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Plateau youths make brisk business from Sugarcane

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In a society where paid jobs are hard to come by, less privileged youths in Plateau State with no opportunity to have formal education, or to learn vocational skills have found a source of livelihood in hawking sugarcane.

These youths believe survival in a modern world is not about where you work or who employs you, but about discovering a legitimate source of income within one’s immediate environment and being engaged.

The hawking of sugarcane is a small-scale business that requires little or no capital to start. Good enough, there are sugarcane farmers in Plateau State, especially in the Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of the state. So, sugarcane is available in good supply in the state. Besides, there are traders who specialize in purchasing the product from neighboring states like Kaduna and Kano.

Daily Trust Saturday observed that the number of youths involved in hawking sugarcane in both urban and rural areas of the state is unimaginably high. There is hardly any village in the state where you will not find youths hawking sugarcane in wheelbarrows.

One of them, Abdullahi Musa, said: “I started selling sugarcane at age 10 in Panyam, Mangu LGA, but I discovered that I will sell more in Jos than in Panyam, so I came to Jos to make more sales.”

Zekeri Hamza said “This is one business that a lot of people overlook, but there is a lot of gain in it. I can tell you that I know more than 200 young boys, especially Hausa boys, hawking sugarcane in Bukuru alone.

According to Sabiu Ado, another sugarcane hawker, “Sugarcane has provided a source of livelihood for thousands of Plateau youths because if you look at all the 17 local governments of the state, you will see youths doing the business and they are making lots of gains.”

From a survey carried out by our reporter in Jos, an average sugarcane hawker earns more than a level six civil servant. For instance, each hawker using a wheelbarrow can earn N2,500 a day.

Sugarcane seller Ismaila Zubairu said “If I buy sugarcane of N5,000 in the morning, I will sell it and make a gain of N2,000 or N2,500. And if I buy N7000 worth of sugarcane, at the end of the day, I can make a gain of N3,000. For one who makes N2,500 a day, in 30 days he would have made N75,000.

However, hawking sugarcane goes with too much pain and energy. “We go with the product in the sun and in the rain, if you imagine how many kilometers we cover in a day, then you will understand that it is not a job for a lazy youth. The weight of what you are pushing about is another thing, sugarcane can be very heavy,” says Zubairu.

Bitrus Fom, another sugarcane seller, said “In my own case, I sell by the roadside, I don’t hawk because I combine it with farming, so I buy and sell sugarcane when I’m done with my farm. But I know there is gain in the business. In our village in Zawan, I know at least 20-30 youths in the business of selling the product.”

The sugarcane section of the Bukuru market is a beehive of activities every morning. Youths rush there with their wheelbarrows, purchase the product, process it, pack them neatly in the wheelbarrow, and pushed the wares around town.

A sugarcane merchant, Alhaji Haliru Kabiru, said “At least, we receive ten trucks of sugarcane from Saminaka in Kaduna State every week. The demand for sugarcane is very high in the city, especially in Jos. If you come to the sugarcane market during sugarcane season, you will see the commercial value of sugarcane.”

Umar Bala, a trader, said “I have been in the business of supplying sugarcane in the last 12 years, that is the only business I know, and the business of sugarcane has provided jobs for thousands of youths in this state. Most of them that I know got married and had children with proceeds from hawking sugarcane in wheelbarrows. As a matter of fact, most of them earn more than some civil servants, because their income comes on a daily basis.”

There are lots of nutritional value in the consumption of sugar cane. “It flushes out toxins from the body. Sugarcane juice basically clears your gut, increases metabolism, and also helps in weight loss,” said a Jos-based nutritionist, Dr. Caroline Benson.

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Ogunjobi assumes duty as new Ogun FRSC commander, warns against extortion

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The new commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun Sector Command, Oludare Ogunjobi has warned all personnel against any form of extortion, stressing that anyone found in such acts will face appropriate disciplinary action.

Ogunjobi gave the warning on Friday when he assumed office at the command’s headquarters in Abeokuta.

DAILY POST reports that Corps Commander Ogunjobi, on his arrival to the Sector Command, was received by the outgoing Sector Commander, Corps Commander Akinwunmi Fasakin, along with senior officers and the State Coordinator of Special Marshals, Engr. Taiwo.

He also reviewed an inaugural parade mounted in his honour at the newly commissioned quarter guard.

Addressing the personnel, he outlined a leadership vision focused on welfare and strict professional ethics, calling for collaboration, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

Ogunjobi said, “As we begin this journey together, I want to emphasize that the success of this Command will depend largely on our unity and ability to function as a cohesive team. No single individual can achieve the mandate of the Corps alone.

“We must therefore build a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. Every Officer and Marshal, regardless of rank or appointment, is an important part of this system, and your contributions matter.

“Let me clearly state that this Command will operate on a zero-tolerance policy for indiscipline. While discipline is critical, I am equally committed to promoting staff welfare.

“A motivated workforce is a productive workforce. I will do my best, within available resources, to ensure that the welfare of Officers and Men is given due attention. Your wellbeing matters, and it directly impacts your performance and morale.

“I must also strongly warn against all forms of extortion. This practice is unacceptable and completely against the core values of the Federal Road Safety Corps. Any personnel found engaging in such acts will face appropriate disciplinary action. Integrity must define who we are and how we operate.

“Furthermore, incivility to the motoring public will not be condoned. We are not only law enforcement officers, we are also public servants.

“Every interaction with road users must reflect courtesy, patience, and professionalism. The image we project determines the level of public trust we enjoy,” he added.

DAILY POST reports that the outgoing Commander, CC Akinwunmi Fasakin, will proceed to his new appointment at the FRSC Training School in Jos.

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Joash Amupitan lied, digital footprint confirms INEC boss was pro-Tinubu, APC campaigner

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Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Chairman, Joash Amupitan’s denial of previous ties with President Bola Tinubu, fresh evidence shows his Yahoo mail and phone number are linked to the same X account that declared “victory is sure” for the All Progressives Congress in March 2023.

On Friday, Mr Amupitan through his spokesperson, Adedayo Oketola, issued a rebuttal on claims the INEC chairman was Mr Tinubu’s supporter, affirming he’s a neutral appointee, a requirement mandated by the constitution to protect the sanctity of the nation’s election space.

Mr Oketola in the statement claiming Mr Amupitan “does not own or operate any personal account on X. He has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity.”

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However, open-source intelligence (OSINT) findings appear to contradict the claim.

@joashamupitan tweeted “victory is sure” to reply a post by one of the APC leaders, Dayo Israel, announcing that the party had won seven of the 10 polling units in an opposition stronghold largely populated by Igbo voters.  

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Further checks revealed that the account was registered using the email address amu***anj@yahoo.com — the same email listed on a curriculum vitae attributed to Mr Amupitan. The CV also included his former institutional email, amu***anj@unijos.edu.ng, from his time as a professor at the University of Jos.

To verify amu***anj@yahoo.com email address, Yahoo asked to send notifications to the linked phone number, 0803***4099, the same line linked to an Opay customer account with username “Joash Ojo Amupitan.”

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Opay accounts usually comprise a customer’s phone number without the first zero. In this case, 8035074099, listed the account user as Joash Ojo Amupitan.

Contacted on Saturday by the Peoples Gazette for his reaction on the fresh findings, Mr Oketola said, “We stand by our statement. A statement was issued yesterday and that is our official position on the matter.”

That the X account registered with amupitanj@yahoo.com linked to a phone number bearing Mr Amupitan’s full name casts doubt on the INEC chairman’s claim he had no alliance with the APC nor Mr Tinubu, desperately seeking re-election in 2027.

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