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INC, IYC, Ann Kio-Briggs Applaud Ndiomu For Creating Cooperatives To Empower Ex-agitators
Published
1 year agoon
By
EditorThe Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and prominent activist, Ann Kio-Briggs have applauded the various economic schemes introduced by Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), to empower ex-agitators.
The President of the INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said in an interview that the idea of floating a Cooperative Society would enable ex-agitators have easy access to funds to establish Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
He said such SMEs would aid the economic growth and development of the Niger Delta and the country.
Okaba, who was speaking while making an assessment of Ndiomu’s six-month stewardship as the Interim Administrator of PAP, said the ex-agitators had been given an opportunity to become more useful to themselves and their families.
READ ALSO: Allegations Of Fraud Against Ndiomu Baseless, Infantile, Group Replies Ex-agitators
He said the cooperative scheme and other economic blueprints of Ndiomu would turn ex-agitators to entrepreneurs, who would no longer depend on the monthly N65,000 stipends.
Okaba said: “Ndiomu’s various empowerment scheme is targeted at making the ex-agitators self-reliant. The present boss has also started the process of assessing employment opportunities for ex-militants, who have gotten training from both local and international sources.
“I learned some of them have been pushed into security services, some into the oil companies, and some are even encouraged to form cooperatives with funding so that they can start up their own businesses.
“The Amnesty Programme is taking a new shape. There are serious consultations. He goes down to the stakeholders in their villages and communities, meeting their demands and addresses them as swiftly as possible”.
READ ALSO: Amnesty Programme Remains Critical To Mitigating Conflicts In The Niger Delta Region – Ndiomu
The National Spokesman of the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, attributed the sustained peace in the Niger Delta to the efforts of Ndiomu in addressing the concerns and needs of ex-agitators.
Describing Ndiomu as a man of discipline and courage, Ekerefe also commended him for his consistent interface with stakeholders in the region.
He said: “Maj.-Gen. Ndiomu has also contributed to the sustained peace that we are currently enjoying in the region. Because Ndiomu is a man of discipline, character and courage.
“So we commend Ndiomu for his consistent interface with stakeholders of the region, which is very key because the program itself is a product of stakeholders’ decisions.
“The president saw capacity and courage in Ndiomu which was what informed the president to appoint him in that capacity. Of course, that has also contributed to his being appointed as chairman of the special panel on crude oil theft.
READ ALSO: Amnesty Programme Remains Critical To Mitigating Conflicts In The Niger Delta Region – Ndiomu
“He is a man who is committed to making sure that the Amnesty Programme is positioned in achieving the aims and objectives of why it was set up”.
The Ijaw Rights Activist, Ann Kio-Briggs, said Ndiomu’s periodic consultation and engagement with critical stakeholders and regular payments of stipends to ex-agitators had brought a new lease of life to the PAP.
She said: “The areas that Gen. Ndiomu has focused on including prompt and timely payment of stipends and fees of PAP’s scholarship beneficiaries is quite commendable. Within the short period he has been in office, I can say he has tried his best to reposition the programme.
“However, there are still areas that needs to be done, including more training programmes for our youths. It is on this note I call on the Federal Government to activate the various training centres, especially the one in Rivers State”.
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News
243 Passengers Cheat Death As Air Peace Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Lagos Airport
Published
2 hours agoon
April 25, 2024By
EditorAn Air Peace plane coming from Port Harcourt made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Thursday after the pilots noticed a fire warning indicator in the cockpit.
The aircraft, which had 243 passengers and 12 crew members on board, landed safely at 4:45pm on Runway18L of the Lagos airport.
The pilots immediately shut down the engines of the aircraft after fire fighting personnel reportedly observed smoke on the engines.
The call sign of the aircraft is: APK7193.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Aircraft Belonging To Dana Air Skids Off Lagos Airport Runway
Air Peace, in a statement, said it was later discovered that the fire warning noticed in the cockpit was false.
The statement was titled, “Notification of false fire alarm on Port Harcourt-Lagos flight.”
