Politics
Lawmaker Tasks LASG On SMEs, Agriculture
A Lagos State lawmaker, Mr Desmond Elliot, has urged the Lagos State Government to redirect its focus toward the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and agriculture to reduce youth restiveness in the state.
Elliot, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, gave the advice during his visit to the ongoing Farmfair Exhibition organised by the Coalition of Youth in collaboration with African Farmers at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos yesterday.
The lawmaker said that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) would have a lot to do if the state government could focus its attention on improving and growing SMEs and agriculture in the state.
“Above everything, if there is any positive thing the #EndSARS protests had taught us, it is that the state government should start redirecting its focus toward the growth of SMEs and also youth empowerment.
“Youth empowerment, not just education but also vocational skills, should be emphasised. It means education should be in both formal and informal ones.
“This is because several of our youths are outside roaming about the streets and it is not that they do not want to work but there are no jobs out there.
“However, everybody wants to go into formal education, but the government can start training them in fishery, agriculture and fashion design just to mention a few.
“We can’t do so much on large scale agriculture but we can make almost every home that has a yard to grow a systemic agricultural produce in their yards.”
Elliot, representing Surulere Constituency 1, noted that the Farmfair was organised to provide relatively affordable prices for farm produce, especially, at this session.
The lawmaker, who inspected all the exibition stands, commended the youths that decided to organise the Farmfair, saying the idea was ‘a brilliant one’.
Elliot said that Surulere youths had come together selflessly to meet farmers, marketers and manufacturers of farm products so the Farmfair could take place, especially as the yuletide was drawing nearer.
“Surulere youths had to go directly to the farmers and marketers instead of going through the middle party to bring them down here.
“So, they deserve accolades for this wonderful initiative.
“They were able to get different farm organisations to attend the Farmfair and we have for sale bags of rice in local and foreign brands, beans, snails, pepper, tomatoes and onions.
“It is the youth initiative and I bought into the idea because I believe it is a brilliant idea.
“More so, we are having empowerment programme in my constituency for the youth.
“The empowerment programme which is an offshoot of what the #EndSARS protest had taught us is that we should start laying emphasis on the needs as well as the plight of the youth.”
The lawmaker said that once the youth were given an enabling opportunity, then they could achieve their best.
Elliot noted that the week-long exhibition which started on Friday would end on Thursday.
The event also witnessed the conferment of an award of recognition on the lawmaker by a coalition of Igbo Community in the state.
The group, led by Mr Sunday Ude, said that Elliot had been a worthy ambassador of the people of Surulere and Lagos State in general.
Also, Chuks Odumegwu, the Secretary General of the Igbo Community in Lagos, said that they decided to honour Elliot to show their appreciation for his service to the people of Surulere Constituency 1.
“We have come to say thank you for being there for the Igbos in Lagos State.
“We have the executive of the Igbos in Lagos State here and the local government coordinator of the state, as well as the Eze of Igbos in Lagos State.”
In his speech, Chief Sunday Ude said that honour should be given to whom it is due and that they believe that Desmond Elliot deserves the honour.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Alhaji Abubakar disclosed his intention to leave the opposition party in a letter addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Jada, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state.
Alhaji Abubakar described his departure from the PDP as “heartbreaking”, saying the party has strayed from the ideals on which it was founded.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the Party,” Alhaji Abubakar said.
“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.
“As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.
“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for.
“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.
“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future”, he added.
Alhaji Abubakar’s resignation from the PDP comes days after the opposition coalition politicians adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their political platform for the 2027 elections.
Among the coalition leaders are Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election; Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor; and John Oyegun, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others include Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State; Uche Secondus, former PDP National Chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State; Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State; and Liyel Imoke, former Governor of Cross River State, among others.
A group, ‘Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF),’ has intensified calls on the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CBSF which comprises members of various political parties, non-partisan citizens and residents of the state also has non-indigenes and people from different religious organisations as members.
Speaking at a world press conference held in Yenagoa, the State capital on Tuesday, the group, through its convener who doubles as Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media/Public Affairs, Snr. Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, passed a confidence vote on Governor Diri, commending his selfless service to the State and the Ijaw nation.
Mr Ikuli averred that there was need for the state to align with the federal government. Citing the benefits of having a government at the centre that can attract development to the state, he noted that the PDP at the national level had been long enmeshed in crisis.
“The current leadership of the PDP under whose platform the governor is leading the state has been hijacked by few individuals. This poses threats to the interest of the state.
“Presently, our state is standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of the South South region. The above may not be too much an issue. The greatest challenge here is the hijack of the PDP by few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsa in 2027, particularly those that intend to fly the flag of PDP.
“There are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform. So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP.
“The ongoing Coalition is also an embodiment of people who conspired to deny Bayelsa State and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation, a second term at the Presidency in 2015. Thus, the coalition can never be an option.
“ It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show southern solidarity with other southern governors who are with Mr. President”, the group said.
“But as we move forward, one of the greatest priorities in the alliance with the centre should be the actualisation of the Agge Seaport that will help to boost the state economy and also bring about unimaginable transformation and prosperity. In the next few days we shall begin a daily rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on His Excellency to do the needful.
“Finally, His Excellency should ignore all opposing voices against his defection. We say this because they are all fighting to protect their individual political interest without prioritising that of the state and the entire Ijaw nation.
“ We wish to reassure His Excellency that vast majority of Bayelsans are with him and together, we shall move forward”, the CBSF added.
The group thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Ijaw sons and daughters into key positions, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), amongst others.
Meanwhile, the CBSF has also charged Governor Diri to prioritize the actualization of the Agge Deep Seaport project, saying it will boost the economy of the state and bring about transformation and prosperity, noting, however, that plans have reached advanced stages for the CBSF to hit the streets of Yenagoa with rallies with a view to prevailing on the governor to defect to the APC.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Speaker made the call on Wednesday while hosting councillors from the 13 local government areas of the State in his residence in Lafia, the state capital.
Rt Hon. Jatau said that a good working relationship among the arms of government at the council level was key to development, hence, the need for his call in that direction.
He appreciated the councillors for condoling with him over the death of his younger sister, Hajaratu Jatau, and prayed to God to bless them abundantly.
“I started as a councillor, and today I am the Speaker. There is the need for a good working relationship between you and the elected chairmen for development to thrive at the grassroots. It is in view of this that I want to call on you to give your elected chairmen all the necessary and needed support to succeed. For development to thrive at the grassroots, you must embrace one another and see yourselves as team players,” the Speaker said.
Rt Hon. Jatau also called on them to coexist peacefully among themselves and continue to drum up support for Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration to succeed.
Besides, he assured them that the state government would soon organise training for them to deliver effective service.
Rt Hon. Jatau also assured them that the state government would pay them their furniture allowance, as well as other benefits, to enhance their legislative work.
Earlier, the chairman of the Nasarawa State Councillors Forum, Mohammed Madaki, who is the Leader of Lafia LGA Legislative Assembly, said that the visit was to identify with the Speaker over the death of his sister.
The leader of the delegation urged the Speaker to see the death of his sister as an act of God and bear the irreplaceable loss.
Mr Madaki assured the Speaker of their loyalty and support at all times.
The chairman, however, appealed to the Speaker to intervene in the training of the councillors as well as the payment of their furniture allowance.
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