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Embrace Skill Acquisition, FG Tells Youths
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, yesterday, asked Nigerian youths to embrace the various skill acquisition programmes of the government in order to reduce restiveness and unemployment among them.
The development, the ministry noted, remained the only way designed by the Federal Government to pull 100million Nigerians, mostly youths, out of poverty in the country.
The Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, spoke at the graduation of trainees drawn from the restive North-East zone of the country at the PAN Learning Centre, Kaduna, yesterday.
She also insisted that the government alone could not provide the teeming Nigerian youths with the needed white-collar jobs.
No fewer than 150 youths were drawn from the six states in the North-East – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi – who had over the years been ravaged by the deadly activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, for the programme.
However, out of the 150 youths signed for the programme, 76 graduated.
The youths were trained in automobile repairs and were sponsored by the North-East Development Commission.
They had three months of rigorous training in various fields such as welding and fabrication, spraying and painting, vehicle maintenance, air conditioner maintenance as well as tyre and wheel balance.
Represented by her Technical Adviser in North-East, Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu (rtd), the minister expressed delight over the graduation and commended the North-East Development Commission for the initiative to train the youths in the automobile sector.
She also urged the youths to make good use of the skills acquired during the training in order to impact positively on other unemployed youths in the zone.
Shehu said, “First, she extends her congratulations to the graduands who have successfully followed the course of training which intended to upscale them to a good start in life. On behalf of the minister, I will enjoin you to please put this skill into use.
“There is no gainsaying that Nigeria is a country blessed with a large population, majority who are youths. The reality is that government cannot give every youth work. So, the best the government can do and an agency like North-East Development Commission is to make sure you are put in a position.
“While some will get government jobs, majority will have to go into private enterprise to ensure that they don’t only employ themselves but become generators of employment. That’s the reality of the situation.
“So, on that note, I must extend the appreciation of the honourable minister to NEDC for this laudable venture which thrives on the Federal Government plan to lift 100million people out of poverty.”
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, had said the commission was considering building a mechanic village for the zone in order to take the restive youths in the area from the streets and make them invaluable to the society.
Giving the rationale behind the training, the NEDC boss said, the idea of the training was to reduce the large numbers of unemployed youths in the area following the 12 years destruction of the area by the Boko Haram insurgents
He said, “The North-East is ravaged by insurgency. The commission as you know is established to assist people back to normal life.
“One of the things we normally do is to see how we can empower displaced persons. Youths as you know form a large proposition of our population, especially in the North-East.
“The zone for the past 12 years had gone through a lot of destructions, schools have been distracted, the whole place destroyed. The number of the unemployed, especially the youths are increasing and the formal jobs either from the public or private sector are becoming minimal.
“So, people should be made to be self-employed. This is why we have chosen advocacy and other career young men can do. And we thought partnering with the PAN Learning Centre in training people in various aspects of technical motor repairs can help them make a living.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.