01082020 - You're cruel insentitive for care of repentant terrorists, abandoning us
Vanguard Newspaper 01 August 2020
Vanguard Newspaper 01 August 2020
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28—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 1, 2020<br />
Adegbite’s Gold Finger<br />
Stories by Moses Nosike<br />
Since he was made the Minister <strong>of</strong> Mines<br />
and Steel Development by President<br />
Buhari, architect Olamilekan Adegbite<br />
has been working hard to turn the nation into<br />
a major gold producing one. With the price <strong>of</strong><br />
gold hitting unprecedented heights since the<br />
pandemic began, Adegbite moves is bound to<br />
benefit the nation immensely. J<strong>us</strong>t be<strong>for</strong>e the<br />
lockdown, the minister was at the stone laying<br />
ceremony <strong>of</strong> the Segilola Gold project, in Osun<br />
State by Thor exploration, a project which<br />
comprises a proposed open pit gold mining<br />
project based on an indicated mineral resource<br />
defined by a comprehensive drilling<br />
programme.<br />
According to sources, the project will process<br />
650,000 tons <strong>of</strong> ore, with a target production<br />
<strong>of</strong> approximately 80,000 ounces per year from<br />
next year. It was said that Adegbite has been<br />
actively supporting the project. During the<br />
block laying ceremony, the minister noted that<br />
the government was willing to give waivers<br />
on equipment and taxes to major investors<br />
willing to invest in the sector.<br />
“The Minister is overseeing the creation <strong>of</strong> a<br />
gold ecosystem in Nigeria. For the first time<br />
we have companies that mine and refine gold<br />
in Nigeria. Two gold refineries have been<br />
licensed who will refine the gold to international<br />
standards, which the CBN and other<br />
international investors can then buy,” says<br />
Ayodeji Adeyemi, special advisor on Media and<br />
publicity. He added that the vision <strong>of</strong> the<br />
honourable minister is to make Nigeria a major<br />
gold producing nation, which would generate<br />
revenue <strong>for</strong> the government and create a lot<br />
<strong>of</strong> job”.<br />
refined according to the London<br />
About two weeks ago, the first Bullion Market Association<br />
batch <strong>of</strong> artisanally-mined gold (LBMA) standards required <strong>for</strong><br />
bars to be purchased by the Central the <strong>us</strong>e <strong>of</strong> gold as a reserve<br />
Bank was unveiled at a reception instrument by the Central Bank<br />
ceremony to President Buhari on <strong>of</strong> Nigeria.<br />
July 16, 2020.This milestone is This means that the Central<br />
the culmination <strong>of</strong> 24 months <strong>of</strong> Bank will be purchasing gold that<br />
intense ef<strong>for</strong>ts by the leadership <strong>of</strong> has been mined, processed and<br />
Adegbite through the Solid refined under the Presidential<br />
Minerals Development Fund, Artisanal Gold Mining<br />
Kebbi and Osun states Development Initiative, PAGMI,<br />
government, Ministry <strong>of</strong> Mines <strong>for</strong> <strong>us</strong>e as part <strong>of</strong> Nigeria’s external<br />
and Steel Development, and the reserves.<br />
Ministry <strong>of</strong> Finance, Budget and Adegbite said in his speech that<br />
National Planning under a this milestone is a demonstration<br />
Steering Committee led by the <strong>of</strong> President Muhammadu<br />
Chief <strong>of</strong> Staff to the President, Buhari’s commitment to<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ibrahim Gambari. It was diversifying Nigeria’s economy<br />
gathered that Nigeria has and <strong>for</strong>eign reserves. The<br />
produced, <strong>for</strong> the first time ever, Presidential Artisanal Gold<br />
in June 2020, artisanally-mined Mining Development Initiative<br />
gold that has been processed and (“PAGMI”) is a comprehensive<br />
artisanal and small-scale gold<br />
mining<br />
development<br />
programme, launched in 2019 to<br />
foster the <strong>for</strong>malization and<br />
