Business
Army Equips 77 Youths With Various Skills In Nasarawa
The 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Keffi, headquarters of Keffi Local Government, Nasarawa State, has trained and empowered 77 youths on five different skills to making them self reliant.
Emmanuel Ejim-Emekah, Director of Operations in the Nigerian Army Headquarters, confirmed the development at the graduation ceremony of trainees at the Shitu Alao Barracks in Keffi.
Ejim-Emekah lauded the Commanding Officer of the 177 Guards Battalion and initiator of the empowerment programme for his foresight and determination to engage idle youths with skills that will make them independent and improve their living conditions.
“I am quite impressed and happy with the Commanding Officer, 177 Guards Battalion today for this initiative, which is in line with the key philosophy of the Chief of Army, and that is welfare of troops and their families is the key pillar.
“I commend you for this laudable initiative and urge you to sustain it,” he said.
He then urged the youths to maximally utilize the skills acquired during the training period to be gainfully engaged, so as to sustain and support themselves and their families.
“They say the idle man is the devil’s workshop. With this empowerment, you are no longer idle. So we expect a good turnout in the barracks and it’s environs.
He also warned them not rely solely on formal education and neglect the skills they have acquired, as there are no guarantees of government jobs hence the call to the youths to prioritize the skills gotten while also acquiring formal education.
“In the age that we are in and if you go outside this country to developed countries, it is people with skills that are making the most money, because of the skills they have. So the best firm of welfare they have giving you is to teach you a skill. It doesn’t stop you from going to school,” he said.
Adebisi Onasanya, Nigeria’s Army Commander, Guards Brigade also expressed delight with the empowerment programme and thanked the Commanding Officer, 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi for coming up with the initiative and seeing it to fruition.
“It is very important to ensure that youths of this age and time are well engaged. The Commanding Officer deemed it fit to train the youths of this community not in one, not in two but in five different skill sets.
“I can imagine the ripple effects of this effort on the community at large. So I thank the Commanding Officer for the initiative,” he said.
Onasanya then urged the trained youths to reciprocate the gesture of the 177 Guards Battalion Commanding Officer and by large the Nigerian Army by keep improving on the skills learnt and utilizing the skills to be fully engaged and self reliant.
Inuwa, in an address who explained what motivated the initiative was the reports of thefts in the barrack added that despite the ejection of those caught, he decided to put in place an empowerment programme for the youths so they can be gainfully engaged instead of engaging in thievery.
“We still felt an effort should be put in place to engage the youths in the barrack community which led to the introduction of five skills acquisition programmes which are catering, barbing, hairstyling, computer training and cosmetology,” he said.
He assured that, all those that benefitted from the empowerment programme will be given certificates and supported with start up kits so they can begin to put into use the skills they acquired.
Giving a breakdown of the empowerment programme, Mariam Azeez, Supervisor of the programme said the empowerment programme commenced on October 5, 2023 with classes conducted three days a week at the Youth Empowerment Centre in Shitu Alao Barracks.
“We had 22 students in the ICT department, 19 students in the catering department, 15 students in the cosmetology department, 13 students in the hairstyling department and 8 students at the Barbing department with a total 77 beneficiaries,” she said
By Abubakar Yunusa
The Association of Labour Veteran and Trade Union Assembly has voiced its support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming that food prices have significantly decreased across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the union’s interim president, Comrade Isa Tijjani, acknowledged the initial economic hardship faced by Nigerians at the beginning of Tinubu’s administration but insisted that government efforts had led to tangible improvements.
“At the start of this administration, the cost of food soared, and the nation was filled with cries of hunger and complaints. People were urged to be patient as the government worked towards solutions,” Tijjani said.
“Now, the President and his aides have worked tirelessly, and prices have come down drastically. However, I have yet to hear words of appreciation for their efforts. Recognising their achievements will encourage them to do even more for the nation.”
Tijjani, a former national vice-president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, urged Nigerians to differentiate between constructive criticism and unwarranted opposition.
He emphasised that engaging with the government in a respectful and solution-oriented manner would yield better results than resorting to hostility.
“The President of this country today is Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Advising him in a humble and respectful manner will be more productive than adopting a confrontational stance. Constructive engagement achieves more than threats and name-calling,” he added.
Tijjani also condemned the recent act of violence in Edo State, describing it as a cowardly attempt to incite division and instability in Nigeria.
He welcomed the swift response of both the President and the Governor of Edo State in addressing the situation and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The labour leader further urged union members to participate in the upcoming General Executive Council meeting, where the union’s position on national issues will be formalised and disseminated at all levels of governance, from the state to the local and ward levels.
The Tinubu administration has faced criticism over the country’s economic challenges, including inflation and currency depreciation. However, government officials have maintained that their policies will yield long-term benefits for Nigeria’s economy.
Sterling Bank has announced the removal of transfer fees on all local online transactions.
The move was confirmed by the bank on Tuesday in a press release.
The development makes it the first major Nigerian bank to eliminate the contentious charges for digital banking.
The statement noted that the bank reaffirmed its commitment to customer-centric banking, declaring that the zero-transfer-fee policy is real and effective immediately.
The initiative is expected to bring significant relief to individuals and small business owners who conduct frequent transactions.
The bank’s Growth Executive in charge of Consumer and Business Banking, Obinna Ukachukwu, described the decision as a values-driven approach aimed at ensuring fair and inclusive banking.
“We believe access to your own money shouldn’t come with a penalty.
“This is more than a financial decision—it’s about redefining banking to put customers first,” he stated.
Under the new policy, Sterling customers will not be charged for local transfers conducted via the bank’s mobile app.
Ukachukwu emphasised that the bank’s decision is about more than just competitive strategy.
He said, “We’re not yet the biggest bank in Nigeria, but we’ve been the boldest.
Sterling fearlessly believes in the future of Nigeria, and this is us backing Nigerians with more than words.
The Central Bank of Nigeria dismissed a report claiming it had introduced N5,000 and N10,000 banknotes to facilitate cash transactions as false.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, the apex bank described the report as fake and urged Nigerians to disregard it.
“The content is not from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Kindly note that the official website of the CBN is cbn.gov.ng,” the statement read.
A statement from the CBN’s communications department further clarified, “The only official sources for releasing statements to the media are our website or statements from our department. There is also no Deputy Governor by such name. We are investigating the source of this fake content.”
The report quoted one Deputy CBN Governor, Ibrahim Tahir Jr., the move is aimed at reducing cash-handling costs and providing Nigerians with more efficient means of conducting large transactions.
“The introduction of these new high-value denominations aligns with global best practices and will enhance economic activities while reducing the stress associated with carrying large amounts of cash,” the Governor stated. The CBN said there is no such name in its leadership.
“The new N5,000 note will feature the portrait of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while the N10,000 note will showcase Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, both in recognition of their contributions to Nigeria’s development.
“Additionally, the new notes will incorporate enhanced security features, including color-changing ink, holograms, and anti-counterfeiting technology, making them impossible to replicate,” the fake report stated.
The fake report also said the nationwide rollout would begin on May 1, 2025, with commercial banks instructed to start issuing the new notes via ATMs and over-the-counter transactions.