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Tag: youths

  • Protest in Akwa Ibom over oil spill

    Protest in Akwa Ibom over oil spill

    Youths from Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Ibeno Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State yesterday protested the oil spill from Mobil Producing Nigeria, operator of Qua Iboe Terminal, which affected their communities.

    The oil spill affected Nkpana; Inua Eyet Ikot and Esuk Ikim communities in Ibeno Local Government Area.

    The youths during the protest carried placards with various inscriptions.

    They marched on major streets in Eket, asking the Federal Government to come to their rescue.

    The protesters tabled two demands before the oil giant: that a cleanup of the affected areas should be done without delay and compensation paid.

    Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Oil spill is killing our aquatics life; Federal Government should come to our rescue; Mobil is killing us; enough of this oil spillage.”

    One of the protesters, Godwin Peter, said the spill had devastated aquatic life and destroyed fishing equipment.

    Peter blamed the oil giant for being nonchalant with its host communities.

    He urged the oil giant to begin the process of clean up of the environment without delay.

    Also, some of the youths threatened to disrupt the activities of the oil giant if their demands are not met.

  • ‘Youths must empower themselves’

    ‘Youths must empower themselves’

    A non-governmental organisation, Riverside Neighborhood Network, has urged youths across the country to empower themselves, given the attitude of the government to their plight.

    The admonition was given at a conference organised by the group at Orile Iganmu, with the theme: The time bomb of poverty: the factor destroying the Nigerian system.

    A Senior Sales Specialist with Dimension Data (West Africa), Opeoluwa Osisanya, said for young people, education was important but knowledge of a particular innovation would always make a difference.

    Osisany urged the youth to change their attitude  towards poverty, urging them to work hard toward the actualisation of their goals.

    “Effort is important but knowing the right place and time to make an effort makes the difference. Education is important but your intellectual capacity will surely make the difference,” he added.

    Project Control Co-ordinator, Nigerdock,  Seyi Obasi, noted that youths could be successful even if the economy or the government failed to give them a chance.

    “I think the conference is very apt for the way our society is right now and at a time when the youths of our country almost have no direction. They need someone to show them the way, to help them know it is not the economy or the government that would make them successful. They have the capacity to create their own success stories,” she said.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Sunday Ezeamaka, said the organisation was a platform which provided solutions to problems faced by visionary youth.

  • Relief for women, youths

    Relief for women, youths

    •Nenadi Usman distributes jobs tools

    A NEW world has opened for women and youths in the southern part of Kaduna State. Many of them can now set up  businesses and no longer have to gnash their teeth in misery or beg to eat.

    They came from different parts of the eight local government areas that make up Kaduna south Senatorial district to taste of the dividends of democracy promised them by their senator, Esther Nenadi Usman, during her campaign. For some of them, it was a dream come true. For some others, it was an opportunity to earn a living without having to rely on anybody.

    The ceremony was the presentation of jobs tools to some women and youths at the Kafanchan Township stadium by Usman who represents Kaduna South at the Senate.

    She told the gathering that the distribution of the items was in fulfillment of her campaign promise.

    “The Southern Kaduna people may wish to recall that in the year 2010 during my electioneering campaigns, I promised you that if elected, I was going to give the Kaduna South Senatorial District qualitative, effective and consultative representation at the Senate,” she said. “I also promised to empower as many women and youths as possible within the zone”.

    At an elaborate ceremony which took place at the Kafanchan Township Stadium and attended by the state governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero and a host of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) top brass from Southern Kaduna and beyond, Senator Usman gave out 19 cars, 106 tricycles and 368 motorcycles in addition to welding and vulcanising machines, automobile diagnostic  machines, among others, to her constituents.

    She said the items cost N81.3 million, disclosing that 86 women and youths who benefitted from the scheme were trained by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    Sixteen beneficiaries received starter packs in interior decoration; 18 in fashion design; 18 in hair dressing; 18 in welding machines; 12 GSM repair kits; 16 electrical installation starter packs; 12 plumbing and fittings tools and 12 computer sets. In addition, about 45 cooperative societies were given N100,000 each as soft loan.

