News
Jonathan Hosts Media Chat, Today
President Goodluck Jonathan will host a special edition of the Presidential Media Chat, today.
In a statement by Special Adviser to the President, Media & Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said President Jonathan will respond to questions from a panel of journalists on current national issues during the programme, which will be broadcast live on national radio and television network services.
According to Abati, t
he chat will hold at 7pm.
Also, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday boasted that his administration was the first in Nigeria’s history to create 5,400 direct jobs for the nation’s unemployed youths.
He said the feat was achieved through the Federal Government’s Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin).
Jonathan spoke during the presidential launch of Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the programme was designed to encourage youth employment and self-reliance.
Jonathan also said 2,500 entrepreneurs empowered by his administration had also created an average of nine jobs each, therefore, bringing the total jobs created to 22,000.
The President said, “This will be the first government in the history of Nigeria that will directly create 5,400 jobs through the YouWin programmes. I am also proud to say that the 2,500 entrepreneurs have created an( average of nine jobs each making it a total of 22,000 jobs so far.”
“Entrepreneurs are the engine room of the Nigeria’s economy as they are responsible for more than 60 per cent of our $510billion Gross Domestic Product and the MSMEs are responsible for almost 98 percent of the new jobs created in our economy on an annual basis. The new jobs we are targeting will come from the SMEs”, he added.
Jonathan expressed delight that the success story of his administration’s job creation efforts is impressive and beyond expectation.
He said his administration at inception identified unemployment among youths as one of the greatest challenges to tackle, stating that the failure rate of the programme is less than 10 percent.
This, he said, was the reason why his government took numerous steps to tackle the challenge, emphasizing that his administration’s target was to create not less than two million jobs annually.
Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna, had earlier described the programme as private sector-driven initiative that seeks to empower youth.
The Chief Executive Officer of Anabel Group, Mr. Nicholas Okoye, said the present administration had empowered over seven million youths.
Okoye said the figure had surpassed the total of those empowered by previous administrations put together.
“Those who say you (Jonathan) have not done anything for the youth are simply not saying the truth,” he said.
Describing all Nigerian problems are subset of employment crisis among the youth, Okoye commended the Federal Government for tackling the challenge headlong.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers5 days ago
NDDC: Staff Walk Ten Kilometers To Commemorate 25th Anniversary
-
News5 days ago
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman
-
Politics5 days ago
Obey Order On AA In Six Days, Court Directs INEC, Yakubu
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
HYPREP Trains Lab Technicians To Standardise Water Quality In Ogoniland
-
Sports5 days ago
Oyibu predicts success for Team Nigeria at Athletics Championships
-
News5 days ago
Presidency Faults US Visa Restrictions On Nigerians, Demands Fair Treatment
-
Politics5 days ago
PDP Still Formidable Ahead 2027 – Nat’l Youth Leader
-
Rivers5 days ago
VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria