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Health

Politics: FG commits to building capacity of youths

Politics: FG commits to building capacity of youths
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Youths
Abuja, May 16, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to building the capacity of youths for effective political participation.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, said this at the round table on politics with values and youth inclusion in decision making processes of political parties, organised by Westminster Foundation for Democracy on Thursday in Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Director on Rights and Leadership Division, Mr Aliyu Sule, the minister said the roundtable could not have come at better time when Nigeria through the enactment of the ‘Nor Too Young To Run Law’.
“You will agree with me that before the enactment of the Not Too Young to Run Law, young people are often excluded or overlooked as political candidates.
“Politics in Nigeria was regarded as an exclusive space for politically experienced men; while the youth are often disadvantaged and classified as not important in the policy making and implementation,” he said.
Dalung noted that that young people had been the catalysts of Nigerian democracy till date, but they still occupy less than 10 per cent of the nation’s political office and position of policy making.
He however said the presence of young people in decision making positions benefits all citizens and not just youth.
Prof. Sola Adeyanju, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, said many of the youths are not economically buoyant enough to operate in politics.
“The practice of democracy and the adoption of the Presidential system of government come with their values; these must be adequately observed and promoted for fairness and participation.
“The youths should equip themselves with these values, if they want to guarantee their future and be more involved in political participation as a means of taking over and guaranteeing the political values in the society.
“This is the only way by which the political values can be realised and the youth can hope to effectively partake in decision making on issues concerning them,” he said.
Adeyanju said there was need to have change of attitude towards the essence of politics and youth involvement.
The Country Representative of WFD, Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, said the roundtable was designed to form a network of young persons in politics with values to drive the course of participating in politics with right ideology and principles within the political party system.
He said the political systems in Nigeria overtime had become titled to serving mainly the interest of political and economic elites, while excluding the interest of majority of citizens.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WFD is a non-profit departmental public body sponsored by the Department for International Development (DfID), and Foreign and Commonwealth Office in UK. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Don canvasses capacity development for youths

Don canvasses capacity development for youths
By Aisha Cole
Youths
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), Sept. 8, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Kayode Oyesiku, a lecturer in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, has called on the Federal Government to enhance capacity development of youths.
He made the call on Saturday during a Commemorative Lecture delivered at “Acme Career Ascendancy and 50th Birthday celebration” of Prof. Adebambo Somuyiwa of the Department of Transport Management Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Osun.
Oyesiku of the Department of Geography, spoke on “Human Capacity Development: The Nigerian Youth Challenges and National Development”.
He said that transformation should start from the family level.
“Collectively, we must be able to enhance the capacity of youths by impressing it on those that are in power to ensure they provide infrastructure, industries and opportunities for the youths.
“Infrastructure must be enhanced and if the government is not doing it, we must work together and take decisions that will enhance the development of the society.
“Development should focus on well-being of individuals and the society as well as focusing on poverty reduction and enhancement of the capacity of individuals,” Oyesiku said.
According to him, development should also focus on infrastructure under-employment and unemployment trends.
The don said that development should not be seen as a prerequisite for few elites.
He said that there was need for development to be seen as a collective responsibility to enable an average Nigerian to participate and avoid inequality.
Oyesiku said that there must be a spread in national development to close the gap of those that have and those who do not have.
The don said that there was need to focus more on youth development to stop the high rate of crime among youths as a result of unemployment.
Oyesiku said that Nigerian leaders should allow youths to be part of the decision-making process, noting that failure to bring the youth onboard had made them to be violent and agitated.
Besides, he advised leaders and parents to stop dependency syndrome in order to make the youths independent.
In a goodwill message, Mr Segun Ogunsole, a nephew of Somuyiwa, described him as an epitome of humility, who had the love of God.
He said that Somuyiwa had promised to encourage his family members to be educated to any level of academic career.
Dr Victor Dosumu of the Department of Transport Management Science, LAUTECH, also described Somuyiwa as a mentor, a honest and courageous senior colleague.
One of the children of Somuyiwa, Mr Daniel Somuyiwa, described him as a generous father, disciplinarian and religious “who takes serious issues affecting his families”.
On his part, the celebrant said that he appreciated the Almighty God for sparing his life after a terrible accident on Aug. 21, 2006.
Somuyiwa said that in spite of all the challenges, complications and distractions, he was able to attain the height of a professor in the area of Transport Management and Logistics.
He promised to support the government in training Nigerian youths on importance and benefits of transportation to the nation’s economy.
The don appreciated all well wishers, his wife and family as well as Chief Segun Ogunsole for paying his first school fees at the university, which enabled him to obtain his PhD degree. (NAN)
AIC/FF/MST
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to boost capacity of special teachers