    Senator Usman who has come under serious attack from her people in recent time used the event to dismiss claims of abandonment leveled against her by a few vocal people in the area as she went down memory lane in what appeared to be a period of stock taking.

    She told them: “In the course of my campaigns, I noticed the difficulty faced by our people as a result of the inadequate and non-availability of potable drinking water, unemployment and medical challenges amongst others. Shortly after being elected, I embarked on a project and sunk a borehole in each of our 87 wards at a total cost N47.8 million. To complement my effort, the MDGs Office in 2013 sunk six additional boreholes within the zone. In December 2011, with N10 million, I commissioned a medical team that went round the zone and successfully carried out free surgery on 688 patients and purchased and installed a scanning machine at the General Hospital in Zango town of Zangon Kataf local Government Area at the cost of N1.3 Million. Students from the zone were not left out as 426 of them received scholarships of N10,000 each totaling N4.26 million.”

    She also disclosed that since assuming office, she has ensured that about 61 persons from her zone were gainfully employed both at the federal and Kaduna state civil service, while influencing various projects to the zone as constituency projects. Such projects include the N150 million library complex at the Kafanchan campus of the State University; construction of town halls at Kyeyya, Damkasuwa and Kubacha; construction of a clinic at Iddah in Kagarko Local Government ; supply and installation of three transformers at Garaje, Police Headquarters’ Barracks, Kafanchan and Kwoi towns; construction of two primary schools at Garaje-Kagoro of Kaura LGA and Jere of Kagarko LGA and supply of chairs to 4 primary Schools at Zangon Kataf Local Government, Kachia Local Government, Jema’a Local Government and Kagarko Local Government.

    A group called Concerned Realists of Southern Kaduna described the empowerment items as Greek gift. Convener of the group, John Danfulani said at a news conference days after the items were given to the beneficiaries that why the Senator represents the entire people of southern Kaduna irrespective of political affiliation, only PDP members were selected and given the items as strategies for the 2015 elections. Danfulani alleged that the Senator has not given quality leadership to the people of southern Kaduna as required.  But a southern Kaduna social critic, Bitrus Yakubu Bitiyong believes that those criticising the senator are not being fair to her at all. Bitiyong argued that since assuming office, Senator Nenadi Usman has given the people quality and proper representation and has done so much for the people. He noted that the recent empowerment programme was not the only empowerment that she has done in the last three years. He disclosed that the senator has given out scholarship to several southern Kaduna youths, provide boreholes and health facilities to her constituents. Responding to allegations that the empowerment was meant for her to return to the senate, he said “let me tell you that it will be difficult for anybody to beat Senator Usman at the moment. Anyone who wants to unseat her must come with a better manifesto than she has and I can assure you that if there is anyone with better credentials and manifesto, some of us will tell her and she will not feel bad about it”. He alleged that those criticising her are those who felt that they are not getting patronage from her. Some of the beneficiaries of the empowerment scheme dismissed the claims that they were PDP delegates. One of them who refused to disclose her name said “I am not a member of the PDP. I do not belong to any political party, but I am a southern Kaduna woman. What the senator has done is to put food on our table and we will remain grateful to her. I am short of words, but all I can say is that God will continue to bless her”.

  • A lift for women, youths

    A lift for women, youths

    Nwanosike Onu

     

    The Development Support Initiative (DSI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in partnership with Star Deep Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Chevron Nigeria Limited, has organised an empowerment programme for women and youths of Anambra State.

    The programme also had input of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and the Office of wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Ebele Obiano.

    The NGO initially proposed to train 50 people, especially women and youths in skill acquisition, but the number increased to 100 as a result of the need to empower more people to be self-reliant.

    The DSI selected some of the participants from churches.

    The training is expected to imbue in the participants enough knowledge in soap making, bakery; bead-making, shoe-making and other relevant skills that will assist them eke out a living.

    A former participant of the programme, Mrs. Queen Efutubor, told our correspondent that she used the knowledge she acquired to  train inmates of the Sapele Prisons in 2007, adding that many of them are helping their fellow inmates.

    Mrs. Efutubor said: “Some of the inmates today in Sapele in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State are into hart making, soap making and production of Izal, among others materials. She said was proud to say she trained 50 of them.”

