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Olawande advises Nigerian Youth to Shelve Protest

Published

1 year ago

July 26, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of State for youth development Ayodele Olawande has called on the Nigerian youth to shelve the planned nationwide protest scheduled to hold in August.
The Minister gave this admonition on Thursday in his office in Abuja.

According to Olawande “there are many ways we can register our displeasure as youth to the government, but a protest that has the potential to snowball into destruction is not an option. We have our whole future ahead of us. Hence, anything that hurts Nigeria affects us more than anyone else”.

While reiterating that the major interventions of the Federal Ministry of Youth have been guided mostly by the yearnings and agitations of the youth,he highlighted various youth-focused initiatives of the Federal government which he said include ,”Young and Secure” initiative ,a campaign aimed at ensuring that the issue which led to the 2020 #EndSars protest do not re-occur; the “Youth Desk” which offers a platform for young Nigerians to table their complaints and concerns in a Coordinated manner.

The Minister stated “Personally, I believe we need to work to bring the government Closer to the Youth, to make it easier for the Youth to feel and experience the the impact of government. This is the reason I have priotized an apolitical engagement, by visiting more than 13 States so far”

Also, “I am aware that a major challenge for our generation is unemployment, which is worsened by the kind of Mismatch that exists between the skills that Majority of us possessed and those that employers in today’s labour market required. Hence, we initiated the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA) to up skill the youth and connect them to employers.

“For the Youth who have opted for self employment, the government has made preparations to fully support their aspirations through the Nigerian Youth Investment fund (NYIF). Also, through the grants and Cash transfers, President Tinubu has Provided #50 billion as nano-grants of#50,000 each to 1,300 small businesses in all the 774 local government areas.

“There is also the Consumer Credit Scheme initiated by the President Tinubu to enable Nigerians have access to good and Services, with Payment Spread over time in order to make life easier for all and sundry.

“In the Political Sphere, the President has Opened Up the Political Space like never before, appointing arguably the Largest number of Young People to top Positions in government, while also delivering local governments autonomy to democratise political participation at the grassroot level. Yet, these are Only some of the over 34 key interventions the president has made so far”, the minister recounted.

While Stating that the President is wholly concerned about how to reduce out -of- Pocket expenses for low income families.The minister said the recently approved Student loan and the Consumer Credit Scheme are Some of the key interventions in this regards.
“All the initiatives we are working on may not have addressed all the problems, I am confident that President Tinubu would continue to expand Opportunities for the Youth and Other Categories of Nigerians to thrive”.

“I urge my fellow Youth to be patient and utilise all channels of engaging with the government to table their demands that are yet to be met. The doors to my office are opened at all times to receive your complaints, grievances, and suggestions. Protest which in the long run will muddle up the issues we are fighting for would not advance our cause ” the minister Pleaded.

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PSIN Administrator Commends Yobe Government for Championing Leadership Continuity and Institutional Sustainability

Published

2 hours ago

November 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Igele

The Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Barrister Imeh Okon, has applauded the Yobe State Government for its strong commitment to leadership continuity and sustainable governance through strategic investment in human capital development.

Barrister Okon gave the commendation at the opening of a Management Retreat for Yobe State Permanent Secretaries, held at the PSIN headquarters in Abuja.

The retreat, themed “Succession Planning, Leadership Continuity, and Institutional Sustainability in the Yobe State Public Service,” convened senior bureaucrats and resource persons to discuss strategies for strengthening leadership and governance within the state’s civil service.

In her remarks, the PSIN Administrator praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his foresight and partnership in prioritizing public sector training and capacity development. She described the theme of the retreat as both “timely and visionary,” emphasizing that institutions endure only when leadership is continuous, knowledge is shared, and systems—not individuals—drive performance.

“Institutions thrive not merely on structures or policies, but on the deliberate cultivation of capable leaders who can sustain progress across generations,” she said. “By prioritizing leadership continuity and institutional resilience, Yobe State is leading by example.”

Barrister Okon reiterated PSIN’s mandate to build a competent, ethical, and innovative public service capable of delivering tangible results to citizens. She stressed that effective succession planning must be anchored in continuous training, mentorship, and exposure to emerging governance trends.

Citing best practices from Singapore and the United Kingdom, Okon noted that successful public service systems deliberately identify and nurture potential leaders through structured talent pipelines and transparent career development programmes. According to her, Yobe State’s initiative reflects its readiness to sustain excellence in governance.

She also highlighted PSIN’s flagship programmes—SMART-P, which builds administrative and technical capacity; LEAD-P, designed to groom emerging leaders; and the Exit from Service Masterclass, which prepares officers for life after service. Okon urged the Yobe Government to adopt the Exit Masterclass into its human resource framework to ensure a smooth transition for retirees, preserve institutional knowledge, and promote productivity through entrepreneurship and consultancy.

“Succession planning is not an event but a culture that must be institutionalised at every level of public administration,” she added. “When we prepare successors in advance and invest in continuous learning, we guarantee the sustainability of reforms and consistency in governance.”

Declaring the retreat open, the Acting Head of Service of Yobe State, Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu, reaffirmed Governor Buni’s commitment to building a results-driven and high-performing public service.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service, Alhaji Shehu, the Acting Head of Service expressed gratitude to God and lauded PSIN as the “mother institution of public service learning.” He stated that Governor Buni has consistently directed the Office of the Head of Service to promote seamless succession planning and capacity building to enhance efficiency and accountability across government institutions.

“In line with this directive, we have brought the top echelon of the state civil service to PSIN—being the drivers and core implementers of government policies and programmes—to strengthen continuity and sustainability in our reforms,” he said.

He urged participants to fully engage in the retreat, share experiences, and cascade the knowledge gained to officers across ministries, departments, and agencies. The exercise, he explained, forms part of a deliberate strategy to institutionalize effective succession planning within the Yobe State Civil Service, thereby ensuring sustained productivity and improved service delivery to citizens.

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