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  • PenCom and Civil Societies, A Partnership that works

    PenCom and Civil Societies, A Partnership that works

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom), under the able leadership of Hajia Aisha Dahir Umar, has changed the narrative and the paradigm shift on what she met on ground a few years ago. She has moved the goal post to suit retirees, stakeholders within the industry as well as the watchdog “conscience of the people” and agenda setters of the society, the civil societies that include: CSOs and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) respectively.

    For the past two years now, the Commission has engaged the civil societies in building capacities in relation to the pension industry and how to report on issues in regards to the various terminologies, functions. These include publications on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about pension matters within the society. The first of its kind in the annals, a good initiative by the Aisha-led leadership of PenCom to break the barrier and bring the issues of the Contributory Pension Scheme to the grassroots like never before.

    By September 30, 2021, at the Rockview Hotel (Classic) in Abuja, the PenCom organized its first Sensitization Conference for the Civil Society groups with the theme, “Maximizing the Benefits of the Contributory Pension Scheme.” The event commenced with the registration of participants from the civil societies from all background with focus on different sectors converging at the auspicious capacity building programme.

    The keynote address was delivered by the Director-General of PenCom, who stated that the conference provided a great opportunity for the commission to interact and forge better relationships with relevant civil society groups. She emphasized that the role of the civil society groups as advocates and champions for civil rights, social responsibility and good governance, is undeniable.

    Hajia Aisha further stated that the aim of the epoch event was to sensitize the invited civil society groups about the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and other laudable transformational initiatives by the commission and hoped that PenCom’s expectation that the information received at the conference would be disseminated to all and in addition to creating awareness and deepening the understanding of members of the civil society groups on the CPS. She said the conference should elicit the participation of the civil society groups in the CPS under the Micro Pension Plan arrangement.

    The Director-General said the commission was not unmindful of the critical role of CSOs as a bridge between government agencies and the public, and as such, would apprise participants with some recent developments in the pension industry. It stated that most worthy of mention was the recent payment of some outstanding accrued pension liabilities of the Federal Government under the CPS.

    As revealed by PenCom, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the payment of outstanding accrued pension rights for verified and enrolled Retirees of Treasury-Funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that were yet to be paid their retirement benefits as well as the backlog of death benefit claims due to beneficiaries of deceased employees of treasury funded MDAs.

    Hajia Aisha said the president also approved the payment of 2.5 per cent differential in the rate of employer pension contribution for FGN retirees and employees, which resulted from the increase in the Minimum Pension Contribution for employers from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent, in line with Section 4(1) of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014.

    During the Corona Virus (COVID-19) era which showed its face in Nigeria in February 2020, PenCom, as a foremost regulatory apex body of the industry, address the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, to the annual verification and enrolment exercise for retirees, the commission designed and developed an online enrolment application, which has capabilities to register, verify and enroll prospective retirees of treasury-funded federal MDAs.

    Accordingly, by the deployment of this new application, mass gathering of people had been avoided, while enhancing convenience for the prospective retirees through a seamless enrolment process ever envisaged. The supervision and regulation of the industry and the implementation of the CPS remains on course.

    The number of registered contributors under the CPS has grown to 9.41 million, while pension fund assets have accumulated to over N13 trillion as at July 31, 2021. The maintenance of a consistent growth trajectory continues to justify the commission’s overriding investment philosophy of ensuring the safety of Pension Fund assets.

    The conference papers that were delivered on September 30, 2021, in Abuja, include the following: “Overview of the Contributory Pension Scheme” – The paper provided a synopsis of the CPS, its objectives, achievements and challenges. The second presentation was entitled: “Recent Developments in the Pension Industry,” and the third was: “The Micro Pension Plan (MPP): A Panacea for Secured Old Age in the Informal Sector,” which provided a detailed information on the benefits and features of the Micro Pension Plan.

    Consequently, the 2022 Sensitization Conference for Civil Society Groups organized by the commission took place on November 24, with the theme: “Enhancing Informal Sector Participation in the Contributory Pension Scheme: The Roles of Civil Society Groups,” was apt and appropriate, especially in the time we found ourselves.