    She further said that after she was trained in Warri, she relocated to the community to impact the knowledge on the prison inmates, adding that all of them today see her as their “Messiah” anytime she visited the prison yard.

    Another facilitator of the programme, Winifred Kwentua Aboderin told our correspondent that the students will be equipped after the exercise to expand their businesses.

    When our correspondent visited the centre, people were still trooping in begging to be registered despite surpassing the proposed number because such a thing has been lacking in the state.

    Former Governor Peter Obi’s administration had claimed it had built a centre at Agu-Awka for such programme which did not work. Today, the environment has been taken over by reptiles.

    Speaking with our correspondent, the coordinator of the programme, Mrs. Jacqueline Yemi Odiadi, said the participants will be empowered financially to start the trade they were trained in during the programme.

    She further said the programme was packaged as part of Chevron’s corporate social responsibilities (CRS) programme.

    Odiadi said that DSI had proposed to train 50 people in Anambra in line with their mission and vision of equipping women and youths for economic development and self-reliance, but had to contend with an over-flow of close to 100 participants because of the high demand in the state.

    She said: “We are here in Anambra State to do what we know how to do best, that is to train women and the youth to acquire skills.

    “We have a lot of unemployed youths; even the graduates are unemployed. We have uneducated young men, women and ladies and we equally have those educated but probably, what they studied in the university is not fetching them any meaningful livelihood.”

    “These are skill gaps we try to address and we are focused. We are here to train a minimum of 50 women and youth for this programme but you can see that in Anambra State, this kind of programme is in high demand.

    “We are determined that this programme must go on and we are going to stretch ourselves as much as we can to make sure that everybody is trained because our budget does not cover 100 people                          . “What we want to ensure is that the first 50 to register will not only be trained, but will also be given starter packs. These starter packs are to help them to start their small-scale or micro-credit businesses immediately.”

    The beneficiaries, Odiadi said, would be trained free and be assessed by the trainers upon which performers would be certified and given starter packs containing the raw materials.

    One of the participants, Mrs. Ndidi Umeh Okolie from Amichi, in Nnewi South Local Government Area told our correspondent that she had started training on sewing, soap- making and few other things.

    She said after the training, she would go to her community to train others who may not have the same privilege they had through DSI.

    Another participant, Okoronkwo Chinedum from Ihiala Local Government Area also told our correspondent that he was focusing on cake-making and other bakeries.

    All the participants at the training programme thanked God for bringing the NGO to their area.

    According to the facilitators of the programme, the vision of DSI is to eradicate poverty through knowledge-based vocational and learning programmes, even as they said their mission is to equip the Nigeria women and youth both in urban and rural areas of the country through sustainable economic, educational, social and community development programmes.

  • How to engage youths in agric

    How to engage youths in agric

     As the youth population rises and employment prospects become more limited, the development of strategies to engage young people in agriculture has become pertinent.This formed the focus of  a workshop at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. DANIEL ESSIET writes.

    After decades of neglect, the agric sector is attracting attention from both the private and public sectors not only because of its potential to solve the problem of youth unemployment but because of the increasing need for food security.

    While there is tremendous effort to  boost youth  involvement in agriculture, there is however a huge   number of bright, educated and ambitious young people who still do not find farming attractive. The challenge therefore is to make them aware of the opportunities  and provide them with entrepreneurial attitudes, skills and resources they require to move into farming.

    This formed the focus of a three-day Youth in Agribusiness workshop organised by the International Institute of Agriculture and Alliance  for  a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    The forum was essetially designed  to generate new ideas on how to engage the youths in more diverse and productive roles in agriculture and also offered secondary benefits to the larger communities.

    With almost 200 participants  from about  20 countries, including policy makers, donors – African Development Bank (AFDB), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation), International Fund  for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Alliance  for  a Green Revolution  in Africa (AGRA) and non-governmental  organisations (NGOs), it was a gathering of men and women with ideas.

    Other partcipants include CGIAR, youth groups  from different  countries, regional research organisations and  the National Agricultural Research  and Extension Systems (NARES) in Africa.

    IITA’s Director–General, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, set the tone for the gathering when he reiterated the importance of the idea of engaging the youth in agribusiness as one of the ways to solve the high rate   of unemployment   and contribute to enhancing food security in Africa.

