Scroll down for more photos.
Thursday, 5 March 2015
Photos from Jonathan visit as a special guest at AIT TV Hilltop station in Abuja yesterday for Kakaaki show
Scroll down for more photos.
Kim Kardashian and Jared Leto attend Balmain fashion show in Paris
But the reality star wasn't the only one proving her blond ambition at Paris Fashion Week in a rather unfortunate clash.
Actor Jared Leto turned up at the same show, debuting his new white-blond hair too. Read more on www.usnews.com
Choi - Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have sex ‘500 times a day
The actress and her rapper husband are trying to have a second child, so that could be the reason for all of the sexin!
They have a daughter together North West, who is 18-month-old.
Source
Rihanna shares Snippet of new song “Higher”
The 26-year-old posted two clips from the track on Instagram, writing:
“5 am drunk off da whiskey with these two rockstars @officialkukharrell @djanser !!! These guys always hold me down even at the craziest hours! We’ve made every album since #GoodGirlGoneBad together! The family!!! One Love #R8.”On the track, expected to appear on Rih’s upcoming LP, the singer’s tone is very reminiscent of she and Kanye’s “4-5 Seconds.”
Read more on www.hiphollywood.com
Police officer shot in North Philadelphia Thursday - NBC10
The unidentified 22nd District officer was shot in the head on 22nd Street and Lehigh Avenue around 4:45 p.m.
He was rushed to Temple University Hospital where he is in extremely critical condition.
Police told NBC10 two people were arrested in connection to the shooting. One of the suspects was also shot and was taken to Einstein Hospital. Officials have not yet revealed his condition.
Commissioner Charles Ramsey is currently on his way to the scene.
A woman who works inside a McDonald's in the area who did not want to be identified told NBC10 she saw a "shootout in the parking lot" and a "bunch of police."
Both the Murrell Dobbins Vocational School and Hope Plaza, a local shopping center, are located near the scene of the shooting. Classes were canceled due to the snow and no students were inside the building.
According to the website - This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
Source: www.nbcphiladelphia.co
Shakira shares her throwback pic to mark Int'l Women’s Day and to show solidarity with millions of girls denied of education
''This #TBT is to mark International Women’s Day! Here's a picture of me as a school girl to show solidarity with the 31 million girls around the world denied the right to go to school and fulfill their dreams.'' She added, ''Join me and stand #UpForSchool by signing the upforschool.org petition to secure a future where every girl around the world is educated and empowered to reach their potential. #IWD2015,'' she said.
Fuel Scarcity: FG to pay $30bn Exchange Rate Differentials to marketers
Ms. Okonjo-Iweala made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists after a meeting with the Central Bank, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, major oil marketers and depot owners.
“The Federal Government has addressed all contentious issues with the marketers, such as the issue of the foreign exchange rate differentials.
“The Federal Government has agreed to pay the 30 billion dollars exchange rate differentials owed the marketers over the last couple of months.
“It is already in the process of offsetting the N185 billion debts owed the marketers with the issuance of the Sovereign Debt Note (SDN),” she said.Ms. Okonjo-Iweala added that the Federal Government had been talking with the marketers within the last 10 days.
She added that the President wanted Nigerians to know that government was working on the situation and would resolve the issue in the shortest possible time.
Ms. Okonjo-Iweala urged the marketers to be patriotic in their dealings with the government as the issue affected all and sundry.
She commended Nigerians for their patience, assuring that the crisis would be over in the next couple of days.
“In the next few days, the queues will dissipate, the situation will be addressed and everything will return to normal.
“At the Federal Executive Council meeting today, the issue was discussed in terms of pushing forward and making sure things get back to normal,” she said
The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the apex bank had met with banks and oil marketers to resolve all the contending issues associated with credit facilities.
He said that in the last one week, over 500 million dollars Letters of Credit had been opened by banks on behalf of the marketers.
He called on marketers who were experiencing delays in their Letters of Credit to alert the CBN, promising to step in and ensure the issue was resolved amicably.
The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Obafemi Olawore, said the queues would ease off in the next few days.
He said that marketers had moved 495 truckloads of fuel to Lagos, Abuja and environs.
He said massive movement of fuel has been going on in the last three days, while three of its members imported three cargoes of PMS due to agreements with the CBN and the Finance Ministry.
“On Monday, major marketers moved 132 truckloads of fuel to Lagos, while 87 truckloads were moved to Abuja, and this is exclusive to the quantity moved by the NNPC, independent marketers and other marketers.
“On Tuesday, 137 trucks were moved to Lagos, while 139 trucks were moved Abuja. You can see that the amount we moved to Abuja was far more than the quantity we moved on Monday.
“It normally takes between three and four days to transport the fuel from Lagos to Abuja; hence we believe the queues will ease off by weekend, latest,” he said
He assured Nigerians that genuine efforts were being made to ensure that the queues vanished and normalcy returned.
Also, Farouk Ahmed, Executive Secretary, PPPRA, said the agency authorised eight companies to import PMS in March.
He said the NNPC and the Pipelines Products Marketing Company would be importing over one billion litres of the commodity in the same month.
According to him, with the over 500 million litres of fuel in the NNPC depots offshore Lagos and others across the country, Nigeria has total national sufficiency of 33 days.
“What this means is that, if there is no additional importation in Nigeria in the next couple of days, we still have stock for the next 33 days.
“Hence, there is no need for concern and panic buying. We are not only concentrating on Lagos alone, but also in other urban and rural areas,” Mr. Ahmed added.The Executive Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association of Nigeria, Olufemi Adewole, said the tightness currently witnessed across the country would soon become a thing of the past.
“Our members are currently meeting with banks to open Letters of Credit; once approved, cargoes of fuel will be imported.”
(NAN)
''Globally a sitting president wins with less vote than during his first attempt'' - President Jonathan on Kakaaki
Read below tweets from AIT Twitter Handler. Would soon get the full text of the President's interview on Kakaaki..
AIT replies Tinubu, demands N100bn damages
The demands, which Mike Ozekhome’s chambers describe as laughable, include the stoppage of further transmission of the alleged defamatory documentary, failure which daar communications will be made to pay twenty billion Naira representing damages.
In its reaction, Mike Ozekhome’s chambers on behalf on behalf of DAAR communications declares that AIT, in transmitting the documentary was only carrying out its constitutional responsibility to uphold the fundamental objectives of the constitution.
It states further that the documentary merely stated that Bola Tinubu generally breached various portions of the Nigerian constitution.
DAAR communications plc is therefore demanding a complete withdrawal of the letter under reference, which must be given wide publicity as that accorded the letter from the chambers of Tunji Abayomi.
The media company demands an apology to be published in at least four leading national newspapers and four television stations, which must include NTA, Channels and AIT.
The sum of one hundred billion Naira representing aggravated, punitive and exemplary damages for the irreparable injury inflicted on AIT is also being demanded.
Source: Vanguard
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
World's poorest president bows out gracefully
In an interview with BBC, Mujica recalled the years he spent in detention, two of them lying at the bottom of an old horse trough. “I was imprisoned in solitary [confinement] so the day they put me on a sofa I felt comfortable!” Mujica joked about his status as president. “I’ve no doubt that had I not lived through that I would not be who I am today. Prison, solitary confinement had a huge influence on me. I had to find an inner strength. I couldn’t even read a book for seven, eight years – imagine that!” But you are not likely to say that of any Nigerian politician who had been to jail before coming to power – they seem to be overwhelmed by the flow of cash as soon as they assume office. Yet, Mujica cannot understand the global fascination with his modest lifestyle. “This world is crazy, crazy! People are amazed by normal things and that obsession worries me!” he said. “All I do is live like the majority of my people, not the minority. I’m living a normal life and Italian, Spanish leaders should also live as their people do. They shouldn’t be aspiring to or copying a rich minority.” He will also be remembered for stabilising the country’s economy and promoting equity and social justice. Neither will he be forgotten for legalising abortion and marijuana in a country with Catholic majority. He said: “Marijuana is another plague, another addiction. Some say it’s good but no, that’s rubbish. Not marijuana, tobacco or alcohol – the only good addiction is love!. “But 150,000 people smoke [marijuana] here and I couldn’t leave them at the mercy of drugs traffickers. It’s easier to control something if it’s legal and that’s why we’ve done this.” On his retirement plans, he is not going to be typical. “I have no intention of being an old pensioner, sitting in a corner writing my memoirs – no way!” he said. Don't expect him to write “My Watch” in a hurry then.
Credit: The Cable
Utmost care being taken to avoid harming civilians in offensive against Boko Haram - Jonathan
Speaking at an audience with the new South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Noh Kyu-Duk, President Jonathan said that everything possible was also being done by the military to avoid human rights violations in the theatre of operations in the North Eastern states.
“We are sticking to international best practices in prosecuting the war against terrorism and doing our best to ensure that we don’t have cases of human rights abuses in the North-East.
“We are consistently monitoring the situation and have investigated previous reports of such abuse which were mostly blown out of proportion for political reasons.
“Our military has a reputation for discipline and we have insisted on that discipline and control for the safety of civilians in the North-East.
“The purpose of the entire operation is to save our people from the brutal tyranny of Boko Haram, so we cannot tolerate human rights abuses or willfully impose further suffering on them,’’ President Jonathan said.
The President also told Mr. Kyu-Duk that Nigeria’s entire security architecture was being reviewed, restructured and strengthened to ensure greater safety for Nigerians and foreign workers in all parts of the country.
“We are inviting all our friends in the international community, particularly those that are more technologically advanced, to complement our efforts to build a more secure and prosperous country in which our people and foreigners can live in peace and safety,” President Jonathan told the new South Korean Ambassador.
The President urged Mr. Kyu-Duk and his Indonesian counterpart, Mr. Harry Purwanto, who was also at the Presidential Villa to present his letters of credence, to work for the strengthening of existing trade and economic relations between Nigeria and their countries.
The new ambassadors thanked President Jonathan for receiving them and assured him that they will do their best to promote stronger economic and cultural relations between their countries and Nigeria during their tenure in Abuja.
Reuben Abati Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity) March 3, 2015
Omawumi and her baby bump interviewed in new photo
Omawumi Megbele, 32-year-old, Nigerian singer-songwriter and actress look very healthy in her newest picture.
She shared the photo on her instagram page and then wrote:
''I had so much fun with @pearlcardy today... @officialwaje said 'wow you look so good, you should be pregnant all the time' - Help me ask her whether she go help me carry am...punk!''
I've known Lupita's dress was fake since Oscar night - Piers Morgan
TMZ got Morgan in NYC Monday ... and he says he rubbed elbows with the Oscar winner at the Vanity Fair party, and was close enough to realize the gown was all smoke and mirrors. Watch him explain why it fooled people without his keen eye.
As for the theft of the dress originally believed to be worth over $150K ... well, he only sees one loser in all of this.
The Lupita's dress has since been recovered but according reports, the thief says he took two of the pearls off of the dress and went down to the Garment District for appraisal, but found they were worthless fakes. That's when the thief took the dress back to the hotel.
He added that, he saw Lupita's Oscar gift bag -- valued at $125,000 which he didn't take. Looks like he chose wrong.
Source: TMZ
2 armed robbers killed after stealing N954k church offering money
The third suspect who was the informant that led to the robbery is currently being detained in police custody for further interrogation.
According to sources, the suspect is a close confidant of the Bishop Court and has been adopted like a son by the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Jolly Oyekpen and his family.
He was alleged to have informed his other two partners in crime about the N954,000 in the Bishop’s Court, which it was gathered, was money from church services yet to be paid to the church’s bank account.
The operation took place early hours of last Thursday and they snatched money and some other valuables, including mobile phones.
It was further learnt that the two dead suspects reportedly met their waterloo in Ikphesi, a neighbouring community to Igarra, the police baited them through the principal suspect to “come for another deal of N2 million.”
On arrival, they were said to have sensed danger and wanted to escape when police opened fire on them. One was said to have died on the spot while the other died later.
The principal suspect confessed that his share of the loot was N300,000 and out of which he spent N20,000 before he was arrested.
PM News gathered that he was planning his marriage which date has already been fixed for later in the year.
A senior police officer at the Igarra police station who confirmed the report, said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Benin City.
2015 best new cars + Prices
March is an important time of year for the car industry, with the Geneva Motor Show taking place this week showcasing the best in future motors and new 2015 plates rolling off the production line.
Read more and scroll down for more.
Source: Daily Mail UK
Iyanya to drop a new video song ''Gift''
Iyanya shared the photo above alongside the caption ''@Donjazzy Sabi move waist o!!! Wait for it "Gift" @iyanya ft @donjazzy'' on instagram, which shows clearly that a new song titled ''GIFT'' may soon be his latest hit featuring Don Jazzy leader of the Supreme Mavin Dynasty. WatchOut!!!
Scroll down for pics from the scene of the video shoot
Pastor Adeboye and his wife picture date back in the 80s
Venezuela announces visa ban for George Bush, other U.S officials
Those affected include former U. S. President George W. Bush and current Senators Bob Menendez and Marco Rubio.
Mr. Maduro said at an anti U.S. rally, in Caracas that the measures were taken to ease the “imperialist aggression” coming from Washington.
This was in response to U.S. sanctions and restrictions on Venezuelan officials.
The list of officials banned from entering the U.S. has been extended, and now includes family members.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, had said earlier that the ban was a message that ‘human rights abusers, those who profit from public corruption, and their families are not welcome in the United States’.
President Maduro said Washington has 15 days to reduce its 100-strong embassy staff in Caracas by 80 per cent.
“It’s up to Washington to decide which 17 diplomats will remain out of an estimated 100,” he said.
The figure is similar to the size of the embassy staff of the South American nation in Washington.
“Venezuela has 17 staffers in Washington, Maduro said, adding that the embassies should be on par.’’
Mr. Maduro also unveiled a series of tit for tat measures, such as requiring U.S. travelers to apply for visas and drawing up an “anti-terrorist” list that bars certain U.S. officials from entering Venezuela.
He said the measures also require U.S. diplomats to request permission from the Venezuelan government to meet with opposition political groups.
The President said this was keeping with suspicions that U.S. personnel had been actively abetting the country’s right-wing extremists to foment unrest.
“These are decisions I take as head of state, in accordance with the Vienna Convention, our Bolivarian Constitution and the revolutionary conscience of the people of Venezuela.
“I call for a global rebellion against U.S. imperialism,” he said.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez, told reporters after a three-hour meeting with the top U.S. diplomats that the ultimatum, sanctions and restrictions on the officials has become imperative.
“The U.S. government must keep 17 diplomats on our soil and we have given them 15 days to present us a list of those who will remain here,” she said.
U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Lee McClenny, made no statements to the press after the meeting with Ms. Rodriguez, who described the encounter as “cordial.”
Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating lately, with Mr. Maduro accusing Washington of conspiring with opposition groups to launch a coup involving the bombing of the presidential palace.
Washington has called the accusation ‘ridiculous’.
The two nations have not exchanged ambassadors since 2010 although they maintain stable trade relations.
(NAN)
How Jonathan, IBB, are plotting Interim Govt instead of presidential polls
Informed sources disclosed over the weekend that a key element in the plot is the need to forestall a Buhari presidency, for which reason the schemers of the plot have tried to woo the former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, now a chieftain of the opposing All Progressives Congress (APC) with the offer of being the Vice President in the interim structure.
Even though there are now major obstacles to the plan, it is yet unclear if the schemers have completely set the idea aside.
If Tinubu accepts, then he will be expected to rally the South-West, while IBB would rally the North, and Jonathan the South-East and South-South to accept the idea of an interim administration. They will use the excuse that the present times are not good to hold elections in the country, especially because of what David Mark had already called a state of war with Boko Haram.
But it was Tinubu’s rejection of any form of compromise that now appears to be the greatest obstacle to the ING plot. Sources say this explains the recent outburst of Femi Fani-Kayode, the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign spokesperson alleging that the former Lagos State Governor intends to take over presidential power after the generally-awaited victory of the Buhari-Osinbajo campaign at the polls.
Fani-Kayode wildly alleged that Tinubu has entered into an oath to compel Osinbajo to relinquish the office of VP to him after the election, an allegation and scenario that watchers of the Nigerian polity simply dismiss as both untenable and unrealistic.
Investigations spanning over one week by Empowered Newswire on the interim government plot revealed that the two major schemers in the plot are the President himself, Dr. Jonathan, and former Military president Ibrahim Babangida.
IBB, as he is popularly known, has told close aides that he would have to leave Nigeria the day Buhari is declared winner of the presidential election, a prospect he is working hard to avoid by all means. Jonathan is also said to be under intense pressure to negotiate a soft landing for from power since handing over to Buhari would likely expose the intense corruption that he and the Petroleum Minister Diezani Maduekwe, among others, have perpetrated.
In fact the oil minister is said to be one of the hardest protagonists of a soft landing for the Jonathan presidency, mortally afraid of what a Buhari-Osinbajo ascendancy could mean for her.
Knowledgeable Empowered Newswire sources confirm that IBB held two meetings with Tinubu to discuss the issue of the Interim National Government. The first was held in Lagos before the Council of State meeting the week before the February 14 elections were postponed. The second took place in Abuja home of IBB’s son on the night of the said Council of State meeting.
The sources said that for the first meeting, IBB told Tinubu he had a wedding in Lagos and would like to use that opportunity to greet the former Lagos State Governor. Arriving with his son, he told Tinubu about the need to proceed with an interim government and forget about the election. Tinubu, who was shocked at the proposition, reportedly told IBB to forget the idea.
But on the night after the Council of State meeting in Abuja which considered the subject of the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election, IBB again invited Tinubu to his son’s house in Abuja. At that meeting, former Head of State General Abdusalami was also present, and to the utter shock and annoyance of the former Lagos State Governor, President Jonathan showed up in a two-car convoy in the thick of the night.
It was at that meeting that IBB and Jonathan promised Tinubu the slot of the Vice President in the Interim government. The sources say Tinubu promptly repeated his rejection of the idea, insisting that the elections are the best and only viable option to choose Nigeria’s next president and vice president.
The interim government plan includes the cancellation of the elections and the imposition of a well-known Northerner as the head of the administration, with Tinubu as VP. The interim government will be put in place for two years, following which new elections would be conducted, with the definite exclusion of Buhari.
Another source revealed to Empowered Newswire that some of the names that have been mentioned as possible heads of the interim government include David Mark, the president of the Senate; General Aliyu Gusau, the current Defence Minister who has always wished to be president “even if for a day”; and Abdusalami Abubakar, also a former head of state.
All three are known allies of IBB. But the name of former president Olusegun Obasanjo was also thrown into the picture when a formal statement from the presidency signed by Dr. Ruben Abati said Obasanjo himself wanted to be head of the Interim govt.
Observers say that formal statement by the president’s spokesperson is the best confirmation that indeed interim governmentG plot is real. Said one source, “If the presidency is saying they know that Obasanjo wanted to be the head of the Interim government, that means the presidency is not only aware of such plans, but is also involved in such a plot.”
