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FG to start paying youth unemployment benefits to graduates, sets up consumer credit programme
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By Emmanuel Agaji
The Federal Government on Monday said it would extend its social security payments net to graduates with qualifications from NCE and upwards.
Addressing journalists after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun, disclosed that the programme would see unemployed Nigerian youths being paid stipends.
“At this period of heightened food prices, Mr. President has committed to doing all that can be done to assist in giving purchasing power to the poorest and in that line.
“He has committed and instructed that the Social Security unemployment programme be devised, particularly to cater for the youth, for the unemployed graduates, as well as the society as a whole.
“So, we have coming, in the nearest future, an unemployment benefit for the young unemployed, in particular,” the Minister announced.
Similarly, Edun said the FG will urgently establish a consumer credit scheme to alleviate the pains of economic adjustment.
He explained that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, will lead a committee that includes the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Attorney-General of the Federation and himself, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
“There is coming a social consumer credit programme. By making consumer credit available, goods become more affordable, the economy even gets a chance to revive faster, because people have purchasing power that allows them to order goods, products,” he stated.
Edun also spoke on the review implemented by the Special Presidential panel on the National Social Investment Programme, which has submitted a preliminary report to the president.
He noted that the president gave the highlights to the Council meeting noting that what was done was “a review of the existing mechanisms, a review of the existing programmes, and where there have been successes, such as the 400,000 beneficiaries of the GEEP programme.”
He added, “So, the direct payments to 12 million households comprising 60 million Nigerians is to resume immediately with the important proviso that every beneficiary will be identified by their national identity number and the bank verification number.
“Therefore, payments will be made into bank accounts or mobile money wallets. So, that whether it is before or after, there is verification of the identity of beneficiaries.
“Each person that receives 25,000 Naira for a total of three months will be identifiable, even after they have received the money, it will be clear who it went to and when it went to them. And that is the big change that has allowed Mr. president to approve the restart of that direct payments to beneficiaries programme.”
On his part, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijjani, explained that beneficiaries would be vetted through their Bank Verification Number and National Identity Numbers to avoid multiple payouts to one individual.
He said, “One of the initial moves that we’re making is leveraging the existing dataset that we have on our people. As you know, the BVN is well known to be extremely credible. NIN on the other side, which is now the most popular data identity system for Nigeriansm, is also to a largest and credible, and it covers quite a significant number of people as well.
“And what we’re looking to do here is the triangulation of this data set to ensure that not only are we using the register that has been properly populated, but that we also do proper verification of every individual that will benefit from that social investment programme, which means we will get commitment to ensuring that no one is paid twice, because you have to be properly IDed before you can benefit from that programme.”
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has clarified his earlier comments on the controversy surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, denying that he alleged that signatures of lawmakers were forged in the report that recommended the Kogi Central senator’s suspension.
Oshiomhole, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said his comments during an interview on AIT’s Politics Today programme on Monday were misrepresented, insisting that he never claimed any senator’s signature was forged.
The former Edo State governor said his position was consistent with that of the Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no senator’s signature was forged because no lawmaker had complained to him about such.
He, however, explained that the only issue he raised was that a senator who served on the committee had claimed that attendance signatures of some lawmakers were attached to the final report.
Oshiomhole said, “The insinuation that I said signatures of Senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said
“I agree absolutely with the spokesperson of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no signature of Senators was forged in Natasha Akpoti’s suspension. This is because no Senator complained to me that his or her signature was forged.
“The only comment I made is that one Senator, who is a member of the Committee, claimed’ that the signatures of attendance of some Senators were attached to the final report.”
The Edo North senator added that any suggestion that he accused anyone of forging signatures was “completely untrue” and should be disregarded.
Oshiomhole said the issue of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had been concluded, adding that the Senate had moved on.
“Finally, I regret if my comments may have caused embarrassment to any Senator or the 10th Senate as an institution,” he stated.
His clarification came hours after the Senate dismissed claims that the suspension process was manipulated, accusing Oshiomhole of attempting to reopen a settled matter.
The Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, had earlier said the disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan followed due process and was handled openly on the floor of the chamber.
Adaramodu said the allegation that lawmakers’ signatures were forged never arose during the proceedings, questioning why the issue was being raised months after the matter had been concluded.
He maintained that the Senate had established that any senator who violates its rules would face appropriate sanctions, insisting that the Akpoti-Uduaghan matter was transparently handled.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has insisted that he won the 2023 presidential election.
Obi charged Nigerians to forget about the proof because he won but was not declared the winner.
In an interview with Rufai Oseni, the former Anambra State governor stressed that someday the process would recognise his victory.
He said: “Do you know that in the last election I won? Forget about the proof, they didn’t declare me.
“I have contested elections in Nigeria as a presidential candidate and won, leave what’s declared because one day the story will be told.
“For now, I can tell you that I’m offering myself for the general election in Nigeria. One day, the process will recognise it.”
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, LP, came third behind the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has expressed confidence that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will win his election for a second term as Governor of Ekiti State at this Saturday’s poll.
Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday at the capital city of Ado-Ekiti during the grand finale of the Governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.
The rally was also attended by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman and his team in the National Working Committee, dozens of federal lawmakers and many APC Governors.
Akpabio who is co-chairman of the APC National Campaign Council for the Ekiti Governorship Poll assured the people that he would support and work with the Governor until the victory is delivered on Saturday.
“I will support you. I will work with you until victory is delivered on the 20th of June, 2026,” Akpabio assured the Governor.
The Senate President said the people of Ekiti State are known for peace and urged them not to allow anyone to steal their peace by causing violence at the poll.
The Senate President urged them not to stay back at home but come out early to cast their votes stressing that “we want to see the quantum of your votes so that we will know what you are going to give to Asiwaju in 2027.”
Akpabio explained that Governor Oyebanji was being supported because of his performance and humility.
“We have come to support not just a colleague but a performing colleague in the party. We have come to support a humble man and a man who believes in gender sensitivity, who has picked a woman as a deputy governor.
“We are here to support the women in Ekiti State. We have come to support performance in Ekiti State.
“Who would have thought that a man can unite all the former governors of Ekiti State. I have seen them here. Sometimes we don’t agree with them. Sometimes they are not even in the same party. But they are all here on the podium to support only one man. And the reason is because that man is worthy of support,” Akpabio said.
Also speaking, Governor Oyebanji said he had kept to his campaign promises during the last election and made further pledge to do more if re-elected for a second term of four years on Saturday.
“Close to four years ago, we entered into a contract that we will serve you. You can attest to the fact that with the help of God and the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have served you well.
“We have served you very well in the last three to four years.You can see what we have done. These are things you can see, you can feel and you can touch. And l make a pledge here today that we are ready to do more,” Governor Oyebanji said.
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