News
Enugu Govt trains, graduates over 3000 beneficiaries on food packaging
…sets to empower more of different skills
In an effort to eradicate poverty and hunger in the state through the training and empowerment of over 40 thousand youths and women annually, the Enugu State Government has successfully trained and graduated over 3000 people on different skills, including food processing, food packaging and food preservation for local markets as well as export purposes.
This was even as the Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Eradication disclosed that it had concluded plans to empower more residents of the state on several business skills that would enable them earn a living and support their families.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony held recently at the Enugu State Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board Center at Independence Layout, Enugu, the Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, explained that the State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, had during his campaign, promised to eradicate poverty in the state by 2031, adding that the training was a follow-up to the bigger programme of the administration to empower the people with life-changing skills and strategies to raising their standard of living.
According to him, the training which would come in phases, will include accessing information, skills training and online marketing that will assist participants to harness, process and package the state agricultural products within local markets and for export earnings.
Dr Agbo, who called on the participants not to take the seminar for granted, stressed that “The training will expand your knowledge and raise the bar of your income which will reflect on your purchasing power and standards of living.
“These important trainings are initiatives of the Governor Mbah administration. They are aimed at changing your economic status. However, the structure is significant because it’s set up to first change your attitude by teaching you how to work and make a living. It’s a sustainable measure that you will always carry the technical-know-how or the knowledge with you. With these trainings, it’s our hope that you can now do things differently.
“It is the goal of our administration not only to move our gross domestic product from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, but to also eradicate poverty from the state. The government is being intentional in working towards the target. In our first year in office, the administration of Governor Mbah was able to train and empower over fifty thousand residents, including farmers, artisans, youths and women on modern skills such as digital skills, financial technology, food processing and packaging skills, among others. We are glad that they are all doing well in their respective fields, and this year, we are doubling down on our achievements.”
The commissioner further emphasized that the training was designed to be strategic with international outlook because trainees were equipped to key into the efforts of the state government to activate the international wing and cargo section of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which would soon become operational.
Although, Dr Agbo said that the training programme would continue in phases, he admonished the beneficiaries to network and expand their business tentacles with a view to harnessing the full potential of the lucrative market.
The traditional ruler of Akumarun Okoloke town, in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state, Oba J.D. Ogunyanda, has been abducted by gunmen.
Okoloke, a peaceful town situated along the Egbe-Patigi road in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, is an active food production community renowned for its rich cultural heritage.
The Monarch, who is a second class traditional ruler was said to have been kidnapped in his Palace, in the early hours of Thursday by the gunmen, who are believed to be Fulani herders.
Sources, who confirmed the development to BusinessDay, disclosed that the ruler was taken away by the gunmen numbering about 30 to an unknown destination.
As of the time of filing this report, his abductors have yet to make contact with the community or demand for ransom.
“The state of things in our land is dire, with fear hindering entry and progress despite its potential. We cry out to God for deliverance, believing that heaven helps those who help themselves.
“The sons and daughters of Okoloke and Yagba West are demanding security, justice and the safe return of our beloved monarch”, Moses Ayodele, a resident of the community, told our correspondent.
It would be recalled that there has been an escalation in the activities of terrorists and bandits in the Western Area of Kogi State in recent times.
Many people in the area have been forced to abandon their farms and houses, and are relocating out of the locality.
Youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has described as unacceptable the decision by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to fix a fresh examination for those affected by what it called errors in the recently released results.
JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, had on Wednesday admitted that errors led to the low score of candidates in the five South-East states and Lagos State.
The Board then said arrangement had commenced to reschedule the exam for the affected candidates.
But, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said the arrangement was totally unacceptable.
Okwu said it was a disservice for JAMB to subject the candidates to “another round of mental torture, stress and risk” for no fault of theirs.
“We want to state unequivocally that our people will not accept any fresh examination, having already been subjected to mental torture by JAMB.
“The candidates are not in the right frame of mind to undergo another examination, having been subjected to mental torture ever since the fake results were announced.
“Besides, who is going to bear the cost? The same parents who are facing severe financial challenges?
“What of the risk of moving to the examination locations, in a country ravaged by insecurity?” Okwu queried.
He declared that, “having said this, we demand that JAMB should allocate 300 score to all the South-East candidates affected by its own error not that of the candidates. Igbos are very brilliant people and could have made 300 and above.
“It was a deliberate design to punish the people of the South-East, clearly to deny them education opportunities.
“Should JAMB fail to heed to our request, we shall not hesitate to drag them to court, no form of crocodile tears by the Registrar will save the Board.”
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported a slight decline in Nigeria’s headline inflation rate, which eased to 23.71 percent in April 2025 from 24.23 percent recorded in March.
The Bureau released the latest figures in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) update on Thursday.
According to the agency, the movement for April 2025 “headline inflation rate showed a decrease of 0.52% compared to the March 2025 Headline inflation rate”.
“On a month-on-month basis, the Headline inflation rate in April 2025 was 1.86%, which was 2.04% lower than the rate recorded in March 2025 (3.90%),” NBS said.
“This means that in April 2025, the rate of increase in the average price level is lower than the rate of increase in the average price level in March 2025.”
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