integration <strong>of</strong> artisanal gold<br />
mining activities into Nigeria’s<br />
legal, economic and institutional<br />
framework.<br />
“PAGMI has been designed to<br />
integrate social, environmental,<br />
health and safety, economic,<br />
commercial and technical<br />
considerations, into its<br />
implementation. PAGMI is also<br />
designed as a broader strategy to<br />
address the structural and<br />
institutional factors such as rural<br />
poverty, lack <strong>of</strong> alternative<br />
livelihoods and difficulties in<br />
meeting legal and regulatory<br />
requirements that tend to p<strong>us</strong>h<br />
artisanal gold mining operators<br />
deeper into the in<strong>for</strong>mal<br />
economy”.<br />
Background: Using data from<br />
UN Comtrade, PAGMI estimates<br />
that between 2012-2018, 97<br />
tonnes <strong>of</strong> gold valued at over $3<br />
billion was illegally smuggled out<br />
<strong>of</strong> Nigeria.<br />
His Excellency, the President,<br />
approved PAGMI in 2019 to<br />
address these issues and foster the<br />
integration <strong>of</strong> artisanal gold<br />
mining into the <strong>for</strong>mal system.<br />
PAGMI seeks to tackle and resolve<br />
these longstanding issues, while<br />
also contributing to President<br />
Buhari’s vision to lift 100 million<br />
Nigerians out <strong>of</strong> poverty within a<br />
decade.<br />
On how will PAGMI work, it was<br />
stated that the catalyst <strong>for</strong> the<br />
integration is the provision <strong>of</strong><br />
access to markets <strong>for</strong> the artisanal<br />
miners through a National Gold<br />
Purchase Programme and the<br />
deployment <strong>of</strong> enhanced mining<br />
methods at artisanal and smallscale<br />
mining sites. However,<br />
providing better access to<br />
markets through the National<br />
Gold Purchase Programme is only<br />
the first step in a comprehensive<br />
artisanal and small-scale gold<br />
mining development strategy<br />
integrating<br />
social,<br />
environmental, health and<br />
safety, economic, commercial,<br />
and technical considerations.<br />
So, PAGMI will deploy safer and<br />
more efficient mining and<br />
processing technologies across<br />
artisanal mining locations across<br />
the country, starting with Kebbi<br />
and Osun states as the pilot states<br />
with intervention in Kaduna,<br />
Zamfara and Niger states to<br />
commence immediately after the<br />
pilot.<br />
Using a centralized <strong>of</strong>ftake and<br />
supply system supported by a<br />
decentralized aggregation and<br />
production network, PAGMI will<br />
buy all the gold produced by<br />
artisanal and small-scale miners<br />
and aggregated by licensed<br />
buying centers and aggregators<br />
<strong>for</strong> supply to the Central Bank <strong>of</strong><br />
Nigeria.<br />
Which States are benefiting<br />
from PAGMI?<br />
The main gold producing belt<br />
with history <strong>of</strong> artisanal workings<br />
and exploration activities in<br />
Nigeria will benefit from PAGMI.<br />
Intervention at artisanal mining<br />
sites will take place in Kebbi,<br />
Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger and<br />
Osun states respectively with<br />
Kebbi and Osun serving as pilot<br />
states. PAGMI will also be setting<br />
up gold aggregation centers in<br />
addition to supporting licensed<br />
buying centers and aggregators<br />
with access to financing options,<br />
Assessing Jobberman’s initiative in bridging Nigeria’s skills gap<br />
nemployment is high<br />
Uamong Nigeria’s youth<br />
population. This age demography<br />
(15-35 years) accounts <strong>for</strong> about<br />
50% <strong>of</strong> 200 million population. To<br />
avert unemployment escalation<br />
and its dangers, Nigeria can<br />
leapfrog education and up-skill its<br />
youth <strong>for</strong> appropriate jobs<br />
through Online education<br />
especially as Covid-19 has<br />
engendered New Normal. This<br />
report assesses Jobberman’s<br />
intervention in this regard.<br />
Late last year, at the 31st<br />
