The Nation Newspaper

Tag: youths

  • Ohanaeze youths warn against campaign of calumny against Igbo leaders

    The youth arm of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, has warned against what it termed as a campaign of calumny against Igbo leaders.

    A statement signed by the National President of the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the group was watching how its leaders were being assaulted, warning that such should stop immediately.

    The statement reads: “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide has been drawn to the continuous assault on the Grand Patron of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Senator T. A. Orji.

    “We want to advise those behind the current campaign of calumny to desist from the action or we will make them face the wrath of igbo youths.

    “Senator T. A. Orji has paid his dues, having single-handedly sponsored the activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for eightyears. He has empowered Igbo youths and has sponsored over eight bills in the Senate.

    “He is a worthy leader of Igbo nation and we will not tolerate any person or persons to gang up against him. We will declare whoever does that as a persona grata in Igbo land.

    “We urge the Senator to continue to give quality representation to the people of Abia central zone and the Ndigbo in general.”

  • Mentorship seminar for youths

    Herbert O Wigwe Foundation (HOW) is set to organize leadership training for young ones in Lagos State.

    The training which is a pilot project, is tagged “Be the Best” is scheduled to hold this Saturday between 11am and 3pm and will hold in Lagos.

    The Chief Executive Officer, HOW Foundation, Ms Anthonia Ally,  while briefing newsmen in Lagos said the leadership training was designed among others to get young ones to understand their leadership skills and motivate them to bring out these roles in them.

    Explaining the reason for focusing on school children and adults, Ally said, “they are tomorrow’s leaders and if we don’t equip them today with the right education, then there is no future for us in this country”.

    Realizing the importance of education, the Foundation, Ally said, is championing the course of the youth with proper education. Her words, “education will complement whatever your passion is, hence, get the right knowledge in your various field” she said. According to Ally,  HOW believes in diversity of job description but in whatever field you find yourself, be the best, strive to be ahead of others”she said.

    A British-Nigerian motivational Speaker, Joshua Ajitena is invited to educate young ones at the event.

    Participants will be drawn from public and private schools in Lagos. The training is expected to be replicated in other geo-political zones across the federation.

    The How Foundation is a Non-Profit Organization founded by Dr Herbert Wigwe, the MD/CEO of Access Bank in January 2016.

     

  • Ex-Governor Obi rallies youths

    Ex-Governor Obi rallies youths

    Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has told youths that what they want to be in future is determined by the choices they make now.

    Obi made this remark while speaking to the youths undergoing training at the Peter Akinola Foundation in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Obi who acknowledged that the country is presently in hard times, said that rather than be discouraged, the youths should see that as a challenge for them to remain focused and make the best out of any situation they find themselves. He encouraged those being trained to take the exercise seriously and see it as a possible avenue to future greatness.

    The former governor urged the youths to form what he called “a healthy habit of self-examination, hard work and understanding of those things that make for greatness.”

    Commenting on the problems facing governance in the country, Obi called for the reduction in the cost of governance at all levels.

    “Those in authority run into trouble by spending money on frivolities that do not add to the progress of our society,” he said.

    The proprietor of the Centre and the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Akinola said the centre invited Obi because over the years he proved himself as an exemplary leader who has the fear of God.

    Other dignitaries that graced the occasion included General Theophilus Danjuma and Chief Chris Oshonkoye, among others.

  • Youths laud Fayemi on Ekiti NECO results

    Youths laud Fayemi on Ekiti NECO results

    A youth group, Progressive Youth League (PYL), has praised the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for the excellent performance of Ekiti students in the Senior Secondary School Examination results released by the National Examination Council (NECO).

    According to NECO Senior Secondary School examination released a fortnight ago, Ekiti dwarfed other states with 96.48 per cent. It was followed by Edo State with 96.31 per cent.

    The group noted that the excellent performance by the students, who were in junior secondary school, when Fayemi introduced the various education policies of his administration, has proved that sound policy in education and a conducive atmosphere for learning were sine qua non for good performance.

    The PYL, in a statement by its Southwest Coordinator, Adeoye Aribasoye, said the performance of the students vindicated Fayemi as a visionary leader whose education policies provided incentives for teachers, students and parents, and laid a solid foundation for great performances in internal and external examinations.

    Aribasoye, a lawyer, lauded Fayemi’s policy of free and compulsory education between 2010 and 2014. He said the top ranking by NECO has also proved skeptics of free education wrong. “It is reassuring to note that the brilliant results were achieved by pioneering students of the free and compulsory education policy of the immediate past administration.”

    The group, which called on the present administration to revert to some Fayemi’s policies, stated that the success recorded by the students stemmed from careful planning and incentives that had unprecedented impact on learning culture in the state.

    It listed some of the incentives instituted by Fayemi to include distribution of solar-powered laptop computer to every secondary school pupil under the ‘one laptop per child initiative’; payment of rural allowances for teachers in the rural areas; core subject allowances to teachers who teach core sciences, Mathematics and English Language, and renovation of all primary and secondary school buildings under ‘Operation Renovate All Schools (ORASE).

    “It is on record that the computer per child programme of the Fayemi administration, which provided computers for both teachers and students, was launched six months ahead of the introduction of computer-based examination by the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB).”

    Aribasoye recalled that Fayemi’s administration organised computer training and mathematics clinics for teachers, put together remedial programmes for pupils across the state local government areas, and distributed about 400 motorcycles to teachers serving in the rural areas of the state. Fayemi’s administration also  ensured that teachers benefited from the relativity pay for all categories of workers in the public service in addition to 27.5 per cent Teachers Pecuniary Allowance.

    The youth leader said PYL opposes the planned introduction of fees in public schools by Governor Ayo Fayose. The group said it  has finalised arrangements to begin a campaign to make education in primary and secondary schools free in Ekiti State.

  • Youths laud Fayemi on Ekiti NECO results

    Youths laud Fayemi on Ekiti NECO results

    A youth group, Progressive Youth League (PYL), has praised the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for the excellent performance of Ekiti students in the Senior Secondary School Examination results released by the National Examination Council (NECO).

    According to NECO Senior Secondary School examination released a fortnight ago, Ekiti dwarfed other states with 96.48 per cent. It was followed by Edo State with 96.31 per cent.

    The group noted that the excellent performance by the students, who were in junior secondary school, when Fayemi introduced the various education policies of his administration, has proved that sound policy in education and a conducive atmosphere for learning were sine qua non for good performance.

    The PYL, in a statement by its Southwest Coordinator, Adeoye Aribasoye, said the performance of the students vindicated Fayemi as a visionary leader whose education policies provided incentives for teachers, students and parents, and laid a solid foundation for great performances in internal and external examinations.

    Aribasoye, a lawyer, lauded Fayemi’s policy of free and compulsory education between 2010 and 2014. He said the top ranking by NECO has also proved skeptics of free education wrong. “It is reassuring to note that the brilliant results were achieved by pioneering students of the free and compulsory education policy of the immediate past administration.”

    The group, which called on the present administration to revert to some Fayemi’s policies, stated that the success recorded by the students stemmed from careful planning and incentives that had unprecedented impact on learning culture in the state.

    It listed some of the incentives instituted by Fayemi to include distribution of solar-powered laptop computer to every secondary school pupil under the ‘one laptop per child initiative’; payment of rural allowances for teachers in the rural areas; core subject allowances to teachers who teach core sciences, Mathematics and English Language, and renovation of all primary and secondary school buildings under ‘Operation Renovate All Schools (ORASE).

    “It is on record that the computer per child programme of the Fayemi administration, which provided computers for both teachers and students, was launched six months ahead of the introduction of computer-based examination by the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB).”

    Aribasoye recalled that Fayemi’s administration organised computer training and mathematics clinics for teachers, put together remedial programmes for pupils across the state local government areas, and distributed about 400 motorcycles to teachers serving in the rural areas of the state. Fayemi’s administration also  ensured that teachers benefited from the relativity pay for all categories of workers in the public service in addition to 27.5 per cent Teachers Pecuniary Allowance.

