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Breaking The Jinx Of Poverty
What we see physically as poverty is more of a state of mind, manifesting in various ways in conditions and actions, utterances and thoughts are included as actions. Quite often, the environment and circumstances in which people experience their living and activities usually reflect the state and conditions which the people themselves have created. Therefore, the principal medium of bringing about changes and alterations in the fortunes and circumstances of any individual is the thought process, which we can call personal volition.
Poverty is not a virtue, neither is it an attribute of a truly developed state of being, unless where it is necessity as a means of some atonement. When those who had created deficiencies and imbalance in the past have learned their lessons through experiencing poverty, then, better conditions would emerge eventually. The process of development and maturity does not tolerate one-sidedness, making it necessary that every person must have varieties of experiences and life’s conditions.
Foremost in the requirements to break the jinx of poverty is the application of the power of personal volition, expressed in thinking and value orientation. There must be a definite purpose or goal which encapsulates an individual’s mission in life. Then, such mission statement must dominate the mind with persistence and a genuine volition to see the desired condition become a reality. A success-conscious state of mind is better than pessimism.
Anyone wishing to have a successful life, away from humiliating poverty, should recognise the fact that opportunities to make a change for the better can come in the guise of misfortunes. Without a personal mission statement to which one is committed and truly convinced about, great opportunities coming in the guise of misfortunes or crisis, can be misused or ruined.
One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overwhelmed by temporary defeats.
A second guideline in the regime of breaking the jinx of poverty is the recognition of a psychological law which stipulates that a dominant state of mind is beginning of the attraction and eventual achievement of any desire. A worthwhile goal or desire must not end in the mind but effort must be made to transform it into a reality. This would require planning definite ways and means to achieve the goal; following up such plan with persistence, conviction, enthusiasm and determination. Visualise the goal always.
Without personal conviction, faith can hardly arise and what gives impetus to conviction includes the justice or value of what is being desired. A goal or desire which does not further the well-being of humanity cannot be nourished with conviction because it would lack the justice and value of an instrument of human up-building.
The human intuitive faculty works best when individual desire or goal carry furthering values which can enhance rather than debase the collective good of humanity generally. An earnest volition should carry purity.
To break the jinx of poverty would demand the application of experiences and knowledge which have been organized and utilised before, to improve the conditions of humans. A rich or educated person is not the one who has or knows everything, but the one who knows how to get, organise and utilise available resources to improve conditions. Knowledge includes getting what you want without violating the law or putting the well-being of others in jeopardy. To take right decisions demands the ability to apply such experiences and knowledge which had been of relevant help in the past, in specific contexts.
Having embarked on a task considered worthwhile, it is right to see it to a logical conclusion, rather than quit because there are obstacles. Past bitter experiences should become challenges and spur one to do better in the future. Bear in mind that no single person knows everything; therefore, learn to work with and utilize the experiences of other people. This demands humility and unassuming attitude, rather than conceit. Link your efforts with the right people you need to help make your plans succeed.
To make a positive change demands unswerving courage derived from a personal conviction and the worth whileness of the purpose at hand. Self-control and self-discipline demand the avoidance of anything unethical but the cultivation of a keen sense of justice and fair-play. Success in any task demands doing more than monetary rewards, i.e. going the extra mile.
Willingness to take rather than dodge responsibility is vital for great achievement. This would include cultivating a pleasant personality, showing respect and understanding for others, co-operation rather than confrontation with those around you, and not underrating the intelligence or ability of anyone. We need other people towards enhancement of our efforts for a successful life. Poverty has something to do with personal deficiencies which must be corrected.
Unfavourable hereditary or family background which hinder a free expression that stifle the mind can account for poverty. Indolence, lack of personal initiatives and ambitions, fear and a complacent attitude are not success-friendly. Fear kills dreams, hopes and aspirations, and, anyone wishing to break the jinx of poverty must not allow fear to keep him back from his dreams and hopes. Neither must indoctrinations which stress fears and docility be allowed to destroy personal aspirations.
Breaking the jinx of poverty demands an individual to take some bold steps, speak up and offend where necessary, rather than die in silence. Neither must anyone become a door-mat for others to trample upon. Other personal deficiencies associated with poverty, include procrastination, unbridled sexual appetite, unethical lifestyle which wants to get something for nothing, unstable family life manifesting on lingering disharmony. Poverty will flee where there is success-conscious state of mind, coupled with diligence and patience.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.