It reads, “We wish to inform the flying public of an incident that occurred during our Port Harcourt-Lagos flight P47193 of today, April 25, 2024.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: FG Grounds Dana Air Operations After Lagos Airport Incident
“Some minutes before landing, our Captain noticed a fire warning indicator in the cockpit. The pilots performed all safety precautionary measures, and the fire indicator went off. The Captain immediately notified our Operations Control Centre in Lagos at 17:37 hrs.
“It was determined upon landing that the alarm was falsely triggered as there was no fire event. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers disembarked normally.
“We want to reassure the flying public that safety remains our utmost priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to it.”
News
Citizens Groan As Petrol Sells For Over N1000 Per Litre In Kaduna
Published
3 hours agoon
April 25, 2024By
EditorThere was acute fuel scarcity in Kaduna metropolis on Thursday, as majority fuel stations were not dispensing fuel, leaving those selling at the black market hiked the price to over N1000 a litre of petrol.
The situation caused hardship on computers, as many were seen trekking to their various places of destination due to sudden hike in transport fare.
Two State University students, Ahmad and Shehu said before the scarcity, they paid N200 fare from Kawo to the Kaduna State University but now it’s between N300 to 400.
READ ALSO: Again, FG Talks Tough, Threatens To Revoke Lokoja-Benin Road Contract
“Many have resorted to trekking in order to reduce the distance, but the hot weather has not made it easy,” said Shehu.
Major roads had fewer vehicles as the situation had made car owners to park their vehicles until the fuel situation becomes affordable.
However, there was a long queue at a fuel situation dispensing petrol in Kaduna North, where it was alleged they hiked the pump price to between N750 and N810 per litre.
READ ALSO: EFCC Withdraws Appeal Against Former Kogi Gov, Bello
A journey that previously cost N150 from Signboard Junction to the Central Market, was hiked to between 200 to 250 by the commercial operators due to the scarcity.
Malam Sabo, a commercial bus driver said he bought fuel at the black market for N1,200 per litre, and he could only make a profit if he increased the transport fare.
VANGUARD
The Federal Government on Thursday said that the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a flagship of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, is capable of creating at least 2.5 million direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.
The government explained that LEEP targets zero hunger, zero poverty economic growth and decent jobs through six strategic initiatives which are digital skills initiative, vocational entrepreneurship skills programmes, infrastructural upgrade, NELEX upgrade for employment acceleration, global remote work initiative and labour compliance enhancement.
Speaking at the unveiling of the programme in Abuja, the Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, urged development partners such as the World Bank, GIZ, the European Union, UNIDO and the Bank of Industry to support the drive of the current administration to mitigate the hardship Nigerians were undergoing.
READ ALSO: Again, FG Talks Tough, Threatens To Revoke Lokoja-Benin Road Contract
Insisting that poverty could be eradicated in the country, the Minister said that her ministry has so many structures that could take care of all the issues mostly neglected in Nigeria if they were ignited.
She said six out of the eight agendas under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda are under the labour ministry, adding that it was time to take deliberate actions and think out of the box to make life more meaningful for Nigerians.
The Minister expressed optimism that within four years about one million jobs should have been created through LEEP.
According to Onyejeocha, “We are in a position where we need to reposition the labour ministry. The world is moving towards technology and digitalisation and we don’t want to be left behind.
READ ALSO: EFCC Withdraws Appeal Against Former Kogi Gov, Bello
“We can’t do it alone and so we need to partner with you to help us succeed in the country. Mr President during his campaign was clear about where he wanted to take Nigeria. Today we want to be deliberate, and accurate to key into the renewed hope agenda and we want to solicit your support to help us in achieving our key performance index.
“The ministry is out to make sure poverty is reduced if not totally eradicated through job creation. If we create enough decent jobs it will reduce a lot of the problems we have today including insecurity.
“We want to make sure Nigeria have food to eat, ensure regulation and workers welfare. Also, empowerment is very critical so we are going to be very deliberate to empower people with what they can use to start up their own business and become employers of labour.
“When you do this deliberately, poverty will be reduced, empowerment will be real and training will be impactful.”
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