Business
FG Faults Claim Of Voting N50bn For Group
The Federal Government refuted claims of earmarking N50 billion for the Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) scheme.
Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, refuted the claim while featuring at an interview session with newsmen in Abuja.
“Let me clarify immediately that the government did not earmark N50 billion for youth enterprise; since I have resumed office day one, I have been hearing about this mystical N50 billion and I have been looking for this N50 billion. Where is this N50 billion? The point is that there is no N50 billion.
“What the president said is that we can earmark up to N50 billion to create opportunities for young people; so Ministry of Finance you can invest N50 billion that young people can access.
“Now when the YOUWIN was launched, the president said we can tap into that fund, so he didn’t say you’ll use N50 billion.
He said that the idea behind YOUWIN was to shift the orientation of young people from writing intelligent curriculum vitae, to people who could write intelligent business plans.
Abdulahi said that YOUWIN was launched to create competition around business development, stressing that young people should be encouraged to compete in order to win money that could serve as capital to start business.
He said he was excited so far with the number of young people that had applied to benefit from the scheme, adding that about 6,000 people had been shortlisted across the country.
“An initial six thousand candidates were shortlisted for training across the different geopolitical zones and these 6,000 thousand people have being trained to enable them to develop bankable business plans.
According to the minister, the process of applying in the YOUWIN programme is to go to the website and answer some questions; the kind of answers an applicant gives will determine whether he or she will be shortlisted for the second round.
Abdullahi said the maximum amount a beneficiary of YOUWIN could get is N10 million while the minimum amount is N2 million.
The criteria to get the grant according to the minister include the sustainability of the business, the profitability and the ability of the business to employ other people.
Reports say that the objective of YOUWIN is to generate jobs by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youths to develop and execute business ideas that would lead to job creation.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and other stakeholders have charted path to improved organic agriculture practices nationwide.
At a 2024 national organic and agroecology business summit held recently in Abuja, stakeholders took turn to speak on the additional areas of promoting the practices.
The Mandate Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Lawan Geidam, advocated for sustainable practice to develop resilient food systems that will benefit people.
The event, with the theme,”Towards Policies for Upscaling Organic Agroecological Businesses in Nigeria”, is aimed at fostering growth in the organic agriculture sector.
Geidam, who was represented by the Acting Director, Agric Services, in the Secretariat, Mr. Ofili Bennett, emphasised the success of organic and agroecological farming, reling on the active involvement of farmers, businesses and consumers.
He reassured attendees that the FCT Administration, led by the Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that enhance the livelihood of residents.
Geidam described the partnership between the Secretariat and the organic and Agroecology initiative for a monthly exhibition and sale of organic products in the FCTA premises as a testament to this commitment.
“The ARDS remains committed to driving policies and initiatives that align with national goals and global standards”, Geidam said.
On her part, the Chairperson of Organic and Agroecology Initiative, Mrs. Janet Igho, urged residents to embrace healthy eating habits to sustain a good lifestyle. She stressed the importance of adopting organic practices, highlighting the benefits of going organic, growing organic and consuming organic products.
Igho expressed her optimism regarding the Agricultural Revival Programmes as articulated in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, which aims at fostering food and nutrition security.
She also extended her gratitude to ARDS for graciously allocating a space in the FCTA premises for the exhibition and sale of organic products, noting that the platform has been effectively used to advance the promotion of organic agriculture in FCT.
Igho outlined several benefits of organic agriculture which includes improved soil health, increased biodiversity, availability nutritious and healthy food and a reduced carbon footprint.
Stakeholders at the summit, underscored the critical need for enhanced private sector involvement and robust capacity building initiatives for farmers.
They highlighted the importance of implementing supportive policies to foster the growth of the organic agriculture sector.
In the light of the significant challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, stakeholders decided that organic agricultural practices present sustainable solutions and a pathway for a more resilient and productive farming systems.
The three-day summit featured exhibitions showcasing organic foods, fruits, vegetables and fertilizers, providing an opportunity for residents to better appreciate the benefits of production and consumption of organic agricultural products.
