News
Society Whose Citizens Can’t Feed, A Failure, US Tells FG
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington, has said that any society that cannot find food for its citizens is a failed society.
Symington said this, yesterday, in Ibadan, Oyo State while listening to the presentations of a group of young entrepreneurs under the Enable Youth Agriculture (EYA) programme of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
Through EYA, IITA has been supporting the dreams and aspirations of many African youth who are gathered under this youth group, to create an umbrella platform for the encouragement of young Africans to choose a career in agriculture.
The about 50 youth, who gathered to receive the US ambassador, were drawn largely from Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Congo and comprised young men and women who graduated from diverse fields of agricultural disciplines.
The initiative, which started at the IITA Headquarters, Ibadan, in August, 2012, has grown tremendously, spreading its tentacles across Africa and bringing under its net vibrant, energetic, young people who are trained to become owners and co-owners of independent agribusiness enterprises.
According to the ambassador, the challenge of food production is so important for Africa, and indeed, the whole world, to surmount that every nation must encourage its youth to go into agriculture, towards boosting food production.
While urging the youth to form value chains with other interests, Symington recommended the Ghanaian model of micro-finance where a whole village was transformed by an internally-generated trade interest model of villagers financing themselves from interests they pulled together to fiancé one another.
Symington also urged the youth to buy products from one another and put together lessons they learn from themselves in the process of learning the agricultural entrepreneurial skills.
“You should buy products from each other. You are your own buyers and you should be your own internal buyers. Put together lessons learnt in the process. Each should learn from the mistakes and experiences of the other.
“You should also learn from the Silicon Valley maxim. In Silicon, they have an expression: ‘If you haven’t failed once, you are not in business.’ You are like Silicon Valley. You will fall; pick yourselves up. Is there anyone who rides a bicycle for the first time without falling down?”
Earlier, the EYA group, through the Interim Head, Youth in Agribusiness, Evelyn Ohanwusi, had made a presentation to the ambassador, on how it operates on a philosophy of “to grow crops, you must grow farmers” and how its goal is to reduce economic marginalization of African youth through an introduction of modernized agricultural technology, in a way that leads to greater employment opportunities.
Within a short period of time, according to the group, the EYA initiative recorded successes and became a model that was found adoptable by organizations and corporate bodies executed as youth in agribusiness projects, one of which is the ENABLE-TAAT project, funded by the African Development Bank.
In his own remarks, the Director General of IITA, Dr. Nterenya Sanginga, told the Ambassador of a meeting he once had in Missouri, United States, with some Nigerian professors who did not want to come back to Nigeria and how he challenged them on the need to strengthen the agricultural strides being made back home, stating that in the next 30 years, the food to be consumed by the world would be produced in Africa.
Also present at the event were Benjamin Williams, Political Officer, US Consulate-General, Nigeria; Kenton Dashiell, Deputy DG, Partnerships for Delivery, IITA; Katherine Lopez, Head Communications Unit, IITA, among others.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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