    He described unemployment as a  time  bomb waiting to  explode, warning that the socio-economic  implications of such an implosion may be difficult to contain in Africa.  Therefore, he enjoined all to brainstorm and come up with solutions on how African countries   could engage and integrate the youth into agribusiness and financially support the programme.

    The Director, Agriculture  and Agro Industry Department, Dr Chiji Ojukwu stressed that holding the interest of the African youths  and women in agribusiness development is crucial if Africa is to meet the growth target of six per cent under the Comprehensive  African Agricultural Development (CAADP) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

    The workshop, he noted, would not have come at a better time than now, given the high level of unemployment among the youth and women in various African countries.

    “Some of the highest rates on the continent are in Southern Africa, where  51 per cent of young women and 43 per cent of young men are unemployed,” he said.

    Recent information, he  said indicates that the youths have the potential to increase the delivery of the transformational impact expected of a project such as Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SDRC-SC) and that IITA’s youth in agribusiness model has demonstrated this over the past 15 months.

    According to him, IITA’s Youth in Agribusiness team have been successful in the multiplication and wide dissemination of improved crop varieties under the SARD-SC project. Ojukwu, said the bank was pleased to be associated  with IITA ‘s initiative to advance  youth employment  in agriculture and agribusiness in Africa, “because  unemployment  in general, and  youth unemployment  in particular, is becoming  a serious  challenge to African countries, development planners  and  institutions.”  Thus, Ojukwu  believes that  such an initiative  aimed at harnessing, exploiting  and channeling  opportunities  to enlist and hold  the interest  of the  youth  and women in agribusiness development  is  crucial  if Africa  is to  meet  the agricultural  growth  target  of six per cent  under  the CAADP and the poverty  reduction  target of  eradication  of  extreme poverty and  hunger  under the MDGs. Thus, he  said the  foresight  and thoughts of IITA and AGRA squarely  tally with the mission  and vision  of the AfDB in agribusiness development  for broad based  economic  growth  and development  for  youths and women.

    He said recent information from the IITA to the bank indicated that the youth have  the potential  to increase  the delivery of the transformational impact expected of  a  project  such as the SARD-SC  and that the IITA’s youth  in agribusiness   model  has demonstrated  this over the  past 15 months. “For instance, IITA ‘s  youth  in Agribusiness Team  have been  very successful in the multiplication  and wide  dissemination  of improved  crop  varieties under the SARD-SC project,” he said, and commended the agripreneurs for their strides in agriculture.

    To  boost  agribusiness, he said the  bank has  supported  projects aimed  at  the reduction of post-harvest losses, inputs, processing and packaging techniques and marketing. In addition, it has improved  benefits for value chain stakeholders.

    According to him, the AfDB, through its investments in rural infrastructure (rural access roads, water management systems for irrigation, electricity generation/distribution and proper storage facilities); agricultural productivity enhancement through support to research; and sector capacity-building and knowledge-sharing on appropriate development policies for the sector in Africa, has helped to improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness.

    The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina said  the  government  prioritised integration of youths into agric business  through  facilities that can  improve farm  production, processing, and market linkages and incomes  which are critical for enhanced productivity along the continuum from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

    He reiterated government’s   determination to   boost the nation’s agriculture sector by accelerating the development of infrastructure.

    According to him,  the potential of the sector’s contribution to growth and development has been underexploited due to a variety of challenges, including the widening technology divide, weak infrastructure and declining technical capacity. These challenges, he noted, have been exacerbated by weak input and output marketing systems and services, and limited access to affordable credit.

    Through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), Adesina  said   the government is addressing  constraints along the entire value chain, focusing  on human capacity building in agribusiness, facilitating  the formation/development of more efficient production clusters geared towards establishing a reliable supply of the commodities (rice, cassava and sorghum) to industries.

    He said increasing youth productivity in agriculture is critical for sustainable development and poverty reduction.

    He said  the government was determined to improve  capacities across the  agricultural value chain, entailing  all the activities from the field to the fork, and encompasses the steps from primary production, processing, storage, transportation, and marketing/export to consumption of commodities.”

    Adesina  pledged $500,000 to support the IITA programme on engaging the  youth in agribusiness.

