Home Blog Page 25

We’ll enact laws that would make young people stay back in Nigeria

By
Agency Report
-
0

The Nigerian Senate has assured youth that the 10th Assembly is committed to ensuring that relevant laws that would make the country conducive for young people to remain and contribute to national development will be enacted.

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, gave the assurance on Saturday in Abuja at the 2024 Conference & 6th National Discourse organised by the Companion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it is an association of Muslim men in businesses and other professions.

NAN also reports that the theme of the conference was: ‘Between Patriotism & Self-Preservation Dilemma of the Nigerian Youth: Challenges at Home, Uncertainties Abroad’.

He said the theme of the conference aptly captured the ethical dilemmas confronting the Nigerian youth, whose skewed mindset was not allowing them to appreciate the value and true essence of being proudly Nigerians.

Barau, who is the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said both the legislature and the executive arms of government were working together to create opportunities for the youth to reach the zenith of their potential in life.

He said, ” Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that the 10th National Assembly under our great leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio is committed to enacting relevant laws that will make Nigeria conducive for our youth.

” This is with a view to ensure that they (youths) remain here and contribute to national development.

” I will also ensure that given my position as the first Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, we shall have seamless legislation that will promote the socio-economic well-being of the people of our sub-region, especially the youth.”

Barau commended the organisers of the conference for creating such an auspicious platform for sharing ideas that would advance the course of national values and development.

He said, ” You couldn’t have targeted a better segment of our society than the Youth, who are leaders of today and tomorrow.

”This is because of their enormous talents, energy, creativity, courage, industry and dedication to whatever they believe in.”

On his part, the Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Wisdom, said President Bola Tinubu was doing everything possible to provide a conducive environment for every citizen to thrive.

He also said that Tinubu’s administration had initiated many programmes aimed at creating opportunities for the youth to be gainfully engaged.

Wisdom said some of the initiatives were the Youth Investment Fund, and the National Youth Development Bank, among numerous others.

Also, the Chairperson, Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCom), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigeria had witnessed a significant spike in the emigration of its citizens, particularly among the youth.

She said, ” This trend reflects a profound dilemma faced by Nigerian youth: the tension between patriotism and self-preservation.”

Dabiri-Erewa was represented by Abdulrahman Terab, Head, Technology, Transfer and Innovation (TTI) Department of the commission.

She said: ”The Nigerian youth were at a crossroads, torn between a deep love for their homeland and the urgent need for personal survival abroad.

” This glaring reality is fueled by the vivid contrast between Nigeria’s immense potential and its current challenges.

” The case of a large exodus of youth, popularly known as the japa phenomena, to the shores of other countries for better standards of living, paints a sad picture.

” This dual dilemma requires our urgent attention and collaborative action.”

On his part, the National Amir of the Companion, Kamil Olalekan, said it was estimated that Nigeria loses approximately $10 billion annually to brain drain.

He called on all public officeholders to be at the vanguard of national patriotism by prioritising the production and consumption of Made-In-Nigeria goods and services to boost youth employment and empowerment.

” In this way, the abundant talents, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our youth will be unleashed to benefit the country.”

Refugee athlete Cindy Ngamba says her medal would create a pathway of inspiration for others

By
Admin
-
0

Olympic boxer Cindy Ngamba, who made history by clinching an Olympic medal as a refugee athlete, believes her win would create a pathway of inspiration for other refugees to achieve success in life.

“It’s going to end and there’s going to be a light at the end of the tunnel,” Ngamba said in Paris on Friday.

The 25-year-old originally from Cameroon offered hope for the Refugee Olympic Team that was created to call attention to the plight of refugees across the world.

Ngamba’s victory at the Paris Games comes after a fierce bout with French boxer Davina Michel in the women’s 75-kilogram quarterfinals in front of a passionate French crowd.

Ngamba, who screamed and pumped her fist when she won, scored a bronze medal.

She faced Atheyna Bylon, who ensured that Panama would get its fourth-ever Olympic medal with her own win shortly after.

