Varying Job Prospects Faced by College Graduates

Recently, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) released a survey showing that employers anticipate hiring 13% more graduating college students from the Class of 2013 than they hired from the Class of 2012, a sign that hiring has finally begun to pick up in the sluggish economic recovery. In September, the unemployment rate fell to 7.8%, nearly equalling the rate it was at in the months directly following the economic collapse. While not all sectors of the economy are feeling the effects of increased hiring, a rising number are. The chief benefactors are those with advanced higher education degrees. US students with master's degree enjoy unemployment levels near 3%, far lower than the national average, allowing degree-holders much greater freedom to pursue their goals without the anxiety created so easily by a volatile economy. Yet, recently these benefits have been increasingly extended to ambitious learners around the globe through the use of online degree programs and freelance opportunities.

While not all college degree programs guarantee job security and lucrative employment, graduate students who choose their major based on available data can find many degree programs that offer a significant return on investment. Physician Assistant Studies programs, for example, offer mid-career median pay of $97,000 with projected employment increases at 30%, indicating far lower unemployment within the profession than the national average. Students majoring in engineering can fare even better, with electrical engineerings commonly making $121,000 by mid-career and petroleum engineers often making as much as $166,400 yearly.

A study conducted by the US Census Bureau illustrates that over the course of the average lifetime, a college graduate will earn $2.4 million, and more than $8,000 more per year that those with only a bachelor's degree, for a 15% higher annual income. Of course, there are some majors that fair far better than others. Engineering students, for example, earn more than any other major on average, with lifetime earnings at $3.6 million. The top earning physicians or surgeons, meanwhile -- often biology or chemistry majors in the early days of their studies -- can often earn over $6.5 million.

For students and aspiring students in developing nations around the world, online learning provides unprecedented access to educational resources that many otherwise never would have had the chance to experience. “Today economic growth is as much a process of knowledge accumulation as of capital accumulation,” says Jamil Salmi, higher education economist at the World Bank. “The decreased importance of physical distance means that the best university in any country can decide to open a branch anywhere in the world or to reach out across borders using the internet or satellite communication links, effectively competing with any national university on its own territory.” Salmi offers as an example Cornell University, which has created the “Essential Electronic Agricultural Library,” consisting of 173 CD-ROMs storing text from 140 journals for the past four years and can be shared with libraries at universities in developing countries around the world.

The open education movement, pioneered and developed by universities like MIT and Carnegie Mellon -- whose respective programs Open CourseWare and Open Learning Initiative -- offer extensive content and software resources from top higher education institutions. In recent years, Coursera, which began at Stanford, has compiled lessons and course lectures from dozens of top schools, all of which students and instructors in developing nations can utilize for free and adapt as they see fit.

While online programs in higher education offer citizens of developing nations new opportunities to gain valuable job training, many are utilizing the internet for employment as well. Websites like Freelancer.com and Elance.com, which allow individuals to hire workers for short contract jobs on a freelance basis, have grown significantly in popularity in recent years. While much of the work offers come from nations like the US and UK with large, developed economies, a growing proportion of freelance workers on these sites come from nations in the developing world. Individuals with little hope of finding work locally are taking advantage of the opportunity to support their families. Out of nearly 3 million global users on Freelance.com, one-third of the all applicants come from India, while workers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines make up an additional 20%. By comparison, 11% are from the US. “Most people in the world live on $10 a day or less,”says Matt Barrie, chief executive of Freelancer.com. “Now, by going online, you can earn your month's salary in a few hours or days.”

As hiring in the US finally begins to pick up, revitalized job seekers will likely find they are now competing in a much evolved marketplace. Online resources have spread education and employment opportunities around the globe, allowing ambitious workers in developing nations a chance to compete with citizens of the world's wealthiest countries. While these changes may lead to unease among some workers, the growth in economic and academic growth around the globe as well as increased exposure to cultural diversity represent valuable new opportunities for those willing to take advantage of them. By embracing educational opportunities, those in the US and around the globe can take control of their respective careers and future to a greater degree than ever before.

Sophia Foster is a researcher and writer for http://www.onlinemastersdegree.org, a resource designed to deliver current and prospective students information about graduate school.

WHO CARES TO JOIN; IT'S PROFITABLE

I am tired of crying foul over what is happening from #fuelsubsidyscam, #capitalmarketprobe, to #policepensionfundsscam, it’s just crazy. I guess it’s time to start helping myself before help comes my way. I need to be alive to change anything if there is anything left to be changed. If you think otherwise, it shows that you are not in this part of the world; I care less of your opinion.

I am setting up a company with my other friends from other parts of the world to be part of the management team. With no specific business mission, we will be serving departments, agencies, ministries and parastatals of the Nigerian government, I do not need any jack from the private sector or any other sector for that matter, they are too transparent and pays for only services provided and that is not the kind of business that I want to do.

There are a lot of prospects for our business, we will be doing consultancy services to applying for a waste management contract with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to later get a license to import petroleum products and get N 1,988,141,091.10 Billion (US $ 12,659,287.12 Million) of subsidy money without importing nothing. All I need is to get a good office space in Abuja and know either the petroleum minister or any of the Oga(s) at NNPC, Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Authority (PPPRA), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)… The list is becoming endless, I don’t think I will need to know every Oga in this agencies to do my business, since the more I get to know them the more I get to part with my subsidy money. I probably need only the petroleum minister and an Oga in NNPC, others can go take a dive.

But before we do the fuel subsidy business I need to wait for a while because the Federal House of Representatives Probe Panel has busted the scam and the guys that benefitted from the whole process will be paying back. That is only dependent on 2 factors, if they do not win at the courts as they have threatened to sue the Reps Probe Panel for releasing an indicting report. All they need do is to take their case to one Justice Marcel Awokulehin who in 2009 absolved High Chief James Onanefe Ibori (Former Governor of oil rich Delta State in Nigeria - now serving his 13 years jail term in the UK courtesy of UK Police and Southwark Crown Court) of all 170 count charges for money laundering brought before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The other is if these Labour unions, Civil Societies, #OccupyNigeria, #SaveNigeria, and twitter government bullies remain quiet and do not raise their voice again as they once did in January.

Another profitable sector I am prospecting is the security sector where we could be contactors to the defense and interior ministries. There is a lot of money, about N 922 Billion (US $5.7 Billion) budgeted for security this year. The Nigeria Police recently suggested that they will use dogs to combat BOKO HARAM, we could apply to supply them the dogs and end up getting lame wolves and get fully paid or apply to supply high tech security surveillance and communications gadgets. With good negotiations with any of the Ogas in charge we could supply webcams, Nokia 3010, Samsung R220, Sagem X1 phones. Who cares; after all our dear President Jonathan recently while in a working visit in Germany said that BOKOM HARAM security threat has been exaggerated. You now see why we don’t need to spend all the money importing any security equipments or training any of our security personnel. When we need any special operation carried out we could invite either the British or US Special Forces.

We could do quite a lot supplying fertilizer, training government how to do their work, do power projects, constructing swimming pools in the Niger Delta as a development project as Niger Delta development Commission (NDDC) proposed invariably to train the Niger Delta people on how to swim to win gold at the London 2012 Olympics. You can see we have lots of prospects to compete favourably in the space; all I need is startup funds from interesting investors. I can’t wait any longer to win the government’s YOUWIN funds to start up a business because it would not get anywhere to get me a good office space in the Central Business District, Abuja or ‘lobby’ my way up the corridors of NNPC towers, Defense Building, CBN Headquarters or even the Presidency. I really need big money. Please invest, its profitable.

VOLUNTEERISM: A SURE WAY OF EXCELLENT SKILLS ACQUISITION.

Volunteerism - the social practice of volunteering ones time, skill, knowledge with the intent to help in bringing needed assistance to a community, organization, group or cause in which one has interest in, committed to and engaged in. Also a form/ class of formal and informal education that provides a volunteer with benefits of:

• Learning best industry/ sector work skills;
• Building professional contacts and networks;
• Making better career decisions;
• Getting mentoring assistance;
• Building and sustaining an interest to become commitment;
• Obtaining mainstream sector information;
• Satisfaction of contributing to a better society.

There is usually no best time to start volunteering; one can start as early as a teen. After sometime of volunteerism and adding value to one’s community or organization, cause, the young person is equipped with relevant skills that recruiters need, hence they are usually in the best position to get those job positions that many apply for.

It also of interest to note that young people who volunteered at one time or the other do better in work places, move up the ladder faster than those who didn’t do any volunteer work, have a network of professional contacts and groups that benefit the work, knowledge and experience of the young person and assist in times of challenges.

A young person after sometime of volunteering has a better capacity to startup a business in a sector/ field in which he/her volunteered and will do better than the other guy without such experience. In starting up this business he creates employment that engages some unemployed, adds value to a community and also contributes to the local economy that attracts more businesses / opportunities that would employ more young people directly and indirectly I terms of young people that may decide to volunteer to serve and get better skills. The chain continues.

In all young people who volunteer their services / skills acquire better and excellent skills that in the long run will always help them throughout their work life, and I must add that they usually don’t go searching for jobs, jobs comes to them.

THE ATTITUDE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE 'EXPERIENCED' UNEMPLOYED YOUTH

THE ATTITUDE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE 'EXPERIENCED' UNEMPLOYED YOUTH

Young people generally are very enthused about life and what its various stages offers, best of which is the freedom to lead their own lives but without the power the decide the outcome of decisions taken. Some of these outcomes are undesirables of gainful poverty, unemployment or lack of one at all.

We have most of the time neglected to prepare ourselves - minds and spirit for the realities that we must face in this stage of our life which will mar or make us at the end. These preparations start from the family where children are trained and influenced by either literate-illiterate, rich-middle class-poor parents, faith systems, environment, level and quality of education, training received, peers and more. Among all these factors of influence, education, training, skills, and experience - (opportunities) has the highest impact on a young person's life to adulthood. Most times we fail to acknowledge the need to get ourselves readily prepared for this future in discovering the purpose of education, and what benefit it would serve to us and our communities, this is where attitude / character, values comes in - the differentiating factor between the successful and seemed failures. While in the university and upon graduation from the University if he has to opportunity of attending one, an average young person is faced with the experience of unemployment during which he is involved in certain activities in which he is gains useful experience but largely denies this because of lack of purpose, focus, vision of what life should be for him/her. These activities often are training grounds to acquire skills, knowledge and experience that the young person should use to change his situation and lead a successful life but quite often he fails to. 

As a young man that had desire to lead my own life and be responsible for its outcomes, I before graduation from high school told myself this is how my life would be structured; no matter the outcome of factors that were not in my direct control. Upon graduation from high school, I had some challenges - an outcome of the poor education system, yet I didn't lose focus. I strived. I gained admission and having structured, understood my environment and knowing what the system I was in wouldn't offer me, I made it a priority to get a job placements during vacations to acquire skills and experience that I need for my future - this was what my peers didn't see as a need at the time. This I did throughout my university education, often going without food, denying myself of some needs and luxury to save up to buy books, attend trainings, conferences, and to work at times where I gain skills and experience as an unemployed youth knowing that one day I will be employed. This is my approach till date.

Many other young people for lack of focus and purpose have failed to make efforts to gain needed skills, knowledge to lead meaningful and successful lives. Sometimes when they do find themselves assisting in providing certain services they fail to appreciate that they acquire very relevant skills and experience in the process not to talk of using it to improve his/her current situation. To such a young person he has never being employed or given an opportunity to learn skills and gain useful experience. We always look forward to a placement in the biggest blue chip companies immediately after graduation; that is what we only know as employment, yet without the right skills, experience, knowledge, purpose, character, attitude, vision, and values.

More so I once asked a young Nigerian Business Administration graduate who was deployed to my organization for her compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to write an application letter for a position that was to be offered to her and also provide a resume/ curriculum vitae. I was shocked to hear that she doesn't know what an application letter or even a CV is. How could such be employed and by whom? I provided her with 2 plain sheets of white paper and a biro to write whatever she can and title them to indicate which is an application letter and CV. At the end I was provided with a sort of primary school caricature of an application letter. On questioning she told me she was not taught how to and therefore should not know with many other reasons. I only helped her with a sample of my CV and web links to read on how to write an application letter. That was the best I could do for her at the time; meanwhile she has 2 good expensive mobile phones that she uses for facebooking and accessing other social media content. That clearly shows lack of focus, preparedness, vision, character, values, purpose for future and life.

This debate is on education, youth and unemployment is on many fronts but I see clearly that attitude plays a very significant role. Young people need to be focused, purposed and have the right character and vision to lead very successful lives.

THEY HOLD THE FUTURE.

Support Girl Child Education.

THEY HOLD THE FUTURE.

It was a lovely morning and I had as usual purposed to start living my dream no matter what the day brings even from the moment I stepped out of bed at 4:29 am. If you are wondering, hey, that’s too early to be out of bed, you will be shocked to know that many are already on their way to work at this time. It’s a pity, that’s what living and working in Lagos, Nigeria, is all about, especially if you don’t residence centrally near major business districts and must beat the usual strenuous traffic and to get to work before 08:00 am.

I made it to my usual bus stop just in time to get a bus that waits for commuters to get on the bus. At the extreme of the bus as I got on were 2 young female students, one carrying the other on her laps, this way they only pay the transport cost of one commuter. I decided to pay their fare before I got sited. Now sited directly behind them, I began immediately to contemplate if I really had to pay their fare because I had already budgeted for the day and the prompting was sudden and unusually as I do commute with students every day. Finally I made up my mind to do the right thing. I paid for them before they attempted to do so and got a thank you sir as a show of appreciation.

As the bus moved on slowly toward our destinations, I continued to ask myself why the unusually prompting to pay their fare, is there more I could do with the opportunity - like talk to them about education, studies, interests, background and equally share with them my experience. Time as a deciding factor, as it wasn’t long after I decided to talk that they got to their bus stop, I only told them,’ take your studies serious’. I prayed to see them again if fate permits.

The very next day I made it to the bus stop about the time of yesterday and there in the bus were these same students, now sitting beside them, we exchange greeting, ‘hi good morning, you guys again?’ I asked. I quickly paid our fares and got talking immediately. There is no time to waste to think about it; not like yesterday. I got to know their names, Tayo and Kehinde - twins, 9 years and half, and in their senior secondary class 2 at Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos located within the Nigeria Military Cantonment Ikeja. Tayo, the elder to Kehinde is more outspoken, eloquent, sociable and beautiful *wink* but with a smaller body frame, the reason why she is always the one that sits on her younger sister’s laps whenever they are commuting. Tayo wants to be a dietician as she has interest in ensuring that people eat well and are healthy especially when there is a stomach ulcer patient at home who she says requires a special diet unlike what others normally take while Kehinde looks forward to being an accountant because she loves numbers.

While discussing with them and pausing intermittently to envision the lovely, bright future that lies ahead of them in their studies, young life, careers, building their homes, and the society at large, I acknowledged the dominant role that education must play in their future for their dreams to come true; they still have university education, mentoring, interests and challenges ahead of them. A very long way that will require us all to assist them and many more young girls to attain their dreams, with that we can shape our society the way we want.  We can assist by sponsoring a girl’s education, training, giving them opportunities that are not ordinarily given to them and empowering them in any way we can. I see a very stable family and society and future free from illiteracy, poverty, hunger, child mortality, maternal deaths, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases in an environment that is safe, green, friendly and sustainable.

For Tayo and Kehinde, I pray that their mum who is an educated business woman provides them with all the education they need to realize their dreams and that we can take up from where ever she may stop. I advised them never to let anything distract them from their studies, and to remain focused to their dreams. Finally bye-bye as they got to their bus stop as I know it will be hard to meet them anything soon together. 

THIS BOUNTY POLICING SHOULD STOP!

THIS BOUNTY POLICING SHOULD STOP!

The Victory Rally proposed for Gani Fewehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos Nigeria on Saturday 22nd Jan, 2012 organized by Save Nigeria Group and its allies and led by the fire spitting Pastor Tunde Bakare, (a man many have said I have resemblance with) couldn’t hold. The rally was to celebrate the gains of the peaceful Fuel Subsidy Removal protests that recorded unprecedented participation by many Nigerians of different social class crippled the economy of a week hereby forcing government to climb down from its high horse; reducing PMS pump price from #141 to #97. It was also to plan on further actions that are to be taken to ensure we do not lose focus and let the gains of the protests elude Nigerians.

The Save Nigeria Group spokesperson of SNG, Mr Yinka Odumakin, announced in the late hours of 21st that the rally would not hold owning to intelligence reports that some unscrupulous elements were hired by unknown persons to disrupt the rally; hence creating room for the Military deployed to the venue to unleash terror on us peaceful innocent citizens. More so was the coordinated bomb explosions that rocked the city of Kano (Nigeria’s second largest and most populated city) some hours after noon on 21st that killed over 178 persons and left many others injured and displaced. The targets of the explosions were the Police headquarters in the city, the residence of the Police Inspector General of Police and an office of the State Security Service.

The dreaded Islamic sect; BOKO HARAM was quick to claim responsibility. This was days after its member Umar Kabir aka (Kabir Sokoto) the alleged coordinator of the 25 Dec, 2011 Christmas day bombing at St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger state during the Christmas service escaped from police custody during what the police called a search operation at his home in Abaji, near Abuja – Nigeria’s capital. The attack killed 43 worshippers and left 73 people hospitalized. Zakari Biu, the Commissioner of Police under whose command Kabir escaped is now under house arrest helping police with information on what role he played in the incident. Records have it that Zakari Biu was once dismissed / retired from Nigeria Police Force in 1999 on grounds of indiscipline, corruption and unethical practice. How he rejoined the force is a mystery yet to be unravelled.

The Police then headed by IGP Hafiz Rigim was quick to announce N 50,000,000.00 ($312,021.00) bounty on his head. This is a sum that the police couldn’t use to adequately police Kabir to search his residence. Nigerians weren’t surprised at this announcement as it seems to be the modus operandi of the force in dealing with very high value arrests/ suspects that the State should deploy its resources to effect. Nigerians didn’t take the bounty announcement serious as the police equally does not have such money to hand out to anyone that may provide information and the individual may possibly at the end be an unpleasant guest of the police to answer questions of how s(he) got the information. This tells of how much the institution stinks.

Over the years there have been calls to restructure the force to bring efficiency, but this has never happened. The government rather chooses the frequent sack of its IGPs for falling to perform, when the system is still the way it is. Sometimes the IGPs themselves have been alleged to have corruptly enriched themselves while in office as was the case in 2005 with IGP Mustafa (Tafa) Adebayo Balogun, who helped himself with over N20 Billion ($124,804,992.00)during his tenure. He plea bargained to return N16 Billion ($99,843,993) when he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and was sentenced to a mere 6 months in prison which he gracefully spent in a cozy hospital room where he was receiving treatment for some unknown ill health believed to be designed to save him from the disgrace of serving his term in a prison cell. The returned loot was later said to have been mismanaged / missing by the same police authorities. In another instance N50 Billion ($312,012,480.49) part of the Police Equipment Fund meant to fund policing equipment was mismanaged in 2006 by Mr Kenny Martins; an in-law to Gen Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria’s former President). Nothing has yet come out of investigations and prosecuting the managers of the fund, yet the force is expected to combat crime effectively and protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

Some of the political elite and the government have in the past provided the police with only the resources to serve their corrupt, undemocratic, uncivilized and selfish purposes especially during elections and to cover up crimes they committed. It’s a pity that our society have now evolved to a state of serious insecurity and imbalance in which the capacity of the police and security agencies to keep to their responsibilities is now very much restricted owning to lack of resources, incompetence, lack of operational strategy, tact and coordination between agencies. I guess government and all that contributed the failure of our security and social system never knew we will ever get to this point; we can’t eat our cake and have it. One of such self serving acts played out in a larger scale on 10th July, 2003 when a serving Assistant Inspector General of Police (Zone 9), Mr Raphael Ige (now late) led over 200 police men to unlawfully abduct Dr Chris Ngige - a duly elected sitting democratic governor of Anambra State in Southeast Nigeria and hold him hostage for close to 24 hours.

