Youths – Channels Television

Nine Key Things To Know About Jubilee Fellows Programme

A few days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP). The scheme is part of his administration’s effort to create more jobs and stimulate the economy.

The initiative which was put together in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is expected to avail jobs to about 20,000 graduates.

Here are nine other key things young people need to know about the NJFP.

12 Months Fully Paid

The NJFP is a 12-month fully paid programme designed to enhance graduates’ employability; build leadership, entrepreneurial and on-the-job skills; and expose them to real-world business environments.

Placements

Talented young Nigerians who are chosen for this project will be placed in private and public sector organisations across the country where they will be mentored by highly seasoned professionals in various fields.

Requirements

Participants should be at most 30 years old and should possess a Bachelor’s Degree from any discipline. The graduate year, however, must not be earlier than 2017.

Those interested must have completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or have a certificate of exemption from the NYSC.

Work Experience

Participants need no work experience as the fellowship is designed to help fresh NYSC graduates who often find it challenging to break into the professional world.

Other Attributes Fellows Must Have

Those who long to be a part of the programme must not be currently engaged in any employment. They must demonstrate interest/commitment in their chosen career field.

Also, they are expected to demonstrate interest/commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development. Having excellent time management and a professional attitude would come in handy. Of course, good verbal and written communication skills are very important.

What Regions Can Apply

All eligible Nigerians regardless of the region they come from can apply for the fellowship which is free of charge; no bias of tribe. This is to ensure that organisations and youth from all corners of the country can participate through merit-based selection.

How Fellows Are Connected/Paid

According to the NJFP’s official website, participating companies are connected directly to graduates to find the best young talent that Nigeria offers.

Once matched, they are able to welcome a talented and skilled young person to their team for a year, with the salary covered by the programme.

Eligibility Of Host Organisations

To become eligible hosts, organisations must provide up-to-date regulatory documentation including –

CAC Certificate of Registration

Provision of an official letter of interest detailing a clear understanding of the objectives of the NJFP and commitment to supporting the programme by accepting fellow placements.

Provision of clear descriptions of available role requirements.

Agreement to provide mentorship support to fellows through dedicated sessions with existing experienced professionals within their organisations.

Agreement to abide by the guidelines of the programme and to sign a code of conduct.”

There must also be non-discrimination policies on gender, ethnicity, religion, and disability status, as well as Policies Against Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (PSHEA).

Furthermore, the firm needs to have no criminal records or conviction or any affiliation with proscribed organisations i.e., terrorists, drug traffickers, illicit trade, child labour.

Registration And Monitoring

For the first cohort, registration/application begins 6th of September, 2021. According to the government, transparency and accountability are cornerstones of the NJFP.

The programme is equipped with a robust financial management system and internal controls to enable financial transfers to be made directly to participating youths.

There will be a team whose job it is to monitor and audit programme management, procurement and outsourcing with a unique monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure the NJFP stays accountable to its participants, partners and long-term objectives.

Plateau Attack: Youths Storm Assembly, Govt House With Victims’ Corpses

The city of Jos and its environs experienced palpable tension on Wednesday following the killing of several persons in Yelwa Zangam village in Plateau State.

Vexed by the latest assault which left many others injured on Tuesday night, a group of young persons stormed the Plateau Specialist Hospital where the corpses of victims had been deposited and evacuated them into vans.

They later proceeded with the corpses to the State House of Assembly, blocking all roads leading to the area.

Despite the address by the Speaker of the House who sued for calm, the youths were not satisfied with the response and proceeded to the Government House where the corpses of the victims were laid.

In the meantime, authorities in Plateau have summoned an emergency Security Council meeting presided by the deputy governor, Professor Sonni Tyoden, to discuss the present situation in the state.

A Brutal Attack

Several persons were reportedly killed on Tuesday at Yelwa Zangam in Jos-North Local Government Area. Sources alleged that herdsmen invaded the community at the dead of night, leaving several people – mostly women and children dead.

Many others were injured in the wake of the attack and several houses were burnt.

Channels Television gathered during a visit to the State Specialist Hospital on Wednesday that no fewer than 16 corpses were at the morgue, while the injured were receiving treatment.

According to witnesses, the corpses at the funeral parlour do not include another set of over 15 persons that were burnt in their houses and have yet to be evacuated.

A group of angry youths stormed the Plateau State House of Assembly on August 25, 2021, to protest the killing of villagers at Yelwa Zangam.

Peace Threatened?

The latest attack tends to add salt to injury and further threatens to cut the brittle thread that currently holds the peace within Plateau State.

It comes just days after Governor Simon Lalong imposed a curfew on Jos North, Bassa, and Jos South Local Government areas following an attack on Rukuba Road in Jos North.

A curfew became imperative after 23 people who were travelling from Bauchi en-route Jos to Ikare in Ondo State were killed and 23 others were left injured.

At noon on Wednesday, the Plateau State Government ordered a reinstatement of the 24-hour curfew earlier relaxed in Jos North Local Government Area.

According to Governor Lalong, the 24-hour curfew will come into force from 4pm on August 25. He said the decision is a proactive one aimed at nipping further attacks and reprisals in the bud.

It is expected that the curfew will also enable security agencies deploy their operatives appropriately to maintain security as the search for the attackers of the villagers continues.

The Governor appealed to the citizens of Jos North to cooperate with the government by abiding by the 24-hour curfew, as security agencies have been mandated to ensure that those who violate the curfew are arrested.

Lalong further noted that the 6pm to 6am curfew in Jos South and Bassa LGAs still remains in place until further notice.

“Only people on essential duties such as health personnel, journalists, fire service and para-military and others, are to be exempted from the curfew but should carry means of identification with them at all times,” the governor stated in a communique.

He called for calm, saying he is seriously grieved by the attacks and sympathises with the victims.

The governor also urged the people to show restraint and allow the government to handle the matter, lest the state experiences an implosion.

Zamfara Youths Block Highway, Destroy Vehicles In Violent Protest

Youths block the Gusau – Kaura Namoda Highway in Zamfara State in protest on May 31, 2021.

Angry youths armed with weapons have staged a violent protest along the Gusau – Kaura Namoda Highway in Zamfara State.

Eyewitnesses told Channels Television that the protesters occupied the road very early on Monday over the incessant attacks by bandits in their communities.

One of the commuters who was trapped along the road explained that the youths blocked the highway along Kurya junction and began to destroy public vehicles travelling along the road.

They condemned the unending insecurity and attacks which the people of the area have suffered at the hands of the bandits.

While the demonstration was ongoing, police operatives were said to have dispersed the protesters to ensure the free flow of vehicular movement on the road.

Residents of Zamfara have been living in fear as a result of the continued attacks by bandits on communities in various parts of the state.

One of the recent attacks was the killing of over 20 people when bandits stormed five communities in two local government areas of the state about two weeks ago.

The affected communities – Gabaken, Rigiya, Donroyi, Torawa, and Riwoji are located in Zurmi and Kaura Namoda local government areas of the state.

Addressing a press conference on April 2, the Commissioner of Information in Zamfara, Ibrahim Dosara, revealed that no fewer than 2,619 people were killed in the state between 2011 and 2019.

He added that bandits abducted 1,190 people from various parts of Zamfara in the last eight years, and over 100,000 people were displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of bandits’ activities, while 14,378 livestock were rustled within the period.

Dosara noted that the Zamfara State government has spent the sum of N970 million on payment of ransom to bandits to secure the release of kidnapped victims since 2011.

He lamented that there were more than 100 different camps and over 30,000 bandits operating across Zamfara and beyond, but the state government’s would continue with its amnesty programme for bandits as part of measures to secure its people.

Insecurity: Buhari Asks Local Leaders To Warn Youths Against Acts Of Violence

A file photo of President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on local leaders to advise the youths in their various domains against acts that can harm the country in any way.

Reacting to the attacks on communities and government facilities in parts of the country, he asked the leaders to warn the young Nigerians against being used to incite violence.

“If we attack institutions guarding us, who will protect us in future emergencies?” the President queried in a statement on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

He also condoled with all those who have lost family members due to what he described as the ‘madness’ going on in parts of the country.