    The youth leader said PYL opposes the planned introduction of fees in public schools by Governor Ayo Fayose. The group said it  has finalised arrangements to begin a campaign to make education in primary and secondary schools free in Ekiti State.

  • ‘Some Gombe youths sell start-up kits’

    The Gombe State government has expressed its disappointment with youths who sell their skill acquisition start-up packages.

    Director, Planning, Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Mr. Adamu Kala conveyed the government’s displeasure when he spoke in Gombe, the state capital, condemning the attitude of some youths to their start-up kits given by the state government to enable them kick off their entrepreneurship plan.

    He said, “Consider yourselves lucky because in Gombe we have a governor who has the interest of the youth at heart. When Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo came into office in 2011, he designed two programmes for youths: empowerment and skills acquisition. Some of the youths who had undergone training on skill acquisition sold the resettlement kits given to them by government to make them stand on their own and be financially independent.

    ”Also, some of them used the money given to them to marry, others bought leisure motorcycles and did things that are completely different from what they were empowered for.”

    But in spite of the youths’ attitude, he said government was not deterred hence it was collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to teach the set of youths who were trained in 2014 and 2015 on how to access funds and start their businesses.

    Speaking further, he said, “I want those that will participate in the training to know that, this is not the kind of training they would be given money at the end.

    “Consultants will only teach you how to access funds from the banks, to start business. People from other parts of the country go to the banks and look for loans on their own just to start business. I want you to emulate them, do something for your future.”

    The Director’s admonition became necessary because the UNDP had in collaboration with Gombe state organised a two-day Access to Finance Network meeting for the 200 persons who were trained on 10 different trades during the 2014 and 2015 Youth Skills Acquisition training and Women Empowerment programmes.

    Mr. Joshua Micha, spokesperson of Restcan Consults, which is in charge of the meeting, said the difficulty beneficiaries of skills acquisition and empowerment programmes often encounter in progressing on the business terrain due to lack of funds, necessitated the access to finance training.

    “The meeting brought together beneficiaries of 2014 and 2015 of the youth skills acquisitions and Women empowerment programme and given resettlement kits to start their own business. This meeting will teach them the critical importance of access to finance for business operations, especially the Small and Medium Scale enterprises.

    “Most often, beneficiaries of such skills and economic empowerment training programmes as this find difficulty in progressing from training.

  • 100 youths trained in Taraba 

    100 youths trained in Taraba 

    The Bank of Industry (BOI) has ended its five-day job creation training exercise for Northeast youths in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

    The programme tagged Youth Entrepreneurship Skills (YES) is a job creation and youth empowerment plan run nationwide by the federal government through the Bank of Industry. In Jalingo, the closing event was organised by the African Community Bridge Foundation, a consultancy firm, on behalf of the Bank of Industry.

    The programme is aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment and poverty in the country, particularly among the youth.

    The participants, about 100, were drawn from Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba States, after they were earlier intensively trained online for twelve weeks. 10 facilitators at the training came from the Lagos Business School, adjudged to have huge experiences in their chosen topics.

    The participants were all issued Certificates of Participation to obtain loans from the Bank of Industry to begin their business empires.

    The Bank of Industry Manager for the zone, Bala Dahiru, congratulated the participants. He said the training was meant to equip the youth with the basic knowledge on how to run successful and profitable businesses cum become employers of labour.

    Dahiru urged the trained youths to justify the “high level skills” impacted onto them and as well transfer the knowledge to other youths in their various communities.

    He warned them not to consider the loans given them as free gifts but ensure they pay off the loans on time to be able to access more BOI facilities.

    “This training is designed by the federal government to give the participating youths skills in finance, marketing, sells and business laws among other fields, to enable them create jobs with small businesses.

    “The training is a federal government’s deliberate policy to create jobs through entrepreneurship skills for the teeming unemployed graduates in Nigeria.

