The concerned APC group has warned that the Leadership of the ruling party must do everything to hold the party's national convention slated for February 2022.

Concerned APC, is a political group under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while reacting to a letter credited to the Chief Whip of the Senate , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu where he urged the National Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Gov Mai Mala Buni and members of the planning committee to consider postponing the party’s national convention earlier scheduled to hold in February next year.

The group on sunday said that Senator kalu was not a member of the party when it was formed and has no right to say convention should not hold. "He has PDP to fall back to if the court give judgement against the actions of Buni led caretaker in the future while we dont have where to go, because APC is all we have" therefore other caretaker members should rise and save the party before is too late.

“It is our hope and believe that the Caretaker Committee will not employ any delay tactics that will result in the need to further postpone the national convention from the February 2022 date as it has done in the past where its six months mandate has extended to almost one and half year. The major, if not the only, task before the Caretaker Committee as of today is the conduct of the national convention and this must be pursued with all vigour and seriousness it deserves.

“While we await the release of the full timetable for the national convention, the Concerned APC Stakeholders reiterate its earlier position that the upcoming national convention must not only be free, fair and transparent but must be seen to be so by all party men and women. The convention must be open, credible and devoid of any form of imposition in whatever guise. It is time the APC again subject the emergence of its leadership to the will and consent of the majority of party members rather than the backdoor consensus arrangements of any bloc or group.

“The Concerned APC, in its avowed commitment to ensuring that our party is returned to its core progressive ideals and foundation, will continue to watch the processes leading to the convention closely and ensure that only individuals with requisite pedigree emerged as new leaders of the APC”

As the Caretaker Committee meet tomorrow, we appeal to members of that body to resist further temptation to postpone National convention in the interest of larger party members.

We equally appeal to Mr President to call the caretaker to order before is too late.

Signed
Abdullahi Dauda Little

Spokesman, Concerned APC
Sunday 19th December 2021

League of Patriots congratulates former Senate President Anyim on TheNigerian News Award



The League of Patriots has congratulated former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, on being conferred with an award of excellence by UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

According to a statement signed by its president Hon. Samson Agbo on Friday, the group said the award is an acknowledgement of Senator Anyim's numerous contributions to the nation's democracy.

At an event to mark the company's fifth anniversary in Abuja on Thursday, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation was conferred with an award as 'Grand Icon of Democracy'.

Senator Anyim was presented the award by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd).

Other distinguished Nigerians recognised alongside the former Senate President are Governor Yahaya Bello, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Nigeria's Ambassador to Benin Republic and former Chief of Army Staff, Engr Dr Funmi Adekojo among others.

Congratulating Senator Anyim, the group said his many records of quality service delivery and courageous contribution to the advancement of democracy in Nigeria is unrivalled.

It added that Anyim is a great patriot who has carried out his national assignment with an unflinching commitment to national interest.

The group, however, urged other political leaders in the country to emulate the former SGF.

The Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa (CHRAA) has applauded the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ahmed Mustapha Habib, for transforming the interventionist agency.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Tolulope Adebayo, the Centre said Habib has instilled accountability and transparency in the operations of NEMA.

According to Adebayo, the DG has displayed an uncommon zeal and courage in ensuring that relief materials to victims of disasters across the country are conducted most transparently.

He noted that Habib's example at NEMA is worthy of commendation for calculated leadership with sincerity and purpose..

The group, therefore, saluted President Buhari's choice of a well-rounded individual who shares the same passion with him in developing critical sectors of the Nigerian economy as director-general of NEMA.

Adebayo, however, called on all well-meaning Nigerians to extend support to the new NEMA boss towards achieving the overall mandate of coordinating resources towards efficient and effective disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response in Nigeria.

Read full statement below:

The Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa, a non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of the ideals of democracy and good governance, is issuing this press statement given the recent transformation at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

The operations of NEMA under the new management led by Ahmed Mustapha Habib have displayed an unalloyed commitment to repositioning the interventionist agency in a record few months since he assumed leadership.

It is instructive to note that the Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa sees the genuine efforts by Ahmed Mustapha Habib in the entrenchment of transparency and accountability in the operations of NEMA.

The reforms introduced so far are also noteworthy and indicative of an administration committed to fulfilling the critical mandate of the agency, which remains in the country's best interest.

The Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa salutes the courage and leadership acumen of Ahmed Mustapha Habib in his few months as the director-general of NEMA. He has displayed an uncommon zeal and courage in ensuring that relief materials to victims of disasters across the country are conducted most transparently.

This is indeed a deviation from times past where the distribution of relief materials are marred with controversies and, in most instances, diverted to private warehouses at the detriment of those victims of disasters across the country.

This is indeed a commendable drive at NEMA. The Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa states that the likes of Ahmed Mustapha Habib are what the country needs at this critical point of our existence.

This is indeed a lesson in leadership that should be imbibed by all holding positions of authority in Nigeria. The task of making Nigeria great goes beyond rhetoric. Words should be matched with actions, and political office holders should see themselves as servants of the people whose survival depends on their actions and inactions in the conduct of government business.

The Ahmed Mustapha Habib example at NEMA is worthy of commendation for purposeful leadership with sincerity and purpose. A good example is the continuous tour of the various zones in the country and the efforts at constantly engaging stakeholders across the board towards making NEMA a responsive interventionist agency.

We also commend President Muhammadu Buhari in his choice of a well-rounded individual who shares the same passion with him in developing critical sectors of the Nigerian economy as director-general of NEMA.

The Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Africa is convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the operations of NEMA would experience tangible improvements in service delivery with the reforms introduced in the past few months.

We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to extend support to the new NEMA under Ahmed Mustapha Habib towards achieving the overall mandate of coordinating resources towards efficient and effective disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response in Nigeria.

The National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund Bill (Establishment, etc.) today scaled the first reading at the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Hon. Akinfolarin Mayowa representing Ileoluji Okeigbo/Odigbo constituency in Ondo State, the Bill, 2021 (HB.1795) was one of eight fresh bills introduced to the lower house today.

Among others things, the Trust Fund will provide sustainable source of funds for NYSC, Skill Acquisition training and provision of startup capital to Corps Members, train and retrain the personnel of the NYSC.

It will also develop Camps and NYSC formations, provide facilities therein, improve the general welfare of Corps Members and personnel of the Scheme and enhance their preparedness to effectively discharge their statutory duties of promoting National unity, integration, self-reliance and accelerated development of the national economy.  

The Trust Fund will deal with graduate unemployment and strengthen the operations of the scheme in the same manner the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the Police Equipment Trust Fund and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund aid the operations of tertiary educational institutions.

Recall that recently, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, called on relevant stakeholders to support the actualisation of the Trust Fund as it will reinvigorate and deepen the impact of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme.

He said, “I am confident that the gains of the SAED programme will be enhanced if the proposed National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund becomes a reality.

“Apart from providing adequate facilities for more impactful vocational and entrepreneurship training, it will also be a sustainable source of business financing for the corps members. That way, we will be achieving greater feats in empowering our graduate youths for self-employment and wealth creation. I, therefore, appeal to the relevant authorities to support thebecausest Fund.”

The chairman, House Committee, on Youth and Sport, Adaramodu Yemi, had assured in October that the House will give the bill speedy attention when submitted for passage.

Hon. Adaramodu said when established, the NYSC Trust Fund shall handle issues of infrastructural decay and funding which have hampered smooth operations of the scheme.

The Committee Chairman also said the proposed Trust Fund will provide ‘seed money’ for graduate youth entrepreneurs after the service year conbecauseny of they are committed to the SAED programme of the scheme.

Adaramodu, however, assured that the House will continue to fight constitutionally to ensure that the scheme is sustained.

“On the fund, I want to assure that the House will expedite work to pass the bill when it gets to us,” he said.

How NYSCTF program will boost skill acquisition, entrepreneurship - Brig-Gen Ibrahim

The Director General of National Youth Service Corp, Brigadier General Ibrahim Shuaibu has revealed that the Scheme’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development SAED will be boosted if the proposed National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund becomes reality.

He gave this assurance at the 2021 NYSC SAED Festival on Wednesday at Kubwa Orientation camp in Abuja where over 222 Corps Members are engaging in 3 days competitive in showcasing Corps entrepreneurial talents and products at the exhibition.

This edition has the theme: “NYSC SAED: a gateway to national development.”

While declaring the three days impactful vocational and entrepreneurship competition open, the DG said he is confident that the gains of the SAED programme will be enhanced if the proposed NYSCTF becomes a reality.

“Apart from providing adequate facilities for more impactful vocational and entrepreneurship training, it will also be a sustainable source of business financing for the Corps members. That way, we will be achieving greater feats in empowering our graduate youths for self-employment and wealth creation.

He therefore, appealed to the relevant authorities to support the actualization of the Trust Fund that believe will help to reduce unemployment amongst Nigerian Youth.

Speaking on the importance of the festival, the Director General said that the programme is taking place in line with Management’s resolve to reinvigorate and deepen the impact of the SAED programme.

“It is a platform for showcasing the innovation, commitment and ingenuity of our Corps members, who have keyed into our vision of raising a crop of young entrepreneurs that will not only strive in the development of Small and Medium Enterprises, but also inspire other youths towards self-employment.

“Over the next few days, these young men and women will be competing in the display of skills in various vocations such as fashion design, baking/confectionaries, leather works, bead making, tie and dye, as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In effect, the event will be an illustration of the functionality and growing acceptance of the SAED training as well as the enormous potential of our Corps members. It will further be an avenue for peer review and improvement of their creativity and business ideas.”

He equally highlighted some steps taken by the Scheme in strengthen SAED programme, which include; Hosting of NYSC SAED Stakeholders’ meeting in 2020 and 2021 respectively, during which the programme implementation strategies were reviewed; Renewal of commitment by NYSC and the Bank of Industry towards resuscitation of the empowerment of Corps entrepreneurs with business loans under the BOI-NYSC Graduate Empowerment Fund (GEF);

Others are development of partnership with Unity Bank Plc on a programme named ‘Corpreneurship Challenge Initiative’, under which Corps members that emerge winners of a business plan development competition benefit from

Financial grants to actualize their business dreams. Commencement of partnership with Access Bank Plc on the “Accesspreneur – The NYSC Edition” business plan development competition which empowers Corps members with business grants;

Partnership with Leventis Foundation Nigeria on Youth Empowerment in Sustainable Agriculture through year-long training and apprenticeship amongst others.

He urged the corps members to make themselves available for self-employment through the SAED, adding that corps members can drive their business visions with passion for their individual benefit and the growth of the nation’s economy at large.

In his opening remarks, the Director SAED, Mr. Hilary Nasamu, said the Festival is contributing in no small measure to the continued relevance of the scheme to our dear nation.

2021 SAED Festival is a follow-up to the maiden edition in 2017, designed to develop Corps member’s competitive but healthy entrepreneurial spirit and showcase the finesse of the products of their endeavor.

“It also aims to bring the public spotlight on the SAED and Corps entrepreneurs as well as expose them to opportunities for peer review and mentorship.

“Over the next 3 days, a total of 222 skill competitors will engage themselves in a process that will produce three top prize winners in each of the skills.

“Even though a few will emerge tops, all of you and the Scheme will be winners ultimately, as this event will serve to expose your talents to public patronage and sponsorship.”

However, on Friday 17th of December 2021 those Corps Members who will emerge top winners will be awarded with prizes.

The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha Habib and the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko have been nominated for awards by UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

While the NEMA boss will be conferred with an award of excellence as "Agent of Change", his NPA counterpart is shortlisted for "Integrity Icon".

The pair will be recognised at the company's fifth anniversary scheduled for the NAF Conference Centre Abuja.