“It means the world to me to have qualified for the Olympics and have come out on top with a medal,” she told the Associated Press. “I’m just one millions of the refugees out there. “

She was a flag bearer for the 37 athletes making up the biggest Refugee Olympic Team since the idea was born ahead of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The International Olympic Committee created the team as a way for displaced athletes and migrants to participate fully in the Olympics without help from national federations.

Ngamba moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 11 and said she was granted refugee status in 2021 because she could have been imprisoned for being gay in Cameroon.

She has said boxing has been her escape from the chaos — it’s also lifted her up to the international stage.

She told reporters that she struggled when she first moved to the U.K., going from a bubbly kid in Cameroon to an introvert as she learned English and adapted to her new home.

While some of the athletes on the refugee team have already won Olympic medals for their countries in past Games, Ngamba was seen as the team’s best chance at medaling in Paris.

The success of Ngamba and other athletes on the refugee team comes at a time of record migration and as 100 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes.

The Refugee Olympic Team has nearly quadrupled in size since its debut.

The refugee team was among the first Olympic delegations to cruise along the Seine River in the opening ceremony.

She said that her win shows that through “all the obstacles and tragedy” refugees go through, “you can achieve anything. you can achieve so many things in life.”

“Through so many pathways that I’ve gone through in life, I hope every refugee all around the world can see my story.”

AP

Elumelu challenges Federal Govt to reveal the identity of those behind crude oil theft in Nigeria

By
Salli Raymomd
-
0

Nigeria’s reputable banker and the Chairman Heirs Holding, Tony Elumelu, has challenged the Federal Government and security agencies to reveal the identity of those stealing the nation’s crude oil.

While responding to an interview published by the Financial Times on Friday, August 9, 2024, the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) emphasized that the theft of Nigeria’s assets, especially crude oil, is part of the reason international oil companies in Nigeria are divesting

He recalled a first-hand discovery on why international oil companies were partly divesting from onshore assets after criminal gangs began stealing crude from his pipelines.

Sometime in 2022, at the height of oil theft activities that forced his company to shut down production in Nigeria, Elumelu took to social media to express frustrations over the development and the scale at which the country was losing its wealth to criminals.

“How can we be losing over 95 per cent of oil production to thieves? Look at the Bonny Terminal which should be receiving over 200,000 barrels of crude oil daily, instead, it receives less than 3,000 barrels, leading the operator Shell to declare force majeure. The reason Nigeria is unable to meet its OPEC production quota is not because of low investment but because of theft, pure and simple!

“Meanwhile, oil-producing countries are smiling as their foreign reserve is rising. What is Nigeria’s problem? We need to hold our leaders more accountable!” he posted on X.

Elumelu said he is optimistic the oil sector will overcome its present challenges regardless of the fact that the country currently losing 18% of crude from his field to criminals.

“42,000 barrels of crude pumped out daily. Theft still takes away about 18 per cent of production,” he said.

In the course of the interview he was asked about the people behind the theft, Elumelu said the government and security agencies are best positioned to know, and owe Nigerians the duty to reveal those behind the thefts.

“This is oil theft, we’re not talking about stealing a bottle of Coke you can put in your pocket. The government should know, they should tell us. Look at America — Donald Trump was shot at and quickly they knew the background of who shot him. Our security agencies should tell us who is stealing our oil. You bring vessels to our territorial waters and we don’t,” he stated.

For years Nigeria’s crude oil is been stolen and moved to territorial waters through vessels.

An Israeli airstrike on a Gaza school kills over 80 people

By
Admin
-
0

The death toll from an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City school early Saturday has risen to 80, Palestinian health authorities said.

The Israeli military acknowledged the strike on the Tabeen school, claiming it hit a Hamas command center within the school. Hamas denied that.

Fadel Naeem, director of the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that the facility received the bodies of 80 people killed in the strike.

He said medical teams identified 70 bodies and they received body parts of at least 10 others.