    “And we are training you not just to be self employed but to also be employers of labour as you assess the loan and begin your businesses.

    “The loans will be refunded in three years when it is expected that your businesses must have gained grounds and become sustainable,” Dahiru said.

  • Police, youths trade blame over brutal killing of 30-year-old

    Youths in NKST Yina, Akpehe, a suburb of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have accused the Benue State Police Command of complicity in the brutal killing of a 30- year-old driver, Emmanuel Tertsegh Dia.

    The state police command denied involvement of its men in the death of Dia.

    There are, however, conflicting accounts of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased driver.

    It was learnt that operatives of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killed Dia on September 9, 2016 along Abu King Shuluwa Road at NKST Yina, Makurdi.

    The secretary of Makurdi Landlords Development Association in NKST Yina settlement, Mr Armstrong Tseaa, said: “Emmanuel Dia was shot dead at about 8:30 p.m. by men of State Anti-Robbery Squad in Makurdi.”

    A lawyer, who has taken the matter to the Human Rights Commission, Barrister Manasseh Iorsue, explained that the late driver was on his way home when SARS operatives killed him.

    He said: “After they killed him, they dragged his body into their Hilux van and took him to their station. Emmanuel Dia was very popular in the community, and (was) not a criminal. This attested to why the youths in the area are poised for a showdown with the police over the killing.”

    At press time, there was tension in NKST Yina settlement over the brutal killing of the late driver who is survived by a wife and two children.

    Sources disclosed that Dia was killed by SARS operatives in a bid to arrest a female occupant of a building in the neighbourhood.

    The landlord of the property where the incident took place, Terngu, said he was out of town when the unfortunate incident happened. He explained that a certain lecturer in the University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM), whom he declined to name, had rented an apartment for his mistress in his house.

    It was learnt that the said lecturer abandoned his wife and children and moved in with his lover, Alice, a student of the Benue State University, Makurdi.

    Terngu said: “The girl (Alice) rented the apartment on April 1, 2016 and, since then the lecturer has also been living with the girl like husband and wife. In fact, you won’t know he had another wife.

    “The wife of the lecturer came to the house to look for her husband, complaining that he had abandoned his responsibility of taking care of her and the children because of his new mistress.”

    Barrister Iorsue said: “Some men came to Alice and told her that the wife of the lecturer had given them money to kill her but requested she doubled the money in order to be spared. Alice told them she had no money but promised to look for money. She later told her lecturer friend who, thereafter, alerted the police.

    “On the September 9, 2016, men of SARS came in trucks with the lecturer and had a phone conversation with someone, who was later invited to come to the house of Alice to pick the money. One Ameh Williams appeared and was arrested. There was subsequently a gunshot and people within the neighbourhood were attracted to the scene. The SARS men ordered them to go back, and one of them opened fire on the innocent driver who was standing on a gutter.”

    While displaying the expended bullets that killed the driver, Iorsue vowed to pursue the matter and ensure that justice is served. He denied the police statement that the deceased was criminal. If he was, he noted, the community would not demand justice on his gruesome murder.

    It was learnt that Alice has since disappeared, while irate youths vandalised her apartment. The aggrieved youths said that the policeman responsible for the death of Dia, a graduate of Electrical Education from the College of Education, Katsina Ala in 2008, must account for the deed.

    The spokesman of Benue Police Command, Mr Moses Yamu, however insisted that the late driver was criminal. He said: “A case of threat to life was reported and the police went to arrest the suspects. Among those arrested was one Ameh, who has confessed and implicated the deceased, so the youths cannot turn around and say the deceased is innocent.’’

    Yamu declined to say whether the said Alice was detained or not. “I cannot tell you about any mistress or girl. All I know is that there was a threat to life, the police swung into action and some persons have been arrested. I don’t know about mistress or girl and won’t talk about it.”