convocation <strong>of</strong> the Federal<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Technology, Akure,<br />
Ondo state, President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari expressed<br />
worry on the uncomplimentary<br />
remarks by employers <strong>of</strong> labour<br />
that Nigerian graduates are not<br />
employable. The sweeping<br />
assessment simply means these<br />
employers <strong>of</strong> labour find it difficult<br />
to fill critical vacant positions to<br />
drive trans<strong>for</strong>mations.<br />
While this challenge has<br />
implications <strong>for</strong> the smooth<br />
running <strong>of</strong> the companies and<br />
growth <strong>of</strong> the economy, it is<br />
obvio<strong>us</strong>ly one <strong>of</strong> the factors<br />
swelling Nigeria’s unemployment<br />
rate presently at 23.1%. “This<br />
means that about 50 million out<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 200 million population do<br />
not have jobs. Some <strong>of</strong> those that<br />
have jobs are not appropriately<br />
fitted <strong>for</strong> the jobs. Un<strong>for</strong>tunately,<br />
the youth (those within the ages<br />
<strong>of</strong> 15-35 years) who <strong>for</strong>m about<br />
50% <strong>of</strong> the population account <strong>for</strong><br />
the highest number <strong>of</strong><br />
unemployed out <strong>of</strong> which 25<br />
million graduates are said not to<br />
have jobs”.<br />
A source from Jobberman’s<br />
initiative said that yearly,<br />
Nigerian tertiary institutions<br />
churn out many graduates, some<br />
<strong>of</strong> who are ill-prepared both in<br />
character and content <strong>for</strong> their<br />
own jobs or white-collar jobs.<br />
According to the source, as at last<br />
year, there were 174 universities<br />
(43 Federal Universities, 52 state<br />
Universities and 79 private<br />
Universities). Nigeria also has 134<br />
recognised Polytechnics in Nigeria<br />
(29 Federal Polytechnics, 48 state<br />
Polytechnics, 57 private<br />
Polytechnics. Many <strong>of</strong> these<br />
institutions are poorly funded and<br />
they run on old models, a<br />
development which ca<strong>us</strong>es them<br />
to give birth to ‘poor’ students.<br />
“In the last few years, Nigeria<br />
has made strides to attract<br />
investments and equally<br />
encouraging local investments.<br />
These multi-billion dollar<br />
investments in vario<strong>us</strong> sectors <strong>of</strong><br />
the economy that are competing<br />
in the global village need<br />
knowledgeable, hard-working,<br />
and articulate employees to<br />
handle tasks <strong>for</strong> the companies’<br />
growth. It is not only about<br />
credentials, but having<br />
personable, cultured, confident<br />
and well-groomed individuals to<br />
represent the companies.<br />
While speaking at the<br />
convocation, Buhari who was<br />
represented by Suleiman Y<strong>us</strong>uf,<br />
the Deputy Executive Secretary<br />
<strong>of</strong> the National Universities<br />
Commission (NUC) tasked the<br />
universities in the country to<br />
ensure that their graduates are<br />
employable. “As it is and with the<br />
existing wide gap between<br />
employers’ demand and<br />
employees, the task <strong>of</strong> making<br />
Nigerian graduates, job seekers<br />
and workers fit into the new<br />
workplace environment is a task<br />
not only <strong>for</strong> Nigerian universities<br />
alone”.<br />
Jobberman’s intervention<br />
•Adegbite<br />
It was in this connection that<br />
Jobberman, Nigeria’s <strong>for</strong>emost<br />
recruitment plat<strong>for</strong>m that helps<br />
employers and job seekers solve<br />
their recruitment and<br />
employment challenges recently<br />
introduced its world-class online<br />
s<strong>of</strong>t skills training, designed to upskill<br />
Nigerian youth between the<br />
age <strong>of</strong> 18 and 35 with the<br />
necessary s<strong>of</strong>t skills needed in the<br />
workplace.<br />
Ordinarily, some University<br />
graduates and other job seekers<br />
