NEWS
Bayelsa Govt Trains 200 Youths In Integrated Farming
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has assured of his administration’s commitment to build the capacity of youths of the state in order to make them self-reliant.
The Governor gave the assurance on Friday, during the graduation of 200 trainees in integrated farming at the CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State.
The beneficiaries, who were sponsored by the state government, underwent a two-week intensive training in poultry production, fish farming, plantain/cassava farming, rice/maize farming, feed-mill processing, greenhouse and hydroponics as well as in ruminant fattening,agricultural business and financing among others.
The beneficiaries will receive soft loans from the state government to commence small-scale farming businesses.
The governor described agriculture as a path to diversifying the state’s economy from its dependence on oil revenue.
A press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, on Saturday, quoted him as saying that his administration was inspired by the need for a paradigm shift from over-dependence on oil.
He said that the prosperity mantra of his administration would be easily achieved when the people were equipped with different skills that will not only make them self-reliant but also employers of labour.
Diri charged the beneficiaries to make a difference in their environment upon their return to the state.
He said up to 5,000 youths will be trained and given loans to set up their own farms.
The Bayelsa Governor commended chairman of the CSS Group, Prof John Kennedy Okpara, for his role in making the training possible, describing him as a man of integrity and honour that is interested in the growth and development of people.
He said: “I was as elated when I came in to see the high spirits of my brothers and sisters that came all the way from Bayelsa for this training. I hear you have all behaved well.
“As you know, our administration is tagged the Government of Prosperity. We cannot prosper if we continue to live the way we have been living.
“Agriculture is one of the pillars of our government. We are talking about diversification and moving away from our dependence on oil and gas. Everybody virtually keyed into oil and we abandoned agriculture.
“When we came on board, we believed that the only way we can diversify our economy is by giving people different skills that will add value not just to their lives but to the state and nation at large. So rather than do illegal businesses, there is a surer way to survive.
“I came here after my inauguration and went through the length and breadth of this place. Prof. Kennedy is a man of integrity and character who started this venture from a humble begining. I invited him and his team to the state Exco for a presentation about what CSS Farms represents and the Exco approved their proposal.
“This training will not end with this set. As you go back another set will come. And we shall make loans available to you.
“We can build all the roads and bridges but if you don’t build human capacity, we would have done nothing. That is why your government sets aside N50 million monthly for entrepreneurship development.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief David Alagoa, lauded Governor Diri for making the training a reality, saying he has positioned Bayelsans to do extraordinary things.
While tasking beneficiaries to put the knowledge acquired into profitable use, Alagoa stated that this was the first of other batches to follow.
Also, the chairman of CSS Group, Prof Okpara, thanked the state government for the partnership with his farm, describing Governor Diri as a man of vision.
Stating that agriculture was important in the present and future of Nigeria and the world, he urged the beneficiaries to make the most of the training to change their stories and that of the state.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ombu Godstime, Blessing Ilakiri and Ruth Ayebatari Forcebray thanked the governor for the training, saying it has given them the opportunity to become self-reliant and even potential employers of labour.
Describing the governor as a gift to Bayelsa State, they said they have gathered valuable knowledge that would be put to use to change not only their lives but to affect the economy of the state positively.
Ruth Forcebray, a Niger Delta University graduate of Animal Science from Brass Local Government Area, emerged as the best trainee and was offered automatic employment by the CSS Group.
By David Torough, Abuja
Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) in conjunction with Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI) and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), have appealed to the Benue government to pass the Disability Act into law in the state to enable PWDs enjoy their full rights.
The trio groups’ delegation led by Personal Assistant to the Governor on Disabilities, Ben Anshe, made the appeal when they presented a copy of the draft bill to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mynim, in his Makurdi, the state capital.
In their separate speeches, Anshe who is also the chairman of JONAPWD, HAPI representative, Onah Adeyi stressed that if domesticated in Benue state, the Disability Act would give PWDs legal protection, grant them access to services, include them in development and show compliance with international obligations.
Anshe recommended on behalf of the three organizations saying: “we urge the Benue state Ministry of Justice to review and vet the draft Disability and the Commissioner of Justice as the chief legal officer of the state should advise the state government on the proposed law and recommend it passage.
“We call for active engagement with stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations PWDs and the private sector, to solicit input and build consensus on the commendation process.
“We recommend capacity-building initiatives for relevant state agencies and personnel to enhance their understanding of disability rights and ensure effective implementation of domesticated legislation.
“We advocate for the establishment of mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the implications of domesticated disability rights legislation, with a focus on accountability and impact assessment”.
He lamented they suffered a lot of negligence in the past administration to have the law domesticated and appealed to the current state government to favour them on the issue.
In his response, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mynim, assured that he “will push in the law through the State Executive Council to the state assembly” and follow it up until it’s domesticated.
He acknowledged that within the North Central, it was only Benue State that has not domesticated the law and promised to take it up “since government is a continuum”.
The commissioner who commended the organizations for presenting the draft bill also appreciated them for their patience.
A middle-age man was, in the early hours of Tuesday, electrocuted while trying to vandalise a BEDC transformer on Airport road in Benin.
The deceased, whose identity has not yet been ascertained, was said to have succeeded in cutting some of the cables before he was electrocuted.
The incident drew the ire of passers-by, as many were seen raining curses on the deceased for being the one responsible for putting the area in darkness.
One of the residents of the area, Mr Emmanuel James, blamed the action of the deceased on a get-rich-quick syndrome.
Speaking at the scene of the incident, the BEDC Electricity Plc’s acting Head, Corporate Communications, Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen, decried what she called incessant act of energy theft and vandalism of the company’s facilities.
Reports says that BEDC’s franchise states include: Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.
Gbiwen called on people to desist from vandalising the company’s transformers, stressing that this could have significant impacts on the community.
She expressed the regret that in spite of BEDC’s regular warning to the members of the public to desist from vandalism and energy theft, many still indulged in the act, which she described as dangerous.
“This singular act of the vandal has thrown the entire community into total darkness,” Gbiwen said.
She appealed to residents to be vigilant and protect BEDC’s facilities from vandals so that the company could serve them better. (NAN)
The Nasarawa Government has proscribed ethnic vigilance groups in the state.
This is contained in an Executive Order signed by Gov. Abdullahi Sule on Tuesday in Lafia.
He said that the order was an exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 97A of the Penal Code and acting on the advice of the State Security Council.
“The Nomad Vigilante and other ethnic vigilante groups are hereby proscribed and declared unlawful societies dangerous to the good governance of the state.
“The order may be cited as the Penal Code and Proscription of Nomad Vigilante and other similar Organizations Order, 2024 and shall deemed to have come into operation on April 15, 2024,” he said.
Similar Organisations, he said, includes any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa through the use of force or arms etc,” part of the Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 reads.
“Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad vigilante, Bassa vigilante, Eggon vigilante and other similar organisations are henceforth proscribed, and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state,” he added.
The governor then directed, that members of the Kungiwar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other similar organisations, should hand over all weapons or arms in their possession, along with uniforms to the commissioner of police Nasarawa, within two weeks from the date of issuance of the order..(NAN).
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