"In less than six months on the job, Mr Habib has stamped his feet, already surpassing expectations. Under his watch, NEMA has beere-engineereded to meet up with present humanitarian challenges bedevilling country," a statement by Bridget Agada, the secretary of the award's planning committee said.

"To enhance performance, staff have undergone retreats while mechanisms at community, local government and staff levels have been put in place for effective emergency preparedness, early warning and quick response," she noted.

The company added that Bello-Kobo has repositioned the NPA for better efficiency and service delivery.

"The new boss have been all about improving the revenue base of the nation, enhancing the maritime sector while also ensuring that the country is not shortchanged in anyway," the statement said.

"Revenue leakages have been effectively blocked with the automation of key ports operations, periodic introduction of cost-cutting measures and financial management strategies. Bello-Kobo also worked closely with externally audited accounts that are International Financial Reporting Standard compliant".

The event will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano is Father of the Day.

The National Youth Service Corps and its Director-General, Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Bala Mohammed will also be awarded.

Stop hallucinating over Senator Akume, APC Reps aspirant Agbese fires PDP National Chairman

Chief Philip Agbese, a leading House of Representatives aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised the national chairman of the People's Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to stop hallucinating over the
Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume.

Agbese said Ayu should instead concentrate in redeeming whatever is left of his seemingly damaged reputation from the controversial arms deal involving former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

The UK-trained legal practioner's reaction trails the former Senate President's claim that the former Benue Governor is set to return to the PDP like a "prodigal son".

“Your lost son, George Akume, is coming back to the PDP. I’m saying this thing based on what I know,” Ayu had said.

“I earlier prophesied that Akume would hold a broom and he did. Now, I am prophesying that he will come back to the PDP. When he comes back, do not reject him but make sure you rehabilitate him because where he is now, he is not thinking straight. He was a lost son, a prodigal son. Only rehabilitate him and make sure he thinks properly".

But Agbese, who is vying for the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency seat, said Ayu's focus should be on explaining to his party faithful and Nigerians how he got involved in the whole Dasukigate.

Recall that the former Senate President had in 2015 admitted collecting N345m from Dasuki.

He said then, “When I served on the National Security Council as Minister of Internal Affairs, I got educated that various aspects of security work could be pushed under different classifications. Any funds remitted to the company were for consultancies on security related and electoral matters. When Colonel Sambo Dasuki assumed duty in June 2012, he approached me to assist based on my background as a social scientist and my previous involvement in government".

Agbese further noted that Ayu should also concentrate to redeem his party which has become synonymous with failure over the years rather.

The Okanga of Agila as he is fondly called added that the new PDP chairman is only trying to please his paymasters and sponsors in Benue State who facilitated his emergence at huge cost to Benue treasury and the well-being of the masses by calling out Senator Akume who is the leading contender for the APC national chairmanship.

According to Agbese, Ayu has lost relevance politically and he is afraid that he may not be able to fulfill agreement reached for him to become chairman.

"Ayu is afraid of Akume because he can’t fulfill his promise to his party men when the agreement was reached for him to become Chairman," Agbese said.

"It will be difficult for Ayu who has always been rejected by his kinsmen in Gboko Local Government to give PDP a ward in the 2023 general elections and many of them are already aware that with Senator Akume as National Chairman of the APC, no single local government area in Benue Satte can be taken by the PDP."

By Philip Agbese

Sometime in 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari effected a change in the leadership of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Not many understood the president's mind, as it were. Not many also knew that the president wanted more from the operations of NEMA, being that critical government agency saddled with the responsibility of mitigating national emergencies and disasters in the country.

There was also a masterstroke! The establishment of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. And since then, there has been no turning back in the efforts of ensuring that NEMA fulfils its strategic mandate.

I must add here that heading such a sensitive social intervention ministry is quite a herculean task because it is emotionally, psychologically, and physically demanding. All of these combined is the daily routine of the Hajia Sadiya Farouq, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Tow attributes have defined her since she assumed the headship of the ministry; fear of God and the selfless service to the country and humanity. I say these for two reasons. One is the manner she has devoted herself to her job, and two, how she has been able to stay focused despite several attempts at blackmailing her to succumbing to the whims and caprices of a select few.

The Hon. Minister of humanitarian affairs has constantly evolved strategies to position that agency for optimum service delivery. Let's salute Saadiya for heading a critical agency. Despite the efforts by many to derail her, she has remained focused.

It is on record that Hajia Sadiya Farouq has a penchant for getting results and would stop at nothing to ensure that tasks are accomplished and within record time. She is also known as one that brooks no excuses and, most importantly, abhors acts that undermine the process of the system.

A good example could be seen in the case of NEMA, where she strategically effected a change in leadership that saw to the coming on board of Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha Habib, a seasoned administrator, to lead the critical interventionist agency.

Those in the know of the pedigree of the Director General of NEMA are not surprised with the manner he has handled the affairs of the agency, with active supervision of the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development.



Ahmed Mustapha Habib is a man of ideas. According to feelers from the agency, it was stated that the norm had been jettisoned. It is a new era where every voice counts. And Staffers are tasked with effective service delivery, no matter how lowly placed the agency.

He has also placed a premium on a proactive response to issues, given that the agency is meant to be a rapid response agency in the attempt to mitigate issues relating to human lives and properties. This is indeed brilliant and thus resonates with the agency's objective in managing disasters across the country.

In less than a year, the operations of NEMA have evolved dramatically and thanks to the leadership provision of Ahmed Mustapha Habib. In my opinion, the Ahmed Mustapha Habib example in NEMA is by every inch an indication that with exemplary leadership, Nigeria would experience sustainable growth and development.

An example of the resourcefulness of the Director General is the recent inauguration of a Technical Working Group on Flood Preparedness, Mitigation and Response to strengthen partnership among stakeholders towards efficient flood management in-country. This might sound strange to the ears because we are not used to such planning, hence the fire brigade approach we employ most times.

I recall that Habib stated that the inauguration of the Technical Working Group was in line with the recent National Consultative Workshop on 2021 Flood, organized by the agency, which drew participants from the State Emergency Management Agencies and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Another good example is at the practical level, where the Director General has restructured the distribution of relief materials so that there is accountability and transparency in the processes. The NEMA of today is quite different from the NEMA of previous years, where a lack of accountability and transparency has caused untold embarrassment to the government. I can bet that these and many more informed the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to bring onboard well trusted and principled personalities to take charge of the critical social intervention agency in the country.

And the result has been outstanding in the sense that critical stakeholders have commended NEMA's disaster management in the country for the way and manner it has carried on with its operations most efficiently and proactively.

These and many more are the hallmarks of the Ahmed Mustapha Habib leadership strides at NEMA. However, it must be noted that this was made possible by also the examples set by the Honorable Minister of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry and also, by extension, the examples set by President Muhammadu Buhari. It can be thus said that the NEMA of today indeed reflects the new shadow of Buhari.

It is thus a new era at NEMA, and this much the staffers of the agency have acknowledged. They have rated that new DG high in works ethics since the establishment of the agency; they have also applauded his emphasis on rewards for hard work and penalties for questionable acts that would bring the agency into disrepute.

The new helmsman of NEMA has, by his actions, set standards in leadership in the country. He has proven that it is not how long but how committed one can be to discharge his duties and responsibilities. He has also displayed that in whatever we do once we lead with sincerity of heart and purpose, the tendency for success and the buy-in of critical stakeholders in policies and plans are always high.

This is the pleasant situation at NEMA, and it is hoped that in the days, weeks, months and years ahead, the DG would continue to improve the operations of NEMA and not get distracted by the antics of a few whose stock in trade is to cause a distraction in the polity for their selfish interests.

The NEMA DG must stand his ground and always have at the back of his mind that his action and inactions either put smiles on the faces of people who are faced with dire emergencies or compound their situations and lead them eventually to their early graves.

I am convinced that the NEMA DG desires to bring as much as possible comfort to victims of disasters in the country. This much he has displayed and this much he should continue to do in service to the country and humanity.

Agbese is a public affairs analyst and publisher based in the United Kingdom.

The Steering Committee for National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu's presidential campaign has been inaugurated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the 2023 general poll.

The event held at the National Secretariat of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) at Maitama -Abuja, drew Tinubu's supporters from different parts of the country and the FCT.

Though Tinubu is yet to declare for the apex seat, many groups have started rooting for him.

Speaking at the event, a former Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), and Coordinator of the TSG in the FCT, Zaphaniah Bitrus, said the essence of the event was to put structures in place to ensure that Tinubu succeeded President Muhammadu Buhari, at the expiration of his tenure in 2023.

Bitrus, who also emerged Chairman of the Steering Committee for the FCT said, "Take the Tinubu campaign to the grassroots and mobilise Nigerians to vote Tinubu for President in 2023.

"We should support him. Let's give him the mandate. When he takes over, many things are going to change. He believes in equity, fairness and justice and he will boost the nation's economy. He has done alot of labour for the party; he has given himself to the party. We will not disappoint him," he said.

Similarly, the TSG women leader, Mrs Toyin Badmus, said Asiwasju presidency would guarantee women inclusiveness in the scheme of things and prepare grounds for their better standards of living.

Earlier, the TSG Director General, Umar Ibrahim, said the best thing that would happen to Nigeria at the end of Buhari's tenure would be to inaugurate Tinubu as the next President.

Some distinguished Nigerians, including the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christians Commission, Rev Yakubu Pam and Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Audi will be conferred with awards of excellence at the fifth anniversary of UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

While Rev Pam is nominated for " Icon of Peaceful Co-Existence", Dr Audi will be recognized as "Security Icon of the Year".

The pair will receive their awards at an event to be held on Thursday at the NAF Conference Centre Abuja.

According to Bridget Agada, secretary of the awards planning committee, Rev Pam has consistently used his office to preach peace, emphasising that the nation's unity is non-negotiable.

"At a time the country's corporate existence is being threatened by insurgency, insurrection and other criminal vices, it takes men of courage like Pam to speak out in support of one, united indivisible Nigeria," she stated.

Agada added that since coming on board as the Commandant-General of NSCDC, Audi has embarked on various structural and institutional reforms in the paramilitary agency, making its operations more effective and highly efficient.

She said "the high-point of his strategic reform was repositioning the NSCDC to stepping into the gap in our quest for a better secured Nigeria. A gap necessitated by the overstretched security formations across the country. The successes witnessed by the NSCDC in partnering with other relevant security agencies to relentlessly repel bandits attacks across the country has been attributed to the resilience and firm leadership of Abubakar Audi. It was also his NSCDC that has continued to fight for a more secured atmosphere for Nigerian students, even as bandits and other criminal elements continue to mount aggressive attacks on schools across the Northern part of the country. It is to the credit of Audi-led NSCDC that so many schools in Nigeria today has continued to learn under a peaceful atmosphere".

The event will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano is Father of the Day.

The National Youth Service Corps and its Director-General, Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Bala Mohammed will also be awarded.

By Kolawole Abe

“A good name is better than bags of gold.” Miguel de Cervantes

I choose to start this article with the quote by Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelists, because my excitement knew no bounds when I learned of the nomination of the former chief of army staff, and Nigeria's Ambassador to the Benin Republic by TheNigerian News as African Icon of Patriotism. Initially, I struggled with the classification of the award, thinking that he ought to have been African of the Century or something of that nature.

I won't mince words on Ambassador Tukur Buratai. He remains an exceptional Nigerian whose service record speaks volumes of an unalloyed commitment to the Nigerian dream and an equally astonishing level of patriotism to those ideals that define us as a people and country.

