Jonathan launches youth entrepreneurship online portal

youth empowerment

State house report have revealed that President Goodluck Jonathan , yesterday launched the Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy (YES) and an online portal serving as the common platform for all of Federal Government intervention youth training programmes.

The portal - Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship Network (NYENET.COM)‎ - is government's collaboration with the Founder of Empower Nigeria, Nicholas Okoye.

During the launch, which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Jonathan said the broad based public-private platform was meant to speed up an already fast moving train of young entrepreneurs through government interventions that have created 1.4 million additional jobs in the country.

He said he was proud to head the government that has overall provided over 5.4 million jobs for Nigerians and pledged to do even more.

Listing the several youth entrepreneurial schemes and funding grants of his administration, he expressed government's continued willingness to partner with the private sector to reach the target of creating 2 million jobs ‎for Nigerians annually through diversification of the nation's economy.

He disclosed that the first batch of about 2,000 beneficiaries of one of the schemes have already created additional 22 jobs each.

The President said he was glad to partner with Okoye in providing "this one-stop portal that will enhance government's ability to reach out to young."

He further pointed out that the new online portal would give young budding entrepreneurs opportunities for both training and funding for entrepreneurial ideas.

Jonathan offered himself as a mentor to the young entrepreneurs by signing into the 'Coalition of Super Mentors', which is part of the YES, saying that he would also encourage other big and prominent Nigerian entrepreneurs to do so too.

Tinubu’s residence under Military Surveillance, as Tinubu, Fashola resist intimidation

Tinubu

By Evelyn Okakwu

Reports reaching us from Lagos say the private residence of the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu along Bourdillon Road in Ikoyi has been under surveillance by battle-ready and helmet-wearing soldiers in the last three nights, residents said.

According to residents, close to 30 stern-looking soldiers in three patrol vans and an army truck have been stationed close to the entrance of the gate to Tinubu’s house.

The residents added that the soldiers were first noticed on Sunday at about a few minutes to 11 pm in an army truck as they were first stationed about 500 meters away from Tinubu’s gate.

 Later, they were said to have moved close to his gate as if making efforts to gain entrance.

The stern looking soldiers were around for hours on Sunday and returned on Monday night at about about 10.45pm, in two army vans and stayed there throughout the night.

Reports indicated that when some of the soldiers alighted from the van, they started walking back and forth in front of the house.

Corroborating the report, Tinubu’s media office said, through his head of media affairs, Mr. Sunday Dare, said  "The soldiers were first noticed on Sunday a few minutes to 11pm in an army truck. They stationed about 500 meters away from Tinubu’s gate. Later they moved close to his.”

The office further confirmed that the officers came back, Monday and were also there, Tuesday morning in two vans, stationed on both sides of the house along Bourdillon road their missions shrouded in secrecy," .

According to the report,  the APC leader has since reacted to the act, stressing that he, and his party will not be intimidated, “I remain resolute in my advocacy and support for the rule of law. Jonathan’s government has through the service chiefs staged a coup against Nigerians and the Constitution and now wants to silence his critics.

"I will not be muzzled through the barrel of the gun. The guns and bullets they should use to defeat Boko Haram are now being turned against the opposition and innocent Nigerians,” it stated.

The statement added that Timubu remains emphatically resolute and committed to the path of change in Nigeria and the liberating manifesto of the All Progressives Congress.

It further noted that the act has been condemned by the, Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola who added that such intimidation is alien to government that lay claims to democratic credentials.

According to the statement, Fashola said the President Goodluck Jonathan led Federal Government has resorted to intimidation of opposition and frustration of electoral organization in its bid to glue itself to power.

"The PDP led government is a government that lies with everything  They have removed security from Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). Now they are deploying soldiers to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's house. We will not be intimidated. Our votes will Speak for us”, the statement added

Gunmen attack APC leaders in Ogun

Unknown gunmen yesterday attacked residence of no fewer than three chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ifo local government area of Ogun State.

Notable among those attacked by the gunmen numbering about 15 included the office of the party Chairman in Ifo ward I, Alhaji Aderibigbe Asimiyu located at Adenrele road, but was not at the office at the time of the attack.

A source at the scene of the incident old our correspondent that the gunmen later headed for the house of another leader in the same ward, Alhaji Fatai Akinlagun who resides in Ilupeju area of the town but was also not at home when the hoodlums visited.

The next point of call, according to the report, was the house of a youth leader in ward II of the same local government, Segun Abolade but equally escaped as he was also not at home.

