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LAGOS FIRST LADY HOLDS INAUGURAL RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP FOR BOYS

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Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu
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… Says It’s Time To Pay Closer Attention To Issues Affecting The Boy-Child

Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has organised an inaugural three-day residential workshop for about 160 boys selected from secondary schools, special correctional centres and orphanage homes across the State, saying it is time to pay closer attention to the issues affecting the boy-child.

The workshop, with the theme: “The 21st Century Boy Child: Creating a Vision for Transformation,” is an essential component of the novel Boy Child Initiative of the Office of the Lagos First Lady designed to bring issues affecting boys to the front burner and proffer workable solutions.

She said the objectives of the initiative are to raise awareness on the rights and welfare of the boy child, promote educational opportunities to male children, especially the indigent, facilitate the rehabilitation of the vulnerable boy child through referrals, and build a new generation of transformed male children who will contribute positively to the society.

Her words: “The idea is that we want to catch our boys young and make them be part of the solutions and not add to the challenges confronting our nation.

“Also, by the nature and perception of the Boy Child as being strong and resilient, it has been observed that society tends to pay little or no attention to issues affecting male children.

“There is a lot happening out there. We have children committing suicide; we have youths involved in all sorts of social vices and so on. This is why we have decided to put issues of the boy child on the front burner with this initiative”.

As part of the workshop, participants were taken on a tour of the Lagos State Agricultural Training Institute, Araga in Epe to stimulate their interest in farming and agricultural value chains which are critical to guarantee food security, while they thereafter proceeded to the Lagos State Model College, Badore, Ajah for the residential training which was facilitated by seasoned subject-matter experts.

Topics include “Security and You, Drug Abuse and Cultism, Counselling and Mental Health, Vocational Education, Media Literacy, Family Values, Civic Responsibility, Entrepreneurship, Career Path Finding, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, and Child Rights, Self-Esteem, Personal Hygiene, and Etiquette,” among others.

Also, there were two-panel sessions on the “Role of Community in Education and Boy Child Advocacy,” and “Equipping Yourself for the Future.”

Other activities include mini-football tournaments, table tennis competitions, basketball, and indoor sports including soccer table games, chess board games, monopoly, scrabble, magic cube, skating, waste ring game, skipping rope game, Ludo and others.

In their goodwill messages, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. Olugbemiga Aina; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Abayomi Abolaji respectively harped on the need for participants to shun social vices and concentrate on their academics.

They said it was important for the boys to focus on their academics in order to gain the necessary skills that would create essential value for them in the future, adding that it was crucial for them to abstain from vices that could impede their education and negatively impact their future.

The First Lady also seized the opportunity of the workshop to renovate the senior school dormitory, dining hall, and clinic of the Lagos State Model College, Badore, Ajah, while some sporting items were donated to both the senior and junior school of the college including two table tennis boards, new football goal post net and field linings, as well as basketball stand, among others.

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Economic: Osinkolu Assures Nigerians Of Better Days Ahead 

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Dr Olusegun Osinkolu
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A financial expert, Dr Olusegun Osinkolu has appealed to Nigerians to exercise patients with the economic team put together by President Bola Tinubu, noting that relief will soon come.

Osinkolu assured that Nigeria will soon witness a great turn around by the time the economic team swings into full action.

“we will heave a sign of relief soon as the story would change for better”.

The Ayede-Ekiti born All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain in a statement issued on Friday and released to newsmen, described the appointments of the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Yemi Cardoso and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun as a round peg in a round hole.

Osinkolu, who was a banker of repute, described them as gentlemen and men of integrity, who are masters on their field of appointments.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for the appointments, describing it as well deserved and has raised the bar and shown that competence is the parameter for public service.

“I want to formally thank President Bola Tinubu for considering the duo of the CBN Governor and Finance Minister for their appointment.

I commend his open-mindedness to embrace and usher in vibrant patriots into the national mainstream politics.

“I wish to state that their appointment is not only well deserving, but also falls in line with Mr. President’s penchant for talent discovery that has characterised his bold and giant strides in Lagos state and the nation at large.

“I affirm that this particular appointment is a round peg in a round hole,”he stated.

He urged the duo of the CBN Governor and finance minister to focus on the vision and mission of Mr President, by refocusing through their short, medium and long term measures.

He assured Nigerians that the CBN and it’s Finance ministry under their watch will operate transparent monetary policies, while his administration will not tolerate and work towards correcting the errors made by past administrations.

He further urged the duo to comply with all constitutional duties and ensure that financial policies of the country are of international standard and in support of the Tinubu-led administration.

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Senator Natasha lauds NDDC, NLNG partnership on local content

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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district has commended the pact between Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), to develop local content capacity.

Both NDDC and NLNG recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to leverage shared aspirations and collaborate on diverse fronts in the delivery of sustainable development projects in the region.

Reacting, Senator Natasha urged NDDC to consider the need to be the primary recruiters of their trained workforce to achieve effective service delivery.

She gave the charge on Thursday during an interactive session between Senate Committee on Local Content and the NDDC Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku.

As the Chair, Local Content Committee, Natasha tasked the NDDC on the need to not only build capacity and equip their workforce but also engage them efficiently.

“NDDC should consider being the primary recruiters of their trained workforce. Artisans or skilled professionals such as ICT workers can be absorbed by NDDC contractors, which in turn, will enable the commission reach the most vulnerable and neglected youth,” she said.

She also pledged to partner with NDDC on building a database of artisans within the country to strengthen the workforce and by extension achieve microeconomic growth for Nigeria.

“Local Content Committee intends to deploy innovative thinking for positive results, thus, we are building a database of carefully profiled artisans who have been trained by NDDC, SMEDAN, etc.; and work modalities to have the oil & gas companies, as well as government contractors, recruit from the pool of verified workforce.

“This would help curb unemployment by keeping the jobs locally. Such a project would also help the Local content board, NDDC and other agencies monitor and evaluate the performance of our collective capacity-building efforts towards achieving a common microeconomic growth for Nigeria and Africa at large,” she added.

In his remarks, the NDDC MD accepted her proposal and looks forward to a synergy with the Local Content Committee to develop strategies, and in turn, engage trained workforce for employment opportunities.

 

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Update: 2024 Appropriation Bill Passes Second Reading At House Of Reps

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House of Rep in Session
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The House of Representatives has passed the N27.5 trillion 2024 budget for a second reading.

The House leader, Julius Ihonvbere, on Thursday, November 30, while leading the debate on the general principles of the budget, commended President Bola Tinubu.

Ihonvbere noted that national security and education which got significant allocations will be enhanced if implemented.

He said, “Nigeria will be more secure with the allocation to defence and security. As a teacher, I am impressed by the emphasis on basic education. I am sure that education will be better off this time.”

 

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