In my opinion, TheNigerian News through this award to Ambassador Tukur Buratai has once again reminded us of the lofty exploits of Ambassador Tukur Buratai while he held sway as the chief of army staff. I call those days the impeccable days in the annals of the Nigerian Army in terms of strategy and tactics; Ambassador Tukur Buratai indeed came to the party.

What most people seem to have forgotten so soon was the precarious situation we were in before the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari administration regarding the level of insecurity in the country, and especially the threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgents in North-East Nigeria. It was indeed a desperate situation for Nigeria that required desperate measures to deal with.

And as God would have it, President Muhammadu Buhari delivered to Nigerians one of the best gifts in the appointment of Tukur Buratai as chief of army staff. This was a decision that indeed changed the narrative in the prosecution of the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East Nigeria and the activities of other militant groups in the country.

I dare say Ambassador Tukur Buratai; while he held sway, dramatized military might, yet, adhering to the rules of engagement in warfare. As a fact, one of the strong points of Ambassador Tukur Buratai was the effective handling of relationships amongst sister security agencies. This information might not have graced newspaper headlines, but it was evident through the various military operations carried out by the Nigerian Army. And he never seized to commend the efforts and cooperation he received from sister agencies whenever gains were recorded, especially in the prosecution of the war against insurgency.

The way and manner he was able to turn around the fortunes of the Nigerian Army were also outstanding and in record time. From a lethargic situation to a combatant position in less than a year, the result was felt across the country with regards to addressing the security situation in the country. That was the vintage Tukur Buratai.
Again, Ambassador Tukur Buratai was able to contribute his quota in service to the country because the President and Commander-in-Chief recognized his capacity to deliver in that critical assignment and eventually provided the enabling environment for him to flourish.

Today, most of us are not surprised that President Muhammadu Buhari rewarded the exceptional record of Tukur Buratai with an ambassadorial posting, which in my opinion, is to ensure that he continues to render selfless service to the country. And this much he has lived up to in his new posting.

Therefore the nomination by TheNigerian News is a testament to the famous saying that a good name is better than riches. And that aptly captures the personality of Ambassador Tukur Buratai, who, in my opinion, is well-deserving of the African Icon of Patriotism award. Let us not also forget that this award adds to the array of others that have come his way in his service years.

For Ambassador Tukur Buratai, the award is well deserved. It should spur others to realize that a good name is better than all the riches in this world, and there is always a reward for hard work and excellence. This award is coming at no better time than now, where Nigeria needs patriotic individuals willing to sacrifice their comfort in service to the country.

I commend the management of TheNigerian News for their steadfastness in celebrating those Nigerians that have been outstanding in public service. I would assume that the overarching strategy is to recognize, appreciate and encourage other Nigerians in public service to render selfless service to the country in our quest for the Nigeria of our dreams.

For Ambassador Tukur Buratai, the African Icon of Patriotism award is indeed a big one, and he must realize that uneasy lays the head that wears the crown. This is both a commendation for selfless service and a charge to continue to do more. I say a big congratulation for it’s an award well merited. And it is hoped that the legacies would outlive him and encourage others to put the country first wherever they find themselves.


Kolawole is former Spokesman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) writing from Akure.

By Philip Agbese

There would hardly have been anything to deeply excite my spirit passionately had I professed membership of any other political Party, outside the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) in this age. I am infinitely fascinated by the ululations of its alphabetical combinations , with endearing hagiograpic connotations, particularly the word, "progressives."

Quite lucidly, I have no scantilla of doubt that the APC is truely a political association of progressives on the mission of mass liberation of Nigerians from the cuffs of crass neglect and kleptomanic and self- centered leadership.

And with President Muhammadu Buhari at the helms as Nigeria's democratic leader, his focused, purposeful and result- oriented leadership has impinged profound affection of the APC on the pysche of Nigerians as a Party with a difference, evidenced in the breaking of new grounds and exploring fresh frontiers in governance and development of Nigeria.

Definitely, I am neither the only Nigerian charmed by the aura of APC for a rebirth of Nigeria nor merely prodded to praisesing its beauty because I am contesting the 2023 Ado/Ogbadibo/ Okpokwu federal constituency's seat for the House of Representatives on the APC platform. But nature has taught us that what is good deserves to be embraced and men of good conscience are divinely obliged to to trumpet it.

Truly, I am not of the Nostradamus lineage. But with my little gift of prescience, I foresee the gains of Nigeria from an APC sustained leadership of the country, in greater magnitude in future, than currently experienced today.

Some other Nigerians have also seen this certainty like me, and with even more crystal lucidity than myself. It is raison d'etre the APC has become the most patronised honey for politicians at the moment. It offers the plank for fulfilling dreams or actualising ambitions for both individuals and communities in Nigeria.

That APC's popularity soars minutely is not delusionary or a mere propaganda hype! Its the reality as attested by the roving tsunamic defections of tens of thousands of opposition Party chieftains, together with their massive support- bases into APC in recent times.

The APC's nest of membership has stretched to the near of explosion now. But we are excited and prepared to welcome more Nigerians into its fold because APC has dispensed itself as a Party overtly hostile to the ideologies of the bandwagon political undertakers and power hawks in Nigeria. The Party only anchors and plays politics of development, which I believe is a dire necessity for our people.

However, I have sensed an arduous task for leaders of the reigning APC, Africa's most popular, finely co-ordinated and effective political organisation on the continent. My experience in politics tells me, managing human resources or human political capital is not a storm in a coffee cup, but an enamous responsibility.

This assignment needs gifted leaders who are competent, honest, foresighted and weaponised with all the fundamentally necessary ideas or strategies to succeed. Its not something as easy as a peck off the shelves as others would perceive it.

Therefore, and like others, I eagerly look forward to the upcoming APC national convention to crown a new set of officials to superintend on the affairs of our great Party. I appreciate every Party for the godly support in coming this far in victorious strides, despite circumstantial hiccups.

And from the coterie of topflight Party chieftains vying for the seat of APC national chairman, the Party has technically conceded to the North central region, one aspirant, Dist. Sen. George Akume's candidacy is outstandingly catchy and plausible in every sense.

I have no modicum of misgivings that the APC deserves to again, overwhelmingly trounce the assemblage of other political parties at all levels in the 2023 general elections. But I also know, ballot victories are not earned on a platter of gold. Its planned consciously, and powered by deliberate strategies.

This sensitive assignment requires the competitive or innate resourcefulness, competence and managerial acumen of a Party's leaders to puncture the prosecuting mechanism of rivals. Only this approach dismantle serial hurdles to penetrate bulwarks in opposing camps in order to create the desired impact in the masses to attract mass appeal, support and victory.

So, we need an APC national chairman with these expressive capacities and qualities. The expected national chairman, the APC needs now to extinguish the roguish opposition powermongers and permenantly blight their dubious shadows in Nigeria's leadership temple is someone who is urbane, a shrewd tactician, an administrative prodigy, quiet schemer, an adroit personality, highly connected, versatile in the antics of cosmopolitan politics or power play in Nigeria and its leadership. Most significantly, we need a national chairman with a massive blend of rurality or grassroots appeal, an exceptional conciliator and a dogged spirit of political battles, with an infectious aura of general acceptability beyond Party confines.

These essential qualities are all embodied in the Benue - born, political bulldozer, Sen. George Akume, Nigeria's current Minister for Special Duties and Intra- governmental Affairs. I am convinced, Akume parades enticing and captivating credentials as a public servant, reputable administrator, consummate politician, tested and trusted public leader of edifying magnificence.

Akume started his public service as a civil servant. He rose to the peak and retired as a Permanent Secretary in Benue state. His first romance with public service and politics was when he served as Sole Administrator of Gboko LGA in Benue state. His foray into active partisan politics manifested when he made the first attempt to contest the governorship of Benue state under the platform of the CNC ( Center for National Consensus) Party, in the aborted Abacha transition to democratic rule.

However, Benue people discovered the immense administrative and leadership treasures in Akume and elected him Governor of the state, upon the restoration of democracy in 1999.

From my personal investigations, a Benue gasping for life desperately needed a leader of Akume's mien to quench the thirst on the land by berthing succour. Proudly and to his credit, we are alive to testify to his rewarding leadership of the state for eight years.

Minister Akume served Benue as an Executive Governor for eight years. While serving in that capacity, he extended his political outreaches to other parts of Nigeria, cultivating and harvesting friendship across ethnic and religious divides. I know Sen. Akume as an unrepentant democrat, who believes absolutely in democratic ethos. He was one of the few State Governors of his time on the platform of the PDP who galvanized resistant forces to oppose ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo's unconstitutional third term agenda or what some of us branded as "dubious tenure elongation."

Thereafter, Akume was elected into the Senate in 2007 under the platform of PDP to represent his people of Benue North West Senatorial district. As first timer in the Senate, Akume vied for the seat of Senate President zoned to the North Central. Amazingly, Akume narrowly lost the highly competitive seat in the contest to a three-time serial Senator, Dist. Sen. David Mark.

Akume lost the seat, but won the hearts of many for the daring and impactful move. I interpreted the action as bold and strikingly, a rare outing, genuinely reflective of Akume's widespread political outreach and acceptability in the country.

Akume's sagacity and thickness has made him trudge successfully in seemingly rough political terrains. In 2011, irreconciliable differences pitched him against his successor, now Sen. Gabriel Suswam, the then Governor of the state under PDP. It compelled him to ditch the PDP for the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN) predominantly domiciled in Nigeria's Southwest region. ACN had very faint presence in the North, specifically, North Central. But Sen. Akume pulled the party to Benue, contested and won his 2011 senatorial seat effortlessly. In the Senate, Sen. Akume was unanimously elected Senate Minority Leader. He became the lead parliament voice of opposition parliamentarians of different political Parties in the Red Chambers for four years. Here too, Akume excelled in leadership and deepened his political clout across Nigeria.

Interestingly, Sen. Akume's 2011 shadows in ACN marked the beginning of the entrenchment of the ACN and opposition politics into the soul of the North Central, a region hitherto almost near exclusive to the party politics of the then ruling PDP. ACN later merged with other opposition political parties in Nigeria to birth the powerful ruling APC.

So, Sen. ( Dr.) Akume is one Nigerian politician, with the blue blood from the lineage of the late political sage, Sen. J . S Tarka, the famous minority rights crusader. It is not strange that Akume survives the hardest and toughest political hurricanes basically because of his infectious democratic credentials and amiability. The personality of Sen. George Akume personifies him as a core grassroots schemer, consummate leader, a humble man and an uncommon philanthropist. A personal perusal of Akume's persona betrays him as a leader more interested in investing in human resources development than accumulating personal wealth.

In 2019, greater vistas were opened to Sen. Akume, the APC leader, North Central, when he served as Vice Chairman North, All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Council. And despite deliberate political sabotage by the opposition gladiators, APC still still sustained its winning streaks with impressive outings in majority of states in the North, including the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term mandate.

Akume has continued to exalt and expand this political influence in the North and Nigeria. I gleaned this pleasant reality from the array of top leaders, elderstatesmen, Party chieftains, political groups and cultural associations from across Nigeria which paid solidarity visits to Sen. George Akume after his appointment as Minister and member of FEC by President Buhari.

His Abuja Maitama residence ceaselessly hosted these dignitaries for months. This was long before he indicated interest in contesting the national chairmanship seat of the APC. I have seen a replication of such fondness of Sen. Akume more intensely now that he is vying for the APC's topmost job. It has been another season of terrorents of supports all over Nigeria . The support is overwhelming and the campaigns at his behest to become the APC national chairman are very trenchant.

And Minister Akume earned my eternal respect as an unrepentant and faithful party man in 2015 over a little, but significant political incident. After the presidential and national assembly ballot of 2015, and despite the wind of change blowing across Nigeria with Buhari as President -elect, Nasarawa South senatorial district predominately peopled by Tiv voters, threatened to vote against the reelection of the then serving Gov. Tanko Al-Makura who flew the ticket of the APC in the election.

