Business
Social Media Has Reduced Youth Unemployment – ICT Experts
Some ICT experts have said
that the impacts of social media in the lives of the youths are more positive as many of them have been gainfully engaged thereby reducing unemployment.
The experts made this known in separate interviews with newsmen in Abuja.
President and Chief Executive Officer of High-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Children Mrs Omowunmi Hassan said that social media had created employment for youths in the country.
She said that social media was one of the best things that happened to the world, especially the younger generation, “who are ICT savvy”.
“In the face of the economic challenges where young people don’t really have a platform, the social media is like their office, their work space, where they could air their opinions,” she said.
She said that the social media was a platform where the youths showcased their talents and works; they make themselves known to people and connect with friends and associates from all over the world.
“This is a whole lot of attraction to young people who obviously are not always in one place.
“There are a lot of social media platform, you have the Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram with different social importance.
“Our young people have found this platform very expressive to say what they feel and how they feel, especially in the time of democracy like this, they speak their minds freely, ” she said.
Hasan explained that the medium was also an avenue for online journalism, adding that information from the local, states and even the federal levels were shared.
She said that this had assisted in reporting what had been happening around and had created avenue for learning.
“The social media for me is a wonderful platform, though it has its lapses and disadvantages but I believe with time it will be one of those things that we will overcome, ” she added.
Mr Anietie Etuk , the Managing Director of Teencoders, an ICT training platform for teenagers said a lot of micro businesses that were coming up were conceived from the social media.
Etuk noted that these businesses were managed by the young people and this had created employment for them.
He said that social media and ICT, if properly harnessed and funded could boost economic development “in no small way”.
On her part, Ms Fatima Danjuma, another ICT expert urged the youths and other social media users to ensure security of any sites before opening them, saying unsecured sites could be identified by their addresses.
According to Danjuma, visiting social media sites has more positive values that outweigh its disadvantages.
“Social media sites are available for all, including youths, but should be visited with caution.
“Each secured site has security icon “https’ in its address, but any site that has only `http’ without the `s’ is not a secured site.
“It is therefore important for internet users, especially the youths to look out for such code before opening any site.
“The world is fast becoming internet world, where banking, buying, and other services are done online, that is the more reason for all internet users to look out for the security of any site before opening them.
“A situation where somebody gives his or her bank details or personal details to an unsecured site can be regrettable at times,” she added.
In a related development, some parents also expressed their views on the use of social media.
Mrs Yinka Bello, a parent said: “knowledge is not restricted to a source; social media is a good means of enriching ones knowledge, especially as the world has become a global village through internet.
“Students who are studying any course in Nigerian tertiary institutions can add to their knowledge through positive visits to sites that are related to their courses.
“Just like everything in life, social media also has its downside, but its good side highly outweighs its negative side,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Paul Agwu, another parent urged parents and guardians to always task their wards on likely implications of visiting social media sites that promote bad habits like pornography, homosexuality and financial fraud.
“As parents, we should always educate our youths to explore positive side of internet and shun the bad sites where bad habits are being promoted.
“Not every parent can afford those schools that teach high standard education, but through internet (social media), everyone can acquire standard knowledge,” he said.
It would be recall that losses to cybercrimes are on the increase globally, while some sites promote illicit habits to visitors.
Business
NASS Engages Agric Minister On Food Crisis
The National Assembly through its joint committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development has engaged the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari on an urgent solution to food inflation bedeviling the country.
The committee chaired by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC Kwara Central), at an interface with the Minister, interrogated him on plans being put in place to arrest high cost of food prices in the country and make it affordable and available to the poor masses.
In his response, the Minister said the Federal Government has commenced distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains to some focal points of state capitals nationwide.
“We have received directive and approval from Mr. President to distribute for immediate impact 42,000 metric tons of assorted grains free of charge to the Nigerian population.
“This was received in mid-February, as we are speaking, we have a record of the distribution being carried out, but I will want to plead with the honorable house and distinguished senators that some of the movements can’t be made public but a lot of states have started receiving their grains.
“We are distributing to state capitals in the first instance as you all are aware of the risk involved in the vandalism of foodstuff so we are working with the office of the national security adviser and other national security agencies.
“Furthermore, 58,500 metric tonnes of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilisation”, he said.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the interactive session, Senator Mustapha expressed satisfaction with the steps being taken by the federal government.
He said: “From our interactive session, we are on the other side of the parliament; we are fully in the picture of what is happening, we are convinced that the steps being taken by the federal government are in the right direction.