    Addressing the workshop, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof Buba Abubakar, represented by Director, Gender & Youth in Agricultural Research and Innovation, Mrs Deborah Ogbede  said youth employment  was  of great concern to the continent and Nigeria in particular.

    To this end, he  said the Federal Government has introduced many interventions and among which is the  ATA aimed at job creation and poverty reduction.

    Having recognised the role of youths, he said ARCN  is committed to their  engagement in agriculture and is providing quidance, training, extension and career development  through the 15 national agricultural research institutes and the 11 federal colleges of agriculture.

    Further, he said the council intends to have a core of young professionals who can be given mentorship and career development  as well as  an entrepreneurship/agribusiness development scheme for youths to be empowered in agriculture.

    At the event, Dr Namanga Ngongi, a member, IITA Board of Trustees  gave the keynote address, Dr. Awa Bamba, Advisor to the Special Envoy on Gender, AfDB,  delivered a paper titled: AfDB’s Gender strategy and  the Implications for the youth engagement programme. Ministers of Agriculture from Guinea Conakry, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, DR Congo sent good will messages.

  • Corps member lifts widows, trains youths

    Corps member lifts widows, trains youths

    Residents of Etioro in Akoko South-West of Ondo State have praised Godwin Afiene, a corps, for donating materials to widows in the community.

    Godwin, who is serving at the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), also organised skills acquisition programme for youths in the community and donated two first-aid boxes and exercise books to indigent pupils.

    Speaking after the presentation of the materials, the community head, Chief P. A. Adewumi, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, said: “Many corps members had served in this community, but this is the first time a corps member has done these remarkable things.  Godwin has impacted on our community positively. We are happy and we appreciate you.”

    He also lauded the skills acquisition programme of the corps member, saying the gesture had encouraged the youth and added value to their lives.

    Godwin thanked God for inspiring him to contribute to the development of the society, expressing determination to continue to make meaningful impact on humanity.

  • Why Ogboinbiri youths are angry

    Why Ogboinbiri youths are angry

    Charles Berebo is the Secretary, Ogboinbiri Youth Association. Seun Akioye met him. 

    The youths have been agitating for employment from the oil company, for how long has this agitation been going on?

    It has been more than a decade, since their operation started in Ogboinbiri; we have been agitating for employment from AGIP Oil Company. At the beginning, they said we didn’t have the skill and education, so our people went to school; we have graduates and Masters Degree holders now. We thought it will be easy to get employment now, but none of our resumes has been taken. Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. If you look at this area, no Ogboinbiri indigene is doing oil bunkering; the oil company has smooth operations here. So what have we gained for ensuring they enjoy peace? Ogboinbiri people are very angry, even as I speak, I am very angry.

    Apart from that we are also suffering environmental hazards as a result of the activities of the oil company. There are sicknesses that we never had before the oil exploration but which is now commonplace. Our rainwater is not clean; the spillage has affected the atmosphere. You will see that if they put off the flare and try to put it back on there will be terrible black smoke covering the sky above the community. So many times we are afraid, so we say AGIP should find a way to give us some health infrastructure so we don’t perish from the flare but none has been done.

    How often does the company put off and on the gas flare?

    It’s not often, but when they do, you will see black smoke in the sky and it takes about five hours to clear.So they flare the gas all the time? Yes, it doesn’t ever go off, even when it rains they continue to flare it.

    Gas flaring has been condemned all over the world because of the serious health impacts to the host communities and its impact on global warming, what has been the health effects of that in Ogboinbiri?

    Actually, they have not built any good hospital for us, the cottage hospital we have is empty, no doctor, no equipment, we are just suffering, and that place is a disgrace.  You must go and see it.  The hospital was dumped there. We have called for them to equip the facility but they refused. Any small sickness, we have to charter a boat to take the person to Amasoma or Yenagoa and sometimes before we get there, the person has died.

     Really?

    Yes that is what is happening in this community. That is why we are very angry, even child birth complications we have to travel to Yenagoa.  We want a situation where this hospital will be standard so that it can also serve other communities along this coast. Our community is one of the largest around here. Sometimes the babies also die, that is what we have been facing in this community. So what has the community benefitted from being host community?

