A Non-Governmental Organisation , Ojo Ola Oyo, has commended youths in the South-West, particularly in Oyo State, for holding their protest without destroying public property or causing any mayhem.

The commendation is contained in a statement issued by its founder, Mr Kehinde Olaosebikan, on Saturday in Ibadan.

Olaosebikan expressed gratitude to the youths for taking cognisance of the verifiable moves that President Bola Tinubu-led administration had made to secure the future of the youths.

He said that it was a good thing that the youths in the region allowed the nationalism spirit that the zone was known for, in their protest.

“In spite of the reports of violence, killing and destruction of properties in some sections of the country, the few protests in the South-West have been orderly and peaceful.

“It is gratifying that our youths have largely behaved themselves during the protests.

“This is a commendable development. We still urge them to continue to exercise caution and give the government benefit of the doubt.

“We also commend the mature nature in which the highly respected comrades in the zone, particularly Prof. Ademola Aremu of the University of Ibadan and others that superintendent over the protests in the state”.

Olaosebikan urged the youth to take full advantage of the students’ loan scheme of the current administration, among other government programmes like National Youth Investment Fund, Consumer Credit, 3MTT designed for youths’ empowerment nationwide.

“The scheme gives loan at no interest and does not only cover formal academic pursuits, but also informal vocational trainings in all aspects.

“Any governments that prioritise youths’ development and takes away burden of education financing for youths, wants better future for the nation, such government should be given the chance to do more.

“We believe that with all hands being on deck, we can resolve most of the problems bedeviling us right now.

“We must remember that lives lost cannot be brought back and properties destroyed will be repaired with our scarce resources”, he said.

From INIOBONG SUNDAY, UYO 

As the #EndBadGovernance protests grow, a diaspora Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, based in the United States, US, has launched  agricultural intervention programmes aimed at creating jobs for the unemployed youths and addressing the challenges of food insufficiency in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Idara Medical Outreach and Aid IMOHA, Lady Idara Enyong, had while signing the Memorandum of Understanding ,MoU, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, disclosed that her diaspora foundation has invested N7.3 billion in agricultural intervention project on the outskirts of Uyo, the State capital.

She explained that the project was borne out of her determination to invest in agriculture to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and to address the challenges of food insecurity in the country.

 “We are spearheading the use of agriculture to combat hunger and transform the lives of the people”, she stressed. 

Welcoming the initiative, a  chieftain and leader of the All Progressives Congress,APC, in Nsit Ibom local government area,  Obonganwan Dorathy Okure, has applauded the foundation for being in the vanguard of dousing the prevailing tension in the land.

She, therefore, called for more private sector-driven enterprise to galvanise agriculture and other socio-economic potentials to reposition the country in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision.

“IMOHA, an NGO, is set to revolutionise agriculture and farming practices in the the State, and has proposed an agro venture involving 30 hectares of cassava cropping and the deployment of internationally sourced funding to bolster the sector, and grow the health of the populace.

More than N7.3 billion, she said, has so far been earmarked for the project, and efforts are on hand to secure appropriate land titles for kick- off of the multi-billion food and agriculture value- chain project.

Using the moment to explain the NGO’s vision, she assured of it dedication to humanitarian and survival causes as well as solving the needs of the disadvantaged and underprivileged in the society. 

“Good incentives from governments in support of agriculture such as grant, would enable investors invest in food production to help drive away hunger, poverty, food shortages, poor health and avoidable sufferings occasioned by dire food deficits as presently experienced in the country”, Enyong stressed.