The school, like almost all those in Gaza, has been used as a shelter for people forced to flee their homes by the war.

Video from the scene showed walls blown out on the ground level of a large building. Concrete chunks and twisted metal lay atop the blood-soaked floor, along with clothing, toppled furniture and other debris. A blackened car with the windows blown out was covered in rubble.

The strike hit without warning in the early morning before sunrise as people were praying at a mosque inside the school, according to Abu Anas, a witness who worked to rescue people.

“There were people praying, there were people washing and there were people upstairs sleeping, including children, women and old people,” he said. “The missile fell on them without warning. The first missile, and the second. We recovered them as body parts.”

Three missiles ripped through the school and the mosque inside, where about 6,000 displaced people were taking shelter from the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense first responders who operate under the Hamas-run local government.

Many of the dead were unrecognizable, he said, adding that he expected the death toll to rise. Many of the casualties were women and children, he said.

According to the United Nations, 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza had been directly hit or damaged in the war as of July 6. In June, an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in central Gaza killed at least 33 people, including 12 women and children, according to local health officials.

On Thursday Israel’s military hit two schools sheltering displaced people in eastern Gaza City, killing at least 15 people, according to hospital officials.

Israel has blamed civilian deaths in Gaza on Hamas, saying the group endangers noncombatants by using schools and residential neighborhoods as bases for operations and attacks.

Israeli intelligence indicated about 20 militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including senior commanders, were using the Tabeen school compound to plan attacks on Israeli forces, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman said in a statement on the social media platform X.

Izzat al-Rishq, a top Hamas official denied there were militants in the school.

Shoshani also questioned the casualty numbers issued by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel said the targeted school was located next to a mosque serving as a shelter for Gaza City residents.

A cameraman working for The Associated Press said, however, that the mosque and the classrooms were in one building, with the prayer hall on the ground floor and the school above it. A missile appeared to have penetrated through the floor of the classrooms to the mosque below and then exploded, according to the cameraman.

The strike came as American, Qatari and Egyptian mediators renewed their push for the two parties to achieve a cease-fire agreement that could help calm soaring tensions in the region following the assassination of top Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.

Egypt, which borders Gaza and serves as a key mediator, said the strike on the school showed Israel had no intention of reaching a cease-fire deal and ending the war.

Neighboring Jordan also condemned the attack, calling it a “blatant violation” of international law.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 39,600 Palestinians and wounded more than 91,700 others, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants from Gaza stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 250 others.

More than 1.9 million of Gaza’s prewar population of 2.3 million have been driven from their homes, fleeing repeatedly across the territory to escape offensives. Most are now crowded into ramshackle tent camps in an area of about 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) on the Gaza coast.

AP

Digital infrastructure requires investment to secure and improve learning – Former President Jonathan

By
Admin
-
0

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that to secure and deepen learning more investment is needed in digital infrastructure and innovative technologies as assurance to meaningful education.

A statement by Eze Ikechukwueze, Media Adviser to Jonathan, quoted him making the call in Kampala. in his remarks at the 13th graduation ceremony of the Cavendish University Uganda.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan is the Chancellor of the institution.

He said that such investment was important to improve the value of education in a world that is increasingly being driven by technology.

He said that the rapid pace of technological advancement required a forward-thinking approach for graduates to be able to successfully navigate both the opportunities and challenges it presented.

He commended the CUU for always striving to be at the forefront of educational innovation while affirming that the institution recognised the transformative potential of technology in education.

According to him, CUU has not committed itself to providing students with an unparalleled learning experience.

“This forward-thinking approach has established CUU as a leader in technology-enabled learning,” he said.

He extolled the new graduates for their hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

He charged them to seek to make a difference in the world in line with the mission of Cavendish University towards innovative transformation of society.

Jonathan also urged the graduates to embrace lifelong learning, cultivate an innovative mindset, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, build strong networks, and commit to ethical and responsible leadership.

“The world is evolving at an unprecedented rate. To remain relevant and competitive, you must commit to continuous learning.

