Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Prof. Isa Chiroma of the University of Maiduguri has called for the introduction of e-learning and distant programmes in polytechnics and universities.
Chiroma made the call at a pre-convocation lecture entitled: “Challenges Facing Tertiary Education Adminstration in Nigeria” on Friday in Mubi, Adamawa.
He said it was high time to change the pattern of tertiary education to meet the socio-economic and technological demand of the country.
Chiroma said e-learning would address inadequate funding militating against smooth operations of the institutions.
“Since funding and infrastructure are the challenges, tertiary institutions should consider e-learning and distance learning programmes with sister institutions.”
Bauchi
Bauchi state Ministry of Education has set up a committee to investigate Sunday’s demonstration at the Government Technical College, Gumau.
The Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi on Friday.
Ibrahim said that in spite of the committee, the college had also constituted its own internal panel to probe the incident.
On Sunday, students of the college protested against “a strange man” who had allegedly been sneaking into the girls’ hostel.
The Commissioner said he had visited the college and met with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gumau town.
FCT
The Federal Government on Friday said it was committed to the dual task of reviving and creating an enabling environment for the smooth functioning of existing automobile industries in Nigeria.
A statement signed by Alhaji Umar Sani, the Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Namadi Sambo, said Sambo made the statement at a forum in Abuja.
It said the forum was a meeting between the management of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) and Bank of Industry (BOI), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) and Union Bank Nigeria (UBN) PLC.
Kaduna
Zaria Local Government Education Authority in Kaduna State has introduced a new system of checking the performance of teachers, the council’s Secretary, Alhaji Mustapha Umar, said on Friday.
He told newsmen in Zaria that the measure would ensure
effective teaching and learning in primary schools.
He, however, expressed concern over the poor performance of class five and six pupils, and stressed that most of them could not even write a sentence in English.
He said: “It is unfortunate that some primary five and six pupils cannot write a sentence in English and some cannot even write their names correctly”.
Kano
Rep. Faruk Lawan, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, has joined the governorship race in Kano State on PDP platform.
He presented his letter of request to the PDP state’s executive committee members in Kano on Friday.
Lawan, who represents Bagawai/Shanono federal constituency, said his decision to run for the governorship post was informed by his desire to “restore the glory” of the state.
He particularly expressed concern over the high rate of drug abuse, especially among youths in the state as well as the ‘sorry state of education.’
He said such issues would be tackled if given the opportunity to govern the state.
Katsina
The Federal Government is to establish legal aid centres in 72 local government areas across the country this year.
Already, government has earmarked N300 million in the 2010 budget for the project.
The Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Mrs Nwaka Akinlami, said this in Katsina shortly after paying a condolence visit to the former First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua.
“With this development, each of the 36 states of the federation will have three legal aid offices; one in the state capital while the remaining two will be in local government areas,”she said.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has spent N15 million on the formulation of a 10-year strategic plan to develop the education sector.
The Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Sani Rukubulo, made the announcement in Birnin Kebbi on Friday, when he addressed stakeholders, serving and retired educationists.
Rukubulo said the plan was targeted at upgrading 1,476 primary schools, 228 Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), 90 Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) and six tertiary institutions in the state.
He said the policy was also to improve the one teacher to 100 pupils ratio as well as the one teacher to 75 students to improve learning in schools.
Lagos
The immediate past Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadbu returned to Nigeria on Friday through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The Delta Airline aircraft with registration number DL 053, which he travelled in from the US , touched down at exactly 4.40pm.
Ribadu simply said, “wonderful, wonderful, wonderful,’’ when asked by journalists how he felt coming back home.
“I am very happy, I feel very great, I am happy to be back home. I am just coming now, I am happy to be back home,’’ Ribadu said when pressed further.
The Tide’s source reports that the EFCC’s former chairman was received by his wife and three children.
Niger
The Concerned NITEL/MTEL Staff Association of Nigeria (CNSAN), Niger chapter, on Friday, protested the non-payment of their 26 months salary arrears and pension entitlements.
The Tide’s source reports that members of the association carried placards calling for the payment of their life pension scheme to reduce their suffering.
One of the placards read: “26 months without salaries; 308 dead.”
Mr Oluti Gabriel, President of the association told the source in Minna on Friday that, “members want to be returned to life pension agreement we signed with the Federal Government.”
“Government should pay for declaring us redundant and asking us to go before our time.”
Ogun
A don, Prof. Labode Popoola, has appealed to the Federal Government to show serious concern to the catastrophe posed by climate change.
Popoola, a professor of forest economics and the Dean of Post Graduate School at the University of Ibadan, gave the warning on Thursday in Ota, Ogun State, at a capacity building workshop on climate.
In his paper ,“Understanding Climate Change: Context, Drivers and Impacts”, Popoola, represented by Dr. Jimoh Saka, a lecturer in the university, said that 80 per cent of the inhabitants of the Niger stood the risk of being displaced as a result of climate change.
Plateau
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Plateau, on Friday in Jos, presented working tools to 30 women under the 4,700 jobs scheme.
The disbursement is in addition to the recent training of 50 persons on information and communication technology and events management, while 30 people were trained in agriculture.
Speaking shortly after the Friday event, the Plateau NDE Coordinator, Mr Monday Dalyop, said that 20 other women penciled to receive the tools could not do so because they could not present guarantors.
Sokoto
A Non-Governmental Organisation under the aegis, “Unity Education Empowerment Initiative,” has donated 10 wheelchairs worth over N160,000 to physically–challenged students of Abdulrashid Adisa Raji Special School,Sokoto.
Its Chairman, Sqn.Ldr Aminu Bala-Sokoto(rtd),told newsmen in Sokoto, that the beneficiaries included seven female and three male students respectively.
“They were drawn from the nursery, primary and secondary sections of the school. They were hitherto crawling to their classes from their hostels.”
“The gesture is aimed at alleviating their suffering. We have plans to donate crutches, brail machines, walking sticks and hearing aids to more students of the school soon,’’ he said.
Yobe
The Yobe House of Assembly has passed into law a bill compelling every household in the state to plant trees in its environment.
The law also prohibits illegal felling of trees.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Wakil Sarki, announced the enactment on Friday in Damaturu at a news conference to mark the World Environment Day.
He said the law was aimed at inculcating the habit of collective environmental sustainability in the people and also giving them acceptable guiding principles.
According to him, the law will teach them how to plant trees and spell out punishment for anyone found guilty of cutting trees illegally.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,
-
News3 days agoAdesina advocates Africa-led ‘Marshall Plan’ on conflict-hit regions
-
News3 days agoFederal High Court judges begin 2 weeks Easter vacation
-
News3 days agoIbas Tasks Youths On Peace, Rivers Dev
-
News3 days agoMilitary Uncovers Plot To Establish ISWAP Bases In Plateau, Bauchi
-
News3 days agoTinubu Orders Clampdown On Illegal Tertiary Institutions
-
News3 days agoSoyinka Slams NBC Over Ban On Eedris Abdulkareem’s Protest Song
-
News3 days ago
RSG Warns Against Fake News In Rivers
-
News3 days agoNigeria Ranks Top In Africa’s Soft Drinks Market