Irreconciliable political differences caused the chasm, which estranged the Tiv community from Gov. Al-Makura's reelection gambit.
It took the immediate intervention of Senator Akume to visit and dialogue with the Tiv community in Nasarawa to restore support and return Sen. Al-Makura as Governor for a second term, as their bulk votes to another party would have bruised APC's chances of state victory. That's the true spirit of a core party man and leader as examplified by Sen. Akume.

Frankly, Akume is the verdict of a wide spectrum of APC Party stakeholders, I have been privileged to sample their opinions. They insist that with all these qualities, connections and mass appeal going for Akume in every nook and cranny of the country, he neatly fits into that bill perfectly and correctly.

I foresee an added icing of the cake for Akume with the anticipated endorsement of his candidature by President Buhari, the national father- figure of APC in Nigeria . With this step in the kitty, President Buhari would have unwittingly sealed the victorious electoral fate of the APC for another eight years after his Presidency.

Surely, with an Akume APC national chairmanship and his team of competent lieutenants , the electoral pandora's box would have been unstoppably opened for the perpetual power hawks, scavengers and looters of Nigeria's commonwealt. I mean, the opposition Party which is already weakened by the scandalous shadows manifest in the disappearance of the over N11 billion Party funds in the fixed deposit account for the building of its national Secretariat, as Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman -elect threatens audit probe. Its shameful!

I have no slight hesitation that if given the opportunity, Sen. George Akume will be fair and just to all party members, and Nigerians.

Agbese is an aspirant for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal House of Representatives writing from Agila.

The heads of the Industrial Training Fund and Nigerian Communications Commission have been nominated for awards of excellence by UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

According to the company, the awards will be received by ITF's DG, Sir Joseph Ari and NCC's Executive Secretary, Prof Umar Danbatta respectively at its fifth anniversary.

In a statement signed by Bridget Agada, the secretary of the award planning committee, the ITF boss willl be conferred with the Icon of Transformation while Danbatta will be recognised as the Icon of Security Innovation.

Agada said ITF has made numerous contributions in placing Nigeria on the path of steady economic growth and industrialization through human resources development.

She added that, "There's been emphasis on skills acquisition with the knowledge that it is the most sustainable solution to reducing poverty and unemployment, and the catalyst to growth arid development. ITF is now reputed for its proactiveness and farsightedness, which more than anything else accounts for its longevity and relevance.

" Nigerians can not forget the brainchild of ITF, the maiden made-in-Nigeria phones and how it has positively impacted the economy of the country".

On the part of Danbatta, the company said that the NCC boss has introduced groundbreaking reforms that has positively influenced the war against insecurity.

It noted that owing to the expertise, innovations and foresight of Danbatta, the country is enjoying a new lease of life.

The event, which will be held at the NAF Conference on December 16th, will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano is Father of the Day.

The National Youth Service Corps and its Director-General, Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Bala Mohammed will also be awarded.

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION’S INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

The Civil Society Alliance for Transparency and Development (CSATD) is a coalition of Civil Society Organizations, with a mandate to advocate for better living conditions for the citizens by ensuring qualitative and effective delivery of public goods and services. The coalition aggregates and amplifies the voices of its members in holding public institutions accountable to the citizens who hold the highest office in our democratic system that gives birth to all institutions.

As part of our activities in furtherance of our mandate, the CSATD holds public institutions accountable by periodically assessing their performance based on management performance within the framework of their mandates and budgetary allocations.

Considering the security situation in Nigeria and the added responsibility it has placed on government in terms of emergency care through medium to long term rehabilitation and reintegration of those affected by crises, the CSATD has beamed its searchlight on the relevant agencies in the sector to assess their performance.

We independently assessed the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, wherein we looked at their mandate which gives them the longest engagement with victims of crises and disasters, being the longest care provider.

It must be said that hitherto, the Commission had received meager budgetary allocation despite the enormous responsibility it was saddled with, while staff morale was rather low.

The coming of President Buhari has however changed this trajectory for the better, with increased budgetary allocations and other reforms that has set the commission on the path to better outcomes for the victims of crises.
The CSATD and its members has for the last six months visited sites where the commission carries out its work and measured the level of work against their budgetary allocations and releases. In the coming days we shall be presenting our comprehensive report of the said assessment but this is a presentation of our preliminary findings.
It is our observation that the commission, under the leadership of Hajiya Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim, has sustained the gains made during the course of the Buhari administration. From our investigation the commission has made several giant strides, attracting government support and increased local and international strategic support, which has led to more impact on their areas of work. Though there is more to be done, the commission has shown itself to be capable and deserves to be given more powers and resources to carry out the enormous task before it.
We have found that under the current leadership the commission has vastly improved the packages being given to IDPs in Nigeria and been able to attract more local and international partnerships to support them in this task. It is also the discovery of the CSATD that the Commission has also given priority attention to issues of staff welfare, which has brought about increased motivation to exceed their job descriptions in recognition of the fact that crises management is a continuous exercise.
Today standard protocols have been established for repatriation of Nigerian refugees from neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic, while several communities have been resettled by the commission. The commission has attracted the commendation of the likes of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), which is on record as having put its stamp of approval on the processes of the commission in carrying out its mandate. Today Nigeria has adopted and localized the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), being one of the first countries in Africa to do so.
Our team also monitored procurement practices, which we found to be transparent and in full compliance with the subsisting procurement act and other ancillary laws of the federation. The Commission has also prioritized inter-agency collaboration, establishing seamless relations with agencies working within their space and beyond.
We call on the presidency to sustain and increase the budgetary allocations to the commission. We also call on the Presidency to continue to support the management of the commission for them to do more. We equally call on local and international partners to give more support to the commission for more impact and better outcomes for the victims of disaster and violence.

SIGNED:
BASAH MOHAMMED
NATIONAL COORDINATOR, CSATD

Senator Abu Ibrahim Didn't Organise Any Meeting of Northern Elders for Asíwájú Bola Tinubu

We have seen an untitled, unsigned and absolutely fake post circulating on Whatsapp, alleging that Senator Abu Ibrahim organised a meeting of Northern Elders for Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, where issues of his yet undeclared presidential ambition were discussed.

The viral post claimed that Tinubu at the meeting insisted on picking a Muslim from the North-West as running mate while discontenancing the votes from the South-South and South-East.

Ordinarily, Senator Abu Ibrahim would not have dignified this groundless report with a response, but for fear that some unwary may not see through the mischief intended for an ambition that is yet to be declared, the Senator would like to state as follows:
*That he didn't convene any meeting of Northern elders for Asíwájú Tinubu or for anyone for that matter.
*That no meeting of Northern elders ever took place as claimed. And as an elder in the North, he should know if there would be any such meeting.
*That he has been friends with Asíwájú Tinubu for over 30 years and knows Asíwájú Tinubu well enough to know he would not operate on the basis of religion or ethnicity should he decide to contest for the presidency.
*That Asíwájú Tinubu would not discountenance any region or group of people as the fake post seemed to present him if he decides to throw his hat in the ring.
Asíwájú is a nationalist who has built bridges across the various regions and has friends in equal measure from the South-east and South- South as well as the three geopolitical zones in the North- North-west, North-east and North-central.
*We know those behind the post. While we will refrain from naming them, we will appeal to them to at least wait for the process to begin before they begin their disingenuous campaigns of hate and calumny.
We urge our people to disregard the post for what it is: fake and unfounded.


Signed
Otunba Biodun Ajiboye
Media Director, CNNI,
For and on behalf of Senator Abu Ibrahim.

The North East Development Commission(NEDC) has been nominated for an award of excellence by UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

In a letter addressed to its Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, the company said the NEDC will be recognised as Most Outstanding Agency for National Intervention and Recovery.

According to the company, NEDC alongside other agencies and distinguished Nigerians will be awarded at its fifth anniversary scheduled for Thursday.

" We are rewarding NEDC's efforts since 2019 in fulfilling its core mandate of reconstruction and development of the North-East. The NEDC has risen to the responsibility of receiviing and managing funds from allocation of the Federal Account, international donors for the settlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency as well as tackling the menace of poverty, illiteracy level, ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the North-East states," TheNigerian said.

"In particular, the completion of ICT centres, construction of housing units and completion of abandoned projects across the region have attracted the attention of Nigerians beyond the North-East".

The event, which will be held at the NAF Conference, will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano is Father of the Day.

The National Youth Service Corps and its Director-General, Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Bala Mohammed will also be awarded.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig-General Shuaibu Ibrahim has been nominated for an award of excellence by UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

Ibrahim will be recognised as "Pathfinder of Youth Empowerment" at an event to mark the company's fifth anniversary.

The NYSC Scheme will also be conferred with an award as "Most Outstanding Agency for National Unity and Development".

According to a statement by the company, Brig-Gen Ibrahim was selected by its 10-man committee for equipping and empowering young Nigerians for self-reliance through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme.

" Over the years, the NYSC has pursued various measures geared towards critically engaging corps members constructively during their service year. However, under your watch, the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme has recorded massive gains and global recognition," the statement said.

"More than ever, hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youths are better equipped and empowered for self-reliance. The SAED is now reputed as Nigeria’s flagship entrepreneurial programme and the biggest in Africa".

On the choice of the NYSC for an award, the company said "we have seen the valuable contributory roles of the NYSC Scheme to national development and integration particularly in the time of national emergencies such as COVID-19 lockdown where medical doctors on the Scheme and other personnel provided numerous voluntary services".

It added that "our committee also recalls the role of its young doctors in sustaining the health sector during strikes and the immeasurable contributions of Corp members to our educational development and skills acquisition.

"It is also on record that the NYSC in recent times has given herself to boosting the country’s treasury through countless revenue-generating schemes".

The event, which will be held at the NAF Conference on December 16, will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano is Father of the Day.

Other eminent Nigerians to be awarded on that day include His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governor Abdullahi Sule and Governor Bala Mohammed.

Kogi State Governor and 2023 Presidential Hopeful on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has been named Best Governor in Peace and Security for his outstanding leadership qualities and decisive handling of the security situation in the state.

Alhaji Bello is among distinguished Nigerians to be recognised at the fifth anniversary awards of UK-based media group, TheNigerian News.

According to a statement by the company, the governor has excelled in numerous aspects since taking over the helms of affair.

It highlighted the tremendous turnaround in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and youth empowerment, all attracting widespread commendation.

However, the company added that its committee were particularly impressed with the peace, serenity and security in Kogi.

"Despite its delicate nature, as the bridge between the north and south, Kogi is seemingly unaffected by the rising spate of crimes across the country," a statement signed by Ms Bridget Agada, the secretary of the planning committee noted.

"With the knowledge that the state is central to the nation’s peace and development, Governor Bello set up a template, involving all indigenes in the fight, keeping them busy with worthy jobs and making the task of securing the state everybody’s business. Other states are beginning to borrow this blueprint".

The company added that Governor Bello has also helped to midwife series of interventions in de-escalating tensed security situation across the country.

The event, scheduled to hold at the NAF Conference Centre Abuja on December 16th, will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, His Excellency, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, is the Father of the Day.

Ten other distinguished Nigerians will be recognised on that day including His Excellencies, Ambassador Tukur Buratai, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim and Mr Mohammed Bello-Kobo, the acting MD, Nigerian Ports Authority.

Others are Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, the DG National Youth Service Corps; Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, DG National Lottery Commission, Mr Yusuf Bichi, the DG Department of State Services, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Yakubu Pam, Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) among others.

