Training! Training!! Training!!!

Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, in conjunction with Rated Cranes and Scaffolds Nigeria Ltd.,bring to any interested candidate, Heavy Equipment Training in the following areas;
1. MOBILE CRANE OPERATION
2. MANUFACTURING SAFETY
3. TRUCK/TRAILER DRIVING
4. WHEEL LOADER OPERATION
5. EXCAVATOR OPERATION
6. HIAB OPERATION
7. BACKHOE OPERATION
8. SCAFFOLD ERECTION
9. CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

You can obtain your form at Block 18, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja. Registration opens on Monday, May 9th 2016

The training would commence on May 23rd, 2016 at Gbadaga Youth Centre, Oworo roundabout, Gbagada

N:B: FORM IS FREE. AND TRAINEES WOULD BE ASSISTED IN SECURING EMPLOYMENT AFTER TRAINING

POWERED BY:
PHARM (MRS) UZAMAT AKINBILE-YUSSUF
Hon. Commissioner For Youth and Social Development

Filed Under: TRAINING on Saturday, 7 May 2016

I now have more responsibilities — Akinbile-Yusuf

Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, talks about the pains and gains of office

As the commissioner for youth and social development, what is your major concern?

I am mainly concerned with reforming street kids by training and empowering them. That way, we will have a better society.
How do you want to achieve that?

We are in the process of establishing the Ibile Youth Academy. It is a programme that will enrich the lives of all the youths in the five divisions in Lagos State: Ikorodu, Ikeja, Badagry, Lagos Island and Epe divisions. We will select youths from each of these areas who will undergo leadership and mentorship programmes. At the end of the training, youth ambassadors will be selected from each of the aforementioned divisions. The ambassadors will be empowered with materials that will enable them educate other youths on the dangers of living a volatile and purposeless life.

We will also empower other youths, so that they can be useful to themselves, their families and the society.  They will all be trained in a way that each of them will acquire one or more skills.

What is your ministry doing to beat the menace of area boys?

The most important thing is that we have to discourage young children from becoming a part of this trend and that is why we persuade parents to ensure their children are enrolled in schools. If you cannot afford to send your child to a private school, the government has provided several public schools that provide proper guidance. By making sure your children are enrolled in schools, they have no business being on the streets and they will not join a bunch of hooligans to carry out crimes. Because we know that the government cannot do it alone, we will groom the youth ambassadors in such a way that they can interact effectively with these area boys and even convince them to do something worthwhile with their lives. Also, the ambassadors can advise government on how best assist area boys in order to rescue them from the world of crime.

How do you intend to keep the youths busy and out of the streets?

Keeping them busy means we have to redirect their minds and also train them. That is why the ministry is setting up skill acquisition centers all over the state. Being a graduate doesn’t stop you from acquiring skills that will make you become a successful shoe designer, carpenter or even a mechanic. Instead applying for jobs which are even hard to come by these days, why don’t you be an employer of labour?

Are the parents or government to be blamed for the menace?

Everything begins with the family. From there to the community and then the state. If parents had taken adequate care of their wards when they were younger, they wouldn’t have turned out to be area boys. Now that they are in this pathetic situation, it is the responsibility of the government to take over and reform these children. I believe that any problem that is generated by the people should be solved by the government and that is why we have the family social services unit. If there’s a problem with any family, this unit comes in to assist the family through counselling and other means. Sometimes, if parents cannot take care of their children, they are advised to hand them over to the government who takes care of them. When you are back on your feet, you can apply to have your child back.

How do you follow up on the progress of these children after they have been returned to their parents?

We take care of the children until they are 18, which is when they are recognised as adults by Nigerian law. So we monitor these children till they are 18. We have some of them in the universities and they are being supported by the government. Some are even in private schools and are doing very well. Others have acquired skills that have helped them become employers of labour.

There’s also this argument that social workers in Nigeria cannot compare favourably with their counterparts overseas?

Social work in Nigeria might not be where we want it to be but I know for a fact that Lagos State is the only state in Nigeria that can boast of having social services.  Even if our level of operation is not yet similar to what obtains abroad, we are moving and I know we will get there in a year or two.

What are some challenges social workers face?

The challenges are numerous but they are surmountable. The first challenge is training and re-training ourselves, so that we are appreciated by the community and we are able to make ourselves accessible. The government is doing a lot about materials and human resources.