The AIG later said he acted on the orders of a group of ‘powerful’ individuals in Nigeria’s ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Presidency that hails from the state who had differences with the governor. The same police on a later date supervised the destruction and arson visited on the state’s democratic institutions – House of Assembly, Government House, Independent Electoral Commission, Broadcasting station, State High Court and other property worth millions of Naira. Both crimes were committed in broad day light and till this day no one has faced trial for those crimes. There are many more of these where the police was used by people in the government to unleash terror and oppression on people. All these activities that are anti-social now make them to be dreaded by the public who should be their friend.

Friend? Not in Nigeria as they are best known for arresting innocent bystanders at a crime scene to pay ‘I no follow’ bail money, mount illegal road blocks for #20 to… tolls, ‘Wetin you carry’ money, unwarranted harassments, illegal raiding of neighborhoods and the popular accidental discharge usually over #20 (less than 50 cents), Pervert justice and sell it to the highest bidder. All these must change if the public is to trust the police and assist her in doing her work.

The recent sack of IGP Rigim and the appointment of Mohammed Abubakar; a determined crime fighter, no nonsense and uncorrupt officer as we were told who have served creditably in many Nigerian cities including Lagos, Kano is seen as good one but must be complimented with reforms/ restructuring if the change would not be a case of a new wine in an old wine pot. Hope this happens soon so that the police can contain Boko Haram, stop bounty policing, extortion, illegal road blocks/ toll points, indiscriminate arrests and live up to its mandate of protecting the lives and property of the Nigerian public.

Government must also note that things will never improve if it does not implement reports and enquiries on social, ethic-religious, political disturbances, fund and equip the police adequately, provide education and gainful employment for Nigeria’s teaming youth population, and do all that is democratically expected of a democratic government for Peace, Unity and Progress to reign.

GOD BLESS NIGERIA!

I NO GO GREE OO! I NO GO GREE...

Peaceful Protesters

I NO GO GREE OO! I NO GO GREE... is a sound in Pidgin English usually in protest to show ones disagreement with a person, situation, condition or government policy as is the case in this situation.


Nigeria is at crossroads today, as a result of accumulated government inefficiencies, irresponsibility, insensitivity, recklessness over the years. 

The government on January 1, 2012 gave Nigerians a 'lovely' new package to celebrate the new year with. You may be wondering what the hamper's name and content is. The name is 'Fuel Subsidy Removal' and contents are increased cost of petrol, increased cost of transport, food, rent, school fees, providing services, running business and when simplified is MORE SUFFERING FOR THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE.

Government's position is that it subsidies the cost of petrol for Nigerians and can not continue to save the economy from an eminent collapse should it continue subsidising fuel into 2012 which have cost government over 1.43 trillion Naira ($8 billion) in subsidy funds paid to petroleum marketers. The funds saved from the removal with be used to improve Nigeria's infrastructure, build roads, provide health care, employment for the youths....

However removal of fuel subsidy is not the solution to fixing the economy and improving our failed infrastructure. Government took the wrong turn and the people are now protesting peacefully; the only option to make government listen and revert its decision. This kind of protests is long over due considering the level of hardship that the people of Nigeria have been made to endure in the past, with government promises that never materialize.
CNN Marketplace Africa programme on the protests in which I featured

The real issues: 

1. The government of Nigeria told Nigerians late last December that the implementation of the fuel subsidy removal will take place in April this year after consultations with all stakeholders, only to implement the policy on the 1st January. In a month that is usually very difficult economically due to spending during Christmas, New Year and other celebrations. Rent on house, business offices, school fees and other bills are paid in January. Doesn't this show insincerity, irresponsibility, insensitivity, callousness, and recklessness on the part of government? 
2. Budgets in Nigeria are always have more that 60% of it going to recurrent expenditure and the rest for capital projects which are never implemented up to 50%. The rest of the funds goes to the pockets of corrupt government officials. Nigeria’s 2012 have 76% going to recurrent expenditure and 24% goes to capital projects. How possible can 24% of the budget that includes the $8 billion freed up from the fuel subsidy will be enough for government to suddenly improve our collapsed infrastructure? Government is not interested in other sectors of the economy to attract investment them. 
3. Just last year the Government of Nigeria, through her Ministries of Youth Development, Finance, World Bank, DFID and some other development organizations sponsored a 10 billion Naira ($63 million) Youth Entrepreneurship venture capital program(YouWin) in which applicants developed and submitted business proposals. Winners will be awarded funds to start off businesses. These proposals were designed with the prevailing cost of production last year. What happens to that program now that the cost of services, transport and production has more than doubled without considering the present cost of production and providing services due to the fuel increase? The program will only fail – an increase in wastage due to lack of effective, and efficient strategy to drive the economy. 
4. We have 4 refineries working below capacity. Millions of US dollars ($800 million and $400 million) were budgeted twice and funds released for Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of these refineries. The maintenance did not happen; our refineries are good as dead today. The funds were diverted by corrupt government officials. Why can’t we bring those responsible to justice and make then return the loot. Presently government approved new funds for contracting the original manufacturers of these refineries for another TAM, with a project delivery period of 18-24 months. That is if it will ever happen. Will Nigerians be made to suffer for up to 2 years before our refineries can output to its maximum capacity. New refineries are needed. Government knows the so called ‘cabal’ that is committing economic crime in the petroleum sector but lacks the will power to stop their activities and prosecute them. Nigeria does not consume petroleum that amounts to over $8 billion in subsidy as the figures show when the economy is not performing. The criminals in the petroleum sector cook the figures and are paid by the same government departments that should prevent such from happening. We should not be importing refined petroleum when we are the 6th largest OPEC exporter. 
5. It is on record that billions of dollars was budgeted and released to maintain, construct new high ways but that didn't happen. The funds were looted by persons that are well known to government and are still in government. Bring them to book, return the looted funds and use it for the purpose it was originally meant for. I urge you and your team to see what our high look like today. Billions have also been approved for a improved rail system in the country but nothing equivalent to the funds approve was done. 
6. Same with the Power sector, many National Independent Power Programs failed to deliver on its mandate after those in charge with its affairs looted the treasury. They are in power today as governors, senators, ministers. Prosecute them and use the recovered funds to develop Nigeria. 
7. Same with education. Today Nigerians spend a total of more than $62 Million to send their wards to universities in Ghana alone, that of USA, UK, the rest of Europe and Asia not included. Billions equalled approved for these sectors without prove on ground for it. How long are we to continue like this? 
8. Same story goods for our agriculture, we spend billions of US dollars on food imports yearly. Funds provided for fertilizer and farm inputs are never utilized, but diverted by people known to government. Malaysia that now prides with the export of Palm Oil got its palm nuts from Nigeria some decades ago when Nigeria was the major exporter in the world. Hear this, the government of Nigeria constituted a committee to travel to Malaysia last 2 years to understudy the Malaysian system of producing palm oil and replicate same in Nigeria. That has never happened. That is where we are today. 

Same goes for health care.

The list is endless.

What Nigerians demands is that the removal of fuel subsidy, as it will kill Nigerians that the government thinks it wants to save the economy for, because the policy is very untimely, not well thought through, no social safety nets, and palliatives. For a case study, an average worker in Nigeria gets a monthly minimum wage of #18,000.00 Naira ($112). Let’s now do some mathematics.

Average cost of transport per day - #600 x 21 working days = #12,600 ($78.2)

After paying for transportation, #5,400 ($33.5) is now left to pay for housing, food, health care, utility bills, schools fees and more. Remember that the cost of all these has now more than doubled. The policy has only impoverished Nigerians the more without any assurance that our infrastructure, education, power, health care system will be improved, since government has refused to change from its past ways of governance – wastage, greed, corruption, inefficiency, ineptitude, lack of vision, strategy and will power to rule or lead Nigeria.