Former Senate President, Anyim, former Army boss, Buratai, others for TheNigerian News Awards

Former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and former Chief of Army Staff, His Execelleny, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd) are among distinguished Nigerians nominated for awards by London-based group, TheNigerian News.

Senator Anyim, also a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, will be conferred with an award of excellence as "Grand Icon of Democracy".

Ambassador Buratai, meanwhile, will be recognised as the "Grand Icon of Patriotism in Africa".

The award ceremony, scheduled for NAF Conference Centre Abuja, on December 16th, is part of activities to mark the company's fifth anniversary.

According to a press statement signed by Ms Bridget Agada, secretary of the award planning committee, Senator Anyim epitomises the average hardworking Nigerian who believes in the country's peace, unity and progress.

She said the former Senate President is a symbol of democracy who is highly revered in the mould of other great Patriots like Sir Ahmadu Bello of blessed memory, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Agada further revealed that Ambassador Buratai is celebrated for his "patriotic devotion to duty which continued to manifest through the timely defeat of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria".

She added that his fearless fight against "terrorism across the African continent, initiating and domesticating numerous reforms and innovations have placed the Nigerian Army as one of the most powerful forces in Africa".

The event will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator (Dr) George Akume while His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero is the Royal Father of the Day.

Ten other distinguished Nigerians will be recognised on that day including His Excellencies, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State as well as the MD/CEO of FunmiAyinke Nigeria Limited, Engr Funmi Ayinke.

others are Brig Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Mr Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Yakubu Pam, Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) among others.

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC has been commended for its leadership styles in overcoming critical challenges facing the Nation. 

The scheme was particularly eulogized for its interventions in the areas of Covid-19 emergency interventions and thinking outside the box towards fighting the pandemic in the country.


Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two day public discourse on reinforcing critical institutions for National Development and sustainability in Abuja, an educationist, Professor  Sam Okpe lauded the efforts of institutions such as the NYSC and the Joint Admission snd Matriculation Board, JAMB in maintaining its relevance in the country.


Okpe said  when COVID-19 broke out, the NYSC scheme was suspended due to restrictions on movement and fear of the health risks to corps members. 


He said shortly after the lifting of the ban on restrictions, the scheme swooped into action to see ways of assisting the government to curtail the spread of the virus



He said this prompted the NYSC leadership to approach the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (now the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19) to put strategies in place for the resumption of their activities. 


Okpe said first on the agenda of the committee set up which comprised mostly of NYSC and NCDC staff was to “look at strategies that will ensure the safety of corps members while  in camp to ensure that they keep building trust of the entire country, especially their guardians.”


"The team carried out a readiness and needs assessment, using a checklist, in all 37 camps in the country to ensure they were prepared to host corps members.

" As some of the camps were used as temporary isolation centres, it was important to ensure they were fit for the purpose of hosting orientation exercises. Once completed, they provided a checklist of things the camps must put in place before they could reopen"he said 



Okpe said working with existing response infrastructure set up by the NCDC helped the process. 



"The Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) working with state epidemiologists and the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) were leveraged to monitor and report activities of public health importance in the camps.



"They also divided the graduates into streams to ensure no more than 800 were mobilised to be in camps at once. This is in contrast to the usual 10,000 to 20,000 before the pandemic. To further control the crowd, they were also assigned specific days to report to camp"he said


He also added that technology played a key role in managing the process. 



"Before accessing and printing their call up letters, the intending corps members were required to read NYSC guidelines developed by the NCDC and then acknowledge their willingness to adhere to them and other infection, prevention and control (IPC) guidelines, including being tested for COVID-19, before being admitted to the camps. After which they visited the SORMAS page to provide their travel history, medical history and now, their COVID-19 vaccination status. A unique code was then generated which they printed and presented at the gate, along with their call up letters.



Before being accepted into the camp, they were screened for COVID-19 using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Upon receiving a negative test result, corps members were able to proceed with registration while the surveillance team conducted a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to confirm positive cases.



A social commentator, Austin Maho who also spoke at the session eulogized the role of the NYSC in leading the campaign against youth unemployment in the country.

By Thomas Uzah

I read the piece written by Prof Anthony Kila titled reform or disband the NYSC. It is a fascinating piece, even though he wrote like he wasn't sure of himself at the initial stages. I must add that Prof Kila succeeded in expressing fears rather than addressing the issues he sought to propagate when he conceived the idea about writing on the NYSC.
His emphasis was on the safety of corp members. He was also of the opinion that the NYSC had not evolved over the years and still relied on the methodology set out when it was established in 1973. That was strange to me to the extent that I wondered if he thought it was still the same regime and retinue of events for close to 50 years.
Prof Kila argued that by 2023 when a new government will come into power, and the NYSC will be 50 years old, many of those billed to serve will probably be young adults born in 2000. He stated thus: “We are talking generation Z here. The idea of governing Gen Z with rules and schemes invented in 1973 is simply ridiculous and destined to fail.”
The above statement, in my opinion, was misplaced. He exhibited an apparent lack of understanding of the issues at stake regarding the operations of the NYSC in recent times. Maybe he thought nothing had changed in the NYSC since it was created 50 years ago. The question I would ask is this? Is it possible that such would happen in this age and time?
Could it be that Prof Kila thinks that the NYSC as a scheme has refused to evolve and adapt to the changes in the country over the years? If that is indeed his position, then I would say something is fundamentally wrong because he attempted to paint a picture of the NYSC as that organization that has remained the same since inception.
Let me digress; the only constant in life is change. This much Prof Kila should know as a scholar. For him to disregard, this important phenomenon raises a red flag. And why the content of his piece should be recalled for further research at the risk of misleading unsuspecting members of the general public.
I do not hold a brief for the NYSC, but I can sufficiently say my NYSC experience 15 years ago is not the same as that of my niece two years ago. Let me give a simple example. During my NYSC experience 15 years ago, the monthly allowance was N9,800. But today, it is N33 000. This simple analogy helps us understand that the NYSC has continually evolved over the years with innovations that have transformed the scheme from what it used to be.
In those days, call up for participation in the NYSC was done through schools, where one is expected to collect call up letters manually. But today, everything is done online. Is Prof Kila aware of this?
Is Prof Kila also aware that there was a posting policy that restricted the posting of corp members to critical areas at some point? Let me help; in 2012, the federal government approved a new posting policy for the NYSC to four critical areas; rural health, education, infrastructure and agriculture. Accordingly, the new posting policy framework was to enhance equitable distribution of corps manpower to curtail underutilization and re-energize the objective of the scheme as envisioned by its founding fathers. I would advise Prof Kila to research those mentioned above and return to his readers on his findings.
Also, in March 2012, the NYSC leadership introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship (SAED) Programmes into the NYSC orientation course content. The scheme's goals include sensitization and mobilization of young graduates for skill acquisition annually and facilitation of training and mentoring of young graduates in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development of self-reliance annually. Others include the promotion of public-private partnership for entrepreneurship development and self-reliance among Nigerian youths and attachment of corps members to appropriate organizations for skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development.
I won't expatiate on the above listed. After all, I am dealing with a Professor because I believe the Professor would undertake further research. It is very common with scholars, and this is no exception. I stand to be corrected.
Lest I forgot, the Prof also stated that the concept of the NYSC prioritizes identity over functionality. He said," It is a wrong and lazy way of thinking. Nigerians do not mistrust themselves because they do not know each other. Nigerians mistrust themselves because those in power fail to provide enough services and opportunities for all but insist on rationing insufficient services and opportunities through nepotism, tribalism and other forms of favouritism at the detriment of merit.”
I am afraid I cannot agree as a first. Secondly, I don't know the area of core competence of Prof Anthony Kila. However, I think this area is not his turf, and as such, he should be careful not to mislead and misinform. The concept behind the establishment of the NYSC has never been that of identity, but rather national reintegration as fallout from the wounds of the civil war. This fact must be stated clearly.
Talking about functionality, there can’t be a functional society in an atmosphere of strife. The civil war opened an array of issues. The NYSC was established with a “view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity". Now, this is functionality.
The contributions of corps members in the socio-economic development of Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Prof Kila must come to terms with this reality and desist from commenting on issues he is not knowledgeable about. I expect him to act in good conscience at all times. But if it is for pecuniary gains, then that is another topic for discussion.

Uzah PhD is head of department, Mass Communication, Kwararafa University Wukari.

In a recent press statement by one Isah Jabbi who claimed to be speaking on behalf of a faceless concerned youth of APC in Sokoto state, where he claimed to personally recognised one, Mainasara as the Sokoto APC Chairman.



It is on record, that Isah Sadiq Achida was unanimously elected as the chairman of Sokoto APC, under a consensus agreement, where all the delegates from the 23 Local Government converged at the state party office, screened and all signified in one voice on the leadership of the State APC executives. The process which, was observed, monitored by INEC officials, security agencies and conducted by the Chairman of Congress committee sent from the APC National Headquarter.



You have taken a step too far and you should learn to identify your personal grudges and address them in a rightful channel. He has instead chosen to attach it to a non-existing party crisis.



His Excellency, Sen. Aliyu M. Wamakko is a father, mentor, benefactor and leader who deserves respect from the character or any of their associate. Therefore his leadership and mentorship should not be attacked by any person having acknowledged his sustained support to you and your associate.



Sequel to this, i wish to disassociate myself and other genuine youth stakeholders, of Sokoto state, a card carrying APC members, stakeholders in national struggle from the self-acclaimed press release.



Considering the peaceful nature and contributions, of our great party the APC, a person of your intellectual/ intelligence should not indulge in doing this obnoxious act which contradicts your social orientation. Therefore i wish to inform you formally that, you should find a forum of reconciling the damage you have done to your reputable personality by crossing the boundaries of long lasting relationship of my humble self, our Father the leader of our grate party, the youths forum which we all represent and the Students Unionship which we are all leaders with followers, i deemed is unethical and unprofessional of you attacking the personality of our great party the APC. This is devastating in the Fora of our struggle as youths.

We remain committed to the authentic leadership of the party, and undoubtedly loyal to our leader, distinguished senator Wammako.

No amount of cheap blackmail can change this fact.





Signed:



SULEIMAN MAHMUD T.

By Katurak Yashim

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, says the National  Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is here to stay as its contributions to national development are indisputable.

Dare spoke in Abuja on Saturday night at the premiere of an advocacy movie produced by the NYSC entitled “A Call to Service”.

The movie was produced to increase appreciation for the scheme’s relevance in promoting patriotism, national unity, peace and cohesion.

Some of the movie cast included Nollywood actors such as Pete Edochie, Toyin Abraham, Ali Nuhu, Belinda Effah, Imeh Bishop also known as “Okon Lagos”, and comedian Anita Asuoha also referred to as “Real Warripikin”.

The minister applauded the timely release of the movie as the relevance of the scheme has been under public scrutiny and debate in recent time.

“The timing of this movie could not have been better after weeks and months of debates about whether the NYSC is relevant or not and whether the scheme should be scrapped or should continue.

“The answer to the critics, to the anti-NYSC is in the premiere of this movie. This movie needs to travel and hit every viewing platform across this country and in the diaspora; it must go viral.

“The message must go out strong and clear, that the NYSC has come to stay. The scheme is more relevant now than it has ever been before,” the minister said.

Dare said that the release of the movie would assist the ministry with its plans in ensuring that the NYSC Trust Fund is created.

According to him, I believe that before the end of the first quarter of next year when we have done all that is necessary, I will be able to present a memo to the (Federal Executive) Council for the establishment of an NYSC Trust Fund.

Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former Head of State and initiator of the NYSC, urged the legislative and executive arms of the Federal Government to take the necessary steps towards establishing the NYSC Trust Fund.