    The conference provided a great opportunity for the commission to enlighten and interact with civil society groups in order to elicit better understanding of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and the commission’s activities in general, as regards its mandate, enforcement and regulations of the industry.

    As the second in the series by the commission, it has become imperative due to the critical roles played by the civil societies as agenda setters and the bridge between government agencies and the publicity, thus, the need to constantly interact and inform the “conscience of the nation” of the recent developments in the pension industry and some of the laudable transformational initiatives by the commission hence the conference.

    It laid emphasis on the Micro Pension Plan (MPP), which was conceptualized to expand pension coverage to the informal sector, including small scale business operators, entertainers, professionals, petty traders, entrepreneurs and mechanics and also reiterated that members of the civil society groups were also welcome to participate in the MPP and same applies to their old age. The MPP, as we are all aware, aimed at curbing old age poverty by assisting the people to contribute, while working and build long-term savings to fall back on when they are no longer in active working life.

    Given the peculiarities of the target participants, the commission is facilitating efforts by the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to provide incentives for the Micro Pension Plan (MPP). One of such key incentives that is being worked upon is the provision of health insurance to the Micro Pension contributors.

    This recognizes the need for the MPP to provide more access to health-care services, which is often lacking in critical times of need.

    The strategic efforts at driving the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) remains one of the important areas of focus of the commission. Therefore, it is the commission’s expectation that the learning points from this conference, would be disseminated to the target audience and the larger society by the civil society groups. In addition, to create awareness and deepen the understanding of members of the civil society groups, the conference should also elicit their participation in the MPP.

    During the conference, the civil society groups knew more about the recent accomplishments, preferences, chronicles and achievements of the commission as at date which includes, issuance of the Guidelines on Accessing 25 per cent of RSA balance towards payment of Equity Contribution for Residential Mortgages by RSA holders.

    This innovative development provides equity finance for RSA holders, facilitates their ownership of residential homes during their working life, and ultimately improves their living standards. Furthermore, the Guideline effectively implements the provisions of Section 89(2) of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, which aligns with one of the commission’s core value of responsiveness.

    The commission also concluded the increase of the Minimum Regulatory Capital (shareholder’s fund), a major requirement of PFAs from N1 billion to N5 billion. The recapitalization exercise, a laudable innovation applauded by all, which spanned a 12-month period, was concluded on April 27, 2022.

    At the deadline, all PFAs had complied with the commission’s directive to increase the Minimum Regulatory Capital (shareholder’s fund) from N1 billion to N5 billion. The recapitalization exercise was to ramp up the capacity of the PFAs to manage the increasing number of registered contributors and pension fund assets, the value of which stands at above N15 trillion as at September 2022.

    The exercise, agreeable, is expected to bring about increased effectiveness and efficiency as well as improved service delivery in the pension industry and increase the economy of the country.

    However, further to its regulatory and supervisory functions, the commission, under the able leadership of Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar, has continued to issue new guidelines, frameworks and regulations while strengthening existing ones to make for the smooth implementation of the CPS and the welfare of active employees and pensioners under the scheme.

    It is of note that the commission issued the Revised Regulation on the Administration of Retirement and Terminal Benefits to ensure that pensioners receive their benefits promptly.

    So much for the key highlights of the Revised Regulation include clarification and simplification of documentation processes, the RSA consolidation before payments of retirement benefits, accrued pension benefits for private sector contributors, and additional lump sum payments. The Revised Regulation also contains several new provisions on payment enhancement voluntary contributions, payments under the MPP, payment of benefits of missing persons and payment of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) benefits.

    In furtherance also, it introduced administrative sanctions on PFAs who disregard the provision of the Regulation. The sanctions are to ensure that PFAs promptly process the payment of retirement benefits to retirees.

