitter, nairaland, instagram, and whatsapp takes as much as 18 hours from the average youth every day. Taking advantage of these platforms to talk about pension will go a long way in serving the purpose of this campaign.

    Many youth organizations that operate in Nigeria can also be used as a platform to educate youths on the benefit of pensions, examples of these organizations include the National Youth Council (NYC), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) and the likes.

    The need for the growth of the Contributory Pension Scheme CPS) in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized but to achieve this growth, we must ensure the participation of all sectors of the economy most notably the informal sector, for this to be attainable we must educate the youths, who make up the larger number of this sector, on pension and its benefit to everyone.

     

    • Inyang John Aniekpeno,

    Nasarawa State.

  • Arewa youths name VC ‘youth defender’

    Arewa youths name VC ‘youth defender’

    The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has named the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Nigeria, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, the Garkuwan Matasan, which means defender of youths. The group also presented a certificate of appreciation to the leadership of the school for “being fair and just to students” from the northern part of Nigeria.

    On why the VC was recognised, AYA Speaker Mohammad Salihu said Prof Ozumba’s leadership style had promoted tolerance among students from diverse backgrounds, noting that the VC had inspired the youth with his administrative competence.

    He said: “We selected Prof Ozumba as the most appropriate personality who symbolises the resilience and spirit of triumph of the Nigerian character.”

    Salihu described Ozumba as “a man ahead of his generation” and a leader who placed the country on the world education  map. He added that the VC remained a model of decency for the youth to emulate.

    He used the occasion to call on leaders to pay attention to the plights of the youth, saying the nation would only be able to combat insecurity and crimes if the youth became the focus of the government.

    “It is in our opinion that leaders of our country should take a cue from the legacies of the late Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe as blueprint for change in the polity. The effort would bring about moral rebirth and restoration of national values that will unite all components and segments of this country,” he said.

    While presenting the certificate of appreciation to the university management, Salihu noted that AYA had observed that the school never discriminated against students from the Northern part of the country studying at the UNN.

    In his response, Prof Ozumba appreciated the group for taking actions to encourage selfless leadership. He described the group as a partner in progress, reiterating his administration’s readiness to ensure that youths are properly empowered through sound education.

    Ozumba, who recently received the 2016 Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award and the Best Southeast Vice-Chancellor Award, advised students to uphold good values and shun acts that could endanger their future.