Yemi Osinbajo, gives a speech virtually at the NBA Annual General
Conference on August 27, 2020.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration will not sweep the
major issues underlying the crisis in Southern Kaduna under the
carpet, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said.
Professor Osinbajo gave the assurance on Thursday during a
special conversation featuring him and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the ongoing Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) Annual General Conference.
He listed the issues to include ensuring justice, fixing
economic marginalisation and the prosecution of persons responsible
for the murders.
The Vice President who stated that the government would ensure
that the impunity does not worsen urged those who have concerns
about the recently signed CAMA legislation to approach the National
Assembly for possible amendments.
“I have been involved since 2001 through the work of the
Macedonian initiative, an NGO that focused on providing relief
materials to displaced persons in Southern Kaduna and several other
places, especially in the north-central part of Nigeria,” he said
on the way forward in the Southern Kaduna conflict and making
reference to his personal experience.
Professor Osinbajo added, “There have been judicial commissions
and all sorts, but the problem remains. So, there is the need to
address the underlying issues. You can’t sweep under the carpet,
justice and the cries of economic marginalisation.
“The fact is that we must prosecute persons responsible for
these murders or otherwise impunity will worsen, and also support
those who have lost their breadwinners.”
According to the Vice President, the mindless callous killings
in Southern Kaduna are heart-breaking and unacceptable as they are
avoidable.
He stressed the need to condole those who lost loved ones and
those injured or who have suffered loss of property in the
crisis.
Possible Peace-Making Efforts
Professor Osinbajo highlighted what the Federal Government has
done and was doing to deal with the situation.
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building set ablaze during an attack on a community in Southern
Kaduna.
He said, “First is the improvement of security in Southern
Kaduna. Now, we have a military base there, for the first time. We
also have a lot of Air Force surveillance.
“We have about 500 conventional and Mobile Policemen in
Zangon-Kataff and Kaura Local Government Areas and then, the
combined military team of the army and the navy who are also on
ground 24 hours. This is basically to just take care of the
volatile situation there.”
The Vice President noted that President Buhari had several
security council meetings where the issues were discussed, and the
possibilities of engagement have also been discussed.
On a personal note, he revealed that he has engaged community
leaders in Southern Kaduna and the state governor to look at what
peace-making efforts were possible.
Professor Osinbajo was optimistic that the issues would be
resolved, noting that some of the peace-making efforts have been
fairly successful.
“But there is also a lot of work going on to ensure that some of
these fundamental issues are being addressed and it’s an evolving
situation, but it’s something we can’t afford to ignore and it’s
gone on for far too long and it’s redressable and possible for us
to resolve,” he stated.
On his part, Gbajabiamila spoke about the collaboration between
the Executive and the Legislature under the present administration
in addressing some of the critical issues facing the country.
He said the actions of the lawmakers would continue to be guided
by the legislative agenda adopted by the House at its inauguration
in 2019, in line with the vision of the President.
NYIF: Minister Hails Focal Group Volunteers
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has
commended members of the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) Focal
Group for the dedication they have shown in carrying out their
unpaid volunteer work for the Fund.
The Minister, who made the commendation when the NYIF Focal
Group presented its preliminary report to him in Abuja on Thursday,
noted that the members were selected based on their skills,
competence and areas of expertise.
He explained that “We will take time to study this interim that
has been submitted by the NYIF Focal Group will be harmonized with
the interim report that the Technical Committee has submitted and
the outcome of that will be presented to the Steering
Committee.
“It is important for me to state that I am impressed, and I
commend the quality of work you have put in because this
assignment, membership of the Focal Group is not a paid assignment,
it is volunteer work. This is rendering service to the country and
to the youth,” he stressed.
The Focal Group’s team lead, Oladipupo Adebiyi, while presenting
the report during a virtual event, said “The NYIF initiative enjoys
public support especially from young Nigerians. Nigerians believe
the fund will address unemployment and reduce poverty amongst young
Nigerians.
“The fund will not only cushion the effect of the COVID-19
pandemic on the economic condition of young people, it will also
foster the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Most young Nigerians strongly posit that the success of the fund
will be contingent on its inclusiveness, monitoring and evaluation
mechanism and sustainability framework.”
The group’s terms of reference required that it Provide
advisory, insights and suggestions on the successful implementation
of the NYIF emanating from both the group and the youth population;
Propose ideas and initiatives that promote the NYIF and supports
its impact on youth entrepreneurship across the country; Provide
feedback on the expectations of the youth with regard to the
implementation of NYIF across the youth demography in the country;
Serve as ambassadors of the NYIF in their various communities and
spheres of influence; Coordinate the engagement of the NYIF with
youth groups and other stakeholders across the country for a proper
feedback process to strengthen the Fund; and Advise on other
related issue(s) as may be requested by the Inter-ministerial
Steering Committee.
*Media Office To The Honourable Minister Of Youth And
Sports Development*: Minister Hails Focal Group Volunteers
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has
commended members of the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) Focal
Group for the dedication they have shown in carrying out their
unpaid volunteer work for the Fund.
The Minister, who made the commendation when the NYIF Focal
Group presented its preliminary report to him in Abuja on Thursday,
noted that the members were selected based on their skills,
competence and areas of expertise.
He explained that “We will take time to study this interim that
has been submitted by the NYIF Focal Group will be harmonized with
the interim report that the Technical Committee has submitted and
the outcome of that will be presented to the Steering
Committee.
“It is important for me to state that I am impressed, and I
commend the quality of work you have put in because this
assignment, membership of the Focal Group is not a paid assignment,
it is volunteer work. This is rendering service to the country and
to the youth,” he stressed.
The Focal Group’s team lead, Oladipupo Adebiyi, while presenting
the report during a virtual event, said “The NYIF initiative enjoys
public support especially from young Nigerians. Nigerians believe
the fund will address unemployment and reduce poverty amongst young
Nigerians.
“The fund will not only cushion the effect of the COVID-19
pandemic on the economic condition of young people, it will also
foster the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Most young Nigerians strongly posit that the success of the fund
will be contingent on its inclusiveness, monitoring and evaluation
mechanism and sustainability framework.”
The group’s terms of reference required that it Provide
advisory, insights and suggestions on the successful implementation
of the NYIF emanating from both the group and the youth population;
Propose ideas and initiatives that promote the NYIF and supports
its impact on youth entrepreneurship across the country; Provide
feedback on the expectations of the youth with regard to the
implementation of NYIF across the youth demography in the country;
Serve as ambassadors of the NYIF in their various communities and
spheres of influence; Coordinate the engagement of the NYIF with
youth groups and other stakeholders across the country for a proper
feedback process to strengthen the Fund; and Advise on other
related issue(s) as may be requested by the Inter-ministerial
Steering Committee.
*Media Office To The Honourable Minister Of Youth And
Sports Development*