    The 2022 auspicious meeting with Civil Society Groups, CSGs, also witnessed the delivery of papers with various themes relevant to the issue at stake. The first paper entitled, “The Micro Pension Plan: Panacea for Old Age Poverty in the Informal Sector.” This paper provided a synopsis of the MPP, and its objectives. The second presentation, entitled: “How Micro Pension Funds are Invested for the Benefit of the Contributors,” and the third: “The Administration of the Retirement Benefits Under MPP.” These papers delved on the very nature of the Micro Pension Plan, its benefits and who are to access and the various guidelines and methods of using the plan to its maximum benefits.

    Nevertheless, the goodwill messages that followed last year’s event were heart-warming, and a pass of vote of confidence on the present leadership of PenCom for a job well done and the transparent philosophy entrenched by the apex regulatory body since the incumbent board came to the saddle.

    Comrade Gabriel Gwajime of Citizens Watch Advocacy Initiative (CWAI) said: “We want to appreciate management for the transformational initiative of the commission for the rebranding and repositioning of the pension industry like never before in its annals, in terms of its regulatory functions, transparency, accountability and good governance practice.”

    On his part, Comrade Ajaero Yusufu stated that this event was very laudable and unique and appealed to corporate Nigeria to learn from the PenCom model. He praised the new narrative, the second in the series of PenCom’s innovation of sensitizing, building the capacity of the civil societies in order to reach out to the various publics, the essence of the informal sector and said: “We pray that other organizations should follow their footsteps.”

    This writer, on behalf of the Guild of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Equity, Justice and Transparency in Nigeria (GOCMEJ) stated that, on behalf of the civil society movement in Nigeria, he emphasized and admonished all civil society comrades to “stop forthwith, any fireworks, blackmail tool, pull him down (PHD) syndrome in the offing against PenCom” and asked everyone to put hands on the deck and support PenCom to work for the betterment of the organization and society. As we all know, no other organization is doing what PenCom is doing. We therefore, will work assiduously with PenCom to achieve its mandate for the well-being of the retirees and employees.

    A few other NGOs also gave their goodwill messages and the event was brought to an end by prayers from both Christian and Muslim participants as they looked forward to other years’ programmes and wished the management of PenCom the very best its endeavours.

    On the whole, it was a very robust engagement between the commission and civil society groups (CSGs) that will leverage the relationship between both parties; drive, forge, interact and better the relationship between all parties involved.

    This is as the awareness created and the idea behind the innovation will lead to consistent growth in pension assets with this partnership and collaboration in a long-term strategic initiative.

  • 2023: Desist from vote buying and selling- CSO urges politicians, electorate

    2023: Desist from vote buying and selling- CSO urges politicians, electorate

    A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), identified as Advocacy for Good Ethics and Accountability for Development, has urged politicians to shun vote buying and concentrate on issues that would attract votes from the electorate.

    The Executive Director, Henry Thomas, made the call during a Sensitisation Programme titled “Vote in Peace“ with the theme; Curbing Vote Buying and Other Irregularities; a Panacea to a successful 2023 election held in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Thomas also called on the electorate to vote based on competence of the candidates not the amount made available to them by politicians.

    He said that it was wrong for politicians to prioritise vote-buying at the expense of quality representation.

    The Executive Director stated that Nigeria was among the most peaceful countries in the world but the story changed over time, due to bad leadership, religious and ethnic sentiments.

    He said; “Nigeria as a country has no business with poverty which has been the major reason for the insecurity in the country.

    “Nigeria is a country that God has blessed with almost everything except good leadership.

    “The political class have been very united in disuniting the citizens and the instruments for which they have successfully perpetrated this unholy act are religion, language and ethnicity,” he said.

    “The future of this country is not in the hands of any political party, it is not in the hands of any individual but it is in the hands of the people of Nigeria,” he said.

    He urged Nigerians to vote rightfully and should not sell their votes.

    In a remark, the President of a Civil Society Group for Good Governance, Mr Ogakwu Dominic called for stringent measures to check the menace of vote trading during the 2023 general elections, reiterating the importance as one which will secure us and save our country from penultimate disaster.