As Muslims in Nigeria join their fellow worshippers across the world in preparation for the Eid-el-Fitr, President Buhari directed that celebrations should be limited due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In the statement, Shehu noted that the President would not be travelling to his country home in Daura, Katsina State for Eid-el-Fitr – a day that is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

According to him, President Buhari, his family, personal aides, members of the cabinet, and service chiefs who choose to remain in Abuja will congregate in full compliance with COVID-19 protocols at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa to observe the Eid prayers.

The presidential aide added that the celebration would be held low-key, stressing that there would be no traditional Sallah homage to the President by religious, community, and political leaders.

“As was the case last year, the President encourages such leaders to be content with modest celebrations at home in view of the pandemic,” the statement said.

President Buhari thanked the Ulama – also known as Islamic clerics – and all other religious (Muslim and Christian) leaders who have continued to pray for the wellbeing of the nation and its people.

Youths Apprehend Six Suspected Kidnappers In Kwara

A file photo of the hideout of the suspected kidnappers apprehended by youths in Kwara State.

Six suspected kidnappers have been apprehended by youths in Odo-Owa, a town in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Channels Television gathered that the suspects have been terrorising the people of the area for some time before they were intercepted on Friday.

The suspected kidnappers, whose gang leader was identified as one Ramoni, were said to have kidnapped four persons on Wednesday in Odo-Owa.

Among their victims was a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer, and the suspects demanded eight million naira as ransom before they would be released.

Sources said the families of the victims had raised and paid a sum of two million naira as ransom to the suspected kidnappers as the first tranche.

They were on the verge of paying the balance of six million naira when the youths in the area pounced on the suspects and detained them.

An eyewitness noted that the suspected kidnappers have been handed over to the security agents in the area.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara, Ajayi Okasanmi, said the command has not been officially informed about the development.

The Sector Commander of FRSC, Jonathan Owoade, also told Channels Television that the officer said to have been abducted was not from Kwara but Ekiti State, and cannot make a comment.

Umahi To Ebonyi Youths: Remove Your Minds From Politics, Succeed First

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi speaks during a meeting in Abakaliki on February 1, 2021.

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has cautioned youths of the state against indulging in politics, telling them to be successful first.

The governor gave this directive on Wednesday during an Ebonyi State #EndSARS Summit hosted by the state government in Abakaliki.

Umahi said, “Remove your minds from politics and succeed first. Those who are manipulating politics are the wealthy men and women.

“That man that made every one of us be a councillor, go and find out his situation. Has he made any progress? The answer is no.

“I hear government should provide jobs. Let us even say jobs are provided, N30, 000 minimum wages. In one year, it is N360, 000. What are you doing with that?”

The governor said he is under pressure by the people in his village, noting that his predecessors had employed people from their villages while being at the helms of affairs in the state.

He told the youths that his decision not to follow the path of ex-governors of Ebonyi State was not impoverish the people who he said were the future leaders.

Governor Umahi recalled that while he served as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, the executive members of the party were business people.

“You can only give what you have. Some of you run after the politicians, some of them never went to school. Some of them have nothing to offer, they brainwash you.

“You become their thugs, their families are overseas. It is our own, what are you doing at a party? A party you know in Ebonyi State is me,” he added.

The governor also charged youths in the state to remain steadfast in the pursuit of their dreams.

The event brought together youths from the 13 local government areas served as an avenue to inculcate right values that aim to make them better citizens.

Nigerian Leaders Should See Young People As Assets, Says Mohammed

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, speaks during a visit to the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja on November 17, 2020. Photo: Twitter- @NGFSecretariat.

It is important for Nigeria’s leaders to see young people as assets or else they will not eventually have a peaceful retirement.

The Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, gave the advice on Tuesday when she visited the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), as part of her tour of some West African States. including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Chad, and the Niger Republic.

A statement from the NGF Secretariat spokesperson, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, noted that the advice was in reaction to the #EndSARS protest in some parts of the country.

In her response to pleas by the governors for assistance from the UN, Mohammed said the organisation does not write cheques but creates an environment for those who have the cheques to do so.

She, however, commended the governors for the mature manner in which they handled the demonstrations, although she regretted that some ugly influences eventually contaminated the protests.

