CBN to give N3m each to eligible youth on empowerment programme

 

Abuja – Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to give three million naira each to empower eligible youths under the Youth Initiative Empowerment Development Programme (YIEDP), the Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has said. Emefiele made the disclosure at the launch of YIEDP in Abuja on Tuesday. He said “the programme is open to youths who are either serving in the National Youth Service Corps or those who have not spent more than five years post NYSC service. “Credit line will be made available up to three million naira to each eligible youth, thereby fixing the problem of inadequate finance often encountered by business start-ups. “And receptions that utilise the funds properly can be encouraged to migrate to the other CBN interventions wherein they access more funds.’’ Emefiele said that N210 billion had been set aside for the programme and added that the collateral for accessing the fund was simple.

 

“It will include assets, such as academic and NYSC certificates, third party guarantees and other movable assets. “This programmes will be an equal opportunity programme across gender and geo-political zones and we have developed a robust operational framework to deliver a bias-free per-qualification and selection process.’’ He said that CBN was targeting 10,000 youths with the aim of creating one million direct jobs in productive activities within the next four years. According to Emefiele, the National Bureau of Statistics says that there are over 36.3million youths in Nigeria’s labour force out of whom 13.6 million are either underemployed or unemployed.

 

He noted that many talented youth in the country were constrained by seed funding which was very scarce. He explained that to address the situation, CBN in collaboration with NYSC came up with the initiative. The CBN governor commended the efforts of the Director-General of NYSC, Brig Gen Johnson Olawumi, and Mr Akinsola Akinfemiwa, Chairman, Heritage Bank for their commitment to the programme.

 

Also, the NYSC director-general said YIEDP focused at providing world class training and start- up capital to corps members who had indicated interest in Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship (SAED). Olawunmi said the initiative was designed to complement the other interventions in funding corps members’ proposals under the NYSC SAED programme. He explained that since the inception of SAED, the NYSC scheme had trained over 500,000 ex-corps members in various agro-based skills but not all were empowered due to inadequate funds.

 

He noted that under the new concept of YIEDP which had liberalised the lending terms, corps member entrepreneurs would enjoy unhindered access to start-up funds. He explained that corps members who intended to access the fund were expected to undergo a world class entrepreneurship development training facilitated by CBN and heritage bank. “ They will submit electronically, a bankable business plans as well as provide a reliable guarantor and their NYSC certificates will serve as collateral for beneficiaries,’’ he said. He admonished serving corps members to take advantage of the opportunity by coming up with creative ideas and bankable business plans which could make them access the fund.

 

In his remark, the Chairman of Heritage Bank Akinfemiwa, said the major partners to the programme were NYSC members and urged them to strive to be employers of labour and not job seekers. Akinfemiwa also urged the youths to generate good ideas as it was the only way to ensure that the money that would be given to them was properly used.

Story: In God We Trust

 

 

 

A few months ago, my husband and I were invited to spend the weekend at his employer's home. I was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than our house. The first day and evening went well, and I was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live.

My husband's employer was quite generous as a host and took us to the finest restaurants. I knew I would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so I was enjoying myself. As the three of us were about to enter an exclusive restaurant one evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of us. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. I wondered if I was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts.

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure.

How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at me. Finally, I could stand it no longer. I causally mentioned that my daughter once had a coin collection and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for us to see. I had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." he said. "Read what it says."

I read the words, "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin, I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray. I stop to see if my trust is in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God, that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I can not change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And God is patient.

Taming The Monster Of Fuel Scarcity

 

Nigeria will be saving a whopping N1trillion by not appropriating funds for fuel subsidy payments in the N6.08 trillion budget proposed for this year.

The preliminary reorganisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by its Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, has made further payment of subsidies on fuel importation unnecessary.

Besides, the padding of the daily fuel consumption capacity, the falling prices of oil at the international market and the reactivation of the local refineries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Warri, Delta State and Kaduna, Kaduna State, made it imperative for the NNPC to readjust the volume of import.

But the development has unsettled those who have been rendered redundant in fuel distribution chain.

Already, the minister and the NNPC management are perfecting strategies to pull Nigeria out of fuel importation in the next 18 months.

Some marketers, acting as middlemen, who had in the past, dominated the fuel importation business, have taken the non-budgetary allocation for subsidy payment and the planned local production of refined petroleum product as a quite notice served on them.

The resumption of production at the refineries after years of redundancy despite the huge resources sunk into their Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) is giving fuel importers nightmares.

As a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria has been described as a mere oil bearer and not a developer. The country imports more than have of the refined products to meet local demands.

Its proposal to join the league of refined products’ exporters is causing some excitements in the circle of local and international stakeholders in the sector.

But, as expected, those who had befitted from subsidy payments are not giving up the battle to remain in the fuel distribution chain. They are trying their best to thwart government’s efforts.

In a bid to tame the perennial monster called fuel scarcity and its attendant challenges, Kachikwu has done a study of the entire downstream sub-sector of the industry.

The study was triggered by the desire to cut the amount being spent on fuel subsidy, which climbed to over N1 trillion under the immediate past administration.

Since the NNPC took over as the sole fuel importer, private marketers have been fighting back under various guises, including pipeline vandalism, fuel diversion, products’ hoarding, selling above approved pump price and under-dispensing.

The filling stations involved in the distribution and retailing of products to the end-users are owned by members of the Major Oil Markers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

In a statement by Children and Women’s Rights Network, a coalition of civil society groups, drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister to the activities of some faceless forces, who they said bent on sustaining the scarcity being experienced.

The statement, signed by its Executive Director, Mr. Moses Adedeji, said: “Faceless but determined forces, unnerved by ceaseless monitoring and the involvement of security agents in tackling pipeline vandalism and fuel distribution are now mounting strategic challenges towards ensuring that fuel scarcity is prolonged.”

According to the group, a high-level cabal within the oil sector mounted a subtle but disingenuous campaign against the retention of the Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, after she announced the involvement of the Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to guard against product

The collation’s statement reads in part: “Less than 24 hours after her appointment as Managing Director of NNPC’s retail arm, powerful cartels operating in the illegal diversion of fuel have stepped up their revenge mission against Mrs. Nnamdi-Ogbue, whose new ideas are truncating their illegal business, by using faceless platforms to call for her removal by Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

“On December 28, last year, various newspapers, reported Mrs. Nnamdi-Ogbue’s disclosure that the Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) would soon be involved in the prosecution of pipeline vandals.

“During her December 27, 2015 official visit to Mosinmi Depot and Ajebo pipeline in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, she explicitly stated that ‘we are looking at all ramifications on how to bring these criminals to book; they have to be treated as criminals and pipeline products thieves‘.

“She also stated that trackers would soon be mounted on trucks carrying fuel from depots to filling stations across the country, as part of measures to check diversion.

“In the past few weeks, these unscrupulous elements and their collaborators also feel gravely hurt that under the supervision of the Minister of State, Dr. Ibe kachikwu, she had deployed hundreds of personnel, under the overall supervision of the minister, to ceaselessly monitor defaulting filling stations and fuel distribution across the country.

“The growing discomfort of these unscrupulous vested interests amply demonstrate that, as President Mohammadu Buhari and Minister Kachikwu expect, corruption fights back, using many guises.

“We call on Minister Kachikwu to carry on in his meritorious service to Nigeria and ignore the faceless group that is demanding that he removes forthright officials like the newly appointed MD of NNPC Retail, Mrs. Nnamdi-Ogbue.”

The minister has been introducing different reforms to block financial leakages. Some of such reforms are oil swap stoppage, which becomes effective this month and the introduction of monthly publication of NNPC’s financial report.

Those who hitherto hid under old order to feed fat on the system are uncomfortable with the measures that will make operations in the oil sector transparent.

On January 5, the NNPC announced the attainment of a combined daily production of over 6.76 million litres of petrol daily.

In its breakdown, the NNPC said: “The production yield from the plants indicates that while Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed a week earlier, is producing some 4.09 million litres; the Kaduna Refinery is contributing some 1.29 million litres and Warri which was re-streamed on Sunday is posting a yield of some 1.38 million litres.”

The nation’s four refineries were projected to increase to over 10 million litres per day in January. But, oil thieves masquerading as aggrieved militants, attacked some oil and gas pipeline installations in Gbaramatu, Delta State. The attack forced the closure of the Kaduna and Warri refineries, thus frustrating the 10 million-litre expectation.

Also in the same Januray, another explosion rocked the Nigeria Agip Oil Company pipeline in Brass, Bayelsa State.

NNPC’s former spokesman, Ohi Alegbe, confirmed that the company shut down crude oil flows to the two pipelines due to the attacks on the facilities.

“We have shut down flows for now.” Alegbe said.

Although the total output of the refineries is a far cry from the daily consumption requirement of over 38 million litres, it will substantially reduce the importation of refined products.

The NNPC has increased its daily distribution by one cargo, sending 400 trucks to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The suspension of fuel subsidy payment discouraged MOMAN and IPMAN members from importing the product they would be compelled to sell at N77 per litre to retail outlets.

The MOMAN that partook in the subsidy payment regime are: Conoil, Forte Oil, Mobil, Oando and Total.

They had in December last year, cited difficulty in accessing Foreign Exchange (forex) as alibi for not importing petrol.

Prior to the forex debacle, NNPC was responsible for the importation of over 75 per cent of products. But Kachikwu recently announced that the corporation is now responsible for 100 per cent importation, using the facilities of the marketers for storage and distribution.

As a way out of the lingering fuel scarcity and end the resurgence of fuel queues, the NNPC said that it has stepped up collaboration with the MOMAN members and other players in the downstream industry.

The NNPC explanation drew an allegation from Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), branch of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that the corporation was behind fuel scarcity.

PTD’s National Chairman Salimon Akanni Oladiti, told reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that marketers were not hoarding fuel, but that the queues resurfaced owing to insufficient fuel supply.

He was quoted as saying: “We are not conniving with anybody to make Nigerians suffer for fuel. For sometimes now, we have not been able to load at NNPC depot in Apata in Ibadan and there is no hope of loading in some other NNPC depot in the Southwest.

“Government is responsible for this problem, because if they bring enough petrol into the country, we as distributors are ready to sell it out. It’s so sad that we are one of the largest producers of oil but we are still suffering.”

Pointing out that 75 per cent of the fuel consumed in the country now is imported by NNPC and the remaining 25 per cent is imported by major marketers, Oladiti disclosed that “corruption is still in the oil industry. There is corruption, bribery at all the oil depot before you can load your truck”.

Prior to the PTD claim, IPMAN’S Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Dankingari alerted that private depot owners were selling petrol for N98 per litre to distributors.

A few days later, he noted that that the price had risen to N107 per litre.

But when the bubble burst, Dankigari lamented that over 8,000 tickets of his members were pending because there was no fuel to load even at the NNPC depots.

In terms of building greenfield refineries, building additional NNPC affiliate refineries, importation of fuel and distribution, the ministry is poised to give Nigerians the best but the major snag on Kachikwu’s path seems to be contrasting with stakeholders’ interest.

 

By The Nation's John Ofikhenua

Nutrition: The Benefits of Paw Paw

Paw Paw (or papaya) is a fruit that grows in tropical areas throughout the world and is easily available throughout Australia. Most Australians enjoy paw paw simply because it is delicious, but increasingly, research is showing that the health benefits of paw paw may be even greater than its delicious taste. In fact, paw paw and paw paw derived products are increasingly used for a variety of medicinal and therapeutic purposes both by natural health practitioners and in conventional medicine.

The Benefits of Paw Paw

No one argues about the health benefits of fruit, but what makes paw paw special? These are just some of the major vitamins and minerals found in large quantities in paw paw:   dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, C and E. It also contains small amount of calcium, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and niacine. It is also very rich in antioxidant nutrients flavonoids and carotenes, very high in vitamin C plus A, and low in calories and sodium.

• Vitamin A
  
• Vitamin C
  
• Vitamin E
  
• Calcium
  
• Iron
  
• Riboflavin
  
• Thiamine
  
• Niacine

In addition to these, paw paw is high in dietary fibre and rich in important antioxidants. At the same time, paw paw is low in calories and sodium. As if these were not reasons enough for making paw paw a regular part of your diet, the fruit also includes unique ingredients not found or found in limited concentrations in other fruits. Two of these, papain and chymopapain, are enzymes that help break down proteins and convert them into amino acids, making paw paw an excellent digestive aid, reducing bloating and indigestion.

Paw Paw also has anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce the severity of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and aid in recovery from sports injuries, amongst many other conditions that are caused by or exacerbated by inflammation. These include everything from the common cold to more serious diseases.

Continuing studies also indicate that paw paw and paw paw derived medications also show promise in the relief from side effects of cancer treatments such as mouth ulcers and difficulty in swallowing as well as providing a boost to the immune system.

Paw Paw and Antioxidants

The antioxidants found in paw paw, while not unique to this fruit, are extremely beneficial to health and are believed to be amongst the most important reasons for making fruits and vegetables a large and regular part of your diet. Antioxidants have been shown to scavenge the free radicals that play such an important part in the development of cancer, heart disease and other life threatening diseases that have become so prevalent in modern society, where processed and other unhealthy foods have become such a large part of our diet.

In short, the benefits of paw paw are potentially enormous. Both the natural fruit and natural paw paw supplements can be of benefit. While many health care professionals recommend consulting a holistic doctor with knowledge of both natural and conventional medicine for existing or suspected diseases, taken regularly, paw paw may play a vital role in preventing those diseases from occurring.

RELATIONSHIPS : DEAR MEN, THESE ARE TYPES OF WOMEN YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF WHEN YOU WANT TO MARRY

Marriage is a life-time commitment and when you have finally made up your mind to walk that road with your better half, do make sure she is not one of the types of women listed below unless you want to regret for ever.

1) The Career woman

Over the years we have had women take over the jobs of men with the cliché "what ever a man can do, a woman can do better" as their foot stool to this progress. But some women take it too far by putting their ambition ahead of every other thing. A Man would wonder who would do the womanly chores in the house if his wife is all about her work and it's heights.

2) The Stubborn Woman

Some ladies just would never take an opinion of another person. Which ever way you try to correct them, it would be like pouring water into a basket. They tend to do whatever is their wish. Men should be careful of such women.

3) The Woman Of status

Some women want to always have the best things out of life, even if it is at the cost of another. All they think are Cars ,Shoes, jewels, hand bags and many other materialistic things and have little or no concern about other things. Their obsession for materials have put them in this list of ladies men should be careful of.

4) The Notice Me Woman

You tend to notice this types mostly in churches. They are in choir, usher, drama, protocol all at once. This type of ladies over stress themselves just to be Noticed as if there would be a payment for it. They attend every church weddings, even if it means skipping work, always picked for brides maid. Men should be careful because this ladies live in their own world. 

5) The Super Gossip Women

There is a saying that "all women gossip" well let me rephrase "most women gossip". Even with this trait in them, some have exercised it to a point of 'No Return'. They can gossip all day with no regret and can not help it. They call it " Necessary Evil" 

6) The Nagging Woman

Just in relationships, some ladies can talk sleep out of you. You then imagine where you would run to if you eventually marry her. They are like 'talking machines' they would talk all day and not get tired and if you don't let them have their desires, sorry for your day with them because they will always find a way to bring back the topic.

7) The Too Dependent Woman

Their dependence on men has cost so many respect, self Esteem, position, etc. Yes men are to fend for the ladies(albeit there is no such law) but Some ladies are both mentally and physically lazy thus making them slaves and some using their body as leverage. You'll hear some say 'use what you have to Get what you want'. When this lazy women finally marry, they leave all responsibilities to the man and remain home to b called "house wife"

8) The Disrespectful Woman

If she seems to always be disrespectful and rude (even if it is to people she considers beneath her standards) then you need to think twice about marrying her. Respect for a fellow human being is a very important attribute in who we choose to spend the rest of our lives with so it is definitely not something that should be taken lightly.

9) The Selfish Woman

If you want a happy home and a partner that wants your happiness as well as hers, then you should stay clear of the selfish woman. A woman who is determined to make sure she always comes first would not be able to build a cheerful and loving home with you.

10) The Bitter Woman

You know that woman that always seems to be angry at men all the time? Perhaps she has had her heart broken one too many times, but this woman is always bashing on men and talking about how they are no-good or useless. A man might not want to settle down with someone so bitter as it is guaranteed that when the opportunity arises, she would hurl hurtful insults and intense, hateful words his way due to all her unresolved anger.

11) The Flirty Woman

Are you attracted to that woman that always seems to flirt with one person or another? She flirts like a butterfly from one man to another and makes all men feel like she is interested in them. Well, beware, because a habit like that might be hard to break after. marriage and you would not want to start hearing that your wife has had flirty conversations with all the men in the neighbourhood.

12) The Cook-less Woman

It's bad to hear that a woman can not cook, especially an African woman. Making your man not to look outside for satisfactory meals should be an attribute of almost all woman, but d reverse is the case. Some have adopted 'fries' and some cannot even make a bowl of pap(akamu) for their younger ones not to mention prepare soup. This ladies always loose their men to 'juck eating'. Men be careful.

13) The I-Keep-To-Myself Woman

These women are like a tank of grudges, they will Never say when you offend them or when you do what they don't like. They have trained themselves over the Years to swallow pains. It's better to have a lady that would burst always like a balloon than one that would burst occasionally but like a volcano. Men beware. 

14) The Bad Manager Woman

Welcome to the community of 'ori-wom-wom' as the igbos of Nigeria would call them. This ladies only think of their 'today' and forget 'tomorrow' all they are concerned with is their belly and Nothing more. Gluttony is one out of their many attributes and they always help to bring down a man wealth. 

 

 

written by Nzeh uche