“All we did again is to further emphasise on the need for certain things to be done on time, I think from this collaborative approach by the grace of God, Nigerians will have a better feel of the government policy on food security”.
Business
Obj Harps On Cheap Credit, Policy Consistency For Food Production
Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has called on the government to provide cheap credit and ensure policy consistency to enable farmers increase food production in the country.
The former President made the call as food inflation and nutrition security concerns grow in Africa’s most populous country.
Obasanjo’s made the call at the 9th Agrofood & Plastprintpack conference in Lagos recently, where he said farmers in the country were yearning for consistency in policy and single-digit interest loans to drive growth in the sector and attain food security.
“Policy sustainability and predictability is what farmers want. It helps them to plan. Availability of finance is also what farmers want. They cannot survive on the double digital interest rate”, Obasanjo, who is also a farmer, said at the conference.
According to him, food and nutrition security start with availability, then affordability by ensuring that everyone who needs food can get it.
He noted that food was one of the major imperatives in life, adding that “there cannot be food without agriculture and agribusiness”.
Obasanjo further stressed the importance of agriculture in changing the fortunes of the economy, with attendant exponential gains by way of earnings, employment, food security and other spin-offs.
He noted that agriculture must be made attractive to the country’s teeming youth population, saying this would address the rising unemployment, worsening insecurity and youth migration through the Mediterranean.
“We have to make agriculture attractive to the youths. We have to think within and outside the box to make it attractive to the youths so they are willing to get their hands dirty and feet wet”, he advised.
He continued that “Part of the security issue is owing to our inability to get them engaged. The need for agro-food and agribusiness is for food security, employment, wealth creation and income generation, particularly foreign exchange”.
Speaking also, Wouter Plom, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said his country had faced challenges similar to those Nigeria confronts – feeding a growing population with limited resources.
He said as partners with a joint vision, the Netherlands and Nigeria recognise that the agricultural sector was one of the prominent drivers for economic growth.
He noted that the Netherlands has further strengthened its partnership with Nigeria to boost the agriculture sector in three main areas- economic growth, improved diets and youth employment.
The ambassador noted that all the challenges in driving growth through the sector, improving diets and tackling unemployment can be addressed when food production is efficient.
Paul Maerz, Managing Director of Fairtrade Messe, said with more investment in agro-food & plastprintpack solutions, products and technologies, brighter days were ahead for Nigeria’s agriculture.
Business
Abuja Farmers, Others Lose N12bn To Ginger Disease
The Federal Government, has confirmed the outbreak of ginger blight epidemic in four States in Nigeria, saying ginger farmers have lost over N12 billion due to the disease.
The government disclosed this at the inauguration of the National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce in Abuja, revealing that the fungal disease had inflicted significant damage on ginger farms in Kaduna, Nassarawa Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the blight had caused billions of naira in losses, impacting not only the livelihoods of farmers, but also Nigeria’s position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer.
“Our preliminary estimates suggested that affected farmers in southern Kaduna lost over N12bn.
“Furthermore, considering that over 85 per cent of Nigeria’s ginger cultivation occurs in this region, we can safely assume a substantial loss of cultivated land, potentially exceeding 70 per cent of total land”, he stated.
Abdullahi, however, stated that the Federal Government through the National Agricultural Development Fund would launch a N1.6bn recovery package for affected farmers in ginger-producing areas.
He said the ginger blight epidemic served as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness in safeguarding agricultural resources, adding that by investing in research, extension services and farmer support systems, “we can build a more sustainable future for our agricultural sector”.
On his part, the Chairman of the task force committee, Abubakar Abdullahi, said there was no doubt that the blight on ginger had negatively affected the Gross Domestic Product earnings from this subsector.
“It is of necessity and great urgency that various subcommittees are put in place to forestall these negative effects”, he stated.
Abdullahi assured the minister of the commitment of the team to salvage the situation, as he pleaded with the minister to give the committee the power to co-opt members that would add value to the task force to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.
-
Environment4 days ago
World Water Day And Provision Of Clean Water
-
Rivers4 days ago
Abua/Odual Is Simplified -Board Member
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
C’River, Ebonyi Govts Resolve Boundary Dispute
-
Opinion2 days ago
Leveraging On ICT For Timely Retirees’ Payment
-
Politics9 hours ago
2027: LP Reserves Presidential, Governorship Tickets For Obi, Otti
-
News5 hours ago
Fubara Recommits To Human Capacity Building In Rivers
-
Politics4 days ago
Gov Mutfwang Harps On Tolerance Among Nigerians
-
Nation4 days ago
WTD: Banigo Advocates Good Hygiene