  • Youths seek bright future in agribusiness

    Youths seek bright future in agribusiness

    The challenges of succeeding in farming and agro business are immense for young people. To address these, Young Professionals  for Agricultural Development (YPARD), an international movement, met in Lagos to share the know-how needed to build agribusiness  during the organisation’s 10th anniversary, DANIEL ESSIET was there.

    Chief Executive Officer, AgriHub Nigeria, Aderonke Aderinoye, is on the fast track to building a successful career in the food industry. She was one of the speakers during the 10th anniversary forum of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), which was held in Lagos.

    She left her banking job to start farming business. Today, she has a thriving business, completed an entrepreneurial training programme, and led the launch of a private farm estate. The young farmer, Aderonke, is the founder of Keeko Food Hub and AgriHub Nigeria.

    “At Agrihub, the aim is to create shared values for youths, particularly in agriculture and mentor ship through partners,” she said.

    The advantage she has is her ability to adopt technology to boost her farming. These include tracking the growth of crops as well as ensuring that the farmers adopt better agricultural practices and make every crop traceable.

    She has more than 50 acres, growing different crops. With the support of technology, she got significant achievements in agriculture. Her farming is fascinating, but it requires continuous hard-work and devotion.

    With the acquired experience, she was able to study the profile of her farms, advise on the best production method, seed treatment, integrated pest management (IPM), use of raised bed and scientific cultivation.

    For her, agriculture is not merely a profitable business, it is her vision, passion and mission. This is revealed in her words, deeds and thoughts. With her success, Aderonke also motivates several farmers to adopt the scientific cultivation method.

    To further this, her organisation has established a private farm estate in Ogun State to facilitate knowledge transfer to aspiring young farmers through access to farmers with experience. This also aids in practical knowledge and will help to boost zeal in the youth to engage in agriculture.

    Aderinoye argued the case for developing youth-led agribusi-ness to shape a better future for the country. She is determined to reach out to youth food businesses with a triple bottom line vision, and is ready to contribute to the foundation of a broader community in addition to having a great food business. Agribusiness, she added, offers valuable opportunities to youths as a pathway to improving livelihoods, job creation and economic growth. “If planned properly,” she said, “it could lift thousands of youths out of poverty.”

    She added that youths could be empowered to launch small-scale agribusiness activities and a wide range of successful ventures.

    According to her, the future is certain to be bright for youths who venture into agribusiness. With her, the promise of the sector to turn around millions of lives for the better, continues to get believers and financiers.

    Another success story is that of Samuel Kalu, the young Chief  Executive Officer of Agritechnovate Solutions Enterprises. With the encouragement from government helping farmers to diversify into agriculture. He started by growing on large acres, but the profits were minimal due to labour cost. Vegetable cultivation was his main source of livelihood, however, the declining production and income were of great worries to him. He researched and learnt new production technologies for vegetable crops.

    He acquired all relevant information concerning the cultivation of his crops. Today, he is making money from farming cucumber on one plot. From one plot of land where he invested N50,000 to plant cucumber, Kalu made N150,000. The plant takes two and half months to mature and ripe after planting. His strategy is to plant crops with huge market and demand.

    The farm has an array of agronomic practices that guarantee a year-round supply of produce for commercial purposes and household consumption.Kalu is inspiring other farmers to grow vegetable crops.The challenge for him has been lack of offtakers, or the market for the quantity of cucumbers produced on his farm.

    Kalu said there was  need for capacity building, to put youths  in stronger position to run dynamic agribusinesses and help them grow.

    He said there were opportunities in agribusiness and the government needed to develop appropriate policies for it, engage and encourage the youth.

    Kalu noted, however, that unless deliberate interventions were taken to ensure that farmers, achieve higher yields and better prices for their output, the youth will not venture into the sector despite its viability.

    He noted that youths face challenges in seeking greater participation in the agricultural sector.  The main challenges, according to him, include access to knowledge, information and education. Poor and inadequate farming knowledge, he stressed, limits productivity and as well as hinder the development of entrepreneurial ventures.

    He added, however, that some diseases may affect plants on the farm; therefore, appropriate pesticides should be used.