Prior to becoming a commissioner, have you worked with youths and how are you applying your former experience to your present position?

Before I was appointed a commissioner by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, I was a supervisory councillor for Agricultural, Social youth and Sports development in Agbado/Oke Odo Local Council Development Area. There, I related with a lot of youths. Having to work with them now that I am a commissioner is not a fresh experience. I only have more responsibilities now.

You trained as a pharmacist. How have you applied it to your current position?

When you are a student at the university, you learn other things aside from the course you went there to study. That way, you can fit into any environment you find yourself in. My training as a pharmacist, has helped me deal with social work as it relates to hospitals.  I can discuss drugs with the doctors, nurses and social workers as it relates to the people in our care.

How do you combine your duties as a commissioner with that of being a wife and mother?

I am married to the best man in the world. He is very caring and understanding. I also have wonderful children who love what I do and they always pray with me. With their support, no mountain is too high.

Do you find time to relax?

My last child does not like the fact that he does not get to see his mum as often as he would love to, so at weekends I make sure that I spend time with them. If I really have to go out, then we go together.

How do you like to dress?

I love to dress in a simple but nice way. I like unique accessories and I am never too loud with my dressing. I don’t follow fashion but I wear what suits my body. I am also conscious of the fact that I am a married woman whenever I am getting dressed.

What advice do you have for the youths?

The government has done very well for its citizenry but you can’t satisfy everybody. Some people are of the opinion that the government has not done enough. My advice to youths who think the government has failed them is that they should not fail themselves. They should not think of only what they can benefit from the government, they should also think of how they can add value to themselves and the society.

Culled from The Sunday Punch.

on

RRS ARRESTS 12-IN TRAFFIC ROBBERS I

N LAGOS

As part of its continued offensive operation against In-traffic robbery in Lagos state, the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos Police command , has picked-up no fewer than 12 suspects said to be members of grid-lock traffic robbery syndicate at Mile 2 and Ijora areas in the state.
The operatives from the RRS responded to the tip-off from the motorists plying the roads whom have been victims of this criminal act on many occasions.
The policemen bursted into the two areas within the metropolis between the hours of 22:00 and 23: 00 on August 21th, 2015, to apprehend the suspects, and  wraps of india-hemp were recovered from them
The Police investigation revealed that some group of social miscreants are in the habit of robbing, snatching handsets and dispossessing law abiding citizens of their valuables during the traffic jam along Mile 2 and Ijora respectively in the metropolis.
" The suspects do attack their victims by breaking the vehicles' windscreens in traffic. By so doing, their victims will be left with no option than to surrender their belongings to them while under duress", the Police investigation noted.
On arrival at Task office, Alausa four (4) suspects who could give satisfactory account of themselves were released", the Police said.
Meanwhile, the remaining eight  (8) suspects have been charged to court immediately.
The RRS Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Olatunji Disu, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, promised that any act of crime will not be tolerated in Lagos state and its environs.
"Following the incessant complaints from members of public on regular in-traffic robbery along these axis, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni, ordered that immediate and drastic actions must be taking in arresting the situation which has started yielding positive results", the Commander said.
ACP Olatunji Disu recalled that the RRS operatives in recent time had arrested a Terrorist  whose gang had been terrorising motorists in traffic at Mile 2.
" When we arrested him some weeks ago,  he confessed that he was not the only one in the act, he said that they used to snatch people's bags and collect phones during peak traffic hours. This current arrest we made, showed that those arrested suspects are his colleagues in-traffic robbery syndicate", he added.
He further appealed to the general public to cooperate with the Police in order to reduce this act of crime and its related offences to the  bearable level in the metropolis.
" The citizens should cultivate the habit of informing the Police on useful and timely information. We guarantee informants that he or she identity won't be revealed for fear of reprisal", he promised.
ACP Olatunji Disu reiterated that campaign to free Lagos from any act of crime by the Police is in tandem with the commitment of the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in ensuring lives and properties are secured in the state.

on Monday, 24 August 2015

Sagay heads presidential anti-corruption committee and

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday appointed a Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption headed by a prominent professor of law and civil rights activist, Professor Itse Sagay.