At every point, the gunmen, most of whom were reportedly on mask, shot sporadically to scare people away but were more cruel at Abolade's house as they reportedly opened fire on his house.

The source who preferred to remain anonymity said many people in the neighborhoods scampered for safety as the hoodlums move from one area to the other.

He blamed the attack on members of a cult group, Eiye confraternity poiting out that they were led into the scene by some identified members of the People's Democratic Party, PDP.

He said, "Something happened on Monday, a guy was in that area to paste posters of a PDP House of Assembly Candidate, Taiwo Oyero but was prevented from pasting the posters, the guy could not even identified those who stopped him.

"What happened this morning (Tuesday) was around 11 am, these guys stormed the areas and headed for the residence of APC leaders in the local government but none of them were at home. These thugs started shooting sporadically while people including women scampered for safety."

A member of the Ogun State House of Assembly who represents Ifo I State Constituency, Olakunle Oluomo who also spoke with our correspondent blamed the incident on the opposition PDP.

He explained that the hoodlums were fully armed and started chasing party leaders around adding that the case has been reported with the Nigeria Police and Department of the State Security Services, SSS.

Oluomo said the security operatives have been to the scene for on-the-spot assessment and taken necessary pictures.

While contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed that a report to the incident was made at Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters.

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police however explained that the complainants were yet to adequately brief the police adding that the police were still expecting them to make proper statement.

"The case was reported with the DPO in Ifo but they told the police they'll be coming back to make statement. We are still expecting them to open the case file and commence investigation into the matter.

"What they told the DPO was that they can't recognize the perpetrators but as for us, the Police will do the needful, investigate the matter and get to the root‎," the PPRO said.

Political parties in Abuja join peace pact

 By Evelyn Okakwu, with agency report

In what looked like a waving resolve across the country for peace, leaders of different political parties yesterday in Abuja signed a peace accord to maintain peace and eschew violence before, during and after the 2015 general elections in the territory.

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The peace accord which follws a similar one signed by the two major gubernatorial candidates in Lagos state, was signed at the FCT Police Command at the instance of a meeting summoned by the AIG in charge of Zone 7 which comprises of Kaduna, Niger states, and the FCT, Mr Patrick Dokumor.‎

According to the report, five parties participated in the  peace accord namely, the PDP, APC, APGA, LP and the SDP.

Dokumor during the ceremony urged the party leaders to prevail on their supporters to shun violence, and work to ensure peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

He warned that the police and others security agencies were ready to deal with ``trouble makers``.

``This is not the first time we are having elections, but I do not know why this one – 2015 is so acrimonious, I do not why; it is not a do or die matter,” he stressed; adding that ``As we finish this meeting today, call your supporters to order. The question of tearing of posters, attacking party campaign teams and ambushing people should be a thing of the past,’’ he said.

He further directed the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, to arrest and prosecute any politician or supporters of politicians, who commit any of those acts after the accord.

``Politicians cannot be a threat to a country of over 170 million people, Nigeria will remain after the elections. The unity and peace of this country cannot be negotiated,’’ he said.

Dokumor noted that campaigns so far had been characterised by hate speech, tearing of posters, destruction of property, burning of vehicles and forms of attack.

Traditional rulers in the territory, led by the Oonah of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, witnessed the signing of the accord.

FCT INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Jacob Jato who also witnessed the accord, commended the parties and urged them to work toward a peaceful election next month.

Immigration set for fresh recruitment program

Interior Minister

Nearly a year after the popular immigration recruitment sagar and the consequent postponement of the exercise, the Federal Government says it has concluded arrangements to conduct another recruitment exercise for the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

Shortly after the openings were made public, on various platforms, the, NIS spokesperson Chukwuemeka Obua made formerly addressed the matter in a  statement which reads: "The Presidential committee to assist in Immigration recruitment on Monday  February 9, 2015, placed advertorial in some national dailies requesting applications from suitable Nigerians for enlistment into the Nigeria Immigration Service starting from  9th February 2015 to 22nd March, 2015. Note the application is free and must be done online".

Previous reports revealed that the last recruitment had series of irregularities, ranging from the online registration pattern, to the main conduct of the recruitment exams.

The report also revealed that there were only 4, 000 vacancies that were to be filled in NIS, while the Ministry of Interior approved the sale of application scratch cards to over 520, 000 citizens, amounting to over $3, 000,000 in revenue to the ministry, and yet it failed to provide adequate provision for the conduct of standard recruitment aptitude test