    YPARD Nigeria Country Representative, Olawale Ojo said there were opportunities for young professionals throughout the food and supply chain.

    Creating a positive perspective for young people exploring opportunities in agriculture, Ojo said, was essential for sustainable food supply and job creation.

    Ojo said the establishment of YPARD began as young professionals to realised that they needed guidance to achieve their full potential and contribute towards innovative agricultural development.

    According to him, the group through its activities seeks to equip youths with necessary agricultural, business and social skills, which allow them to make critical and informed decisions about agriculture, to become business entrepreneurs, and decrease the inaugural challenges of building up a viable agribusiness.

    His campaign is zeroed on young farmers to ensure that they meet the quality standards, the quantity required and a constant supply is guaranteed. In return, farmers have a stable market for their produce and at a better price.

    He appealed to young people to approach farming as a business. With employment not readily available, Ojo believes that youths can create their own employment.

    The Head, Communications, YPARD Nigeria, John Agboola,  said the youth in farming are quite different from the old generation.

    He stressed the need to empower young people to find meaningful employment in modern, dynamic, productive and profitable agriculture.

    He said YPARD Nigeria was undertaking activities aimed at creating interest in and commitment to agricultural development among the youth, through information exchange, dialogue, networking and mentorship.

    Among other issues, participants agreed on the need for model farms to enhance the attractiveness of agriculture in the eyes of youth. They maintained that a strong and resilient food system can have a transformational effect on youths by creating jobs and spurring growth in rural and urbaneconomies.

    To achieve this, youths need to adopt climate-smart, sustainable agricultural practices.

  • Why we honoured Mbu, by Cross River youths

    Why we honoured Mbu, by Cross River youths

    He is not the first senior police officer nor security personnel to have retired from service in Etung Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River State. There are several of them but we chose to honour Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Joseph Mbu (rtd) because of his selfless contributions to the growth and development of our people.

    Those were the words of the Chairman, Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) Etung chapter, Praise Eju, whose members held a reception in honour of Mbu for a meritorious 31 years of service to the nation through the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    The youth had heard that the retired AIG was planning to have his thanksgiving mass at Mary, Mother of PerpetualHelp Catholic Church in his village, Abia on September 4, and decided to fix their planned reception for him on Saturday, September 3, at Etung Council headquarters in Effraya.

    Eju who extolled Mbu for being courageous and upright, stated that they chose to honour him so that young people will emulate him in their various fields of endeavour.

    “Our decision to honour him was borne out of passion. I have never met him face to face until today (Saturday). I have been watching him on television and also keeping track of his activities as a public servant. We investigated him and we are proud that he was a fine policeman. He was incorruptible and fearless.

    “Aside his role at the national stage, AIG Mbu, we discovered has helped alot of people back home. There are so many orphaned and indigent students he has trained. Without him, most of them wouldn’t have achieved anything meaningful in life. He has empowered people from his community and always strives to make them better.

    “Is he the richest man in Etung or Abia? No! There are so many richer than him but his generosity and love for his people can’t be marched. So, that was why we believed that he’s a Prophet who deserves honour in his home town. By celebrating him, we are challenging young people from our state who find themselves in position of authority to be upright so that when they leave the office, they too can be celebrated. If they don’t do well and bring disgrace to our LGA or State, we shall stone them,” said Eju.

    At the events were former Military Administrator of Kwara State, Col. P.A.M Ogar (rtd); former Secretary to the State Government  (SSG) David Achang; Local Government Area chairman, Inok Kuti; Ambassador Obase Okongor; Chairman old Ikom Local Government Area, Dr. Egbe Ayuk, and former chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Joe Ebam.

    Inok said the local government was proud to have Mbu as their son.

    “We are proud of him. He is a courageous person. He has the typical spiriit of an Etung man in him, which is doggedness, courage and excellence. My advice to younger people is that there is just no easy way to success. It is commitment, persistence, courage, and believing in that which you want. I will like the young ones to emulate his character,” he said.