PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the ongoing insecurity of life and property in the country is a passing phase that the country would soon overcome as all other great nations had gone through that phase before attaining their present status.The president said this while speaking as the special guest of honour at the Distinguished Flying Star Investiture and Presentation of Flag to Mobility Command Parade held in honour of retired senior officers of Air rank in Abuja.A pall of uncertainty has been hanging over the polity in the wake of incessant bombings by the dreaded Boko Haram sect, coupled with the threat from a Niger Delta militant group.According to the president, 'I encourage all Nigerians to remain steadfast, vigilant and optimistic, bearing in mind that the endeavour of building a great nation can never be without challenges. I want to assure you, however, that as we work together and draw upon our collective strength and numerous ties that bind us in peace and unity, we shall prevail over the challenges and leave a better country for our children.'He commended the Air Force and the armed forces as a whole for their contributions to the maintenance of national security and the defence of democracy. According to him, 'members of the armed forces are currently involved in the internal security in several parts of our dear nation. I must also note with pride, your contributions towards ensuring stability across our great continent and even beyond.'Speaking further, President Jonathan declared: 'Your active participation in bringing peace and stability to the West African sub-region has been commended globally. I wish to commend you on the professionalism with which you handled the various situations. Your courage, dedication to duty and professionalism bear noble testimony to the indomitable spirit of the Nigerian people.The president, while rejoicing with the recipients of the Distinguished Flying Star, said the award was in recognition of their contributions to the advancement of the Nigerian Air Force and security of Nigeria.According to the Nigerian Air Force, the last time a presentation of flag to Mobility Command was done was in 1976, adding that the one done on Tuesday was unique in the sense that the headquarters of the command was situated in Yenagoa, from where the president hails.Meanwhile, President Jonathan, on Tuesday launched 'Youth Empowerment with Innovation in Nigeria' (YOU-WIN), an initiative designed to create about 110,000 sustainable jobs in the country in the next four years.Speaking during the ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, he said it was one of the first programmes to be funded, in part, from the N50 billion job creation fund set aside in the 2011 budget.He added that the programme was largely targeted at owners of existing formal and informal businesses, who would be asked to submit their business plans for a competition.Jonathan stated that the government, in partnership with other stakeholders, would provide support for the winners to either expand their existing businesses, or start-up businesses that create jobs based on their ideas.While commending the nation's development partners for their support, he re-emphasised the need for productive partnerships with global businesses and organisations on job creation agenda.In another development , President Jonathan has denied favouring the Niger Delta in the allocation of federal projects.Reacting to a report in one of the national dailies (not the Nigerian Tribune), Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued in Abuja, on Tuesday, said there was no truth in the claim.While pointing out that the administration would continue to publish details of contract awards in pursuant of the goals of transparency and accountability, it urged citizens and the media to review the published figure within a proper context.Meanwhile,MAJORITY of the2,000 youths engaged under the Kwara States Bridge Empowerment Scheme (KWABES) have been deployed to the state public service.Under the innovative scheme, the successful applicants, who started work this week have been placed in the public and private sector, following a census of employable youths last July, but were on the state government's payroll.The move followed the dispatch of deployment letters to successful KWABES applicants by the state government last month.A breakdown of the figures showed that 800 youths were posted to the public service, 600 employed as teachers, 500 had been dispatched to the private sector, while state-owned departments and agencies absorbed the remaining 100.Making the announcement in Ilorin, following his return from an investment promotion trip to Italy, the Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the youth employed in the public would form the bulk of those to be permanently employed in the service within a year.Governor Ahmed said 2,000 jobs represented first phase of his administ-ration's flagship bridge employment scheme.He said more youths would be employed in subsequent phases of the scheme before the end of the year.Governor Ahmed called on the youth to be worthy ambassadors of KWABES in their various places of employment.
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