    Also speaking, Presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Mr Omoyele Sowore, expressed concerns over the destruction of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s facilities in some parts of the country.

    Sowore urged politicians to desist from actions that could raise anxiety culminating in electoral violence during the campaigns in next year general elections.

  • CSO unveils magazine to checkmate, sanitise Nigeria’s fiscal policy

    CSO unveils magazine to checkmate, sanitise Nigeria’s fiscal policy

    • Commend, Awards FCC- Oji River for best service delivery…

    A Civil Society Organisation, African Leadership Strategy Development Initiative, ALSDI, in its continued efforts to ensure smooth operation and delivering of policies, accountability while ensuring that the governed, enjoy their privileges, on Tuesday, organised a a roundtable engagement with the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State on issues partaning to transforming Cooperative College for sustainable development goals.

    The Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Ossaieze in his opening speech during the event which held in Abuja, disclosed that every society with transition from underdevelopment to development, has had to find its own local formula which was best suited to cater for its needs, while emphasising that government and stakeholders must take advantage of the moment to identify the right practices for cooperative development and engagement.

    Ossaieze stated that Nigeria’s underdevelopment despite its much acknowledged potentials, has been driven by the mere fact that the country has tried too much for decades to import strategies wholesale from other parts of the world that were not fully adapt to our local circumstances stressing that the centuries old concept of cooperatives has helped with wealth creation, capital formation and large- scale poverty alleviation.

    He noted that, “While we recognize the mission of the Cooperative College: to provide knowledge, vocational and entrepreneurial skills necessary for cooperative development, this will avail us of an opportunity to interact on how transforming Cooperative Societies can help us achieve sustainable development goals, set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly”.

    While commending the management of the college for its efforts in achieving sustainable development, the Executive Director also stated that the engagement was going to be a reference point in history.

    “We shall be consummating a marriage between Education, the Civil Society and Cooperative sector. Education is quite critical to development as every society must have an organised and sustainable strategy to produce at scale, the much- needed human capital to drive the process. Civil Society on the other hand is an important building block in the development super structure, facilitating two- way flow of communication between government and the governed and ensuring both sides aren’t working at cross purposes to each other.” he added.

    The ED, while disclosing intent of award presentation to stewards from the college, noted that awards were not just instruments to encourage dedication to service, tact, excellent delivery, outstanding performance and accountability but also a distinguished means of motivating and encouraging others to excellence.

    The event which also witnessed the official unveiling of the People’s Auditor Magazine, a piece curated to checkmate activities of public stewards and government, saw the Most Outstanding Public Steward of the Year Award being presented to Pastor Daniel Idowu Okeze, for his assiduousness,  stellar leadership qualities and uncommon dedication to duty as Internal Auditor.

    Also receiving an award of outstanding performance, the leadership of the college graciously thanked the group for recognizing all efforts made by the management of the institution reiterating that every one should indeed give value to earn value.

  • Decisive Offensives against Insurgents, Bandits Yielding Results, CSO Says

    Decisive Offensives against Insurgents, Bandits Yielding Results, CSO Says

    A rights group, Northern Youth Network (NYN) has said the decisive offensives carried out by the Nigeria Airforce with support of ground troops on terrorists and bandits in the northern part of the country has brought a lot of relieve to communities that were tormented by activities of the criminals.

    Particularly, the group explained that the declaration of BokoHaram/ISWAP and bandits as terrorists has provided the impetus for the military to use maximum force to eliminate terrorism and its sponsors in the country.

    In a statement signed by the convener of the group Mallam Abdulrahman Ahmed pointed out that the within the past 3 weeks, the Nigerian Airforce assisted by the ground troops have eliminated several commanders of the terrorist and bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Kaduna and along the lake Chad River basins with thousands of them surrendering to the military.

    “The Northern Youth Network has observed with great pleasure, the victories recorded by the Nigerian military in the war against insurgency and banditry in the country in the past weeks”, the statement noted.

