Nation
VC Tasks FG On Entrepreneurship Programmes For Youths
Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, Prof. Charles Ayo, has advised the Federal Government to engage youths in entrepreneurship programmes to make them self-reliant.
The vice-chancellor gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, yesterday.
He attributed human trafficking and other social vices to fallout of economic situation, which he said could be addressed by engaging youths in entrepreneurship development programmes.
Ayo called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for youths and the informal sector to thrive by providing all the necessary social amenities.
“Let there be stable power supply for tailors, welders and electricians to work, as the cost of providing electricity has gone beyond their reach,” he said.
The don said that human trafficking, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism should be collectively addressed.
Ayo, also a former Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, said Nigerians that the Federal Government had successfully repatriated from other countries, would still go back until the economy of the country improves.
The don said that the economy of countries like America and U.K had continued to grow, regardless of the pandemic, due to the enabling environment provided for the citizens.
The vice-chancellor called on the Federal Government to provide palliative measures for business owners to create more job opportunities for them.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3