Welcoming the DSG to the secretariat, NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, listed some of the challenges of governance in the country and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected Nigeria’s economy.

He stated that while the virus hit Nigeria later than other countries, its impact has been ravaging with over 64,090 confirmed cases and 1,154 deaths.

Other impacts, the governor noted, included the fall in oil prices, contracting tax base, loss of sources of livelihood, unemployment, youth restiveness, increasing inflation rate, worsening exchange rate, and decline in productivity due to necessary lockdown measures initiated globally and nationally.

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, pose for a photograph with Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Governor Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), and Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo), at the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja on November 17, 2020. Photo: Twitter- @NGFSecretariat.

Governor Fayemi explained that as a responsive group, members of the NGF worked collaboratively, co-opting ideas and welcoming support from critical stakeholders, including partners and the private sector.

“In the wake of the pandemic, we worked with the Federal Government to ensure the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Presidential Task Force (PTF), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development got all the support they required in delivering swift containment measures,” he told the DSG.

He added, “At the National Economic Council (NEC) level, we developed a COVID-19 response plan encompassing health, economic and socio-economic, immediate to medium-term measures needed to combat the virus and its impact.”

The NGF chairman said the pandemic compelled governors to see the “need for retooling ourselves on how best to become accountable to the electorate.”

Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, and his Imo State counterpart, Governor Hope Uzodinma, attended the meeting in person while many others joined by zoom from their respective states.

President Buhari Calls For More Youth Inclusion In Agriculture, Says It Will Boost Economy, Earnings

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged agencies involved in agriculture to further streamline their priorities to include more youths in driving modern methods of farming.

He also gave an assurance that an enabling environment will be created for full participation for all those interested.

The President made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of the National Young Farmers Scheme, designed by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to spur more youth interest in farming, the President said agriculture remains the backbone of the Nigerian economy, being the largest contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“We will do more to expand, modernize and revolutionize our agriculture, which is our most important asset,” he was quoted to have said in a statement signed by media aid, Femi Adesina.

“I have directed that all NALDA’s abandoned farm estates be retrieved to enable thousands of our young men and women to be engaged in farming. This Administration will be achieving agricultural mechanization through this scheme and I am confident that Nigeria under my watch, we will achieve food security in producing most of what we eat. In good harvest years we may even export our surpluses and earn foreign exchange.”

President Buhari also noted that the resuscitation of NALDA will make Nigeria food sufficient and in a few years, the country will begin to earn more revenue from exports of agricultural commodities.

“By virtue of my passion and desire for agriculture and also as a farmer myself, I am directly supervising NALDA as an authority under the Presidency.

“I am asking the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and State Governments to give full cooperation to NALDA in its activities. With the success of Anchor Borrowers programme spearheaded by the Central Bank of Nigeria and new programmes to revive cotton, palm products and cocoa, the next few years will see a vast difference in our agricultural performance.”

The President said all the necessary approvals that NALDA requires for effective take-off, beginning with areas of adequate land preparation for crop farming and livestock rearing, had been given, charging the Executive Secretary/CEO of NALDA and his team to continue to live up to expectations and increase their activities in local communities.

“I am told that, so far, 4,333 families have benefited from this scheme and it is expected that many more individuals and families will benefit as the programme is rolled out.

“I now flag off the National Young Farmers’ Scheme. It is my expectation that the Scheme will take in young Nigerians, graduates and non-graduates alike, and be part of this Government’s effort to reduce unemployment and contribute to the regeneration of agriculture and our economy.”

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who was present at the event, commended the President for what he described as his steadfastness in repositioning the agricultural sector since coming to office.

He further noted that there was a need to encourage agricultural agencies, like NALDA, to work closely with the research institutions in Nigerian universities.

On his part, the Executive Secretary/CEO of NALDA, Mr Paul Ikonne, said the discovery of oil in the country hampered the growth of agriculture and increased poverty in rural communities, assuring the President that the concerted effort to revive interest in farming will tackle poverty and create wealth.

Ikonne said the resuscitation of NALDA after close to 20 years of abandonment will go a long way in reducing unemployment in the country, especially among the youth.

“Our focus is to engage 1,000 farmers from each of the 774 Local Government Areas, thereby creating 774,000, direct employment annually,” he added.