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to boost capacity of special teachers
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Teachers
Abuja, June 22, 2018 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has reaffirmed her commitment to boost the capacity of health workers, care givers and teachers handling children with special needs.
Mrs Buhari made the commitment on Friday during the closing ceremony of 4-days capacity building workshop organised by the Aisha Buhari Foundation in partnership with NIKA Foundation for teachers and healthcare providers handling children with special needs at Kuje, FCT.
The programme attracted participants from the FCT School for the Blind, School for the Deaf as well as School for the Handicap in Abuja.
The wife of the president who was represented by her Personal Physician, Dr Mohammed Kamal, said the programme was organised to equip the teachers and caregivers with the requisite knowledge to teach children with special needs.
“Everywhere in the world, there are children with either physical or mental disabilities and these children are confronted with hearing and seating difficulties as well as malnutrition on a daily basis.
“They are also susceptible to infectious diseases as well as inability to speak and write in school,” she said.
The wife of the president also explained that the decision to engage specialists for the training was borne out of the emerging need for the children to have special attention.
She said the programme was meant to cater for the needy women and children with disabilities.
According to her, educational empowerment is one of the cardinal objectives of her foundation.
The Global Coordinator of NIKA Foundation and a resource person at the training, Mr Dan Philips, commended the teachers for their quick understanding of the new techniques in the lesson which could assist them impact on the children.
Philips also commended the participants for their attention during the session and urged them to practice the skills acquired.
Also speaking, a Development Paediatrician, Dr Shola Faniran, stressed the need for early detection of child disabilities.
Faniran said that early detection of child disability would assist parents to intervene in addressing issues related to child disabilities.
One of the participants, Mrs Chizoba Odili, said the training would impact positively in her new method of teaching.
According to her, they were exposed to new educational applications that will go a long way to improve their teaching skills.
While thanking the Aisha Buhari Foundation for organising such an important training, Odili said the new application would make them work conveniently and enable them impart good knowledge to the children. (NAN)
AMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

India provides $3.5m capacity building assistance for Nigeria

India provides $3.5m capacity building assistance for Nigeria
NAN-H-105
Training
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2018 (NAN) The Indian Government says it is providing 3.5 million dollars as capacity building assistance to train Nigerian government officials under its India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.

Indian High Commissioner, Nagabhushana Reddy, at an event to mark the ITEC Day in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the fund would cover 310 civilian and 120 defence training programmes between 2017 and 2018.

The Indian government had in 2017 announced 50 extra slots be given to Nigeria to extend the participation of its officials.

Reddy, however, added that an additional 1.2 million dollars was made available for 55 training programmes offered in 2017.

“The key objective of this development partnership is to aid and assist Nigeria in its national efforts to improve capacity building and bring about technological innovations.

“We are hopeful of training 10 rural women to become solar engineers referred to as `solar mamas’; they will be trained in fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household lightening systems,” he said.

He further said that 100 million dollars had been made available to Nigeria in 2017 as part of India’s 10 billion-dollar concessional loans to African countries for the implementation of projects of their national priority.

“I am a happy to mention that India extended 100 million dollars to Nigeria in 2017 which the Federal Government decided to utilise for projects in power sector including solar energy and rural electrification in three states: Kaduna, Cross River and Enugu.”

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Ibrahim, commended the Indian government in enhancing relations between both countries through the programme.

Ibrahim who noted that the programme which had benefitted hundreds of Nigerians in various sectors, said the training assistance showed India’s determination to strengthen south-south cooperation with developing nations.

“I would like to encourage the alumni of the ITEC programme to put to good use the training received from the various institutions attended in India.

“The knowledge acquired stands you in good stead in the pursuit of your various careers.”

The ITEC programme instituted in Sept. 1964 is a flagship programme of the Indian government’s capacity building efforts.

ITEC Day has also been observed every year on Sept. 15 or during the course of the year. (NAN)
TOP/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO to build youth capacity on leadership skills

NGO to build youth capacity on leadership skills

NAN-HG-3

Youths

Abuja, June 2, 2017 (NAN) Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa (YISHDA), an NGO, says it will build the capacity of young people across the country on leadership and responsibility skills.

