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FG Kicks Off Extended Public Works Programme In Lagos
The Federal Government, Tuesday, in Lagos launched the Extended Special Public Works (SPW) Programme aimed at providing jobs for unemployed Nigerians
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, speaking through his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, at the official flag-off ceremony, held at the Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa-Ikeja, stated that the programme implemented through the National Directorate of Employment, in collaboration with State Governments and other relevant stakeholders, will provide 774,000 jobs for Nigerians across all the local government areas out of which 20,000 will be in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the initiative part of government efforts to stem the tide of rising unemployment and also cushion the effect of the COVID-19 on citizens, adding that the gesture will also complement the State’s programmes that provide opportunities for young people to be productively engaged.
While appreciating the initiative of the Federal Government, Mr. Governor appealed for an increase in the allocation to the State due to the huge population as well as the daily influx of people from other parts of the country.
He recalled that the State flagged off its Graduate Internship Placement Programme in collaboration with the private sector organisations a few weeks ago, just as the State Employment Trust Fund has also continued to fulfil its mandate of supporting creative youths support to become micro and small scale business entrepreneurs.
The Governor thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the leadership that has enabled the successful take-off of the programme and appreciated the efforts of the team that made the event a reality in spite of the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
While congratulating the 20,000 Lagosians selected to participate in the programme, the Governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the State, adding that positive attitude and commitment to the assignment would create more opportunities for other unemployed residents in Lagos State.
Earlier in his address, the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Kayode Popoola disclosed that the Extended Special Public Works Programme is an outcome of the Pilot Special Public Works Programmes in the Rural Area as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the programme is been implemented in eight states of the Federation to gauge its impact on the large population of unemployed youths and the rising insecurity in some parts of the country, stressing that the strategy was adopted to fast-track the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017-2020).
Stating that the programme is targeted at engaging 774,000 selected unemployed Nigerians to execute carefully selected projects across the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, the Minister added that each participating Local Government Area identified its preferred projects and will be responsible for ensuring that the tasks executed as planned.
In his welcome address, the Acting Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, who was represented by the Director, Human Resources, Mrs. Adeola Awulat Shafar, emphasised that the programme is a very significant step in Nigeria’s quest to win the war against mass unemployment as well as to ameliorate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.
He said, “the Extended Special Public Works programme has been designed as a veritable tool through which the lives of 774,000 unemployed Nigerians would be positively touched in the next three months. Our communities will receive a facelift through the activities of the participants as they will engage in various community specific public works activities ranging from drainage clearing and maintenance, vegetation control, feeder road maintenance and irrigation among many others”.
He, therefore, charged all participants from the State to reciprocate the gesture of the Federal Government by diligently executing their assigned tasks through the duration of the programme.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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