may qualify academically <strong>for</strong><br />
certain jobs, but they need certain<br />
non-technical skills to be recruited<br />
or retained on the jobs and this is<br />
where Jobberman, driven by<br />
tested managers, is filling the gap<br />
that some universities don’t <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
Jobberman, led by Hilda<br />
Kab<strong>us</strong>henga-Kragha who has<br />
worked in global consulting<br />
organisations including KPMG<br />
and McKinsey, understands how<br />
the Nigerian job market works.<br />
The firm is playing this critical<br />
societal role in <strong>care</strong>er services to<br />
enable young Nigerian graduates<br />
secure their dream jobs. Having<br />
the right skills <strong>for</strong> the job is beyond<br />
a university degree. Many<br />
employers are looking <strong>for</strong><br />
employees who have the<br />
necessary s<strong>of</strong>t skills that make<br />
them better individuals in the<br />
workplace and can compete<br />
globally.<br />
S<strong>of</strong>t Skills, commonly defined as<br />
non-technical skills, enable<br />
individuals to interact effectively<br />
and cooperate better with others.<br />
These skills are vital to<br />
organizations and can impact<br />
culture, mindsets, attitudes, and<br />
behaviours throughout an<br />
enterprise.<br />
Participants who take part in the<br />
Jobberman S<strong>of</strong>t Skills training get<br />
certificates which can be presented<br />
to many employer<br />
partners looking to<br />
hire qualified<br />
candidates. So far, it<br />
is said that over<br />
20,000 people have<br />
participated in the<br />
first Jobberman S<strong>of</strong>t<br />
Skills post-training<br />
assessment and<br />
many <strong>of</strong> them have<br />
started getting jobs<br />
after<br />
the<br />
programme.<br />
Jobberman’s <strong>care</strong>er<br />
up-skilling has<br />
become significant in<br />
today’s Nigeria as<br />
many Nigerian<br />
higher institutions<br />
have remained stuck<br />
to the past as they are<br />
yet to integrate the<br />
necessary skills that<br />
are in high demand<br />
by the labour market<br />
into<br />
their<br />
curriculum. Most<br />
courses are still<br />
taught theoretically<br />
without practical<br />
experiences and this<br />
makes the average<br />
graduate not<br />
appropriately fitted<br />
<strong>for</strong> the demands <strong>of</strong> the<br />
present labour<br />
market, hence<br />
leading to poor labour<br />
per<strong>for</strong>mance.<br />
Underscoring the<br />
J o b b e r m a n<br />
Online approach<br />
The present time,<br />
more than ever, reen<strong>for</strong>ces<br />
technology<br />
as the backbone <strong>of</strong><br />
b<strong>us</strong>iness, education<br />
Read more on<br />
www.vanguardngr.com<br />
responsible sourcing mechanisms,<br />
management and technical<br />
expertise including improved<br />
testing and processing equipment.<br />
What will PAGMI achieve?<br />
PAGMI will result in the creation<br />
<strong>of</strong> over 500,000 new mining and<br />
<strong>for</strong>malized jobs, leading to poverty<br />
alleviation <strong>for</strong> more than 1 million<br />
ho<strong>us</strong>eholds.<br />
Wealth Creation: Under PAGMI,<br />
artisanal gold miners will earn<br />
more from higher productivity,<br />
better recovery rates,<br />
mechanization <strong>of</strong> operations, and<br />
better access to reliable geological<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation. Increased earnings<br />
<strong>for</strong> the miners will have<br />
significant spillover effects in the<br />
local economies as b<strong>us</strong>inesses will<br />
grow to cater to the increased<br />
consumption per ho<strong>us</strong>ehold.<br />
Agreements have been reached<br />
with Thermo Fisher Scientific and<br />
Mettler Toledo, leading producers<br />
<strong>of</strong> gold testing and weight<br />
equipment to equip up to 50<br />
buying centers across the<br />
country.<br />
Revenues: PAGMI estimates<br />
that the Federal Government <strong>of</strong><br />
Nigeria could realize an annual<br />