There had been previous attempts including monetary and other juicy offers to get Tinubu to prevent the emergence of Buhari in the primaries, and after that, to have Tinubu dump Buhari and enter into a deal with Jonathan to frustrate the potential emergence of Buhari as winner of the presidential polls.
Sources believe that the recent wild allegation from the Jonathan camp that Tinubu was planning to force Osinbajo to relinquish the office of VP after being sworn-in is merely an outcome of the frustration generated first by Tinubu’s insistence that the elections must go on; his rejection of the offer from Jonathan to be VP of an Interim government for two years; and finally his insistence never to dump Buhari.
It is believed that Prof Osinbajo, Buhari’s running mate, has actually never been asked to sign any undertaking or oath of any kind and that he accepted the party and Buhari’s offer to be VP unconditionally. Both he and the APC also over the weekend formally denied any such arrangements.
In the absence of a key figure in the South-West to support and sell the idea of an Interim government, sources said options left on the table is to ensure the elections are “decently rigged” in favor of Jonathan or a crisis precipitated that will lead to Jonathan handing over power to David Mark as the Senate President, as was the case in the First Republic when power devolved to Senator Nwafor Orizu in the absence of the then President Nnamdi Azikiwe. In that scenario, in 1966, the elected civilian leaders had to voluntarily hand over power to the military.
Speculations, backed by a comment by the Supervising Minister of Information Edem Duke, are rife that the INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, may be asked to proceed on terminal leave sometime this month in line with civil service rules. This option, sources say, would boost the plan to “decently rig the election” in the incumbent president’s favor.
But several legal opinions have been articulated that not only will such a move by the federal government to remove Jega be unconstitutional, it would also rubbish the credibility of the entire electoral process and will result in a definite tailspin into national and international crisis.
Source: Sahara Reporters
Femi Fani-Kayode to drag The Nation Newspaper to Court
In the offensive statement, Lai Mohammed was quoted to have said, amongst others, that the APC is “seriously concerned about his (i.e, Femi Fani-Kayode) mental health.”
However, in a swift reaction, Ahmed Raji and Co, acting on the instructions of Femi Fani-Kayode, has asked Nation Newspaper to retract the publication and apologise to Femi Fani-Kayode within 7 days or risk a claim of 5 billion naira as damages for the defamatory statement.
Culled from AIT
Monday, 2 March 2015
Al Jazeera talks to President Goodluck Jonathan (Video)
Jonathan denied mishandling the Boko Haram crisis and allegations that a recent escalation in military operations against the group was politically motivated.
He also expressed fears about violence during the upcoming presidential election which was postponed because of a lack of security.
Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege spoke to Jonathan in Lagos. Watch below
Source: Al Jazeera
President Jonathan's speech at the President’s NYSC Honours Award yesterday
PROTOCOLS
1. I am pleased to join you all, on this unique occasion in recognition of the outstanding service of our youth, in the course of service to our nation.
2. Today’s ceremony marks a crowning point in the year-long service activities of the NYSC Scheme and Corps members to our fatherland.
3. The conferment of the President’s NYSC Honours Award on these worthy young men and women, who have diligently served the nation through the National Youth Service Corps Year, is an important moment in youth motivation. It is designed to highlight and promote the creative and innovative contribution of our youths, focused towards building a strong, virile, vibrant, united and prosperous Nigeria.
4. There is no doubt that since its inception over forty-one years ago, the NYSC Scheme has continued to play a significant role in actualizing our quest for a united nation. In addition, it is also complementing vital manpower requirements in education, health, infrastructure development, entrepreneurship and critical skills.
5. I therefore commend all managers and successive batches of Corps members for the patriotic zeal with which they have sustained the cardinal programmes of the Scheme, since inception. Above all, I salute the founding fathers of the NYSC whose ideals have not only continued to inspire successes of the noble Scheme, but also remained relevant in the developmental efforts of our great nation.