    The only benefit from the oil company is this light that is all and this long pavement which can happen anywhere. What efforts have you made to get the attention of the oil company?

    Let us go back to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed around 2005. Now it has expired for more than two years and we have been asking that we renew it, but the oil company refused. They said they must finish the pilling work they are doing on the shore line before they sign and it is not supposed to be like that. We know there was a contractor handling that work but it has stopped now. The contractor said AGIP refused to pay him. So is that a ploy by the company to delay signing the MOU.  How should the blame be laid upon the community?

    What is your message to the government?

    We want the government to hear our plea. We expect them to be by our side, it is because of how peaceful we are that this company is able to work. When there is spill, the company will abandon us, even the gas flare causing sicknesses. We want employment; AGIP is not even paying the community, nothing at the end of the month as welfare to our people.

  • Huawei to train 10,000 youths in Nigeria, others

    Chinese telecoms equipment vendor, Huawei, has promised to train 10,000 youths in Nigeria and other African countries over the next five years, saying the future of the continent lies in arming the youth with the requisite information communication technology (ICT) skills.

    Its Global Vice President, Mr. Charles Ding, said this is a further demonstration of the commitment of the firm to the continent and strengthening of the bond between China and Africa.

    He said: “Huawei is committed to developing its business in Africa where our commitment will create mutually beneficial opportunities and win-win outcomes. Africa and China have enjoyed a strong relationship that has seen extensive cooperation in political, economic, and cultural areas. Africa has an open and inclusive approach to international trade relations, which has created a sound business environment for Huawei’s development in the region.

    “Huawei considers Africa to be one of its most important strategic growth markets. By localising our operations, we can better understand the needs of the market and improve our overall capabilities. We’re proud to have an opportunity to play an important role in Africa’s modernisation. We are also committed to creating more jobs; promote ICT industry growth and development in Africa.”

    The presentation made by the firm at the The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, on Forging inclusive growth, creating jobs  showed that the firm employs over 7,100 staff in Africa and also created 12,000 jobs through procurement and outsourcing services.

    Ding said the future development of ICT industry is predicated on factors such as planning and innovative technologies.

    He said: “The future development of the ICT industry is reliant, including, effective planning, innovative technologies, and sufficient investment. The successful implementation of these three strands will improve the competitiveness of the industry and promote the development of the digital economy.

    “Huawei is committed to our work in Africa and to our support of public and private stakeholders. We are confident that the future of the industry in Africa holds many opportunities and we will continue to increase our investment in the region and play a more active role in reshaping society through ICT.”

  • PRESIDENT JONATHAN: Help our youths to join armed forces

    PRESIDENT JONATHAN: Help our youths to join armed forces

    I am appealing to President Goodluck Jonathan, all our lawmakers and the people in authority in our armed forces to make it easy for our youths to join the armed forces.

    As I am writing this, I am speaking the minds of the youths of this country. And this is why my letter must be treated with importance by the concerned government officials.

    The youths of this country are not happy with the killing and kidnapping of innocent people by Boko Haram members. The recent kidnapping of the girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State has thrown most of us into sorrow.

    The solution to this insurgency is to encourage our youths to join the armed forces in order to wipe these criminals out of existence. We have the capacity to do it. We shall do it in the interest of Nigeria, our country.

    We shall, therefore, be expecting policies that will facilitate mass recruitment into the armed forces from our leaders.

     

    ThankGod A.,

    Abia State.

  • Hope as youths renounce violence in Plateau

    Hope as youths renounce violence in Plateau

    In what is termed a major breakthrough in Plateau State, youths are quitting violence and helping the state government as peace ambassadors, reports AMINU YUSUFU IDEGU from Jos

    After a long spell of crisis, youths, often seen as tools in the hands of mischief makers, are proving very crucial in sustaining peace in Plateau State. Some have found healthy means of livelihood. Some are helping to keep an eye on the neighbourhood to keep hoodlums at bay.  A good number have laid down their weapons are working with the government to track down illegal arms in the state.

    In all the research made on how to achieve lasting peace in the state, youths were always seen as the solution. How to thian down the army of the jobless among them is always an issue. One way to resolve that is preventing them from being tools in the hands of trouble makers.

