FG Set To Pay Idle Youths N20,000 Monthly To Sweep Markets, Clear Gutters

In a bid to curb the high rate of unemployment in the country, the Federal Government has rolled out a scheme which will see unemployed youths in rural areas earning N20,000 per month.
The youths will be engaged in the clearing of drainages, sweeping markets, road maintenance, traffic control, and cleaning of public infrastructures like health centres and schools.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), said this at a news conference on Thursday.
Keyamo said the scheme targeted 1,000 youths each from the 774 local governments across the country.
The minister said the programme is one of the biggest social intervention schemes to be carried out within a short period of time by any government in the history of Nigeria.
The scheme, known as the Special Public Works Programme in the Rural Areas, is domiciled in the National Directorate of Employment for implementation and is expected to take off in October.
The minister’s speech read in part, “The pilot programme earlier approved by Mr. President was designed to mitigate lack of job opportunities in the rural areas through a short-term engagement of 1,000 unemployed persons per local government area for a period of three months.
“It is a dry season/off-season transient job programme and was originally designed for the rehabilitation/maintenance of public and social infrastructure. Participants were to be paid an allowance of N20,000 monthly and were to be recruited largely from the pool of unskilled persons resident in those rural areas.
“This pilot scheme was approved to be implemented in five local government areas in eight states namely: Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina and Kwara. Beneficiaries are engaged in: drainage digging and clearance, irrigation canals clearance, rural feeder road maintenance, maintenance of the Great Green Wall nurseries and orchards in Borno, Jigawa and Katsina states; traffic control, street cleaning, cleaning of public infrastructure like health centres, schools and the likes. A total of 40,000 direct transient jobs were expected to be created in the eight pilot states.”
Keyamo said the Special Public Works in the Rural Areas is an employment- intensive technique acquired and adapted by the National Directorate of Employment from one of the capacity-building collaborations with the International Labour Organisation in the late 1980s to the middle of the 1990’s

BREAKING: Former Nigerian President, Obasanjo, Sacks Workers, Refuses To Pay Salaries

In a letter by its Head of Human Resources, Administration and Procurement, Olanike Ogunleye, the management of the OPL said the organisation was overwhelmed by the adverse effects of the Coronavirus pandemic and had found it hard to sustain its workforce.

The letter reads in part, “As you are aware, the current COVID-19 pandemic has had a toll on all our business significantly. This has resulted to making some difficult business decisions. Due to this situation, we regret to inform you that your employment will be put on hold till further notice.  Olusegun Obasanjo

“You are to hand over all company properties in your possession to the human resource department, who shall do a confirmation of the exit clearance process before your final entitlements (if any) would be paid.”

Before laying the workers off on Friday, the OPL had been owing several months of salaries.

A worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “They have been owing salaries since last year. They will pay one and it’s going to be after 3-4 months that they will pay another one. We have workers collecting less than N30,000 and they refer to those collecting N50, 000 as senior staff and they are still owing.

“This year, they have paid just January salary and half of April salary which was paid on 20th of April.” 

Obasanjo was President of Nigeria for eight years from 1999 to 2007.

2020 Afrikan Liberation Day Set to Hold On Zoom

The Pan-Afrikan Consciousness Renaissance organisation is set to host the 2020 Afrikan Liberation Day on Zoom.

According to the information that was gathered from the organisational platform, below is the procedures and measures to follow so as to be part of the event…

TOPIC – Covid-19: Biological Warfare and the Case for Afrikan Revolution.

Lead off: Cde. Affiong L. Affiong (Moyo Pan-Afrikan Solidarity Centre)

Solidarity messages from organizations.

Saturday 30th May, 2020. 1pm Prompt (Nigeria)

Join us on ZOOM
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79697228569?pwd=czE3M09RZHpkM0ZwNWVadnJjV1hNUT09

Meeting ID: 796 9722 8569
Password: 076957

Contact: +2348068256122

We demand immediate Rescue of the chairman- CAN

It was reported by Career Mission Media that the Christian Association Chairman of Nasarawa state; Bishop Masin was kidnapped early this week.
The report states that some unknown gunmen invaded the Bishop’s house and kidnapped the CAN Chairman.
The Commissioner of police for Nasarawa state said those men were unknown and came with motorcycle to kidnap the chairman.
In a statement issued by the National CAN Chairman today, he said;
“Since we have no police of our own, we’re trying as much as possible to avoid chaotic situations,
We’re placing an immediate demand on the Federal government and the government of Nasarawa state to ensure the immediate release of Bishop Masin before it’s too late.”
It was also gathered that the CAN Chairman of Kaduna was kidnapped in same manner and was executed without the government finding or prosecuting the perpetrators.

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the house of representatives to approve a loan of $5.5 billion.

In a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker, Buhari said the funds will be used for the federal government’s priority projects and to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also said part of it will be used to fund the revised 2020 budget, and to support the state governments.

More to come.

Premier League to Restart on 17 June With Mancity VS Arsenal AND Villa VS Sheffield utd

The Premier League season is set to restart on 17 June with Aston Villa v Sheffield United&Man City v Arsenal, the BBC has learned. The matches are the 2games in hand. A full fixture list would then be played on the weekend of 19-21 June. Clubs are still discussing the idea at a meeting on Thursday, but it is understood all have agreed in principle at this stage. There are 92 fixtures still to play.
The Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic&it will be 100 days after Leicester City’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa on 9 March that competition will resume, with games now behind closed doors. On Wednesday, clubs unanimously voted to resume contact training, having started non-contact training last week. So far 12 people have tested positive for coronavirus after 2,752 tests across the league.
Premier League players&staff will continue to be tested twice a week, with the capacity increased from 50 to 60 tests per club for the 4th round of testing. Any players or staff to test positive must self-isolate for a period of 7days. Plans for the 3rd phase of Project Restart include a step towards normal training&build-up to competitive games. Liverpool currently sit 25points clear at the top of the table while Bournemouth, Aston Villa&Norwich City are in the relegation places.