Mr Joseph Yaba, Founder of YISHDA, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Yaba said that the organisation was established with a purpose to serve African youths through a platform of discovery, development, leadership and value creation.

“The vision for Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa is to lead a vibrant and inclusive platform for African Youth Development.

“We understand that young people have a tremendous deposit of unexploited knowledge and skills that can be useful to their wellbeing, immediate community and the society at large.

“We therefore want to provide a vibrant platform where young people can harness and realise their goal,’’ he said.

Yaba stated that the mission was also to advocate for policies and programmes that have the potential to impact positively the life of young people.

He said the organisation was focusing on economic empowerment, youth empowerment and capacity building.

Others are community development programmes in healthcare which comprise water, sanitation, HIV/AIDS, maternal health and nutrition.

He said the organisation had so far designed and implemented programmes targeted at children and young people with special focus in education, development, empowerment and mentorship.

Yaba added that the organisation was currently implementing a project called Beyond Access Nigeria in 14 northern states of Nigeria and literature clubs for girls across six states of the federation.

According to him, the states excluded from the `beyond access Nigeria’ project as Kogi, Yobe, Jigawa, Borno and Niger.

Yaba however assured that the organisation would reach other states after covering the pilot states.

He listed the six benefitting states for the girls’ project as Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Akwa Ibom and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. (NAN)

TIM/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

Improve capacity of African Customs officials on trade facilitation agreement – Kuzvinzwa

NAN-HE-21

Customs

By Kingsley Okoye and Suzzy Tolofri

Abuja, May 24, 2017 (NAN) The Chairman, Sub-Committee of Directors-General of African Customs, Mr Happias Kuzvinzwa, says it is  important to develop the capacity of African customs administrations to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on the continent.

Kuzvinzwa, who is also the Commissioner General, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, said this  in an interview  with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said given the importance of TFA to the development of African trade, it was important to upscale the capacity of custom officials involved in the implementation of the agreement in the region.

He, however, said that enormous resources were required to improve the capacity of the officials in the various customs formations in the region.

“There are so many trade facilitation initiatives that have been initiated by various customs administrations in Africa to facilitate trade but there is need to train all customs officials in all aspects of trade facilitation that a country may adopt.

“ Since the challenges we face differ, we need to train them to understand the process.“

He said that there were recommended and adopted best practices that the customs administrations could use to implement the agreement in the region.

He also told NAN that the meeting of the African heads of customs would also highlight some of the challenges  inherent in the implementation of TFA and come up with the best approach on how to surmount  the envisaged problems.

According to him, development and enhancement of capacity is mandatory in the area of  automation of transit trade and automation of electronic cargo checking.

He said this was critical in promoting ease of doing business in the trade facilitation area.

Kuzvinzwa also said that the challenge of insecurity was also critical to the  implementation of  TFA, adding that  the collaborative effort of  all security agencies would help to mitigate  insecurity in the region.

This, he said, could be archived through sharing of  intelligence information among the security officials in the region.(NAN)

KC/SUT/IA

(Edited by Idris Abdulrahman)

General news

Capacity building improves food safety, importation – CPC

Capacity building improves food safety, importation – CPC

NAN-H-55

Safety

By Wunmi Ashafa Lagos, Feb. 8 ,2017 (NAN) The Director-General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs Dupe Atoki, on Wednesday said capacity building would provide the needed opportunity to enhance safety of foods produced in and imported into the country.

Atoki, represented by the Director, Quality Assurance and Development, CPC, said this at the just concluded 1st Nigeria Food Safety and Investment Forum in Lagos.

According to her, regulatory agencies will also have to expand their technical scientific regulatory capacity for effective regulations.

She said that no single government agency, private sector entity or consumer association could effectively ensure food safety in the globalised food supply chain.

The director-general said that could also enhance competitiveness and ensure fair practices in trade.

The CPC boss said that development of professional and scientific bases would promote the country’s export trade, increase in consumer choice, good health and value for money.

“The country should ensure harmonisation of players in food safety team as well as ensure prompt and adequate information sharing among members of the food team.

“Also, massive campaign and public enlightenment on food safety is needed for attitudinal change in consumers,” she said.

On industry responsibility and application of appropriate technology in food safety, she said that there was need to invest in physical and managerial resources to enable implementation control.

According to her, manufacturers should use modern quality management systems to ensure that food processing consistently delivers the desired level of safety. (NAN)

AWA/VIV/MST

Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola