News

GIZ Partners SEYP, Others To Empower Youths In Edo

Published

3 years ago

February 16, 2021

Editor

Noble Sunday, Benin

The Pro-poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme implemented by a German organization, GIZ/GOPA has successfully trained some local partners in Edo State, including Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons (SEYP), Sabi Hub Nigeria, LAPO Finance Fast and Viisaus Technology.

The organization (GIZ) had last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the administration of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State Government in view of the projects to be implemented in the state.

The Executive Director of SEYP, Jennifer Ero, said the project focuses on creating employment opportunities, business startups and scaling up of existing businesses.

Ero, who was represented by Adams Omoba, explained that the project was implemented through a combination of training and coaching, using a modular capacity building approach.

“The project is meant to support the income and employment situation of young persons who are interested in creating their own business by providing trainings. SEYP will train interested persons in 2 modules: CREATE and START,” Ero said.

For the CEEATE Module, she said participants will learn how to develop and present their own business plans, “while the START module will train participants on how to develop and present their own bankable business plans, have their business registered, as well as their own bankable business plans.”

Ero explained further, “This is as result of the completion of the trainers’ course. We’ll further train the trainees in various capacities.”

According to her, “The trainings are face to face and on-line. Criteria for registration is as follows: Persons between the age of 18-35 with business plans or interest in starting up their own business or already in business, desire to learn and willingness to learn online, persons who are ready to implement Business Sea or business operations which just started.”

On her part, the Administrative Manager for Sabi Hub Nigeria, Sylvia Achei said her organization will also be implementing the Start and Create modules which are scheduled to run for six months.

She added, “Participants will be selected monthly to attend the Create and Start Modules. The training we just concluded is the training the trainer stage where partner organisations involved have been brought together to properly enlighten us on what is expected for the project, the deliverables, the outputs, the impacts and the categories of persons, everything from start to finish for the project to be successful.”

For Stella Obialo, Head Teacher Viisaus Technology, “this is GIZ Programme, it’s all about building capacity, building capabilities in the youths. We have returning migrants, unemployed youths, people living with disabilities, marginalized youths, displaced persons and minority groups. So what we have done is to partner with organisations to provide soft skill training to all these set of individuals.”

News

[BREAKING] ‘Juju’ Scare: Edo Speaker Suspends Shaibu’s Ally, Two Others

Published

54 mins ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, on Monday suspended three lawmakers over an alleged plot to impeach him and other principal officers of the Assembly.

One of the suspended lawmakers, Donald Okogbe, PDP, Akoko-Edo II, is an ally of the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, and was the only lawmaker who did not sign the petition that led to Shaibu’s impeachment.

The two others are Addeh Emankhu Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I, and Iyamu Bright, PDP, Orhionnwon II.

Agbebaku also accused the trio of bringing native doctors to the House on May 1 at around 1am to perform a sacrifice.

Agbebaku said the three lawmakers were suspended indefinitely, alleging that external forces were influencing them to cause chaos and remove the house’s leadership.

The suspension of the lawmakers, however, created tension in the House as the affected lawmakers kicked against their suspension.

In a rowdy session, the three suspended lawmakers were seen screaming, “Mr Speaker, you do not have the right to unilaterally suspend any member(s) of the house.

“You must call for votes. Allow members vote on the matter.”

The Speaker, thereafter, adjourned the plenary abruptly.

News

Man, 35, Docked For Allegedly Forging Oyo Govt Hackney Permit

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

The police on Monday docked Mr Samuel Oyetayo, 35, in an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, for allegedly forging the Oyo Government hackney permit and ticket.

Oyetayo, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a count charge bothering on forgery of the Oyo Government hackney permit.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Insp Toyin Ibrahim, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 1, around Dugbe, Ibadan.

Ibrahim said that the defendant, on the said date and place, forged the Oyo Government hackney permit and ticket without the government’s consent.

He said the offence contravened Section 467 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The magistrate, Mrs Kausarat Ayofe, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case until June 24 for hearing.
(NAN)

News

PIND, Niger Delta Ministry Validate Regional Peacebuilding Strategy

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), the Ministry of Niger Delta Development (MNDD) and other stakeholders in the region have validated the Niger Delta Regional Peacebuilding Strategy (NDRPS).

PIND’s Executive Director, Tunji Idowu, disclosed this at a validation workshop held on April 18 in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

He said the document co-designed by PIND and the MNDD, will provide the framework for the implementation of a regional peacebuilding apparatus in the Niger Delta.

Idowu, who was represented by PIND’s Peacebuilding Manager, David Udofia, said: “This apparatus will apply a multistakeholder approach, where all stakeholders focused on peacebuilding and conflict management and resolution in the Niger Delta will join resources to ensure the effective prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in the region.”

Mr. Idowu noted that the validated NDRPS document had passed through due process and was very participatory.

“To ensure that the resulting strategy addresses conflict management holistically, we solicited inputs from various stakeholders at the community level, civil society organizations, government institutions, unions, and social groups,” he said.

“On January 23, 2024, PIND, the MNDD, representatives from various security agencies, academia, civil society and multinational organizations, traditional institutions, and other relevant stakeholders reviewed the final draft,” he added.

He explained that the development of the NDRPS was based on a presidential directive to the MNDD in 2021 to guarantee an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

“The NDRPS highlights the importance of establishing an outfit that is not just security-focused but also serves the needs of the people through effective conflict prevention, resolution, and management through multi-stakeholder and inclusive approaches necessary for conflict resolution and management.”

In his remarks, the Minister of the MNDD, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, commended the commitment of all the stakeholders involved in the process.

The Minister who was represented by Gorah Ayuba, Deputy Director of Community Development of MNDD said: “Your inputs are not in vain as the finalized NDRPS framework will be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for approval and necessary action.”

Participants at the validation workshop included representatives of security agencies, states’ Ministries of Planning and Budget, civil society organizations, academia and other stakeholders from across the nine Niger Delta states.

During the technical session, which also included breakout sessions, the stakeholders provided valuable input to update the NDRPS document.

The Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akwa Ibom State Command, Emmanuel Peter, emphasized promoting citizenship sensitization for inclusiveness and peaceful coexistence.

Dr. Emmanuel Maman, the Director of Conflict Resolution, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja, while commending PIND and its partners for its peacebuilding efforts, congratulated them on organizing the validation workshop and proposed enhanced inter-agency collaboration as a panacea for conflict mitigation in the region.

On his part, Dr. Iboro Nelson of Silverline Development Initiatives noted that since youth unemployment was a major driver of conflict, a system of economic empowerment as a peacebuilding approach should be included in the document.

At the end of the validation process, PIND officially handed over the NDRPS document to the MNDD, marking a significant milestone in the process.

The launching of the strategic document is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.