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Ambassador Adeyemi urge youths to be enterprising.
THE President-General of the World Youth Organisation (WYO), Ambassador Adeniyi Adeyemi has urged the youths to be more enterprising so as to build a better Nigeria, just as he enjoined them to imbibe the spirit of creativity and integrity to succeed in an increasingly dynamic and globalised world and not sit idly for the governments to provide all the jobs they needed.
Contained in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Adeola Badru, the President -General noted that the call was imperative to awaken in the youths to creativity, enterprising spirit and values necessary to identify and harness business or job opportunities in their environment.
Amb. Adeyemi blamed the increasing joblessness of the youths on the nation’s economic model, which he averred had outlived its effectiveness.
He also noted that Nigeria’s economic model placed the government as the main employer of labour, but expressed regrets that the government is today faced with a situation where jobs demand far outstripped available space.
Continuing, Ambassador Adeyemi said this informed why his administration as President-General of the World Youth Organisation, on assumption of office, had policies to support the youths in setting up their own companies and equip them to earn their own wages.
Highlighting his plans, Ambassador Adeyemi stressed that his administration had identified agriculture and agri-business, artisanal and technical vocations, commerce and industry, environment, sports and entertainment as areas where the youths could explore to create jobs for themselves.
“To ensure that there are enough jobs for our youths today and for those that will enter the labour market in 30 years, there must be a deliberate policy to support our youths in setting up their own companies; we must equip them to earn their own wages. The good news is that our youths are ready to be their own bosses.”
“So my focus is to show young people like myself the many ways they could go. My administration will work with various international organisations on acquiring the skills, tools and support necessary to become employers of labour”, he assured.
Similarly, Adeyemi admonished governments at various levels to assist the youths to translate commercial ideas into marketable businesses, adding that: “If neither the public nor the private sector cannot employ them, we must help them to employ themselves.”
“Unemployment has been growing at a rapid rate alongside our population. The World Bank report shows that unemployment has not decreased since 1999 and, that in particular, youth unemployment has been on the rise. Unemployment among the youth is put at 35.9%, which when compared with national overall unemployment of 21.1% is significantly high.”
“So, our approach to youth emancipation must have geographical breath, to cover rural and urban areas; sectoral breadth to accommodate people seeking work at the two extremes of educational attainment; and must take into consideration the structural obstacles faced by all and most especially our women,” he reiterated.
He further stressed that the university education they had was to open their minds to possibilities, pointing out that the real value of their education was the way they processed the information in their environment.
The world youth president, however charged the three tiers of government to invest more in youth development rather than building infrastructure.
“No matter how many bridges you (government) build or how many roads you construct if you don’t empower the youths all the efforts may go to waste.”
“Building people is key, let us grow people and not buildings, let us build a society where we all value human lives, a society where we live by the rule of law and not by the rules of men,” he appealed.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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