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FG promises to implement resolutions of the CYSS with benefits for Nigerian youth

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has given the assurance that it will understudy the issues raised at the just concluded Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit (CYSS), African Region which have direct impact on the lives of the Nigerian youths for implementation
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare gave the assurance in Abuja when he declared closed the one week international event.
A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga quoted the minister to have observed that issues of advancing youth development is a multi-faceted phenomenon which requires a multi-sectoral approach as no one agency or organ of government can adequately address youth issues and challenges in any country not to talk of Africa as a Region.

This he said is why all hands must be on deck in tackling all forms of challenges that hinder the development of our productive youth, especially in the African Region.

The Minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration over the years had initiated and implemented various programmes and projects to curtail youth unemployment by engaging them in meaningful and productive ventures that contributed to socio-economic growth and development of the country.

He explained further that, the National Youth Policy (NYP) and Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP) as well as the National Youth Employment Template were all developed by the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development to respond to Youth employment in Nigeria.

Dare added that the Federal Government through the efforts of the Ministry approved N75b (Seventy-Five Billion Naira), Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) for young entrepreneurs to have access to loans at minimal interest in order to establish and improve their businesses.

“The Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development under my watch launched the DEEL initiative aimed at giving Nigerian Youth a comparative advantage and a competitive edge in the global employment demand and supply. DEEL is an acronym for D-Digital Skills acquisition, E-Employability, E-Entrepreneurship and L- Leadership.

“The DEEL initiative has equipped 200,000 youth with digital skills-basic, intermediate and advanced skill in areas such as Web design and management, software training, cloud competing, Artificial intelligence, App development, code and data processing,” Dare said.

Also speaking, the Honourable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Professor Isa Ali Pantami stated that Nigeria is committed to the development and empowerment of its Youth in the country.

That he said is the reason the present administration came up with numerous youth Programmes to empower the nation’s teeming youth populace. “These include: Digital Skill Acquisition, Cybersecurity, Web Development, Robotics, Applications Development, E- Business Management, E-Commerce/Digital Marketing, Digital Photography, Coding, among others.”

He advised the youth in the African Continent to ensure improvement in skill acquisition rather than taking pride in the acquisition of academic certificates alone without practical knowledge. “The world is moving away from certificates to skills. If you want to be relevant then improve your skills with that you are set to compete globally”, Pantami said.

In her remarks at the event, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen stated that her Ministry has identified Gender Based Violence (GBV) as a challenge to youth development.
Based on that she indicated that ministry is collaborating and intensifying advocacy with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders with a view to putting an end to Gender Based Violence (GBV) so as to provide African Youth the opportunity to excel in their life endeavours.

She therefore called on Commonwealth countries, and all well-meaning Nigerians to join hands in the fight against GBV with a view to particularly protect the girl child so as to ensure a healthy continent.

In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar thanked the Commonwealth Nations for ensuring the participation of their delegates at the Summit.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for agreeing to host the event and urged the youth to take advantage of the Summit to network for a better African continent.

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AGOA/CBI: Okonjo-Iweala, Senator Natasha in Geneva discus trade

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At the ongoing 148th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) holding at the International Conference Centre, Geneva, Switzerland, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Senate Chairman on Local Content, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have taken time out to discuss trade

Senator Natasha who has been at the forefront of advocacy of export opportunities for Nigeria urged Dr Okonjo-Iweala to help facilitate access to global markets for Nigerian businesses, and enhance export capabilities to bolster economic growth and diversification.

She urged Nigeria to take advantage of the opportunities that African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) offer, respectively.

“It is my earnest expectation under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to see Nigeria take advantage of these export opportunities through your support and by working closely with my office as the Senate Chairman on Local Contents,” she stated.

She expressed the believe that Nigeria amid the acute dollar shortages can tap the opportunities to boost its non-oil exports under AGOA to earn the much-needed foreign exchange for its economy.

In her remarks, the WTO Director-General lauded Senator Natasha for her valuable contributions and promised to look into her recommendations.

She also assured her readiness to collaborate with the Kogi lawmaker for the greater good of Nigeria, especially in the area of trade and commerce.

AGOA, a US trade initiative established in 2000, allows African nations to export various products, especially non-oil goods, to the United States on favourable terms, thereby promoting economic development and trade on the continent.

It has been a crucial lifeline for many African economies, offering opportunities to access the vast American market.

South Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, Lesotho, and Ghana dominated the 2022 non-oil AGOA exports, accounting for 90 per cent of the total non-oil AGOA exports in 2022, with Nigeria missing on the list.

