*Pipeline Vandalism immediate cause of recession-VP<\/p>\n
Implementation plans for the effective commencement of a number of the
\nSocial Investment programmes of the Buhari presidency has reached advanced
\nstages as the selection of the first 200,000 unemployed graduates to get
\njobs is now being completed.<\/p>\n
Speaking with a small group of Radio journalists and producers at the
\nPresidential Villa, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN disclosed that \u201cwe
\nexpect that before the end of the month, we will engage 200,000,\u201d out of
\nthe 500,000 unemployed graduates the Buhari administration plans to hire
\nin the N-Power jobs programme.<\/p>\n
According to him, the direct government jobs is meant \u201cto keep this young
\npeople occupied, pay them some amount of money and also give them a
\ndevice, which will also help them to learn several skills that they can
\ndevelop as time goes on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prof. Osinbajo added that\u00a0 \u201cwe expect that before the end of this month,
\nwe should have engaged 200,000 of them and we are hoping that before the
\nend of the year we should have engaged more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, Prof. Osinbajo disclosed that the Home-Grown School Feeding
\nprogramme is set to kick off in several states this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely before the end of this month, we expect that several states
\nwould have come on stream with their Home-grown School Feeding
\nProgrammes,\u201d the Vice President noted.<\/p>\n
He added that the Home-Grown School Feeding programme \u201cwill energise
\nagriculture in the different states because it is what you plant that you
\nfeed the children with, we will be hiring caterers, cooks, etc in each
\nstate because it will be Federal Government funded from Primaries 1-3 and
\nthe state governments hopefully would be able to cater for the other
\nclasses.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the Vice President, the Home-Grown School Feeding programme
\nis another section of the Social Investment programmes that impact
\ndirectly on the lives of Nigerian children and families. He said several
\nstates will start implementing the Home-grown School Feeding Programme
\nbefore the end of October.<\/p>\n
Equally he stated that the Micro-Credit scheme for which the Buhari
\nadministration will give very low-cost loans to more than one million
\nNigerian artisans, traders, market women and other ranging from N60,000 to
\nN100,000 would also be kicking off this month.<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cfor women across the country, we are giving loans,
\nmicro credit loans to about 1.5 million women. We are focusing on market
\nwomen and artisans, loans between N60,000 and 100,000 each. We are working
\nthrough the Bank of Industry, BOI. They are going to be giving out these
\nloans, we\u2018ve already identified the banks and everybody who is involved in
\nthis. We should be flagging-off hopefully before the end of this month\u201d<\/p>\n
Such soft loans to the artisans, traders and market women, according to
\nhim, is meant \u201cto boost their businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vice President reassured Nigerians that the current Federal Government
\nled by President Muhammadu Buhari is well focused on ameliorating the
\nplight of the citizens of the country, observing that the administration
\nfeels the pains of the citizens and is committed to assuaging them.<\/p>\n
Said he: \u201cWe fully understand and appreciate the situation of things in
\nthe country and we are committed to ensuring that that pain is assuaged.
\nThe President stated that clearly in his October 1st broadcast to the
\nnation. All his life, he has been a salary earner, he has never been a
\nbusinessman, so he understands why someone who earns a salary and even
\nthose who do not, are severely challenged at this time of economic
\nrecession such as we are experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the economy, Vice President Osinbajo said government is committed to
\ndeveloping it, to enable citizens find opportunities within the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to assure Nigerians that the government of President Buhari is a
\nvery focused and determined government. We are committed to ensuring that
\nwe are able to develop the Nigerian economy in such a way that Nigerians
\nare able to find opportunities in their own country, \u201che said.<\/p>\n
He listed the \u2018Made in Nigeria\u2019 project, moving away from import
\ndependence, boosting agriculture, and encouraging manufacturing as some of
\nthe urgent actions being pursued by government in order to move the
\ncountry forward.<\/p>\n
The Vice President also emphasized the Buhari administration\u2019s zero
\ntolerance for corruption, as corruption is \u201cthe major drain on the
\ncountry\u2019s resources\u201d adding that \u201cno one would be spared in the fight
\nagainst corruption because, even the close friends of the President know
\nthat they will not be spared, he will not cover for them. Fighting
\ncorruption is a priority,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
On the current recession, the Vice President said the fall in oil prices
\nand pipeline vandalism were the immediate causes of the recession, thus
\nreducing drastically, the country\u2019s revenue. But he assured that
\ngovernment will adequately manage the little being realised now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were producing up to 2.2 million barrels a day but all of a sudden,
\nthe vandalization of our terminals caused us to loose up to a million
\nbarrels a day.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo when you loose up to 60% of your revenue or even more, there must be a
\nshock because you are really earning very little and we will ensure that
\nthat very little that we are earning is as well managed as possible,\u201d he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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