President Cyril Ramaphosa Hails South African Youths Amid Xenophobic Attacks

The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in an address to the youths, has reaffirmed his government’s readiness to continue its structural reforms, infrastructure investment, and targeted job-creation measures to achieve inclusive growth and minimise unemployment in the country.

Mr Ramaphosa made the remark in a statement on Monday, ahead of Youth Day, held every June 16, an annual commemoration of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when students protested against apartheid-era education policies.

The president acknowledged that South African youths face economic challenges, such as scarce jobs, limited opportunities and unemployment, which are prevalent in the country.
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Mr Ramaphosa stated, “Many of you are working hard, applying for jobs, pursuing training and seeking opportunities, only to face disappointment. We hear these frustrations, and we understand that they are real.”

He assured that his administration’s efforts to invest in infrastructure programmes and undertake other far-reaching reforms, such as raising R890 billion in new investment pledges in the past year, would yield rewards, such as jobs for the young population.

“Inclusive economic growth is essential if we are to tackle youth unemployment in a meaningful and lasting way. That is why we are investing in a massive infrastructure programme and undertaking far-reaching reforms to make our economy more competitive,” Mr Ramaphosa explained. “These efforts will take time to translate into jobs. And even as the economy grows, young people may still find it difficult to participate in that growth. That is why we have been investing in programmes that give you access to learning and work opportunities, skills, experience and an income.”

Mr Ramaphosa described one of his programmes, the Presidential Employment Stimulus, launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as one of his administration’s achievements.

“Today, that stimulus has created in excess of 2.5 million work and livelihood opportunities. More than eight in ten of these opportunities have gone to young people, and two-thirds to women. It has enabled the most rapid expansion of public employment in our history,” he said.

Mr Ramaphosa listed the Basic Education Employment Initiative, the Presidential Employment Stimulus, the Social Employment Fund, the Youth Employment Service, the revitalised National Youth Service and the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, among other structural policies, as reforms that would restore dignity, renew confidence and broaden the horizon of the country’s youth population.

“Although these opportunities are mostly short-term, there are thousands of stories of young people who have used them as a stepping stone towards finding a permanent job, starting a small business or studying towards a new career,” Mr Ramaphosa stated.

Cyril Ramaphosa

He called on private and public corporations, individuals, and citizens to open doors for the country’s young population.

“Every company, every department, every organisation and every South African who is able to open a door for a young person must do so. Your country sees your potential and will work with you to ensure that you realise it. Let us together build a South Africa in which every young person finds their place in an inclusive economy and in a thriving society,” the South African president stated.

Meanwhile, angry mobs across the country, mainly youths have been carrying out vicious xenophobic attacks on Black immigrants in South Africa, killing at least 10 Ethiopians and Mozambicans.
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Ishaku’s Alleged N27b Fraud: How I Disbursed Local Government Funds on Orders Of Ex-governor’s Appointees-Witness

The trial of a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku and a former permanent secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero continued on Monday, June 15, 2026, before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja with the Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Taiwo Johns informing the court that money from local governments in the state was sent to his private account with instruction, usually from Yero or other officers of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the disbursement.

He further informed the court that he usually withdraws such money in cash.
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Ishaku, the first defendant, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alongside Yero, on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion.

Speaking on his invitation by the EFCC and how the Commission traced the alleged funds to the account of his company, P3 International Account, he stated that he used the company account to manage his farming business before joining the civil service as Assistant Cashier in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He further disclosed that John Columba, former Chief Cashier, Babangida Hassan, former Director Finance and former Permanent Secretary, Bello Yero asked him in the cause of his duty to make available his account information and always wait for instruction on what to do with any money sent to it.

“They asked me to submit the account number so that some money will be sent to me and that I should await further instruction on what to do with the money. A few days later, some amount of money was sent to the account by the local government. When the money entered my account, I reported to my chief cashier, John Columba before I reported to Bagangida Hassan and he reported to Bello Yero before I was given a directive on where to pay the money,” he said.

Asked by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, how he disbursed the money, the witness stated that “Sometimes when money comes to this account, I will withdraw the money or leave it in the bank and wait for further instruction. Sometimes, I will be given the account number to lodge the money, while sometimes they will come with Lawal, P.A. to his excellency and I will hand the money over to him,” he said.

He further testified that “sometimes the instruction is given by the permanent secretary, Alhaji Yero, the second defendant, the director of finance, Babangida Hassan and sometimes the cashier of the local government lodges the money into my account, in which I will report to my immediate boss,” he said.

He further informed the court that he would often be given account numbers to disburse the money, disclosing that N3 million from such money from a local government, sent on November 20, 2017 was paid to the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Prince Onwuzuruike, with additional N2,250,000, totalling N5,250,000, all paid to him in one day on instructions. He also disclosed that he received N7,750,000 on February 6, 2018, and was asked to send N6,250,000 to Onwuzuruike.

EFCC

He stated that on April 11, 2018, Columba, the Chief Cashier of local government sent money to his account, comprising N5 million, N1.7 million and N1.8 million, respectively and that there was a cash withdrawal on April 16, 2018, based on the instruction of the Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan.

He further stated that he received a credit of N4,767,386.41 on April 26, 2018 and that on the same date, N4,780,000 and N3,220,000 was transferred to Prince Onwuzuruike. According to him, there were cash deposits of N5,650,000 and N4,500,000 on April 27, 2018, with an instruction to send N4,780,000 and N3,370,000 to Prince Onwuzuruike

Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till July 7, 2026 for continuation of trial.
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Government Warns Schools Against Lavish Graduation, Sign-Out Ceremonies In Kogi

The Kogi State Government has restated its ban on excessive graduation ceremonies in nursery, primary, and junior secondary schools, warning that any school that violates the directive will be shut down.

The government also reaffirmed its ban on sign-out ceremonies by undergraduates after their final semester examinations across the state.
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The Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, issued the warning on Monday at stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on 2025/2026 Kogi State Annual School Census exercise at Government House, Lokoja.

Jones said the policy took effect at the start of the current academic session to reduce financial pressure on parents.

He expressed concern that graduation parties are now held even for pupils moving from nursery to primary one.

“Please let me remind all of us that the ban on excessive celebration for graduation is still in force for primary and secondary schools. We have outlawed it in Kogi State,” he said.

The commissioner clarified that only students completing SSS 3 and moving to university are allowed to hold a formal celebration, in the form of the traditional Speech and Prize Giving Day.

“It is when you are leaving SSS three that you are allowed to have a celebration where you invite respected people to speak to the children and award prizes to deserving students,” he explained.

He warned that schools organising ceremonies for pupils moving from nursery to primary one, primary six to JSS one, or JSS three to SSS one are infringing state law.

The commissioner said enforcement mechanisms are in place, saying thousands of letters signed by his office have been sent to all schools, and he has visited schools within and outside Lokoja.

He also re-emphasised the directive on radio.

“Nobody can say ‘I am not aware’. Any school that decides not to obey will be made an example by being closed down,” he stated.

On school security, the Commissioner said the government has deployed strategies to protect students from abduction and attacks.

“We have put certain strategies in place to ensure our students are safe and are not taken into the bush. We are working to forestall that,” he added.

Governor Ododo

The meeting also focused on preparations for the 2025/2026 Annual School Census, which the ministry said will provide accurate data to guide education planning for the new academic year.

The Kogi government had in September 2025 placed a ban on incessant graduation ceremonies in secondary, primary, and pre-primary schools and sign-out in tertiary institutions in the state.
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