Business

Ministry Inaugurates Youth Empowerment Scheme

Published

14 years ago

January 25, 2012

The Rivers State Ministry of Employment Generation and Empowerment has commenced the empowerment of unemployed Rivers youth through its Strategic Waste Recycling Programme.

The programme, which enjoys the support of the State Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Sanitation Authority (RSESA), involves the payment of N1000.00 for every 100 empty plastic bottles or metal cans returned to the Employment Ministry by an unemployed youth in the state.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the programme’s kick-off in Port Harcourt on Friday, the commissioner in charge of the ministry, Dr. Ipalibo Harry, said that the exercise is aimed at engaging unemployed young men in the face of very limited availability of white-collar jobs.

“Part of my job is to ensure that we keep our young men engaged in one form of work or the other; and it looks to me like the opportunities available for white-collar jobs are very, very slim. For that reason, the state government has mandated that we do whatever that is possible to keep our young men engaged. So, this came in necessarily to assist our young men by way of empowering them while at the same time solving the environmental problems that we experience in this part of the country,” he said.

Besides the economic gains to the youth, the programme is also aimed at reducing the incidence of flooding in the state.

According to the commissioner, the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has approved that flooding can actually be reduced in the state by taking away the plastics that are found in the drains and on the streets; and because a good number of our young men are idle, the thinking to get their minds engaged in picking these recyclables and exchanging such for money became very necessary.

He described the programme as being strategic in the sense that it is also intended to domesticate the practice of waste segregation whereby people establish different receptacles within their homes for putting degradable and non-degradable wastes.

“Over time, the Ministry of Environment has been struggling to teach our people to do this, but by this conduct you will see that if somebody knows that he is going to get money from plastics at home, he will begin to separate such from the degradable waste. And gradually you will see that the culture of waste segregation from home will begin to grow.”

Harry, therefore, urged unemployed youths in the state to take advantage of the scheme to generate income for themselves while waiting for better job openings. He advised such persons to take their collections to Plot 11, Sani Abacha Road, near Elkan Terrace Hotel, Port Harcourt, where officials of his ministry will be on hand to attend to them between 10.00am and 2.00pm daily.

He said that the programme will continue as long as there are empty plastic bottles and cans to be taken out of the streets, but that his ministry intends to undertake a review of the exercise in March.

Some of the young men and women who received instant cash payments after turning in their recyclables expressed delight at the ministry’s youth empowerment initiative.

One of them, Bapakaye Wariboko, said that he heard about the programme over the radio and then mobilised some holidaying school kids whom he paid over N70,000 to gather the 16,300 plastic bottles from which he had just earned N163,000.

The political science student of the University of Port Harcourt who hopes to realise about N1.5 million from the programme, said that the money will be used mainly to pay school fees and also procure textbooks at the resumption of classes after the ongoing ASUU strike.

Amos Taribo of Degema Local Government Area is another beneficiary. He learnt about the programme through a friend. The 450 plastic bottles he submitted were mainly pickings from bars and restaurants.

Other participants who spoke with The Tide while awaiting their turns during the counting process also lauded the scheme but decried the use of manual counting method instead of a time-saving weighing machine.

Over 280,000 empty plastic bottles and cans were handed in before 2.00pm on that day.

Ibelema Jumbo

Business

Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.

The first incident occurred along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.

In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.

According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.

Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.

The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.

“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.

The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.

The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.

The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.

Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent loss of lives and environmental damage.

Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Enoch Epelle

Business

Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.

Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.

The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.

The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.

Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.

He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.

According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.

He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.

The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos