… Says Osinbajo at G7 Summit

From Juliana
Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

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Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said that Africa was undeterred despite her past failures, adding that the continent was motivated by the incredible energy and talent of her bustling youthful population.
The Acting President spoke yesterday at the G7 Summit special outreach forum on Africa with selected African nations and leaders including Nigeria, Guinea, Tunisia, Niger, Ethiopia and Kenya.
According to Osinbajo, who was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema; Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Yemi Dipeolu; and the Nigeria Charge d’ Affairs in Italy, Mrs Bisi Meshioye, “Africa is confident of the future because we have learnt. We are investing more in education, insisting on good governance and holding ourselves to account.”
He added: “But the greatest reason for our optimism is in the incredible energy, talent and creativity of our young people, male and female, who are completely undeterred by the failures of the past and are daily taking advantage of innovation and technology bringing about the Africa of our dreams.”
While assuring the G7 countries of Africa’s increasing collaboration as never before in trade, counter terrorism and strengthening democracy, the Acting President commended them for their support in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, especially the U.S, France and the United Kingdom.   The Acting President, who has since returned to Nigeria, described the G7 countries as effective partners in the Lake Chad basin, citing the successes of “our joint intelligent unit, which has provided useful and timely intelligence in the war against terrorism.”
On the progress made so far by the country, Osinbajo said there has been massive increase in rice yield over the past two years and the distribution of fertilizer subsidies to farmers, adding that the farmers had also benefited from an e-wallet system, which guaranteed that the subsidies actually got to them.
He noted that the N-Power programme, which has started engaging some of the 500,000 young previously unemployed graduates as teachers, agricultural extension workers and public health professionals, “is a breakthrough in mass post-tertiary education.”
A statement by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, noted that the Acting President told the gathering that the participants were recruited online in all states of the federation, adding that they soon received their electronic tablet devices and could access an N-Power portal that contains required training materials for acquisition of more skills to carry out their duties.