    Recall that the Nigerian Military recently confirmed that Troops of Operation Hadin Kai eliminated more than 120 Bokoharam insurgents in the last two weeks, while over 50 have been arrested in various operations across the north west and north east region of the country.

    In one of the operations troops apprehended Sani Suleiman, bandit commander loyal to a notorious and wanted bandit, Bello Turji. Similarly, NAF jets bombarded one of the major bandits camp in Farar Doka, where over 43 bandits were eliminated. In Niger state, NAF airstrikes and military gunships destroyed bandits’ camps, eliminating over 37 bandits including their leaders.

    According to the group, troops with the collaboration of civilian JTF while in another success, on fighting patrol neutralized scores of BokoHaram /ISWAP terrorists on Dunga Lawanti village near Gubio in Borno State.

    “Earlier, weapons, motorcycles and other items were recovered from the insurgents. The Northern Youth Network profoundly appreciates the Nigerian military and particularly the Chief of Air Staff, Marshal, Isiaka Oladayo Amao. We celebrate the soldiers for taking the war to the enclaves of the terrorists”, the statement noted.

    The group further averred that as an association which has been involved in peace building in states ravaged by BokoHaram/ISWAP insurgents, the news of these successes is cheering and heart warming.

    It commended the focus and determination of the military, most especially the Nigerian Airforce and gallant troops, who have decimated the terrorists within these weeks adding that the successes were novel, impressive and unprecedented and urged Nigerians to support the war against insurgency and banditry.

    “We rise to commend the Nigerian military. We particularly commend the air component for the sustained bombardment of terrorist enclaves and top commanders in the last 3 weeks. The Chief of Air Staff is appreciated for the heat turned on the insurgents with intensive air strikes. We celebrate the ground troops who support the air component by sustaining a fierce offensive on fleeing terrorists and bandits”

    The group, further tasked the military to sustain and intensify the heat on the terrorist until they are eliminated and peace restored to the affected states and regions in compliance with President Buhari’s determination to hand over a peaceful country to his successor.

    “After years of insurgency, peace has finally returned to Muna community in Borno State, Damasak market has been reopened and some major roads which were closed down have now been opened to traffic. We deeply commend the Nigerian Army and the Airforce for such proactive and result oriented tactics to the war against insurgency and banditry”, the statement added.

  • CSOs Knock Arewa Youth Assembly Over Calls For Emefiele’s Resignation

    CSOs Knock Arewa Youth Assembly Over Calls For Emefiele’s Resignation

    A Coalition of Civil Society Groups, (CCSG) has condemned calls, by some groups, for the resignation of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over alleged plunging of the economy into comatose situation.

    This was contained in a address jointly signed by the President, CCSG, Etuk Bassey Williams, and Secretary, CCSG, Abubakar Ibrahim, which was read during a press conference held in Abuja.

    Speaking at the event, the president of the organization, Mr. Etuk Bassey Williams, the Coalition condemned, in strong terms, saying, “We condemn in strong terms the call for resignation of the CBN Governor by the Arewa Youth Assembly over an unsubstantiated and frivolous claim that the policies of the CBN has plunged the county’s economy into comatose. This is laughable and uncharitable. It is unfortunate that some individual will derive joy in an attempt to pull an achiever down.

    “We observe the insincerity, and question the genuineness of the claim that the economy is bad today by the same people who asserted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration inherited an economy that was in a shambles and worsened by a sharp drop in the prices of oil crude at the international market, empty treasury that resulted in the inability of many state governments to pay workers’ salaries, depleted foreign reserves, dilapidated infrastructure and long-standing insurgency and internal security challenges.
    “It is common knowledge that expanding export is our surest way to make Naira regain value. It is very important to note that today, Nigeria gains most of its foreign exchange from the sales of crude oil. The implication of the above fact is that our over-reliance on crude oil which account for more than 90% of Nigerian’s foreign exchange determines the value of the Naira, hence the argument against the CBN Governor is false and meant to derail the economic and monetary policies of the Governor. The peddlers of this falsehood are ill-informed or just being mischievous”.

