Solomon's Column

Sixteen Districts, Including Western Washington, Will Roll Out Programs this Fall WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today during the White House United We Stand Summit that over the next year, all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) will host a new nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate. The United Against Hate program is convening local forums that connect community groups to federal, state, and local law enforcement to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes; build trust between law enforcement and communities; and create and strengthen alliances between law enforcement and other government partners and community groups to combat unlawful acts of hate. “The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal hate crime laws,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why the Justice Department has launched its new United Against Hate program. This initiative brings together community groups, community lead

Workers in Nigeria have been advised not to opt for suicide as a way out of the life-threatening situation in the country. This advice was given by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC),Comrade Emmanuel Ogundiran. points''An average Nigerian is undergoing the worst period of life. The economy, the political environment and the social space are getting worse by the day.Nigerians can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed. The galloping inflation has rendered workers' salaries useless. Our religious worship centers which are supposed to be placers of succour have now become points for extortion. Adherents are growing poorer at a rapid rate, while the facilitators of the centers are moving from cars to private jets. All these added together have dampened the morale of workers in Nigeria, but I must be quick in saying that suicide is not an option. Suicide should not be an option,'' Comrade Ogundiran stated. He also advised workers

Nigerian youths who have benefitted from the government at all levels have been advised to give back to their communities that groomed them. This advice was given on Wednesday by the Executive Chairman of Ibarapa Central Local Government of Oyo state, Hon. Doyin Adeoye at a public function in Ibadan, Nigeria. ''My advice to Nigerian youths who have benefitted from government at all levels is for them to give back to the communities that brought them up. But it should be outside crime and criminality. They should replicate the benefits of serving government at all levels in their communities,'' Hon. Adeoye advised.

When you trust and obey God in everything, all will be well. Psalm 13 (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) ''How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.''

The Federal Government has been charged with motivating its workforce as a step towards ensuring high productivity. This charge was given on Monday by the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions(NASU),University College Hospital(UCH)branch, Ibadan, Comrade Kehinde Abiona. ''The Federal Government should do the needful when it comes to the motivation of its workforce. The government should also make the work environment conducive. But sadly, gardeners still make provisions for provisions, cutlasses them, they buy it themselves. Medical laboratory staff make do with outdated equipment, the same goes for those in accounts, who still apply old methods,,'' Comrade Abiona stated. He advised members of the union to be contented with their present situation, saying, '' take things easy, don't expect too much, accept what life brings to you and make do with what nature allows you to achieve in life''. Comrade Abiona

Inspiring strides from viable societies have proved that agriculture has the potential to solve several internal challenges, including food shortages, prohibitive prices of foodstuffs, unemployment and the heavy dependence on the monthly federal allocation, among others. Unfortunately, the agriculture sector in several states has been unable to provide jobs for the majority of the unemployed, particularly the youth, even as kidnapping for ritual and ransom purposes are now the preferred choices. In addition, the worrisome state of government-owned farm settlements has made the cultivation, processing,packaging and storage of varieties of crops impossible. Sadly, the lack of capacity, policy bias, underinvestment and misinvestment have all along been impediments to the development of agribusiness in affected states. In addition, the government at all levels have failed to create a conducive environment to attract investors into the sector, even though a number of them still insist that

Organization and professional ethics are important elements of governance or corporate governance. The elite now trample upon the Fundamental Human Rights of the impoverished masses, who have become mere pawns in their(elite) hands for the ease of manipulation to win elections. The present dividends of democracy include insecurity, poverty aggravation due to unemployment and high prices of commodities beyond the reach of the teeming population, avarice and greed exemplified through the blood of Timocracy running through the system of our politicians driving them crazy into Kleptocrarcy and deceptive plea bargaining; increasing the fold of cabal, cartel and the vicious cycle of the corrupt people's clubs in Nigeria. In all processes involving governance, leadership by appointment, promotion or election, the effective participation of the people matters at all levels of identification, selection, and electoral processes involving voters' registration and the collection of the