News
Almajiri are potential Boko Haram insurgents, Borno gov warns
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has warned that if the Almajiri system is not completely overhauled, the North-East may end up dealing with an army of youths who may join the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents to torment the people.
He spoke on Thursday at the third North-East Governors’ Forum meeting in Yola, Adamawa State.
Zulum, who is also chairman of the forum, said one issue which needed to be urgently tackled was the Almajiri phenomenon and its associated challenges already having a telling effect on the overall socio-economic development of the society.
“Unless the Almajiri system is completely overhauled along the lines of its original objectives, we may end up having to deal with an army of perhaps untrainable youths who inadvertently become vulnerable to the influence of social misfits like kidnappers and bandits and even terror groups like the Boko Haram insurgents.
“It is a problem common to all of us and it needs both multi-dimensional and individually selective approach, based on the general and specific peculiarities of the system in each State. As for us in Borno State, I have already set up a High-Powered Committee to forensically and comprehensively look into the system, particularly its attendant issues of begging and unsavoury learning environment and determine whether or not such characteristics are integral part of the system or the result of a deliberate or inadvertent negligence on the part of the proprietors.
“On the short term, the Committee will advise Government on how to improve the learning environment, the academic standard as well as the status of the pupils, while as a long-term measure, the Committee is to look into the possibility of integrating the Sangaya system into the overall Western education system. These are some of the measures we have taken so far on the Almajiri system,” he said.
Zulum said it was pertinent to table the problem for a thorough and meticulous deliberation with a view to coming up with pragmatic and impactful ways of addressing the issue or even replicating the Borno example by setting up a committee with broad terms of reference, that should cover the entire sub-region.
He added that there is also the daunting phenomenon of youth unemployment in the North East which is increasingly becoming a serious cause of concern not only to the sub-region but the entire country as well.
“As we have discovered recently, the EndSARS protest was one of the direct consequences of youth unemployment which unfortunately degenerated into youth restiveness, with its concomitant effects, particularly on governance.
“We must therefore find ways and means of creating opportunities for our youths to be gainfully employed or actively engaged in useful activities, in order to ensure that they do not constitute a menace or pose a danger to society. Education is key to achieving these objectives and therefore we must work towards ensuring that our education system is resuscitated and reinvigorated to meet up the socio-economic needs and developmental requirements of our society.
“On the economic front, we must renew our commitment to collectively harnessing the vast and diverse resources we are endowed with, in order to build a prosperous and economically sustainable society for both the present and future generations,” he said.
News
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has filed a fresh corruption charges against former Governor of Kano Abdullahi Ganduje.
The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Magaji disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday.
According to Magaji, investigations uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.
Magaji alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023, purportedly for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.
READ ALSO:
- Troops kill ISWAP Commanders, 30 other terrorists
- Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
- DSS operatives beat, harassed me – El-Rufai’s loyalist
He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.
“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg. As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3bn local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.
“We have filed a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1bn in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis, and it was taken away and sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4bn whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he said.
Recall that the state government has said it will arraign Ganduje, alongside his wife and son, for money laundering, later this week.
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
News
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to ignore the Yoruba nation agitators, who invaded the Oyo State government secretariat last week, describing them as attention seekers.
Speaking when he received in audience members of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, who paid him a courtesy visit at his lodge in Eko Hotels, Victoria Island in Lagos to inform him of the sixth annual Omoluwabi festival which holds on April 27- 28, 2024, in Ile Ife and the grand finale holding in Lagos at LTV 8 Blue roof on May 1, 2024, the monarch commended the president of Yoruba Council Aare Oladotun Hassan for promoting Yoruba culture and extolling the good virtues Yoruba are known for.
Oba Ogunwusi, however, advised Nigerians not to give the Yoruba nation agitators any attention.
READ ALSO:
- DSS operatives beat, harassed me – El-Rufai’s loyalist
- Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
- Muslim student loses High Court challenge against Michaela School’s prayer ban
He said: “We should not give those people relevance, they are achieving their aims just to seek attention,we are having challenges here and there in the country, this administration is really trying her best.
“Under President Bola Tinubu, he is doing very well, he is doing exceptionally well, by trying to fix the economy,we should give him benefit of doubt and also to engage people, very important we should be engaging people to talk to others about success recorded by the government in power.
“For us, we will continue to uphold and support the government, to support the president to ensure everything he does is to our advantage not as a race, but to our advantage as a nation, irrespective of where you come from Yoruba land or anywhere.”
Speaking on the importance of organising the Omoluwabi day, the president of the organisation, Mr Hassan said the essence is to rekindle the fast dieing Yoruba morals and values and as well inculcate it into the youths.
He said: “Yoruba Council Worldwide is registered organisation with Corporate Affairs Commission with vocal point of promotion of Yoruba cradles Omoluwabi ethos, National development, ensuring due dividend of democracy.
“The organisation was established 18th March 1999,just celebrating the sixth edition of world omoluwabi day.
it is a unique day, every May 1 declared by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi and late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the late Alaafin of Oyo. We receive countless of support from all the monarcs in Yoruba land, and this to us is an engagement and conversation to rekindle that Omoluwabi ethos that is fast dying in our society.”
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
News
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment says it has begun disbursement of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to verified applicants after an exhaustive selection process.
The government, through the Bank of Industry, had said it would be disbursing three categories of funding totalling N200bn to support manufacturers and businesses across the country.
In a progress report posted on the trade minister’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Doris Aniete stated that an unspecified number of beneficiaries have received their grants, adding that by Friday, April 19, another significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants.
She said, “We are pleased to inform you that the disbursement process for the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme has officially commenced. Some beneficiaries have already received their grants, marking the beginning of our phased disbursement strategy.”
“By Friday, 19th April 2024, a significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants. It is essential to understand that disbursements are ongoing, and not all applicants will receive their grants on this initial date. However, rest assured that all verified applicants will eventually receive their grants in subsequent phases.”
READ ALSO:
- Muslim student loses High Court challenge against Michaela School’s prayer ban
- How I was beaten, harassed by DSS operatives – El-Rufai’s loyalist reveals
- Naira records five-month highest gain, sells below N1000/$ at parallel market
This is coming more than eight months after President Bola Tinubu announced the grant for manufacturers and small businesses and two weeks after applicants were directed to submit their National Identification Numbers as part of the requirements to obtain the grant earmarked to cushion the effect that recent economic reforms have had on businesses in the country.
In the address, the president said he was determined to strengthen the manufacturing sector, increase its capacity to expand, and create good-paying jobs.
“We are going to spend N75bn between July 2023 and March 2024. Our objective is to fund 75 enterprises with great potential to kick-start sustainable economic growth, accelerate structural transformation, and improve productivity.
‘’Each of the 75 manufacturing enterprises will be able to access N1bn credit at 9 per cent per annum with a maximum of 60 months repayment for long-term loans and 12 months for working capital,” Tinubu said.
The programme, riddled with multiple delays and a complex registration process, had received several criticisms from prospective beneficiaries.
The President of the Association of Small Business Owners, Femi Egbesola, had decried the slow pace of data collation by the supervising agencies, alleging that genuine businesses were being deliberately discouraged from accessing the loans.
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
Troops kill ISWAP Commanders, 30 other terrorists
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
-
metro6 days agoTribute: C.K George, Epitome of Courage, by Kunle Awobodu
-
metro5 days agoTroops arrest ISWAP commander involved in Army General, 3 soldiers’ killing in Borno
-
News5 days agoBREAKING: Ex-Abia gov, Ogbonnaya Onu, is dead
-
metro6 days agoBandit kingpin, Dangote, siblings killed in Katsina
-
News6 days agoBetta Edu threatens to sue BBC, alleges defamation
-
News6 days agoI never said Aiyedatiwa is Tinubu’s preferred candidate in Ondo – Interior Minister
-
metro6 days agoJUST IN: Actor Junior Pope resuscitated after death scare
-
metro6 days agoPolice arrest female kidnapper in Ebonyi, rescue six abducted children
You must be logged in to post a comment Login