Federal Government Plans to extend NYSC scheme underway

The NigerianFederal Governmenthas revealed plans to extend the National Youth Service Corps programme.
This is according to Minister of Youth Development and Sports,Mr. Solomon Dalongduring a speech at Lagos State NYSC orientation camp.

Dalong, has said the Federal Government plans to expand theNational Youth Service Corpsscheme to include skill acquisition and entrepreneurial training.

He said, “Apart from the basic orientation programme, the NYSC scheme should also move into including professional and enterprising programmes to support and motivate those who would not want to embrace public services in the country.

“After the mandatory one-year service, the Federal Government is planning an extension, to professionally train interested corps members in skill acquisition, enterprising and professional programmes.

“Corps members with keen interest would be retained and some financial token given to them as start-up capital in furtherance of their skill.

“This is because due to our research, we found out that people abandon school due to uncertainty of the future. Hence, we believe this would help reduce the unemployed graduate ratio and curtail pressure on white-collar job as a means to win the war against poverty.”

He also assured that any candidate who took part in the additional training after the mandatory one-year service, will be presented with a start-up capital at the end of the training.

ATBUVarsity graduates 7,688 Students, 32 bag first class

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (atbuedu)
It has been reported thatAbubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, ATBU,7,688 students at its combined 19th and 22nd convocation, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Saminu Ibrahim, said on Tuesday, January 5.

According to TheNation reports, 32 graduands obtained First Class Honors.
Ibrahim stated this during a pre-convocation press briefing in Bauchi, that the figure included 845 Diplomas, 5,554 first degrees, 1,219 Post-Graduate Diplomas and Masters and 64 Doctorate students.

He further said that of the 5,554 first degree graduands, 32 obtained First Class, 1,203 had Second Class Upper and 2,702 passed with Second Class Lower. 1481 had Third Class while 136 graduated with a Pass.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to grace the occasion scheduled to hold on Jan. 23, 2016.

FreedomCatholic bishop responsible for release of JSS 2 student, 25 others from prison

The Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese in Adamawa State, Most Rev.Stephen Dami Mamza, has facilitated thereleaseof 26 inmates serving various prison sentences at the Yola Maximum Prison.

According toThe Eaglereports, Mamza took this action in order to commemorate 2016 as the Year of Peace as set aside by the Pontiff, Pope Frances II.
The bishop explained, during a short speech at the prison, that he felt compassion for the inmates who have been in prison for over a year simply because they could not afford to pay the fine needed for their release.

Speaking on how he found out about the plight of the inmate, Mamza disclosed that when he visited the prisons last Christmas, one of them revealed that he was sentenced to 2 years, but given an option of N700 fine.

Bishop Mamzasaid: “One of them in prison jailed for two years was unable to pay N700 as the option of fine but he couldn’t afford to pay and he is serving two years.
“For some others, it is N1,000.
“But the highest is only about N15,000.
“So I got somebody to compile those affected.

“I decided to do this because this year is very special and has been declared by the Holy Farther Pope Francis as the Year of Mercy.

“We need to be merciful to one another so that God can be merciful to us.
“We must remain our brother’s keepers and love those who are in need.”

One of the release inmates,Blessing Ishaku, a 15-year-old JSS 2 student, said she was arrested by vigilantes while sitting outside her house and taken to a police station and she was taken to court and jailed for three years with an option fine of N15,000, but she was unable to pay the fine so she has spent one month at the Yola Prison. She was thankful that she avoided the jail sentence of 3 years which would have been her fate, and thanked the Catholic church for coming to her rescue.