average <strong>of</strong> $150 Million in taxes,<br />
$25 Million in royalties, and $500<br />
Million accretion to <strong>for</strong>eign<br />
reserves from the integration <strong>of</strong><br />
artisanal gold mining activities<br />
implemented by PAGMI.<br />
Reserves: PAGMI will allow the<br />
Central Bank <strong>of</strong> Nigeria to<br />
purchase locally produced gold in<br />
Naira to boost the nation’s <strong>for</strong>eign<br />
reserves..<br />
Health, Safety and<br />
Environmental Benefits: Effective<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> PAGMI will<br />
help to control the <strong>us</strong>e <strong>of</strong> lead,<br />
mercury, and cyanides. PAGMI<br />
will also improve the working<br />
condition <strong>of</strong> artisanal miners,<br />
thereby reducing the number <strong>of</strong><br />
in-pit deaths that are seen on an<br />
annual basis.<br />
Security: Illegal artisanal<br />
mining has fueled instability<br />
across gold mining regions with<br />
intelligence reports confirming a<br />
nex<strong>us</strong> between illicit gold mining<br />
and a rise in banditry. For the first<br />
time ever, <strong>for</strong>malization driven by<br />
access to markets will give the<br />
artisanal gold miners a<br />
guaranteed pathway to<br />
prosperity. The greater<br />
transparency that PAGMI confers<br />
on the flow <strong>of</strong> financing in the<br />
sector will help diminish the<br />
incentives <strong>for</strong> criminality.<br />
PAGMI successfully separated<br />
and refined silver from the gold<br />
mined by the artisanal miners,<br />
thereby delivering additional<br />
value to them.<br />
Developing<br />
agric<br />
sector in Nigeria needs<br />
commitment<br />
— Eatrich Boss<br />
t is no doubt a globally accepted fact that<br />
Iagriculture s<strong>us</strong>tains human existence. In its<br />
most basic <strong>for</strong>m, agriculture ensures that there<br />
is food on the table and cloth <strong>for</strong> an average<br />
citizen. Hence, it has been described as one <strong>of</strong><br />
the biggest and most pr<strong>of</strong>itable sector in the<br />
world.<br />
To bring it closer home, Nigeria is one <strong>of</strong><br />
the countries that needs agriculture to grow<br />
its economy, even as it contributes a<br />
staggering 22 per cent <strong>of</strong> the nation’s Gross<br />
Domestic Product (GDP), more than any real<br />
sector <strong>of</strong> the economy. Also, it remains the<br />
single largest employer <strong>of</strong> labour in the<br />
Nigerian market, and a money spinner <strong>for</strong><br />
smart investors.<br />
However, if properly planned <strong>for</strong>, many<br />
Nigerians yearn to tap into this huge<br />
goldmine to diversify their investment<br />
portfolio and generate residual income. Now<br />
those into it have not found it easy beca<strong>us</strong>e<br />
agricultural sector in Nigeria has not<br />
developed.<br />
Following this background, in 2016,<br />
Eatrich Farms has carved a niche <strong>for</strong> itself to<br />
become a solid investment plat<strong>for</strong>m <strong>for</strong><br />
Nigerians. Since established, Eatrich Farms<br />
has worked through the entire agriculture<br />
value chain ranging from planting,<br />
harvesting, processing, packaging and retail,<br />
and is poised to deploy this knowledge <strong>for</strong> the<br />
benefit <strong>of</strong> investors/partners.<br />
According to CEO, Ambassador Sam<br />
Afolabi, Eatrich is not j<strong>us</strong>t another<br />
agriculture company, it’s a story. “Eatrich<br />
emanated from stark experience <strong>of</strong> the<br />
challenges bedevilling agricultural practice<br />
in Nigeria and is committed to changing the<br />
narrative through strategy deployment <strong>of</strong><br />
technology. I grew up in a family where my<br />
father and mother were raised as core<br />
farmers. I remember in those days where I<br />
<strong>us</strong>ed to follow my mum to the farm during<br />
school vacation. We worked practically all<br />
day on the farm all through my university<br />
Read more on www.vanguardngr.com