Nation
Experts Advocate Railway Liberalisation, SME Support To Tackle Unemployment

Some financial experts have called on the Federal Government to implement a two-way approach to address the rising unemployment rate.
They made the call in separate interviews with The Tide’s source in Lagos, yesterday.
They said that this two-way approach include liberalising the railway system and providing greater support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
They further said that these measures would not only create jobs but also stimulate economic growth and improve overall development.
Dr Ayo Teriba, CEO of Economic Associates, emphasised the potential of railway privatisation to attract private investment and unlock employment opportunities.
He suggested that allowing multiple companies to operate in the sector would foster competition, improve efficiency and create jobs in various related industries.
”Allowing for private sector investment in the railway sector, just as it was done in the telecommunication, will unlock its employment prospects.
”Where different companies will jostle to operates in the sector, thereby creating economic growth,” Teriba said.
He noted that liberalising the railway would address the headwinds associated with hullage and people commuting across the country as well as creating jobs in the process.
In his view, Mr Chris Nemedia, a former Director, Research Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, said that the SMEs remained important in job creation and economic development.
He said that the government needed to invest in infrastructure, provide tax incentives and focus on productive sectors, to support SMEs and encourage local production.
Also, Mr Boniface Okezie, President of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), stressed the need for improved security to attract investment and create jobs.
He called on both federal and state governments to collaborate and implement innovative strategies to address security challenges and foster a conducive business environment.
Okezie highlighted the negative impact of foreign exchange volatility on businesses.
He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take measures to stabilise the market and support the growth of the private sector.
”The volatility in the market is negating businesses engaged in importation, which is slowing down their expansion process,”Okezie said.
The Tide source reports that Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased marginally to 5.3 per cent in first quarter 2024 from 5.0 per cent in third quarter 2023.
According to the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics in urban areas, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.0 per cent, while rural unemployment stood at 4.3 per cent.
The unemployment rate increased to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 from five per cent in third quarter of 2023.
The percentage of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET Rate) was 14.4 per cent, indicating a 0.7 perbcent increase from third quarter of 2023.
Nation
Rivers Judiciary Denise Media Reports On Issuing Judgement Sacking SOLAD
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
Nation
Senate Passes Bill For Establishment Of University In Abia
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
Nation
South East Caucus Kicks As Senate Rejects Nwosu’s Immortalisation
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi