Justice Ricardo Goncalves, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, announced that the court’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) is designed for radical judicial transformation in the sub-region. Goncalves made the statement during a technical validation workshop in Abuja, organized to finalize the plan.

The strategic plan focuses on several key objectives. These include strengthening the court’s capacity, ensuring timely justice delivery, and expanding public access to justice. It also aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and human rights protection.

The final document will guide the court’s operations through 2030. Goncalves emphasized that the workshop was critical for ensuring the plan is “realistic, practical, and implementable” to better serve the ECOWAS Community.

“The Strategic Plan is a tool for regional judicial transformation to reduce delays, strengthen enforcement of judgments, make justice more accessible to citizens, and to build a Court that inspires confidence and trust across the region,” Goncalves said.

He, therefore, urged staff members to take ownership of the process and commit to its implementation.

Also speaking, Dr Olalekan Afolabi, the court’s Principal Officer, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, reviewed the court’s performance, the strategic plan’s framework, while outlining the workshop’s objectives and methodology.

He stressed the need for the ECOWAS Court to align departmental goals with the its vision toward ensuring that the strategies were both inclusive and achievable.

NAN reports that the event was attended by the ECOWAS Commission’s representative, the court’s management, directors, heads of division and staff, resource persons and consultants.

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The Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Ibrahim, revealed this on Monday in Abuja, during the opening ceremony of the maiden meeting of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management with heads of Corps Producing Institutions (CPI) in Nigeria.

According to her, this is in line with the proposed NYSC reforms which will take place soon, adding that it was different from the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund programme for 2024.

“I will be inaugurating a team to undertake the review, restructuring and reforms of the NYSC.

“The thrust of these reforms will be centred on imbuing participants with an entrepreneurship mindset and making skills development the core of the programme,” the minister said.

“Though that is already part of the objectives carried out by the scheme, the aim is to partner with it to strengthen the mandate.

“How do we make the scheme more efficient, more effective and more beneficial to both the nation and the Corps members?

“So, we envision a future where the NYSC programme is not only self-sustaining, but also a revenue generating programme within the next five years.

“To achieve this, we will institutionalise the NYSC ventures as an investment and asset management outfit,” she said.

The minister said that this would enable the Federal Government to leverage and properly manage the vast assets of the NYSC and make strategic investments in various sectors.

She listed the sectors to include agriculture, manufacturing, garment making, communication and Digital Banking.

She said that the initiative underscored the commitment of the present administration to invest in youth-led entrepreneurial ventures as a step towards youth contribution to Nigeria’s journey towards a trillion dollar economy.

“The National Youth Skills programme will play a pivotal role in these reforms. While typically a 12-month programme this year, we’ll start a six months abridged version.

“We expect the ventures funded to emerge from this programme in various strategic sectors driving innovation and economic growth,” she added.

Ibrahim urged the participants, as the custodians of higher education in Nigeria, to bear the profound responsibility of nurturing the intellectual, moral and civic capacity of the nation’s youth.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, said that the decision to initiate the direct interface with Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts came as a result of the scheme’s desire to elicit more decisive actions regarding the roles of their institutions in the mobilisation process.

He said that the meeting was aimed at creating strategies for the elimination of identified flaws and ensuring a more seamless mobilisation process.

“Over the years, we have thoroughly examined the process and identified avoidable problems while constructive engagements with relevant stakeholders have led to a number of resolutions aimed at addressing them.

“However, some CPIs are not doing enough on the implementation of these decisions.

“We have also observed that the delegation of the roles of principal officers of some institutions to their subordinates is partly responsible for the shortfalls and abuses that have bedeviled the mobilisation process, including the presentation of unqualified persons for enlistment.

“I am, therefore, confident that this meeting will elicit greater commitment from these highly respected stakeholders,” he said.

While declaring the meeting open, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, said the need for adoption of innovative strategies to surmount challenges and enhance best practices for the engagement of young graduates in national development efforts could not be over-emphasised

Wike, represented by the Mandate Secretary, Women and Children Affairs, FCT Administration, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, added that it was gratifying that the scheme was focused on enhancing the efficiency of its operation.

This, he said, was through the adoption of technology-driven approaches in data collation and processing for mobilisation and deployment purposes.

“I encourage you to continue to optimise the IT solutions for accuracy and greater efficiency. I am aware that this meeting is maiden and a crucial step in addressing critical issues pertaining to the effective implementation of operational policies of the scheme.

“I commend the decision of the NYSC to periodically bring critical stakeholders together for brainstorming on the best strategies for greater success, which aligns perfectly with the contemporary global best practices for achieving desired results,” he said.

The minister urged them to participate actively and offer insightful contributions, adding that he was confident that the all-important engagement would pave way for a more responsive, efficient, and impactful NYSC.

-NAN

In interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), residents expressed gratitude for the market and urged the government to continue these initiatives to alleviate economic hardships. Governor Sanwo-Olu had directed the special discount market, usually open on Sundays, to operate on Good Friday in line with Easter celebrations. Oliver Pesigo, a legal officer, noted the positive changes in the market since its inception on March 17. He emphasized the importance of continuing the discount markets to mitigate economic challenges. Sewede Avoseh praised the organization of the market by government officials and commended the security measures in place.

Another buyer, Kafayat Kappo, expressed satisfaction with the market’s efficiency. Nusirat Hammed, the program coordinator, highlighted that the decision to continue the discount markets rests with the state government and praised the security operatives for maintaining order. The ‘Ounje Eko’ Discount Markets were initiated by the Lagos State Government on March 17 to alleviate economic hardships in the state.

W.TEC Spokesperson, Yemi Odutola, told phenomenal that the women and girls were trained through the centre’s technology after school clubs, camps and other programmes.

Phenomenal reports that W.TEC is a Nigerian non-profit organisation focused on encouraging girls and women to pursue technology careers.

He noted that the centre was able to train those number of girls through the various training programmes held last year.

“Last year we successfully launched our in-person ‘MakeHerspace’ training for participants in Nasarawa, Bauchi and Abuja after the passing of the second wave of the pandemic in Nigeria.

“During these classes, a total of 887 girls and women were trained on electronics and renewable energy paneled projects at 12 centres across the three states.

“This successful phase of MakeHerspace was targeted at two group which were ages 10 to 17 and 18 to 25,” Odutola said.

He said that the MakeHerspace project, which was done with the support of Google, was a technology initiative that taught young women to create engineering-based solutions to solve problems in their communities and provide information about career options.

The Spokesperson said that the NGO also organised an after school computer programme for girls in public secondary schools in 2021 called ‘W.TEC Academy’.

He noted that the W.TEC Academy which was done in Lagos and Kwara State was targeted for girls between ages 11 to 17 years.

Odutola said that 361 girls in 14 schools benefitted from the programme in Kwara, while 232 girls in nine schools under Lagos State Ministry of Education District IV, were empowered.

“The academy sessions have helped the girls to deepen their skills through hands-on science and technology projects, programming classes, career talks and engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals.

” The W.TEC Academy programme in Kwara State was sponsored by Oracle, while the one in Lagos was supported by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC),” he said.

Odutola said that to promote sustainable and financial empowerment for female entrepreneurs, the NGO organised ‘SHE CAN with ICT” for aspiring women between the ages 18 to 35 years.

The communication officer said W.TEC’s major goal was to equip 300 aspiring or existing female entrepreneurs with technology skills and knowledge to improve their business productivity and profitability.

” Our plan was also to reduce the digital gender gap by increasing the number of women who are comfortable using technology.

“At the end of the programme, a total of 339 participants were trained and a WhatsApp group was created to follow-up and respond to questions after the classes in case participants have issues with their projects, “he said.

Odutola added that the She Can with ICT was done in collaboration with Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation.

Speaking on the centre’s plan for 2022, he said that W. TEC Academy programme in Kwara State continues this year for the 2021/2022 session.

Also read;Yuletide: NGO feeds over 100 suspects, policemen in Lagos

He said that the programme has reached 361 secondary school girls out of the estimate to reach 1050, adding that this year the programme was projected to reach 689 of them.

“W. TEC Academy Lagos programme continues this year with estimated reach of 120 secondary school girls in addition to the 232 trained last year to wrap up the ongoing cycle by June in 2022.

“SheCanWithICT programme in Lagos continues this year with estimated reach of 100 entrepreneurial women in addition to the 338 reached so far to wrap up the ongoing cycle by February in 2022.

“Also, Makeherspace is projected to reach five states across Nigeria with a total of 1602 female participants in two groups, “he said.

The NNPC, Chief Executive Officer, Malam Mele Kyari, said this while addressing staff of the organisation in a townhall meeting at NNPC Towers, Abuja.