Goodwill messages were given by a representative of the Young Farmers, Fatima Usman Musa and Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Jesper Kamp.

Governors of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni; also participated in the event.

Buhari Receives UN Deputy Secretary-General, Asks Youths To Keep The Peace

We Will Surely Leave A Better Nigeria For Future Generations – Buhari — (File) President Muhammadu Buhari speaks in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerian youths to keep the peace, saying that it is in their own interest to do so.

The President made the call on Monday while receiving the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and ex-Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“It is in the interest of the youths to keep the peace. They want jobs, infrastructure and development,” President Buhari said.

“I have sent a team led by the Chief of Staff (Professor Ibrahim Gambari) to go round the country, talk to traditional rulers, who will then talk to the youths. The views of the youths have been heard.”

Reacting to the recent #EndSARS protest that led to the destruction of lives and properties in the country, President Buhari said: “Our own generation is on the last lap, we are exiting.”

While noting that the current administration inherited severe infrastructural deficits, Buhari explained that the Federal Government is doing its best within the available limited resources on the ground.

He also lamented the devastating effect of COVID-19 on the global economy, adding that the pandemic has destroyed lives and livelihoods around the world.

On climate change, President Buhari said Nigeria was concerned about the recharge of the Lake Chad, which has great implications on security, irregular migration, and livelihoods.

On her part, the Deputy Secretary-General said she was on a courtesy call with her team over challenges that concern the UN, particularly COVID-19, climate change, security, and humanitarian responses to the diverse challenges.

FG Addressing Concerns Of Youths On Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed speaks in Ilorin, Kwara State on November 6, 2020.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said the Federal Government is addressing the concerns of the Nigerian youths on job creation, poverty alleviation among others.

He disclosed this on Friday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, adding that the government’s commitment necessitated the creation of the National Youth Fund.

“Before the EndSARS protest, the Federal Government on its own has been addressing the concerns of youths, especially in the areas of job creation and poverty alleviation,” he said.

“This is why the Federal Government set up the National Youth Fund. The National Youth Fund is a N75billion fund which is meant to give opportunities to our younger elements to actualise their aspirations.

“This N75billion fund is part of the N2.3trillion Economic Sustainability Plan to cushion the effect of COVID-19.”

Speaking further, the Minister also listed other interventions of the Federal Government in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

One of these, he stated, is the setting up of the Micro Medium and Small Enterprises Survival Fund on owners of small businesses.

Governors Attribute Youth Restiveness To Social, Economic Inequality, Agree To Tackle Issue

A file photo of members of the NGF at a meeting in Abuja in January 2020.

It is clear that the agitations by young Nigerians are attributable to social and economic inequality in the country.

This formed part of the resolutions reached by members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the meeting held on Wednesday.

As part of measures to reduce restiveness among the youths, the governors agreed to adopt the guidelines to be developed and issued by the Sub-Committee of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Engagement, at both the state and regional levels.

The meeting focused on the fallouts of the #ENDSARS protests, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other issues affecting the country.

The governors also resolved to engage with traditional and religious leaders, as well as various civil society organisations to drive a common agenda and generate the required support for security agencies in ensuring the safety of all citizens.

Following the looting which trailed the protest, they commend CACOVID for presenting the true situation of what transpired regarding the distribution of palliatives in the states.

The governors also agreed to enlighten the people about the various palliatives provided by the states, including cash transfers, food items, medical supplies, and tax incentives given to individual taxpayers and businesses.

They asked members of the forum to direct their commissioners of finance to sign the Subsidiary Grant Agreements of the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme, with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning to give effect to the principles and objectives of the programme in their states.

Shortly after the meeting began, the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, briefed his colleagues on the #ENDSARS protests, the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of Horasis: The Global Visions Community, and the partnership of the NGF with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Godwin Obaseki (Edo) also gave updates and made presentations at the meeting.

Read the full text of the communique issued at the end of the meeting below:

We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, deliberated on issues affecting the country, particularly on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallouts of the ENDSARS protests.