Gowon, who was represented by Mr Yusuf Nalado, Member, NYSC Governing Board, said that the gesture would ensure the sustenance of the scheme and the future of the Nigerian youth.

Gowon called on Nigerians to continue to support the scheme to sustain the achievements of its mandate.

Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the NYSC Director-General, said that the scheme produced the movie to drive the relevance of the scheme and also to provide a platform for corps members to develop their potential.

Ibrahim said that the movie also aimed to educate local and foreign-trained graduates that national service is mandatory and failure to comply will attract legal consequences.

“You are all aware that NYSC has for long become a household name in Nigeria owing to its invaluable contributions to national unity and development.

“In particular, its role in the training and mentoring of the youth in preparation for their future leadership responsibilities have been appreciated by all and sundry.

“The movie we are unveiling today is part of the innovative approaches of the present management to engendering a greater appreciation of the relevance of the scheme.

“It is an advocacy and sensitisation tool that is also expected to influence a greater commitment of stakeholders to their roles and responsibilities as spelt out in the NYSC Act Cap N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the NYSC Bye-Laws.

According to Ibrahim, the movie is also produced to encourage local and foreign-trained Nigerian graduates that are eligible for national service to make themselves available upon graduation.

He said that this would prevent the graduates from being found guilty of absenteeism, absconding, or certificate forgery.

The director-general said that the movie was produced under the schemes movie production platform “NYSCwood” which was established to sensitise the public on relevant issues.

“Some of the actors in the movie were serving corps members at the time of its production. Indeed, the film was produced by a corps member, JairusPaul Osazuwa.

“This is in line with our policy of providing opportunities for corps members to develop their potential. It is in this regard that we established the NYSC movie production platform, which we christened NYSCwood.

“Already, we have produced several short films aimed at sensitising the public on issues such as elections, safe blood donation, and campaign against open defecation.

“Apart from deploying our movies as instruments of entertainment and education, the NYSCwood will serve as a training platform for corps members who will be interested in pursuing a career as professional movie actors while also generating revenue for the scheme,” Ibrahim said.

He said that the scheme had also signed a partnership agreement with the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) to further provide a platform for corps members to develop and expand their creativity. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
KRY/KOK
========

By Steven Omoha

Surprisingly, there are sustained and conscious attempts by some political players to deliberately splotch a laudable scheme like the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the wrong reasons. A latest recruit into the agenda, Anthony Kila, a Professor of Strategy and Development and, Director at Center for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), Lagos, authored a piece, captioned, “Let Us Reform or Disband NYSC.” But finished weakly and poorly.
The pedagogies interrogated and espoused by the writer of the piece can accurately be described as contradictory. While he flaunts dual contrastive positions on same issue- to reform or disband the NYSC, a thorough perusal of the write-up supports none concretely. Probably, he is a writer in conflict with his ideas. Unwittingly, the writer betrayed his concealed motives of a predetermined mindset, severed from conviction, as reflective in an outright display of feeble indecision on either sustaining the existence of NYSC or disbanding it.
In any case, the Author has a good sense of humour. He is not sure of the public acceptability of his arguments. Nigerians have heard enough of such junkyard commentaries and campaigns in recent times. Even the national parliament also mulled with the idea. But it shuddered no one and rather, Nigerians moved against scrapping of the scheme. That’s the only assurance to Kila even today. The writer merely duplicated and re-echoed it today. But the conspiratorial gang-ups against the existence of NYSC, citing insecurity and other mundane issues have failed and will continue to fail strikingly.
The author’s first doubtful, but generous misconception is the declaration that “The most obvious reason to reform or disband the NYSC is that of safety, but that is a mere (sic) but crucial topical issue. The security situation in the country has muffled the sense of adventure in potential corps members and transformed the feel and aroma of NYSC into anxiety.” How, Mr. Professor? And he sounded with much infantile disposition. He backed his assertion with alien idea of parents and guardians praying and fasting for their children or relations not to be posted to volatile areas.
It is disappointing to discern the incapacity of the writer to convince Nigerians that it is the serving corps members who are afraid of “adventurous” exploits during the service years because of insecurity in their localities. But, benignly (according to the writer), it is the parents who fast and pray at their behest? Existence itself anywhere in the world is an adventure. Humanity exists in predestinies; death is an unwelcome visitor, but knocks on anyone’s door, anywhere. That anyone is alive anywhere today is not because of hired sentinels to protect him, or his carefulness or saintliness, but by God’s special mercies.
And if the writer himself bemoans widespread insecurity in the country as confessed, would these young Nigerians be safer or unassailable from violence in their ancestral abodes? Are other human beings not existing in the same communities, baptized by Kila as unsecured? It sounds sufficiently hollow!
Unfortunately, a Professor of Strategy and Development has wittingly belittled the idea of inter-human relationships, cultural adaptation and the domestication of young Nigerians among themselves in other parts of the country. He pretended not to know that it is a natural antidote to peace and propellers of development or harmonious co-existence.
The Author mildly applauded the idea; but frowned at what he prefers to qualify as Government’s imposition of such concepts on its people, whilst canvassing for its replacement with tourism. May be, Kila has no idea of the expensiveness of tourism in Nigeria or elsewhere. For many Nigerians, it is an opportunity which comes once in a lifetime. Therefore, he unreasonably queried; “This seems laudable but after a closer look, a question pops up: why is it the business of the government to force young Nigerians to discover other parts of Nigeria? “
Globally, there is no democracy where citizens are granted absolute freedom and, every nation has its own peculiarities. Other democratic nations too have made certain programs mandatory for all its citizens. So, it is wrong to suggest that “Let us make NYSC optional and specialized.” Nigeria cannot jump blindly into Generation “Z” overnight. It’s a gradual process. If the Government of Nigeria decides to impose cultural mix-ups and platforms of enhancing greater national unity among young Nigerians, it should not constitute a nightmare, based on a flimsy excuse.
It is narrow perception to think corps members’ utility value is only found in closing the deficiency of teachers in public schools. This reasoning is logically defective. What about other professionals like Medical Doctors, health specialists, Architects, Engineers, Lawyers etc, who feel the lacuna in various communities in these sensitive and impactful critical areas? Is Kila saying the valuable services they render should be nullified because the teaching profession alone is abused? And among corps members are also education graduates and all of them contribute to nation-building in very dire situations.
And the craziest standpoint is the submission that “The easiest thing to do is to scrap the scheme.” NYSC cannot be scrapped on the simplistic perceptions of someone’s phobia of insecurity, or its presumed out-modelled structure or because the teaching profession is reportedly abused. The scheme is by far, more valuable and impressively rewarding to the country and the participants. It’s now quite clear, the writer is living in the past, or simply, uninterested in the multiple reforms, the NYSC is currently enjoying under the Buhari Presidency.
Perhaps, the academic don is too busy with other schedules to notice the ongoing reforms and repositioning of the NYSC under the current leadership of Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim.
The writer cannot in all fairness claim that serving corps members face such widespread daunting security challenges in their places of Primary Assignment (PA) because the NYSC Director-General and his team are not robots. Corps members are not posted to real or potential volatile areas. This is in addition to the extra security arrangements for them from the camps to the places they are posted.
NYSC is now figured in fresh realms of contributions to national productivity under Gen. Ibrahim. Its novel in the history of the scheme to have corps members who are actively engaged into large scale and recognizable domestic production of Agricultural produce in Nigeria in response to President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy on food production. Existing NYSC farms and fresh farm plantations have sprouted throughout Nigeria.
NYSC rice cultivation alone has scaled over 60,000 hectares in year 2021. And modalities for expansion of same have been completed. The rice produce is also processed in NYSC Rice Mills and packaged for public consumption. NYSC bottled water, bread and flour factories have been established and the scheme is aggressively fighting for its financial independence through investments. For the first time, NYSC has contributed slightly over a billion naira into the federation account, sourced from proceeds of its investments in 2020 and 2021.
The Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneur Development Program (SAED) has become the hub of skills empowerment of serving corps members. Many have ended up becoming self-reliant by deploying the SAED talents to investments in post service years. Through soft loans, out-going corps members source from the financial institutions partnering with the NYSC, these young Nigerians have invested in various successful business ventures and have also employed other unemployed youths in different parts of the country. Is this the scheme Prof. Kila and his cohorts want scrapped or are these not reforms worthy of their attention?
And Gen. Ibrahim plans a bigger picture of the financial empowerment of corps members in the post service year. Sensitization campaigns have reached the peak for the establishment of an NYSC Trust Fund, where a larger percentage of passing out corps members would access loans to start life independently. Nigerians cannot sacrifice these benefits on the egoistic excitement of someone lured into the fancies of Generation “Z” or digital age. Nigeria must evolve its home grown solutions to solve its peculiar problems and the NYSC, under Gen. Ibrahim offers a durable plank today as formidable stakeholder in the Nigerian project.


Omoha wrote this piece from Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta.

By Philip Agbese



Not every Nigerian is gifted with the capacity to appreciate developments in their milieu. But certainly, there is tremendous improvements in the country’s domestic food production fortunes in the last few years, evident in the data of the overall contribution of the agricultural sector in the growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The fixation not to recognize efforts of government has also blindfolded a few to the reality of FGN’s triumphs in food production, despite accidental hurdles in government’s efforts to ensure massive local food production and security; job creation; earning and conservation of scarce foreign reserves. However, any imagined misgivings do not displace the real progression.

When President Muhammadu Buhari became Nigeria’s democratic leader in 2015, he noticed an extremely recessed economy, mainly railroaded by the global drastic drop in the prices of crude oil in the international market. Mr. President loudly frowned at the trend amid daunting challenges of development. He preached diversification of the Nigerian economy as one of his immediate priorities through agriculture *that champions the informal sector of our economy* by stimulating farmers into massive local food production. It became the icing of the cake for Dr. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria.

Food security is a global slogan, and like the national anthem of every country. Each nation strives to be self-sustaining and self-sufficient on access to food. And Nigeria is a blessed country with arable and fertile land in all parts of the nation. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s agricultural resources have largely remained untapped or under-utilized in the past and the resort to importation of staple food commodities damagingly bruised the economy.

So, in the last few years, under the administration of President Buhari, appreciable efforts, energy and funds have been invested to boost agricultural production. Nigeria’s CBN Governor, Dr. Emefiele foresighted the danger far ahead having studied the unpromising indices of the economy and gave his whole heart to the task.

Emefiele sighted a bleak future with the clarity of Nostradamus, popularly referred to as “the man who saw tomorrow,” and knew, urgent steps had to be taken to avert an impending catastrophe in food availability. Therefore, Emefiele, Nigeria Nostradamus in disguise used the agric sector from to twice pull out the country recessions in quick succession.

The CBN has a pantheon of functions which are designed to breed a stable and prosperous economy for Nigeria. Emefiele saw Nigeria’s dark tomorrow and averted it by not only channeling energies on CBN’s price control, monetary, and financial system stability *also* by migrating full scale into a financial catalyst in the agricultural sector of the economy.

Today, Nigeria has met a significant percentage of its local agricultural production/consumption needs in several staple crops around the country. The CBN boss nay Nigeria has emerged victorious in spite of tough interruptions to farming enterprises and agric produce transportation, including the global Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) multiple lockdowns; the humongous degeneration of internal security; and natural disasters such as floods and fire outbreaks.

Often expectedly, Nigerians complain of rising costs of food items in the open market. But it takes only an impartial mind to understand the salient benefits. Those with this mindset hardly appreciates that it would have been worse had President Buhari from the onset failed to take aggressive steps in the revitalization of agriculture in the country.

There is abundant evidence that during the COVID-19 lockdown, the federal government palliatives of food supplies to all Nigerians were sourced locally from national food reserves. And unlike before, Nigeria has met 80% of its domestic rice consumption through local production; much like in other crops.