Kyari, in a statement on Sunday by Mr Garba Muhammad, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, highlighted the significance of the PIA to the NNPC and by extension the Nigerian economy.

Kyari said the new legislation had raised shareholders’ expectations on the company.

He added that the PIA had given the company a wide room to make progress.

Also read;Buhari inaugurates NNPC Board, demands transparency, accountability

According to him, the PIA has put “all money-making options on the table; it is up to us to take advantage of it.”

He said the company due to the new legislation would not only shed some of its toxic liabilities due to the new legislation but would be the largest and most capitalised company in Africa.

Kyari charged the workers to ensure the company becomes a commercially viable entity and a multi-billion-dollar entity that would continuously deliver value to its shareholders

Mr Bola Oyeleke, President and CEO of the association, who said this in an interview with the phenomenal on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that the training would hold from Jan. 28, and end in March.

Oyeleke listed the states as Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Abuja, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano, Gombe, Taraba, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Imo, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Borno.

He specifically noted that no fewer than 2,000 farmers would be trained in Lagos; Oyo 3,000; Ogun 3,000; Osun 2,000; Ondo 2,500; Abuja 1,000; Kaduna 2,500; Sokoto 5,000; Kano 4,000; Gombe 3,000 and Taraba 2,000.

Others are Kebbi 3,500, Kogi 2,000; Kwara 1,500; Enugu 1,000; Imo 1,000; Calabar 2,000; Uyo 2,000; Delta 2,000 and Borno 1,500.

“This year we will be embarking more on training farmers on good agronomy practice to plant tomatoes and other vegetables in large scale and we want other farmers, stakeholders and government to take part in the training.

Also read;Institute distributes 300,000 cocoa seedlings to farmers in 2021

“Our main target and objective this year is to make sure that farmers will be able to produce 30 tonnes to 40 tonnes of tomatoes per hectre.

“Through the training we can scale up tomato production, meet the consumption rate of the populace and as well boost the income of the farmers,”

Abubakar, an APC lawmaker, representing Ganjuwa East Constituency in the assembly, made the donation on Sunday in Bauchi.

He said that the financial support would boost the economic status of the beneficiaries.

According to him, the beneficiaries include 74 women who recieved N10,000 each; 10 wards leaders who were given N50,000, 10 wards chairmen with N100,000 and 30 constituents who went home with N5, 000 each.

Abubakar explained that the gesture was part of his earlier plans to empower his people and develop his constituency.

He said that the empowerment would reduce the rate of poverty among the people and afford them the opportunity of engaging in small and medium scale enterprises.

The lawmaker, who called on the beneficiaries to continue praying for him to succeed, said that he had lined up several other constituency outreach programmes that would help alleviate the sufferings of the people.

In his remarks, the APC Chairman in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Sabadeen Zalanga, advised the beneficiaries to spend the money for the purpose it was meant.

He assured those yet to benefit from the gesture to remain calm, assuring that another set of people would soon be empowered.

Also read;Bauchi State Govt. distributes foodstuff to 2,320 vulnerable children

The lawmaker also appealed to the people of the constituency to continue to support the party.

One of the beneficiaries, Hajiya Altine Soro, appreciated the lawmaker for the gesture, saying that he had demonstrated true leadership.

Soro, who said that she was overwhelmed by the cash donation, promised to put it into good use.

“I thank the lawmaker for this demonstration of service to the people and I pray God to continue to guide him to do more for us,” she said.

Abdullahi-Inuwa disclosed this while addressing newsmen at a three-day capacity-building workshop on digital journalism and fact-checking at PRNigeria Centre, on Friday in Kano.

According to him, digital journalism is part of digital literacy and transformation, which entails knowledge.

This, he said, would help in filtering fake news and disseminating the good ones to citizens,” he said.

The managing director added that the training had become imperative in order to enable media practitioners use better means of disseminating news.

“We aim to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy in Nigeria by 2030,” he said.

Abdullahi-Inuwa described cyber security as one of the strategy pillars under strategic roadmap and action, adding it was more about social engineering.

“We do lots of awareness to enable people know the “dos and don’ts of social media. So, this awareness will help them protect their own confidential information”, he said.

Abdullahi-Inuwa further explained that NITDA had computer centres proactively protecting digital space.

He added that during the 2020 EndSARS protests, the agency helped so many MDAs to protect their digital spaces.