Post Covid19 and Education in Nigeria, Traditional learning or E-learning – By Olasunkanmi Hotonu

The development of the educational sector in Nigeria needs to be checked and worked on, before we can talk about the need for traditional learning or e-learning.

In my own opinion, not all schools have the capacity, facility and capability to go full-time into the e-learning aspect of teaching.

I overheard some teachers discussing about this directive of some schools that are doing e-learning classes for their students.

They said that, there’s no class that can be so sweet for a teacher like the traditional learning but mixed with e-learning classes.

One of the teachers added to the point that, e-learning cannot be taken just like that because most private owned schools are still very much keen into the traditional learning and it is more effective for them.

Besides, some are not tech savvy enough to create an e-learning class; talk more of engaging students on such technological platform.

Although, some schools are just incorporating into their curriculums effective computer studies or IT programs. Yet, they are not still fit to take in the e-learning structure.

I will suggest that, education in Nigeria needs upgrade, and we need to fix it from the grassroots — government and private owned schools.

Traditional learning should continue while we make tremendous efforts to bring up sound e-learning classes into the school curriculums. Without that, bringing e-learning after the post Covid-19 with a national law backing it, won’t work in the situation of education in Nigeria.

Educational sector in Nigeria is lacking so much. It is not balanced yet. All schools, both government and private owners are doing what pleases them, leaving the future of the students to be shaky.

Little wonder, very few secondary school student can work effectively with the computer and most of them never has the dream of becoming a teacher.

Truth be said, whether traditional learning or e-learning, we need more highly skilled personnels of good worth who knows more about the growth of education in other countries to mount offices in the educational sector for effective leadership.

Hence, nothing much can be done to avert the menace caused in the educational sector.

Conclusively, let’s not be too forward in making decision on which to use in traditional learning or e-learning. Post Covid-19 shouldn’t be the major reason for this development.

Growth, in the aspect of equipping the teachers and students of the proper use of traditional learning or e-learning should be the priority of the leaders in the educational sector.

With that, other things can fall into the picture and the future of education in Nigeria will be undeniably bright.

© Olasunkanmi Hotonu
Lagos, Nigeria
28th, May, 2020

Connect with Olasunkanmi
Call/WhatsApp:+2349099815257
Email: addictolas@gmail.com

Trump orders investigation into George Floyd’s killing

The POTUS, who ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Department of Justice to expedite the probe, vowed that justice would be served on the matter.

“At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd.

“I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement. My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!” Trump tweeted.

One of the officers was seen in a video kneeling on his neck while he was handcuffed.

“Your knee in my neck. I can’t breathe… Mama. Mama,” Floyd pleaded, slowly grew silent and motionless, unable to move even as the officers taunted him to “get up and get in the car”.

He was taken to the hospital where he was later declared dead.

After dismissing the four officers involved, Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey, expressed outrage as calls rose for them to be prosecuted for murder.

“What I saw was wrong at every level,” he said of the video.

“For five minutes, we watched as a white officer pressed his knee into the neck of a black man. Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” Frey added.

The family of the late Floyd has called for the prosecution of the four officers, stressing that they should be charged with murder.

The death of the black man sparked street protests in the Midwestern US city.

Protesters, many wearing face masks because of the coronavirus outbreak, held signs saying “Justice for George Floyd” and “Black Lives Matter” during a rally near the scene of Monday’s death in custody.

FG to release guidelines on school reopening

The Federal Government has said it would roll out the course of action for the reopening of schools in the country.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, stated this during a briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.

While congratulating children in the country on the occasion of this year’s Children’s Day, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation urged stakeholders to begin to take steps that would aid the reopening of schools.

He said, “I wish to inform Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will roll out measures for the self-reopening of schools.

“The Presidential Task Force wishes to use the occasion of this celebration to congratulate our children and assure them, their parents and all stakeholders alike that all hands are on deck to reopen schools at a safe time.

“We, therefore, use this medium to urge states, local governments, proprietors and all other stakeholders to begin to take steps that will facilitate an early and safe reopening.”

COVID-19: Despite Pause Of Trial By WHO, Nigeria To Continue Chloroquine Trial

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has said it would continue the trial of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment despite the announcement of a temporary pause by the World Health Organisation.
WHO had on Monday cited safety concerns for the temporary pause of the trial of Hydrochloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Speaking on the continuation of the trial in Nigeria, Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, who spoke during an interview on Television Continental on Tuesday, said the drug had proven to be effective for mild case COVID-19 patients.
She said, “There is data to prove that Hydroxychloroquine worked for many COVID-19 patients.
“Therefore, we would continue our own clinical trials in Nigeria. Hydroxychloroquine has been proved to work at a mild stage. So the potency depends on the severity of the disease in the patient’s body.”
She added that the trial should be concluded in three to four months if medical doctors, research scientists, pharmacists, herbal experts work together.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC is set to receive the COVID-19 herbal cure from Madagascar for testing.
According to the Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire, the drug would be handed over to the Ministry of Health, who will send it to NAFDAC for validation and usage.
“We will pick it up and send to our research institutes, first to NAFDAC and then to Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development,” Ehanire said.