So far, the CBN has disbursed over N1.8 trillion intervention funds under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), benefitted by different agricultural schemes as loans to stakeholders in a dozen value chains by December 31, 2020.

So, in spite of these unforeseen interruptions, Nigeria targeted its National Food Reserve (NFR) to reach 219, 900 metric tonnes by end of 2020. That limit has been exceeded. As early as 2016, as disclosed by the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Nanono, Nigeria had over 109,657 metric tonnes. Over the years, the nation has experienced an impressive progression in its agricultural funding and farmers engagements on a large scale.

Consequently, the Buhari Presidency has taken a bold step into agricultural revolution, through the CBN, which is still launching series of agricultural intervention schemes. But the Buhari Presidency’s focal action was the Anchor Borrower’s Programme (ABP), which he personally launched in Birnin-Kebbi, in Kebbi state.

Over the years, the ABP has commendably executed its mandate of providing farm inputs in kind and cash to Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) to boost production of specified commodities, stabilize inputs supply to agro- processors and correction of Nigeria’s negative balance of payments on food importation. SHFs harvests are supplied to the Agro-processor (Anchor) who in turn, pays the cash equivalent to the farmer’s account. The CBN initially disbursed over N300 billion to over 3.1 million SHFs in 21 different commodities, with a cumulative hectarage cultivation of over 3.8 million farmlands in areas like rice, wheat, maize, cotton, cassava, poultry, soybeans, groundnuts and fish among others.

By end of 2020, the CBN’s funded ABP’s rice farmers operating under the auspices of Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in five years, had a total of 2,923,937 farmers engaged in farming 3,647,643 hectares of 21 commodities, anchored by 23 Financial Institutions in all the 36 states and Abuja. Through these cumulative efforts, the yields, the agricultural sector has contributed to GDP rise to 22.35 percent in Q1’21, up from 19.79 percent in 2020 according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

And encouragingly, the agric sector alone impacted real economic growth on Nigeria by 2.2 percent in 2020, when the entire country recorded only 1.92 percent appreciation in growth.

On the continental food production map, Nigeria now ranks as the largest producer of rice in Africa, boasting of over 9 million metric tonnes. And on global ranking, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava with 59.4 million metric tonnes and yam with 47.9 metric tonnes annually, while it has ranked 14th in maize production with 10.42 million metric tonnes; and 4th in palm oil with 7.7 million tonnes. Crops like Cassava, groundnuts, tomatoes, and sorghum; and the animal husbandry like Cattle beef, dairy and fish productions are recording yearly growth, consequently reducing Nigeria’s national agricultural import bill significantly, unlike previously, when it rather added pressure on FOREX.

The FGN’s initiatives on boasting domestic agricultural production are sustained in 2021. President Buhari has also approved the disbursement of N600 billion loan facility to 2.4 million farmers across the federation. Incumbent Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr .Mohammed Abubakar broke the cheering news at the commemoration of the 2021 World Food Day during the National Agricultural Show/Exhibition organized by the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria, NAFN, along Abuja-Keffi Expressway, Nasarawa State.

The N600 billion loan facility packaged through the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support project (APPEALS), is part of the relentless efforts and support to farmers for Nigeria’s food security.

Additionally, in July 2020, President Buhari launched the “Agriculture for Food and Job Plan (AFJP), a component of Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) targeted to cushion the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers. About five to 10 million jobs have been targeted to be created in the agricultural sector under this scheme and over 1. 138.000 million farmers have been assisted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic across the nation and the FCT.

The overall significance of CBN’s interventions in the agricultural sector these past five years under the Buhari Presidency is summed up by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Chairman, Board of Trustee of the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, in these frantic words; “As Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, and other Senators can confirm that the President has carved a niche for himself for formulating policies and programmes towards development and food security in the country.”

Therefore, through Dr. Godwin Emefiele’s focused, consistent and transparent management of intervention funds and schemes in the agricultural sector, President Buhari’s dream of diversifying Nigeria’s economy by revolutionizing domestic food production as an alternative to crude oil has greatly helped the economy of the country.

Some Nigerians may not grasp the benefits of today’s investment in the agric sector immediately. But without this foresight and the proactive steps, a Nigeria importing food during the Covid-19 lockdown would have been calamitous. Indeed, Emefiele is a man who saw tomorrow and averted imminent food crisis. #.

Agbese is a pro-Nigeria activist based in the United Kingdom.

The UNESCO Centre for Excellence (UNESCO-CE) has lauded the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) for standing up against fake and sub-standard academic certificates from tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria.

The Centre said the NYSC has rapidly wiped out unqualified Nigerians from the exercise through its rigorous process and vigilant staff members.

Recall that the Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, had vowed not to succumb to pressure to compromise its mobilisation process.

Speaking recently when he hosted the Registrar/CEO of Health Records Officials Registration Board of Nigeria, Alhaji Babagana Mustapha, the DG said “the NYSC would not relent to do the needful in line with the NYSC Act".

He also pledged that "we will continue to prosecute fake graduates who show up for service . Anyone caught with fake certificates during registration would be prosecuted as enshrined in the NYSC Act. I want to assure you that we will move our collaboration to the next level and will continue to postgraduates of Health Information Management to medical facilities.”

Commending the DG, Dr Moses Gabriel, Regional Director of the Centre, in a statement on Tuesday, said the fight against fake and sub-standard educational certificates has yielded dividends.

Gabriel, therefore, charged the DG and NYSC management to sustain the momentum as this will ultimately improve the quality of Nigerian graduates, earning them global acceptance.

The Centre, however, advised the National University Commission and other relevant bodies in the country to emulate the NYSC in this regard and sustain the fight towards riding the country of fake certificates.

As part of activities lined up for the ongoing 2021 Batch ‘C’ stream II Orientation exercise, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has visited the NYSC Camp in Lagos where he met with the prospective Corps members.
The Director-General, who addressed Corps members posted to Lagos state enjoined them to be good ambassadors of their respective families, institutions and shun all acts that are capable of tarnishing the image of the NYSC.
He also advised the Corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme of the Scheme by learning entrepreneurial skills in order to become employers of labor.
General Ibrahim also commended the Corps members for obeying the clarion call and assured them that the NYSC has always been responsive to the welfare needs of its Corps members while wishing them a memorable service year experience. Earlier in the day, the Director-General interacted with all the prospective Corps members and staff nationwide, through a virtual address where he dispelled misconception about the COVID-19 vaccine and advised the Corps members to ensure they were fully vaccinated, reminding them that with the policy of the Federal Government making the vaccine compulsory for Civil Servants, effective 1st December 2021, Corps members, who form part of the Civil Service will equally have to comply with the directive.

Its two years since the constitution of the Board and management of the North East Development Commission, (NEDC). Pleasantly amazing, people of the Northeast region ravaged, devastated and ruined by over 12 years of Boko Haram insurgency have cause to again brighten their faces with smiles.

As the agency of the FGN mandated to lead the task of the socio-economic recovery of states in Northeast Nigeria, afflicted by perennial terrorism and its concomitant destructions and dislocations of normal life, it has proved its mettle of capability sufficiently, despite sickening challenges.

Thus, empowered by the FGN and other international intervention agencies, the Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali-led NEDC management embarked on this assignment with every seriousness and vigour , under the broad program of Rapid Response Intervention (RRI). Candidly, the NEDC management has crossed the proverbial ribicon registering its conspicuously resounding presence in the region in the process of restoring the lost socio-economic prosperity and glories of the people.

Therefore, early after it’s inauguration, the NEDC management launched an ambitious agenda tagged, North-East Stabilization and Development Masterplan Project (NESDMP). And 224 projects in sensitive sectors, covering the 112 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the six states of the Northeast region were enunciated for Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba states.

In the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the NEDC has spearheaded an exemplary ICT revolution in all the six states of the region. So far, by Year 2021, the NEDC trained and graduated 2,400 youths in ICT skills acquisition, spanning two batches across the Northeast region’s six states. The trainees were empowered upon graduation with starter packs to begin a life of independency. The region is bristling with an appreciable population of youths, who are ICT compliant.

The State Governor of Bauchi, Alhaji Bala Mohammed and his Adamawa state counterpart, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri have glowingly applauded the NEDC on projects execution in their states, specially, the training in ICT, which have kept them off the streets and away from recruitments into terrorists sects.

The agricultural sector has also been energized and boosted by the NEDC in the six targeted states. The commission has implemented various interventions programs under this sector commencing with sponsored training of select youths on farming and agricultural mechanization techniques, innovations, reactivation of Farm Service Centers and establishment of new ones which are handed over to farmers in the region to checkmate the incident of food shortage occasioned by insurgency.

This is in addition to the commission’s supply of agricultural machineries and inputs to encourage farming endeavors. Each state of the region has felt the commission’s intervention in agriculture, evidenced in greenish farm plantations dotting the region.

In the age of insurgency, the Northeast region faced challenges of shelter, as insurgents destroyed residential houses and forced millions of people into IDPs camps. A region already suffering from shortage of houses, the destructions to existing houses and commercial premises dealt a heavy blow on the natives and compounded the housing challenges in the region. Before insurgency, there were estimated stock of about four million houses in the region, but terrorism destroyed over 500,000 out of this quantum. Borno state, the hub of terrorism was the hardest hit by the satanic fury of insurgents.

However, the NEDC, through the presidential order immediately intervened to salvage the pathetic situation. It launched the first batch of 1,000 units of houses from the envisaged 10,000 housing units for in the region in Borno state. These first 1,000 Houses sited at Ngowom Village, Mafa LGA of the state have been completed, commissioned and handed over to Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno state for onward allocation to returnee IDPs.

Meanwhile, the NEDC has performed the foundation laying ceremony of 500 units of similar housing projects, each in Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe and work has commenced aggressively on the sites, with modalities being worked out to launch same in Taraba state.



Boko Haram’s ferocious assault on education and its facilities was appalling, as admitted by security analysts. Insurgents attacked schools, razed structures to ashes, slaughtered or kidnapped staff and students. Both primary and secondary schools were massively affected by the insurgents’ onslaughts. It threw an estimated over 600,000 children of school age out of school and barred another over 1 million of them from attempting to acquire western education. NEDC has massively constructed, rehabilitated and reconstructed many destroyed schools spanning the region.

The glory of education is gradually being restored in the region.It has constructed mega schools, provided classroom blocks in some cases in primary and secondary schools in the Northeast. It has also funded soft-support to teachers’ training, curriculum upgrades and teaching materials. The commission is either constructing three Composite Mega Schools or upgrading existing ones in each state of the region, and in every senatorial district.

And through the Education Endowment Fund launched by the NEDC has expended N6 billion on annual scholarships to indigent students, spread across the region. It has placed hundreds of students under annual scholarships, in diverse disciplines’ stretching from first to doctoral degrees.



The NEDC has also registered strong presence in food and other relief materials supplies to displaced victims of insurgency since it commenced operations. The United Nation Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Ambassador Edward Kallon once expressed worries over the food insecurity conditions prevalent in the Northeast. The NEDC promptly responded by flagging off food and non-food items distribution at various IDPs camps to lessen the plight of the victims.

In Bauchi state for instance, NEDC distributed hundreds of bags of rice, gallons of vegetable oil, bags of sugar, cartons of spaghetti and macaroni. The commission also donated non-food items like blankets, mats and mosquito nets. And it replicated the gesture everywhere IDPs were located in the Northeast.







The health sector is another area, the NEDC management has significantly impacted on the lives of the people of the Northeast. During the outbreak of COVID-19, it donated and equipped infectious diseases laboratory for the testing of the coronavirus and other diseases in Yobe, Bauchi, Taraba States, Adamawa and Gombe states . These facilities also serviced members of the public in these locations.