    For this reason, government and non-governmental organisations have outlined several measures aimed at building the capacity of youths in the state. Over 1000 of them have got the state government’s tricycles, and about 5000 have been absorbed in the state’s internal security operations such as neighborhood watch.

    Recently, an NGO, Institute of Governance and Social Research (IGSR) in collaboration with Nigerian Stability and Reconciliation Program (NSRP) of the Department For International Development (DFID) organised a capacity building for 600 youths of the state. At the end of the seven-day training held at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Shere Hills Jos, the 600 youths denounced violence and vowed to be peace ambassadors in the state.

    The youths also said they are set to return any available arms in their possession to security agencies and will further assist security agencies in mopping up illegal weapons in  the state.

    The 600 youths drawn from Plateau Northern senatorial zone comprising of six local governments Jos North, Jos South, Jos East, Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas were camped at the Mountain School for seven days where they were trained.

    The training organised by the Institute of Governance and Social Research  (IGSR) with support from Department for International Development (DFID) was part of the ongoing peace building projects in Plateau aimed at restoring permanent peace in the state.

    The youths made their vow in a chorus, “We are the youths of our communities; we have been fighting and killing one another, but today we have resolved to stop the violence, forgive one another and become responsible citizens of our dear state.”

    Organiser and president, Institute of Governance and Social Research, Professor Isawa Elaigwu said, “The training which was titled, “Plateau Peace: Arresting the circle of violence,” is an aspect of peace building programme of IGSR.  So on behalf of IGSR, I welcome you to Peace Ambassadors Club. From now onward, you have been trained to resist every temptation to go violent.”

    He told the youths, “Please, ensure you resist being used by politicians or any other Nigerians, If you are still keeping arms in your house, please surrender them to the police, having renounced violence, IGSR will collect the arms and hand over to the police. By renouncing violence, it is a resolve not to die young.

    “As youths, you are the future of Plateau State. Senators, governors, presidents can come out of one of you here tomorrow, that is why we refer to you as leaders of tomorrow. I want to assure you that the programme to enhance your capacity will not end with this training, we will further make effort to provide you opportunity in the military and para-military. We are designing a programme to get you employed to make you contribute meaningfully in the peace building project.”

    Prof Elaigwu said, “The youths were lectured on topics that has to do with Leadership, purpose of peace building, importance of dialogue, team work, self-awareness, obstacles, challenges etc

    Programme Manager, Nigerian Stability and Reconciliation Program (NSRP), co-sponsor of the programme, Prof Ukoha Ukiwo said, “DFID has a programme to help in peace building in Nigeria, to minimise conflict escalation. Our expectation on these youths is to go back into the society and be agents of change; they are expected to positively influence their peers with the knowledge they acquired from the training. We hoped that plateau will regain its status as home of peace and tourism.

    Prof Ukiwo said, “Further efforts shall be made to ensure the youths are offered job opportunities as a way of empowering them”

    The special task force (STF) on Jos crisis, code named ‘operation safe haven’ who has been at the center of Jos crisis since it’s creation in 2010 confirmed that, “The youths of the state is the problem and solution of the state. The Commander of sector 3, Col. Charles Okoh who represented the STF Commander in the program said, “The youths of the state holds the peace in their hands, if they chose to make the state ungovernable, they have the power to do that. And if they chose to denounced violence for peace to reign, they have the power to do that. So government should not take the role of the society for granted, all efforts should be done to channeled the energies of the youths towards peace building and community development.

    STF commander cautioned the youths, “Don’t allow politicians, religious leaders, community leaders or whoever to mislead you into going violence. If imam or Pastor or Reverend send you to go and burn somebody house or kill someone in the name of religion, go back and read your bible or Quran before you belief him. Don’t be a fool in the hand of conflict merchants. Stop drug abuse, excesses alcohol and imbibe spirit of forgiveness”

    In his closing remarks, Prof Elaigwu said, “Your graduation from this training is a sent forth to preach peaceful co-existence in plateau state, a sent forth to spread love and unity and a sent forth to be peace ambassadors. You sent off as society transformers, go and transformed the society. You are sent forth to be the watchdogs of the society.”