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Obi tackles AG over insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians

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The Labour Party’s standard bearer in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has callout the Accountant General of the Federation over his insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians for staging a Workshop in London
He described the action as the highest level of insensitivity of the office in the face of the economic reality in the country.

Obi said Nigerians must resist and denounce such recklessness which he describef a clear a show of feelinglessness

Writing on his X handle on Saturday Obi said “Nigerians must vehemently denounce and condemn the decision of Nigeria’s Accountant-General’s Office to hold a workshop in London. This decision is not only unacceptable but also deeply troubling on multiple levels.

“Given the prevailing hardship in the country and the pitiable State of our national currency, any public function abroad amounts to insensitivity on the part of the government and any agency or individuals involved.

“First and foremost, it represents a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility and prudent expenditure of public funds. At a time when Nigeria is grappling with economic challenges, including inflation, currency devaluation, and a widening budget deficit, it is utterly irresponsible to squander taxpayer money on extravagant overseas workshops. The resources allocated for such purposes should be directed towards addressing pressing domestic needs, such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation.

“Furthermore, holding a workshop in London sends the wrong message to the Nigerian people and the international community. It perpetuates the perception of government officials indulging in luxury and extravagance at the expense of the common citizen. It fosters a culture of elitism and detachment from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, who struggle daily to make ends meet amidst rising living costs and limited access to essential services.

“Moreover, there are serious questions regarding the necessity and effectiveness of conducting a workshop abroad, particularly in a city as expensive as London. Nigeria is home to numerous highly qualified professionals and experts who are more than capable of providing the required training and expertise. By outsourcing such activities to foreign countries the government not only undermines local expertise but also fails to leverage the wealth of knowledge and experience within its borders.

“Additionally, holding a workshop in London raises concerns about transparency and accountability in government procurement processes. There must be full disclosure and justification for why London was chosen as the venue, as well as how the selection of vendors and contractors was made. Any hint of impropriety or favouritism in awarding contracts for such events must be thoroughly investigated and addressed.”

He cocluded by saying that a new Nigeria is possible.

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Beam searchlight on INEC Chairman over Election Funds, ex – IPAC Chief urges EFCC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commision(EFCC) has been urged to investigate the national Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakub, over his handlung of the funds released for the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

A former National Legal Adviser of the Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) , Barrister Chukwudi Ezeobika who made the call in Abuja on Tuesday, said many Nigerians, especially youths were displeased with the conduct of the 2023 general elections by the INEC.

Ezeobika, explained that mass exodus of youths out of the country shortly after the election was due to poor performance of the INEC.

He insisted that the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood “has remained the main reason why the Nigerian youths, have completely lost hope in the entity called Nigeria and have resorted to leaving the country in droves (JAPA Syndrome).”

In the statement, Ezeobika said that Prof. Mahmood, and the electoral body’s commissioners at the national and state levels “have not only destroyed the future of many youths in Nigeria by remaining partisan in the conduct of elections but has consistently, wilfully and deliberately misled the electorate on its programmes and schedule for elections since his appointment as the Chairman of INEC.

“From its bold supervision of parallel party primaries across the States of the Federation to its declaration of false and or unpopular Candidates as winners of elections and party primaries in Nigeria, the recklessness of the electoral umpire under Prof. Yakub Mahmood can not be overemphasized.

“The misinformation to and false education of Nigerians by Prof. Mahmood Yakub-led INEC on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which is an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters simultaneously as well as iReV which allows members of the public to create personal accounts and monitor uploaded results, increasing the transparency and integrity of the electoral process, has remained the greatest scam and falsehood in the history of elections in Nigeria.

“The cost of the inadequacies, inept and incompetence of Prof. Yakub Mahmood, in the discharge of his duties as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, can not be overemphasised.

“From personal costs on litigation to Nigerians (Nominees and Candidates alike), which runs into several billions of Naira yearly, due to their participation in the primaries and elections monitored and conducted by INEC, to the huge financial burden on taxpayers money budgeted yearly by the Nigerian government in prosecuting civil and criminal cases which stem from the unwholesome activities of the electoral body in the discharge of its constitutional duties, it is now evidently obvious that the continued retention of Prof. Yakub Mahmood, as the Chairman of INEC in Nigeria, is not only insulting but acutely reprehensible.

“In view of the foregoing, I call on the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede to redeem the corrupt and battered image of the electoral system in Nigeria by promptly investigating billions of taxpayers’ money budgeted and released to INEC under Prof. Yakub Mahmood for the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

“I call on the Commission to further investigate personal financial activities of Prof. Yakub Mahmood, as well as that of the Commissioners under him since their appointments

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