6. The giant strides recorded by the scheme through its Community Development Projects have greatly contributed to improved living standards of our rural dwellers in all sectors. I urge States and Local Governments, to offer accelerated assistance to the Scheme on programmes of community and rural development and with special emphasis on Agriculture.
7. Let me reiterate my administration’s abiding faith and confidence in the ability of our Corps members and, indeed, the entire youths of our nation to sustain the unity and indivisibility of our country. You must at all times, work conscientiously and tirelessly for the cohesion of our country by regarding your compatriots as brothers with whom you share a common stake in progress and well-being.
8. I commend the various efforts of the Ministry of Youth Development and the NYSC towards skills acquisition training. This includes youth entrepreneurship development initiatives aimed at job creation, enhanced service delivery and rural development.
9. Worthy of note is the scheme’s collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs for the implementation of the War against Poverty – a programme that has empowered over three hundred thousand Corps members with skills and follow-up loans for the establishment of agro-based businesses.
10. These collaborative efforts with other agencies towards actualizing the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, demonstrates the adaptive capacity of the Scheme to identify with lofty programmes of Government.
11. Furthermore, the collaboration of the NYSC with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the one hand, and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on the other, in creating platforms for Nigerian youths to achieve self-reliance through agriculture will no doubt contribute to National Food Security, as well as actualise this administration’s commitment to creating new generation of farmers.
12. The NYSC must therefore ensure that its efforts to establish theIntegrated Farm Settlement Scheme nationwide becomes a reality, without further delay.
13. On our part, we will continue to accord priority to youth development through policies and programmes that will empower them not only for economic survival, but also for future leadership roles in our nation.
14. The Federal Government will continue to initiate policies and programmes that are focussed on our youths. So far, we have put in place the National Schools Agriculture Programme, the You-Win Programme, the youth empowerment component of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) and in no distant time we will be establish a National Youth Development Fund to ensure that our vision for empowered youth is firmly irreversible.
15. As part of our Transformation Agenda, Government gave approval for the NYSC to establish a Department of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development. It is encouraging, from all indications, that the corps members have eagerly embraced this programme.
16. The NYSC HOPE ALIVE PROGRAMME (NYSC-HAP) which seeks to identify and recognize Corp members who had the misfortune of becoming physically challenged as a result of injuries they sustained in the course of their National Service to our fatherland is one programme that is very dear to me.
17. The concern demonstrated by the NYSC in identifying and recommending some of them for appointment into the Federal Civil Service, while also assisting others financially, to enable them cater for their needs, is highly commendable. We must take care of the needy without hesitation.
18. The prompt response and pragmatism with which the Scheme addresses issues of national emergencies has also been demonstrated in the way it has successfully keyed into the global campaign against the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease. We are proud of the NYSC’s contribution which put in place appropriate awareness strategies about the disease, in our rural communities through the NYSC combating Ebola Virus disease programme.
19. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me note with pleasure the laudable corporate social responsibility and uncommon concern for youth development displayed by some banks through the offer of automatic employment to these awardees. Let me seize this opportunity to appeal to other Corporate Organisations to emulate this laudable initiative as the expertise of these distinguished Nigerians should be utilised by both public and private sectors.
20. Once again, I congratulate all awardees on your well merited recognition and honour. The entire nation salutes the determination, courage, discipline, commitment and hard work, which you all exhibited during the service year.
21. In line with our policy of encouraging our youths to always strive for excellence, including serving and prospective Corps members, I hereby announce immediate employment of the award winners in the Federal Civil Service, as well as automatic scholarship up to Doctorate level in any University of their choice across the globe. I urge you to always be good ambassadors of this great country, and we shall continue to look up to you for greater vision and accomplishments.
22. May the Almighty God continue to bless the NYSC Scheme and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
23. I thank you all.
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