The Committee’s brief, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, is to advise the present administration on the prosecution of the war against corruption and the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

Other members of the Committee which is also expected to develop comprehensive interventions for achieving recommended reforms are: Prof. Femi Odekunle, Professor of Criminology, Ahmadu Bello University, Dr. (Mrs) Benedicta Daudu, Associate Professor of International Law, University of Jos, Prof. E. Alemika, and Professor of Sociology, University of Jos.

Other members are Professor Sadiq Radda, Professor of Criminology, Bayero University, Kano, Hadiza Bala Usman, Civil Society Activist, and Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, who will serve as Member/Executive Secretary of the Committee.

The statement added: “In support of the Federal Government’s efforts, an Anti-Corruption and Criminal Justice Reform Fund has been established by three international development partners namely the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Foundation.

“The $5 million fund is to assist implementation of key components of the Action Plan and the work of the Presidential Advisory Committee.

“The fund will be managed by Trust Africa, an international development Civil Society Organisation with programme presence in more than 25 African countries.” It stated

on Monday, 10 August 2015

War against money laundering: Banks, PDP kick against CBN’s policy

LAGOS—Banks and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have kicked against the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to bar foreign currency deposits into domiciliary accounts.
The PDP described the decision as illegal, unlawful, void, archaic and communist in nature, stressing that the President should be reminded that as a country, Nigeria was in a democracy and not military administration as in 1984.
A senior bank treasurer and executive member of Financial Market Dealers Association of Nigeria, FMDA, also described the policy as a knee-jerk measure, which was not sustainable, adding that banks’ decision to stop dollar deposits into domiciliary accounts was in protest of the new policy.
In a statement signed, yesterday, by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said that President Buhari’s regulations of the foreign exchange transactions in Nigeria where the administration was making it impossible for honest Nigerians to engage in free trade and regulate their personal activities as guaranteed by the constitution, was clearly an agenda to illegally impose a communist economic regime on Nigerians.
The party noted that the absence of an economic team at the moment, especially in the third month of the administration, was leading the country into economic quagmire and doldrums.
The statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to bring to the notice of President Muhammadu Buhari that the apparent absence of an economic team in the third month of his administration is leading the country into economic quagmire and doldrums.
“In the past, we had given examples of the devastating effect of lack of an economic team and a clear-cut fiscal policy by this administration as evidenced in the lull and painful decline in the stock market, spiral rate of inflation, the disastrous outing of the government team in bilateral talks during the recent visit to the United States of America and the shambolic state of our economy at present.
“This confusion has been extended to operations and regulations of the foreign exchange transactions in Nigeria wherein the government is making it impossible for honest Nigerians to engage in free trade and regulate their personal activities as guaranteed by the constitution, and this is clearly an agenda to illegally impose a communist economic regime on Nigerians.
“The most disturbing aspect of this communist economic agenda is the illegal and unlawful attempt to repeal the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring And Miscellaneous Provisions Act, otherwise known as Decree No 17 of 1995 and replace it with unilateral imposition of new regulations.
“This Act remains the subsisting law regulating the operations of domiciliary accounts in Nigeria and by its provisions therefore, Nigerians are empowered to freely open and operate domiciliary accounts.
“As such, any enactment and or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are deemed void. Thus, the recent foreign exchange transaction restrictions by this government are illegal, unlawful and void. Besides the provisions of the law, the PDP declares this administration’s archaic communist economic agenda as unworkable and unsustainable.”
Naira bounces back
Meanwhile, the tough monetary policy stance of the CBN on the exchange rate of the naira has started yielding result as the local currency appreciated weekend to a band of N225 to N230 to the dollar, compared to N240 to the dollar at which it sold in the last few weeks.
The apex bank had barred 41 items from access to foreign exchange. It had directed that as from August 1, all foreign exchange transactions in any Bureau de Change must have the BVN of applicants as foreigners were said to have invaded the nation’s foreign exchange market.
Banks last week, in a bid to stem the increasing trend of the dollarisation of the economy, started rejecting deposits of foreign currency in local banks.
Forex dealers attributed the naira’s gain to excess supply of the greenback in the market, even as it looked like a lot of speculators would lose out in the new trend.
It was gathered from the CBN that commercial banks that currently had dollars in excess of $1 billion in their vaults, have started taking desperate measures to mitigate currency risk. Bureaux  de change (BDC) operators disclosed that banks have stopped accepting dollars because they have too much cash in their vaults.
As a result of the development, banks have been rejecting dollar deposits into domiciliary accounts, but customers are allowed to withdraw cash from their accounts.
“The reason the banks have too much cash is due to speculation and money laundering. A lot of people have been speculating against the naira and amassed so much cash.
“Then there are those who have been amassing dollars obtained illicitly and want to launder them.”
Banks protest
A senior bank treasurer and executive member of Financial Market Dealers Association of Nigeria, FMDA, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the decision by banks to stop accepting foreign currency deposits into domiciliary accounts was in protest of the new policy.
He said: “There was no official communication from CBN that it would no longer collect dollar cash from banks. The whole thing started when two or three banks took their dollars to the CBN for swap on Thursday, and the CBN rejected the cash.
“As a result, banks now found themselves with huge volume of dollars that are practically useless to them. To protest this development, banks have stopped accepting foreign currency deposits across the counter into domiciliary accounts.
“The reality is that accepting such deposits is useless to banks. They cannot trade the currency and they cannot transfer it. So it is useless.”
He said the new CBN policy implied that everybody who wanted to deposit into domiciliary account was a money launderer, which was not possible.
“This  negates the purpose of banking. It is a knee-jerk policy, which is not sustainable, though it might force appreciation of the naira in the parallel market in the short term.’’
Importers divert businesses to neighbouring countries
President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, told Vanguard that the policy had started impacting negatively on the economy as importers had started diverting their businesses to neighbouring countries.
He said the protest by banks had, however, started impacting negatively on the economy.
“The surplus dollars in the street market is unavailable to the local importers as they cannot transact with it through their bankers. The neighbouring countries are having a field day mopping up the excess cash dollar liquidity, a very cheap rate for the use of their imports to the detriment of the local importer.
“Our local importers divert the payments of their imports to those neighbouring countries. The local importers also divert their consignments to the ports of the neighbouring countries.
“The current market situation is enabling business activities to flourish in the neighbouring countries,” he said.
CBN explains rationale for policy
Although the CBN did not officially announce the new policy to banks, it on Saturday issued a press release, titled: “Renewed Vigilance to Prohibit Illicit Financial Flows in Nigeria’s Banking System.”
The release, signed by Ibrahim Muazu, Director Corporate Communication, CBN, stated: “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) notes with concern a recent report by the Global Financial Integrity group, which ranks Nigeria as one of the 10 largest countries for illicit financial flows in the world.
“Although we do not have an independent confirmation of this assertion, the report estimates that about US$15.7 billion of illicit funds go through our system annually.”
It added that “CBN will increase its vigilance to ensure that Nigerian banks are not used as conduits for illicit fund flows, especially in foreign currencies.
“We note and applaud that in line with global best practice, Nigerian banks have started to curtail the acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits, much the same way as customers in other countries cannot just walk into banks and make foreign currency cash deposits without proper documentation.
“We wish to assure all citizens seeking foreign currencies for legitimate personal and/or business interests that there remains ample opportunity to do so within the law. The CBN’s Foreign Exchange Rules have many windows for accessing foreign exchange for legitimate business as well as for personal commitments.”

on Sunday, 9 August 2015

PDP leadership is selfish, greedy, self-centered, says Dokpesi

Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of Daar Communications has stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the presidential election because of its leadership greed and selfishness.

Dokpesi stated this while speaking during a lecture organised by New Dawn, a group in Edo state chapter of the PDP.

He said the group is trying to rebuild PDP, adding that, the group was determined to “reconstruct the party and bring the party back to power in Edo in 2016 and at the Federal level in 2019.

Dokpesi then stated that the leadership has always been selfish, self-centered and greedy, which he said cost the party victory in the last general elections.

“We lost our way and I want to on behalf of the PDP, tender unreserved apology to each and every one of you; the youths, the women, the leaders, for the grievous mistakes we all made. I plead for your forgiveness.

We provided bad leadership, we were self centered, only thinking of our interest, not the interest of all of us, it will never happen again.

“The voice of one person almost became the voice of all of us. The grace of God will never allow that happen again. We shall all participate in deciding our destiny. One major mistake I must plead with you to forgive us for is the unnecessary quarrel and issues that started from 2006, 2007 which led to parallel congresses, and divided us.

“We will lead this party, PDP back to Government House in Benin City and we shall take back Aso Rock in 2019. All those that were de-registered from the party, you all should assist me to bring them all back to the party let us reconstruct this party once again. I am to further reassure you that the present executive of the PDP from the ward level up to the state level, their tenure will end this August. Anybody who thinks he has done well should come back and apply and you will decide whether you want him or not and it must be done transparently.

“PDP is ready to fight to get back in Government House in Benin City. At the national level, I want to tell you that there is nothing that the APC government is claiming today that wasn’t done by the Jonathan administration, they are only posturing,” Dokpesi said.

Earlier in his welcome address, leader of the New Dawn, Senator Roland Owie, urged the 8th National Assembly “to urgently commence the amendment of the Nigeria’s Constitution which they have done twice to give autonomy to local government councils, but unfortunately some [State] House of Assembly that are rubber stamp turned it down, because if you don’t have autonomy of the local government Nigeria can’t develop the rural area.

“In the next line of amendment, any House of Assembly in Nigeria that votes against autonomy of the local government, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the ALGON, the market women and men should take possession of their Assembly. They wouldn’t sit until they support the autonomy of local government
because enough is enough of destroying that arm.”

on

India Nabs Two Nigerian Students On Their Way To Join ISIS

A huge drama was witnessed near the integrated checkpost (ICP) at Attari on the border between India and Pakistan when two Nigerian students from Delhi scaled a 20-foot-high grilled fence in a bid to illegally enter Pakistan in the morning of Friday, August 7.

The two Nigerians, who claimed to be cousins, were identified as Imran Kabir, 24, and Jamilu Sani, 25 years of age. They were arrested by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel after a hot chase.



“Both wanted to go to Pakistan for pursuing Islamic studies. Sani had a Nigerian passport, while Kabir didn’t. We recovered five printouts taken from Google maps of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. They described Iraq as their final destination,” a BSF spokesperson said.

The duo got to the checkpost at about 5.50am in a stolen swift dzire taxi. The BSF said they had hired the taxi from Delhi and made off with it on reaching Amritsar when the driver, with whom they had a tiff on Thursday night over the fare, was asleep.

They parked the car close to the border and enquired about the route to Pakistan. They were told that the border was closed at that time, but rather than leaving, they waited near the car.

The BSF personnel, who are ever on high alert, got suspicious and approached them. The two Nigerians they panicked and sped away on the road.

The border guards personnel chased them, forcing the suspects to abandon the car. The duo managed to climb over the 20-foot-high grilled fence and jump onto the rail track.

“Once there, they thought they had entered Pakistani territory and started shouting ‘we are in Pakistan’. They didn’t know that they were still in India,” the BSF spokesperson said.

During interrogation one of the Nigerians claimed to be a student of Mahatma Gandhi Open University in Delhi and the other said he studied at Karnataka State Open University, also in Delhi.

“Both had come to India on student visa in 2014. They said they were headed for Afghanistan en route to Iraq, which was their final destination. They wanted to pursue Islamic studies in Pakistan before that,” the Indian authorities confirmed.

When searched, a copy of the Quran, mobile phones, a sum of 4,000 Naira recovered from them. However, no weapons were found.

The suspects would be handed over to the police after initial interrogation.

ISIS is not strange to Nigeria. About four months ago, Nigeria’s deadly terrorist group, Boko Haram, pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Boko Haram appeared to have aligned its media production, social media and execution style videos with ISIS.

Some say the vow of alliance by the Nigerian terror sect to the Islamic State may be no more than a propaganda move.

Earlier this week, the militants put out a video that showed the beheading of a policeman. The method of the killings, and also the professional production value of the record, spookily reflected the work of the so-called Islamic State. Some experts fear that it could presage tighter links.

Peter Pham, director of the Africa programme at the Atlantic council think tank in Washington, said: “It’s something that has been developing over the course of at least nine months.

“Both groups need this right now. They need a propaganda coup to raise morale and attention because they are both suffering setbacks in their military campaigns.

“For Isis, it’s an opportunity to present themselves as ever-expanding, to enhance their aura of inevitability. It’s a propaganda victory. And for that, all you need is a small camera and an Internet connection.”

However, reports by NBC News states that American Intelligence officials believe racism will stop ISIS operating in Northern Africa and from teaming up with the Boko Haram sect.

“The Arab world is incredibly racist. They don’t see black Africans as equivalent to them,” a US intelligence official explained.

The official added that ISIS may show “affinity” with Nigeria’s insurgents, “but they stop short of allegiance.”

on