“Seek out new knowledge, acquire new skills, and stay curious. Lifelong learning is not just a necessity but a mindset that will keep you adaptable and innovative,” he said.

He also tasked the graduates to cultivate resilience to withstand setbacks and adaptability to thrive in changing environments.

“Cultivate resilience to withstand setbacks and adaptability to thrive in changing environments.

“Your resilience will enable you to bounce back from failures and emerge stronger.

“As you achieve success, remember to lead with integrity and responsibility.

“Use your skills and influence to contribute positively to society. Ethical leadership is crucial in building a sustainable and just world,” he said.

The former Nigerian president further encouraged the graduates to endeavour to take risks and explore new ideas, adding that their ability to innovate will be crucial in transforming challenges into opportunities.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Crisis Hits Tinubu Media Team: Onanuga Removes Controversial Tweet About President

By
Vanessa Oba
-
0

Onanuga Responds to Ogra’s Tweet Regarding President Tinubu’s Address to Nigerians on August 7, 2024

On Wednesday,August 7,2024, a video circulated on social media , where President Bola Tinubu urged Nigerians to endure the current economic challenges, assuring them that his administration was working towards a brighter future. the video was posted by Oretga Ogra , Tinubu’s senior special assistant on digital/new media , and was later shared on the official social media handles of both the President and the Presidency.

However, the video sparked confusion and criticism when Bayo Onanuga ,Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, clarified that the footage was not recent. Onanuga explained that the video was actually from 2023 broadcast, contradicting the impression that it was a fresh address relented to the ongoing protest against economic hardship.

This clarification led to public outcry with many criticizing the lack of coordination within the President’s media team. The incident also highlighted ongoing issues within the team, which has previously faced scrutiny from delivering inconsistent messages to the public. Critic argue that such disarray undermines the credibility of the administration and sows confusion among Nigerians during a critical time.

.

Cargo boat in Bayelsa exploded, kills 20

By
Admin
-
0

A wooden cargo boat carrying over 64 passengers and crew exploded, and burst into flames killing 20 instantly, in Bayelsa waterways.

The boat identified as ‘God bless Dickson’, was ladened with heavy cargo and passengers and crew when the incident occurred.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt on Thursday that the tragic incident occurred on Wednesday along the Ezetu 1 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa.

ASP Musa Mohammed, the Police Spokesman in Bayelsa told NAN correspondent on telephone that 20 people have been so far confirmed dead, while rescue efforts by the Marine Police unit were still ongoing.

The ill-fated cargo boat laden with farm produce from the rural settlement was en route to Swali market in Yenagoa. Ogoniba Ipigansi, Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Bayelsa Chapter, also confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with a NAN Correspondent on Thursday.

He said that a rescue team of the union, consisting of two-speed boats, had been dispatched to the scene to assist the passengers on board. He said that the exact number of casualties was yet to be ascertained, as the rescue was still underway and several people on board were yet to be accounted for.

A speedboat operator, Augustine Amayoro, who participated in rescue efforts, said he rescued 10 persons from the scene, leaving other passengers stranded in the nearby fishing camp.

NAN gathered that the wooden cargo boats were exempted from the state government’s ban on night navigation on waterways.

Due to the slow pace of navigation, the cargo boats set sail a day ahead of the targeted weekly market days of Thursdays when farm produce floods the Swali waterside in Yenagoa.

Meanwhile, Chief Target Segibo, Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, who bemoaned the loss of 20 persons in the incident, described the disaster as regrettable. He called for concerted efforts by stakeholders to strengthen safety regulations in the marine transport sector.

Terrorists’ IED factory destroyed in Borno State – NAF

By
Agency Report
-
0

According to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has destroyed terrorists’ Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) factory at Grazah, a location deep in the Mandara Hills in Borno.

The situation report was revealed in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on Thursday in Abuja.