    Also speaking to the newsmen, secretary of the group, Abubakar Ibrahim, lamented that instead of all Nigerians to shower praises on the CBN Governor, some uncharitable individuals could express such notion that Emefiele is rather working in the reverse order, insisting that they appreciate the CBN Governor for the roles he is playing in stimulating the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to enable production of goods for export.
    “We appreciate the CBN Governor for making outstanding efforts to stimulate the SMEs so as to produce goods that can be exported to enable us to increase our foreign exchange earnings as well as improve living standard. Today we have witnessed massive support and motivation to rice, cocoa, and groundnut farmers with agric loans. He has also assisted the manufacturing industries with loans so as to help them produce quality goods that meet the global standard for exportation.       
    “We fear that the politicians are at it again to implore the same tactics used against the previous government just to have their way to power. Accusing the CBN Governor for plotting to contest for the presidency in 2023 or his connivance with politicians to defraud the government is most unfortunate, unbelievable and unfounded.
    “Unfortunately, the falsehood is too many, on the disbursement of Covid-19 loan meant for indigent Nigeria, it is important to note that the CBN Governor was not involved, as a committee was responsible with direct involvement of ICPC and other ministries”, Ibrahim said.

  • CSO Flays Yahaya Bello Over Wheelbarrow Empowerment

    CSO Flays Yahaya Bello Over Wheelbarrow Empowerment

    As groups continue to rally support for Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to vie for the exalted seat of the presidency in 2023, a civil society group, Guardians of Democracy and Development (GDD) has warned Nigerians to be retrospect about such a choice saying his antecedence as governor fell short of expectations.

    The CSO in a statement signed by its convener, Danesi Momoh Prince particularly frowned at the recent distribution of wheelbarrow and shovels to the youth in the state by the governor describing the action as not only archaic but an insult on the sensibility of the people.

    Consequently, the group urged Nigerians to be thorough in assessing people who aspire for public office rather than basing their decisions on mundane issues such as age, religion and tribe amongst others.

    According to the CSO, Nigeria has attained a height it can no longer afford mediocre leadership explaining that the social and infrastructural deficit requires someone who is scientific in his reasoning and approach to governance.

    “Majority of Nigerians are not satisfied with the state of affairs in the country and this shortfall is in all spheres of the nation’s life. What this entails is that we have not taken seriously the processes of selecting our leaders. This is why as CSO, we have taken it upon ourselves to mobilise Nigerians to get involved in the leadership selection process.

    “One of the ways of doing this is to speak against those who are eminently not qualified to occupy leadership positions. A governor who still sees wheelbarrow and shovels as empowerment implements certainly has nothing desirable to offer than returning the country to the stone age era.

    “At a time many state governors in the country are setting up highly technical institutions or sponsoring youths abroad for ICT related courses such as software engineering, animation, video editing and graphics amongst others and the beneficiaries of such overseas training are not only empowered, but also train and empower others, we have a governor who still promotes wheelbarrow pushing contrary to to building a modern economy.

    “Kogi state is an agrarian state quite alright, but other state governors are empowering their youth elsewhere with grants and modern farm implements to venture into large scale mechanised farming not wheel barrows. Such a way of thinking does not speak well of somebody who wants to be president of a country in the 21st century.

    “Recall too that it took Yahaya Bello for forever to settle staff salaries when he resumed office despite grants made available by the federal government to that effect. That singular act made Kogi state a laughing stock in the country. Governor Bello has gone a step further to redicule the state again with another ridiculous programme of youth empowerment. A man who is insensitive to the plight of the people, who has reduced Kogi youths to people only fit for wheel barrow pushing and manual labour can’t make a good president,’ the group added.

    “While we acknowledge the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, we make bold to say Nigeria deserves someone who will do better not one who is oblivious of the fact that machines have taken over strenuous jobs hitherto done manually”.

  • CSOs, ECOWAS Task Nigeria on Youth Development

    CSOs, ECOWAS Task Nigeria on Youth Development

    Civil Societies for Good Governance and ECOWAS Youth Council have asked Nigeria to prioritise efforts towards building the youth for national development.