Additionally, NEDC has constructed and commissioned Primary Health Care (PHC) center in Nafada, renovated existing PHCs at Gadi, Shaganawo, Tashan Kalgo, Shongom and upgraded one of the PHC to a Cottage hospital. NEDC has also constructed two first class Burns Centres in Yola and Maiduguri respectively to carter for victims of injuries sustained from bomb explosions. It also sponsored the training of some natives on the techniques of detonating bombs and landmines.

The commission has spared no aspect necessary in the rebuilding of collapsed infrastructures, particularly roads and bridges. Today, the Northeast is gradually being reconnected by the reconstruction of the roads and bridges damaged by insurgents. In Adamawa state, the Commission has commissioned the reconstructed three critical bridges in Kudzum, Dilechim and Wurro Ngayandi in Michika and Madagali LGAS of the state, which severed Adamawa from Borno state. Likewise, the roads, Alkaleri – Futuk, in Alkaleri LGA and Alkaleri -Kirfi- to Gombe Abba road in Kirfi LGA of Bauchi state, destroyed since 2014 and so forth.

The detailed interventions of the NEDC in rebuilding damaged critical infrastructures in the Northeast or victims support cannot be comprehensively captured in a single piece, including the logistics support to security formations. But so far, so good, the NEDC management has lived up to its mandate of bringing instant succour to distressed people of the region, as it looks forward to 2022 with more projects execution. #

By Toby Prince

Unpretentiously, commitment and hard work in public service pays handsomely. Feasts of garlards brighten up your day from unexpected quarters. It confers on the recipient, more sense of responsibility and the patriotic feeling of self fulfilment to really hear resonations of eulogies vibrate everywhere.

The honouree is usually excited because humanity has found a breather through him and society covertly and overtly appreciates his sacrifices. There is nothing more profoundly enduring like contributing to the elevation and development of one's country. Nation- building is a task for everyone, and obligatory to perform in everyone's small space.

This is the proud and enviably recognized posture of the Director General, National Youth Service Corps ( DG- NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim. Sentiments apart, Gen. Ibrahim is a loveable personality, not only by his innately gifted bundle of talents, but his rare capacity to utilize it for public benefits of mankind.

Someone once described Gen. Ibrahim as a soldier of the finest breed, an intellectual/ academic don, classic administrator, innovator, reformer, goalgetter and an amazing pacesetter. Nigerians have attestably encountered Gen. Ibrahim in these neons in the various military establishments where he has served. Now, as DG- NYSC, Gen. Ibrahim has marketed himself in spellbinding excellence on the job.

Therefore, a few days back, at an event, his alma mater, the University of Jos (UNIJOS) Alumni Association feted this crack military officer, with an award of excellence in Abuja. The association accurately assessed and endorsed the decision in recognition of Ibrahim's tremendous achievements as the 18th DG- NYSC in barely two years on the saddle.

The plethora of ecomia on the NYSC boss yawned loudly with the exceptionally positive feats and accomplishments of Gen. Ibrahim as head of the scheme. It is palpable that his choice for the award was not a mistake.


Of grippling relevance, the Chairman, Unijos Alumni, Abuja Chapter, Mr. Joseph Chukwu uttered something unique about the persona of Gen. Ibrahim as the alumni association mulled with the idea of an award to him, a man of solid credentials and unbeatable records of performance anywhere. Chukwu exclaimed to the audience that Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim’s name came topmost and got thundering ovations when he was nominated for the award.

Its difficult for Nigerians in any congregation to collectively agree and endorse anyone for honor without some protest voices. But Ibrahim broke the jinx in an association comprising professionals of different ilk, ideological persuasions and creeds. This general acceptability in itself is the first big plus and loud testimony of his credible performance in public service.

Did the University of Jos (UNIJOS) Alumni Association actually make a mistake by conferring on Gen. Ibrahim the prestigious award of excellence and a good ambassador of the varsity? Has Ibrahim really lived up to public expectations in his assignment as NYSC boss by repositioning the scheme to the status of a focal catalyst in the overall quest of Nigeria's national development?

The answers are handy from an independent inquest of Gen. Ibrahim's leadership of the NYSC scheme. Its needless to trumpet that Gen. Ibrahim met an NYSC scheme which was grossly underutilised, with potentials of serving corps members largely unexplored!

But he dexteriously turned around the fortunes of the scheme and changed dormant narratives to now a vibrant and beneficial scheme for serving corps members and their post - service years. Even public perception of the scheme has positively changed. Gen. Ibrahim has also excitingly laid the path of achieving finanacial independence for the scheme which will assume full effect in the nearest future. He is already partially successful in this regard.

Therefore, Ibrahim has upgraded the existing NYSC's Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneural Development programme ( SAED) and ensured the one month training in different vocations impact on the quest for more knowledge on all corps members. Some of them actually begin to utilize such skills in their places of Primary Assignment ( PA).

And thinking out of the box, Gen. Ibrahim has gone ahead to partner with multiple financial institutions to empower corps members with start-up capitals towards self- reliance through personal investments in the post- service years. Today, Nigeria is a nation, where some corps members have become employers of labor after the mandatory service year because of the skills through SAED and the financial backing of some institutions partnering with NYSC to finance their business proposals. The Central Bank of Nigera (CBN), Bank of Industry (BOI), Heritage Bank, (HB) and Access Bank among others can attest to it. These benefits are a product of Gen. Ibrahim's leadership ingenuity.

Furthermore, the NYSC boss has accepted, adopted and is implementing President Muhammadu Buhari's policy and initiatives on agriculture and food security. Similarly, the NYSC under Ibrahim's guidiance has also partnered agric-based institutions and other organisations to sponsor training of serving corps members in farming techniques, cropping and mechanized agriculture.

Today, the previously moribund NYSC farms across the federation have come up alive and new farm plantations have sprouted. NYSC alone has cultivated over 60, 000 hectares of rice fields as at 2021. The harvested rice is processed for consumption in the scheme's owned ricemills and the investments are still being consolidated. Undoubtedly, this is an enormous contribution of corps members to food availability in the country .

The NYSC boss is not resting on his oars. Gen. Ibrahim has revitalised NYSC investment ventures across the country, such as garment, bread and table water factories, which are functioning at maximum productivity. They also double as
training avenues for serving corps members.

Its shocking and indeed novel that the NYSC under Gen. Ibrahim has started to generate and remit revenues from these investments into into the federation account. In 2020, the NYSC paid N280 million into FGN coffers and in 2021, a sumptuous sum of over N.5 billion was remitted, with plans to keep increasing its revenue generation.

And the big bang! Gen. Ibrahim has conceptualised and vigorously pursuing the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund. He is working towards the future. Sensitization campaigns on this initiative have gone virile and received favorable endorsements from a wide spectrum of Nigerians.

When the NYSC Trust Fund comes into fruition, it will provide a wider range of corps members more access to start-up captals to finance their private business ideas as they blissfully exit the year of service to fatherland. The expected impacts of these laudable initiatives in the nearest future are truely tremendous! Gen. Ibrahim truely deserves more than the award of excellence from Unijos alumni, but a national honour.

Prince is a journalist and wrote this piece from Guzape, Abuja.

...tasks Gov to spend his remaining two years on prayers for forgiveness

Chief Philip Agbese, the leading aspirant for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency in 2023, has rejected the drunkard tag used by Governor Samuel Ortom on the people of Benue State.

Rather, Agbese, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Benue people are the victims of Ortom's maladministration, mendacity and misrule in the last six years.

Governor Ortom, speaking at the commissioning of Remnant Christian Network Embassy’s new edifice in Makurdi was quoted to have said "If you go round Makurdi town, our people start drinking beer from 9 am and some from there, they will go to sleep and they come back and insult the governor for not helping them to add value to their lives".

But in a statement signed by Akor Ikwuoche,
the Director-General, Philip Agbese Campaign Organisation (PACO), the astute UK-trained legal practitioner said while such unguarded utterances aren't strange from the governor, " It appears his 'mouth diarrhoea' has gotten out of control and may require combined spiritual and medical therapy".

He recalled how Ortom launched scathing attacks on President Buhari Muhammadu, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Dr George Akume and other elder statements in a bid to attract public sympathy and divert attention.

Agbese said it is, however, unfortunate that some "noble sons and daughters of Benue, who cheered when this intractable ailment came on him are now on the receiving end as they are now known as 'drunkards' beyond the state. It speaks volumes about what our governor represents and how he presents us before his contemporaries. As they say, betrayal never comes from your enemies".

The statement added " We at the Philip Agbese Campaign Organisation totally reject this drunkard tag on our illustrious brothers and sisters. It is false, treacherous and demeaning. May we remind the governor that Benue has produced some of the country's most respected brains in different fields of endeavours. How come suddenly they are all drunkards for holding him accountable for his misrule in the last six years?

"Perhaps still having hysteria over the N18.5 billion bailout funds, the governor should return to reality and understand that Benue people are wiser now and tired of his usual blame games. Our people have had enough of the attacks on President Buhari as well as the herdsmen and IDPs propaganda. They are demanding translucency. They are not drunkards. He should provide answers as to why the workers and pensioners are being owed. He should address them on why there's untold hardship and prove that Benue is not 'worst than Afghanistan' as rightly suggested by our principal Chief Philip Agbese.

"Just like Agbese, a UK-trained lawyer, human rights activist and entrepreneur, Enone natives are not drunkards. Never! The good people of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency despite the governor's abysmal leadership have proven to be hardworking, intellectually sound and goal getters.

"If there's anyone who should be labelled a drunkard, it is Ortom who may have picked up this habit during his time toiling around different motor parks, first as a tout and then taxi driver. He probably thinks because he is the only Benue indigene that can afford a bottle of Andre Champagne at N3,500 due to the hardship that he brought on the state, everyone else seems to be tipsy on something cheaper. But we wish to advise Ortom to take out time to reflect and stop getting drunk at ceremonies and thinking that his citizens are 'high'.

"Publicly acknowledging criticism is good news. At least, he is aware that the people, victims of his maladministration and mendacity are fed up. Even his most staunch supporters are exhausted of the excuses. They want more action and less talk".

Describing Ortom as a monumental failure and disaster, the Philip Agbese Campaign Organisation, therefore, urged the governor to spend his remaining two years on prayers. It said perhaps, through divine intervention, Benue people can forgive him.

Agbese, however, assured his people that the hour of liberation is not far again and all the rhetoric of Ortom's failed administration will be over.

The attention of Policy House International’s (Incentive Based Program- IBP) has been drawn to the recent educational challenges and set back in Niger state, north central region of Nigeria.



According to multiple media reports of Friday, November 26th 2021, Boko Haram has launched a serious campaign where parents are being forced to withdraw their kids from schools in some parts of the state. According to the report, the SSG to the Niger state government lamented that farmers are now being forced to pay levies to enable them access their various farms as well.



For us at the Incentive Based program, this is double tragedy for our intervention in the region, first, it is a minus for our campaign for reduction in the number of out of school children and the second it is a big blow for food security in the region which has suffered serious setbacks in recent times due to attacks on farmers and the increase in the number of schools that were shut down in the 1st and second quarter of 2021.



We call on the Nigeria government to secure the areas where Boko Haram is collecting levies from farmers and restore civil governance and authority in those areas so identified and ensure that no parent is compelled to withdraw his or her wards from schools not only in Niger state but in all educationally disadvantaged and challenged regions in Nigeria.

We are monitoring the situation in Niger state Nigeria and we are in touch with relevant stakeholders in the educational sector with a view to coordinating efforts in supporting the Nigerian government at all levels.