Gebkwet said that the air interdiction was a sequel to the recent attacks on innocent civilians in the state using IEDs and suicide bombers. He said air strikes were conducted on August 2, following intelligence which revealed the sighting of a possible IED factory and storage area for other logistics.

According to him, for some time now, this IED factory was suspected to have been relocated, first from Gwoza to Timbuktu Triangle in Sambisa Forest and finally berthing at Grazah in the Mandara Hills.

“Frequent relocation of IED factories has been attributed to the enormous firepower on the terrorists’ enclaves by the combined efforts of the entire security apparatus of the theatre of operation.

“The IED factory location at Grazah had been under surveillance for weeks with various installations observed and activities of armed terrorists in the area found to be consistent with those protecting a strategic location.

“Additionally, two gun trucks were sighted tucked under a large tree near the suspected IED factory.

“These findings thus necessitated the need for an air strike on the location in order to destroy the suspected IED factory and neutralise the terrorists,’’ he said.

Gabkwet said the targets were acquired and effectively destroyed, adding that the thick cloud of smoke that followed the air strikes confirmed the destruction of the IED factory and the gun trucks.

“Don’t resell distributed fertiliser” – Oshiomhole warns Edo North farmers

By
Agency Report
-
0

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, under the party umbrella of All Progressive Congress, APC, has warned farmers in his constituency not to resell fertiliser distributed to them.

Speaking while inaugurating the distribution at the Iyamoh community on Wednesday, Oshiomhole said that each farmer was to get one bag of fertiliser to boost their agricultural activities.

Oshiomhole was represented by the Chairman of the Committee for the distribution of the fertiliser, Alhaji Abubakar Akokhia. He said that each beneficiary would also receive a token amount of money for the transport of the fertilisers to their respective communities.

“The distribution of the fertilisers is aimed at cushioning the effects of hardship on farmers in Edo North.

“The idea is to boost the agricultural activities of the people of the senatorial district.” he said.

Oshiomhole said the commodity was distributed across party lines as he now represents the interest of all the constituents. He urged the beneficiaries not to resell the fertiliser, but apply it to their crops to increase food production in the senatorial district.

“The distribution of fertiliser is to support farmers to cushion economic effects on food production,

“The fertiliser is from the Federal Government and is aimed at enhancing food security,” Oshiomhole added.

He, therefore, charged beneficiaries to enhance the efforts of the Federal Government by using the input rather than reselling them.

Some of the farmers that benefited pledged to reciprocate the gesture of the Federal Government and the senator, which they described as timely for the farming season. They assured that the impact would be felt among the populace through better yields and price reduction.

1,200 bags of NPK 50kg fertiliser were distributed to some farmers in the Edo North Federal constituency.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Gov Otu needs ₦100bn to repair 2020 EndSARS protest damages says commissioner

By
Agency Report
-
0

Cross River Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Michael Odere says Cross River State Government needs ₦100 billion to repair government assets damaged during the EndSARS protest in 2020.

Odere disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday. He said that the level of destruction witnessed during the EndSARS protest made the state government stand firmly against violent protests.

“Knowing what the cost implications of repairing or replacing assets, we chose not to allow a repeat,” he said.

The commissioner commended Cross River people for supporting the government’s position on non-violent protests, saying, “We need to promote peace all the time”.

Odere said that the ongoing protest had severely affected the economy because several public and private businesses had been shut down during the period.

“We know the country is challenged, but it’s not unique to Nigeria. We must be decorous in our protests, violence does not pay.

“The essence of protest is not to destroy, it should be to make a change, we protest to be heard, we protest to say that things are not being done rightly.

“It can no longer be called a protest when we begin to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others,” he stated.

Odere said that the Gov. Bassey Otu-led government was fully aware of the current situation in the country and that government at all levels was working to enthrone change.

“In Cross River, the government is carrying out several reforms to improve the living standard of the residents.

“Our efforts in education, agriculture, solid minerals, and security among others are visible, we are aware of our mandate to serve our state,” he added.

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

1...242526...593Page 25 of 593

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©