    The groups made the call on Monday in Abuja while presenting an award of effective performance and recommendation for higher responsibility to the President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Solomon Adodo.

    Speaking on behalf of the CSOs at
    a brief ceremony graced by their representatives and the ECOWAS Youth Council, President of Civil Societies for Good Governance, Come. Dominic Ogakwu, said the call became necessary following series of promises made by successive government officials and other youth stakeholders without making adequate commitment towards implementation.

    Ogakwu maintained that time has come for the nation to make concise efforts in building the youth rather than paying lip service.

    He expressed optimism that the new leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria was leading in the course to repositioning the youth towards productivity and national development.

    “The new leadership of NYCN is unifying all youth groups and is focused to drive this initiative. This is the first time in the history of NYCN that it has a unifying figure at the helm of affairs that is setting agenda for inclusive youth emancipation.

    “The current President is never resting in amplifying the needs of the youth in a selfless and patriotic manner. The NYCN has set agenda for productivity.

    “We are here to hold his hand up and to assure him that the vision is achievable. We are here to close ranks, to form a think tank to help foster the laudable initiative of the youth towards becoming productive.

    “We are confident with the processes that has been put in place by the President of NYCN to harnessing youth potentials for productivity. We are willing to commit resources towards this efforts”, Ogakwu noted.

    Also speaking, the ECOWAS Youth Council Ambassador, Austin Peacemaker stressed that the new leadership of NYCN has within a short period help in salvaging the image of the nation.

    “The leadership of the NYCN is on the verge of changing the narrative of Nigerian been recognised as failed state to a working state.

    “The NYCN has for long been led by mediocre, the reason we had several factions in the council. Thankfully, the new leadership is not only focused but unifying the youth for productivity and national development”, Peacemaker added.

    In his response, the President of NYCN, Solomon Adodo thanked the groups for finding him worthy of their recognition.

    He explained that though Nigeria was inundated with challenges of hunger, insecurity amongst others, emphasising the challenges was not a viable path to follow but rather think of creative ways to make progress.

    Adodo hinted that the several initiatives of the President Muhammad Buhari led Federal Government such as the Youth Investment Fund would witness industries and viable jobs spring up within a short period.

    He assured that the NYCN will ensure that the Fund is judiciously applied for the benefit of the youths and the nation’s economy.

    “If the youths are well and meaningfully engaged, the youths would not easily fall prey to insecurity and other vices. We are engaging the youths from all around the country, the mechanics, the bricklayers etc to make them useful to themselves and the nation”.

    According to Adodo, criminals in our society take advantage of the youths that have been abandoned and not properly situated in the society to cause mayhem.

  • PMB, Onu Drive in Science & Tech Commendable – CSO

    PMB, Onu Drive in Science & Tech Commendable – CSO

     The conference of Harmonised Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s giants strides in science innovation within the last five years.

    The CSOs also lauded the ingenuity of the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu in driving the various innovations since the nations return to democracy two decades ago describing it as unequalled.

    Addressing journalists at the end of an extra ordinary meeting of tge group on Wednesday in Abuja, the executive director of the organisation, Rev Solomon Semaka explained that a lot of research and innovation have come alive courtesy of the Minister.

    “Beyond critical reforms embarked upon by the Minister of Science and Technology, there is unprecedented stability among agencies under the ministry, this is no doubt a precursor to sustainable innovative drive of the current administration”

    “President Buhari has given the needed attention to scientific research in various areas, we therefore implore all stakeholders to join hands to compliment governments efforts to take the nations scientific drive to the next level”, the CSOs said.

    Further commenting on the ministers giant strides, the director of mobilisation, International Students Federation (ISF) Comrade Tamen Daniel urged the minister of science and technology to maintain the tempo, promising to push for International Students from across various foreign institutions to undergo their industrial training sessions in Nigeria so as to gain from the ongoing transformation drive as well consolidate on the ministers giants strides.