The NGF Chairman provided the following updates:

The ENDSARS protests and emphasising that the security situation in the country remains a priority agenda for Forum members across board;

The meeting on Friday 30th October 2020 with Mr President together with the leadership of Horasis the Global Visions Community conveying to members that the partnership with Horasis is envisaged to create a long-term strategic framework for Nigeria to be the African home for Horasis Annual Meetings in addition to establishing the Horasis – Nigeria Economic Development Council to assist the Government in the actualisation of its economic development goals.

The partnership of the NGF with the Nigerian Stock Exchange to organise a virtual event on the 17th of November 2020 with the support of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) and other strategic partners in the country’s infrastructure financing space.

This event will discuss the entryway for privatisation in the development and performance of state economies.

The Forum also received the following updates and presentations:

The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, provided a brief on steps taken by the governors of the 19 Northern States to address the fallouts of the EndSARS protests.

The Vice-Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, provided an update on the work of the National Economic Council Sub-Committee mandated to engage with youths, civil society organisations, religious, political and traditional leaders with the objective of framing a new security and stability architecture for the country.

This NEC Sub Committee was set up following the NEC Emergency meeting which held on Monday, 26th October 2020.

The Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Chairman of the NGF Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 raised concerns about the current low testing numbers in the country, especially in the light of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases globally.

State governors were enjoined to increase their testing capacity in all local governments to help prevent the start of a second wave of the pandemic in the country flowing from imported cases from abroad.

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki provided an update on the status of the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme.

The assessment of states’ amended budgets published at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has been completed while the verification exercise for the implementation of tax relief programmes in all states is underway.

The governor enjoined all state governments to immediately direct the signing of the new SFTAS Subsidiary Grant Agreement to give effect to the principles and objectives of the new additions to the program.

Thereafter, members of the Forum Resolved to:

Engage with traditional, religious and civil society organisations to drive a common agenda and generate the required support for security personnel who play a vital role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all Nigerians;

Adopt at both the state and regional levels guidelines to be developed and issued by the NEC Sub-Committee on Engagement to reduce restiveness among young people as it is clear that these agitations are attributable to social and economic inequality in the country;

Commend CACOVID for presenting the true situation of what transpired in the light of the unfortunate misperception that attended the distribution of palliatives at the state level resolving that the NGF Chair should work with the CACOVID Chairperson to address the media in addition to members speaking up in their local settings.

Educate the citizenry about the various palliatives provided by the states including, cash transfers, food items, medical supplies, and tax incentives given to individual taxpayers and businesses.

Finally, Governors are to direct their Commissioners of Finance to sign the SFTAS Subsidiary Grant Agreements with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to give effect to the principles and objectives of the program in their states.

Governor Kayode Fayemi

Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum

4th November

South-East Leaders To Implement Demands Of MASSOB, Youths In Region

Some governors and ministers from the South-East at the Government House in Enugu State on October 30, 2020.

South-east governors and other leaders in the region have agreed to implement the 10-point demands of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and youth organisations to foster lasting peace and development of the region.

The decision was taken at a meeting between various leaders and youth groups which held on Friday at the Government House in Enugu State.

Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, David Umahi, addressed reporters at the end of the meeting.

“Today, we interacted with a number of youth organisations in the South East. The communique of MASSOB in our meeting with them is quite informing and I am happy that our leaders at the federal level are here,” he said.

The governor added, “The ones our federal leaders will address immediately, they will and the ones the governors will address, we will immediately.

“And I am sure sometimes in December, working with all the committees we are going to set up to work on these demands, Mr President-General (of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo) will be able to lead select youths and some leaders to meet with Mr President.”

Political leaders from the South-East attend a meeting at the Government House in Enugu State on October 30, 2020.

According to Governor Umahi, all the issues raised in the communique of MASSOB are valid and important to ensure lasting peace in the South East and the nation in general.

Some of the demands presented to the meeting by the MASSOB leader, Uche Madu, included the emergence of a president in 2023 from the region, disarming of killer herdsmen, and creation of a new state in the South East.

They also asked the leaders to set up a youth rehabilitation and empowerment fund to address unemployment in the region and take up the alleged imbalance in the federal civil service, among other demands.

Those present at the meeting included ministers and members of the National Assembly from the South East, as well as religious and traditional leaders in the region.

Tag: Youths