    “As a body of International Students, we are obliged to promote scientific research and technology of our country, and this is what we are committed to doing to ensure that our country is recognised on the map of great innovations and inventions”

    Also speaking on the sidelines of the occasion with journalists, Dr. Ginika O’Brien who is the patron of the International Students Federation in Egypt said he was impressed by the energy and drive of the Dr. Onu to ensure that science and technology in Nigeria is at par with other nations.

    “Scientific research is the first step to economic survival and stability of any nation, without science and technology, a nation can not move at an encouraging pace, but from the energy that is put forward by the minister, it is apparent that sooner than later, Nigeria will begin to reap the fruits of technology just like other advanced nations”

    The groups called for more synergy between the ministry of Education, ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and the Ministry of Science and Technology to achieve greater results for the future of the country.

    “What Dr Onu has been doing in the last few years is to lay a solid foundation framework that will usher in sustainable development goals in science and technology in the near future; the fruits of the Minister’s driven policies will begin to yield in the near future more than ever before” the groups maintained.

    At the end of the Press conference, both groups unanimously passed a resolution to pass a vote of confidence on the Dr Onu for his exceptional approach to policy issues and his excellent relationship with heads of agencies under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

    Dr Oduma Effiong of the Iowa State Centre for Research and Innovation said, he would ensure that the ministry’s policies and inventions are promoted and published in international Journals so as to attract more international research grants and scholarships to Nigerian students and researchers who are open to pioneering new science and technology inventions.

    A vote of confidence was unanimously passed on the honorable Minister by the groups and urged him to maintain the tempo until Nigeria is returned to the map of nations driven by science and technology.

    The group promised to present a certificate of “Excellence on Innovation and Inventions” and plaque of “Accountability and Transparency” to Dr Onu at a scheduled date in the near future.

  • Former NDDC Boss Allegations Diversionary- CSO

    Former NDDC Boss Allegations Diversionary- CSO

    A Civil Society Organisation, Guardians of Democracy and Development, has described as unfounded and misleading allegations made by the former acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ms. Joy Nunieh against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
    The CSO in a statement signed by its Convener, Danesi Momoh Prince and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday argued that it was curious that Ms. Nunieh was making such allegations after being sacked especially as monumental corruption was uncovered during her tenure.

    It would be recalled that the sacked former NDDC MD had alleged that Mr. Akpabio repeatedly pressured her to take “an oath of secrecy” that was meant to keep her from exposing fraud at the Commission during her brief tenure. According to her, the Minister had in one instance, asked her to raise a memo to fraudulently award emergency contracts for flood victims in the Niger Delta.
    However, the CSO maintained it had every reason to believe that Ms. Nunieh, was only out to appeal to emotions of the people and to save her face insisting that as a legal professional, she should assemble her evidences and approach the anti-graft agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution if need be rather than resorting to what it described as sympathy appeal.
    The group while absolving itself of holding brief for the Minister, noted that it was ridiculous that a legal professional would claim that she was given verbal instructions for serious administrative matters. “As a group committed to ensuring good governance, we have investigated the series of controversies that have trailed the NDDC for some time now and we have found that the Commission was hitherto enmeshed in monumental corruption. The NDDC became cash cow for some few individuals and projects execution came to a halt.
    “But with the coming of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, several monies have been recovered from projects not executed. Projects execution that took flight many years ago in the Commission began to spring up here and there for all to see. This is why we find it expedient to speak up as a group that has carried out thorough investigation on the activities of the Commission.
    “We make bold to say that the allegations made by the sacked MD and the several media campaign against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is a clear case of corruption fighting back. It is common knowledge that those who converted the commission to their private estate would certainly not sit back freely and watch their sources of ill gotten wealth taken away from them without fighting back. We however call on the Honourable Minister to remain on course in stamping out corruption and entrhoning transparency at NDDC as this case remains the government’s greatest achievement in the war against financial graft”, the group stressed.
    It further urged Ms Nunieh to come clean of allegations of pungent corruption and perjury made against her during her administration at the NDDC.