Category: Education

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) may conduct a second 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for candidates with genuine registration challenges.

The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lagos while monitoring profiling of candidates with 2021 UTME registration challenges.

“So far, we have just 17, 758 candidates with challenges that had been profiled, nationwide.

“At the end of the entire exercise, we may have to conduct another examination for those with genuine cases after the main UTME slated for June 19 to July 3,” the JAMB official said.

He reiterated the board’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child desirous of tertiary education would be given an equal opportunity.

“Since I came here this morning and interacted with candidates, I have discovered that most of them are largely unserious and are basically the cause of most of their challenges.

“We keep hearing flimsy excuses such as my lesson teacher used his phone to generate the profile code, our tutorial centre helped us to register and I was not in town.

“Other reasons advanced are: I used my mother’s NIN to generate my profile code, my mummy did the registration for me,” he said.

According to the registrar, some candidates were honest enough to say they did not have money to procure UTME forms.

Both the teaching and non-teaching staff of the D. S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ewekoro, Ogun State on Thursday, scampered for safety following the sporadic gunshots in the premises.

Our correspondent gathered that the sound of gunshots was heard shortly after the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun State chapter gained entry into the premises of the institution.

It was gathered that the incident rekindled the last year assassination of one of the lecturers in the school which happened at the gate.

The incident happened 24 hours after students blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to protest against the management over examination matters.

A video that had gone viral showed how the protesters humiliated the Special Assistant to the State Governor on Students Matters, Azeez Adeyemi during the protest.

It was learnt that NANS had been factionalised into two groups with Adeyemi leading one of the factions.

Further findings revealed that the visit of NANS loyal to Adeyemi was seen as an attempt to launch a reprisal attack on the other faction.

A source told our correspondent that both teaching and non-teaching staff became agitated following the sound of gunshots and scampered for safety.

According to the source, “Nobody knows what is going to happen next to any staff in the institution as the situation is getting serious by the day.”

The NANS leaders reportedly stormed the institution in a tinted Jeep with NASS number plate.

They allegedly blocked a gate that led to the entrance of the Rector’s office.

Gunshot rocks Ogun poly, lecturers fleeWhen contacted, NANS chairman, Damilola Simeon denied knowing anything about the shooting.

He confirmed that there was sound of gunshots shortly after he and his team arrived at the campus.

Explaining the rationale behind the visit, he said he was in the school at the invitation of the Acting Rector, Job-Kehinde Olatunji.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Thursday, has announced that the monthly allowance of Corps members serving in the state be increased to N15,000 from N5,000.

Details later…

The Senate has passed a bill seeking to prohibit discrimination between the university degree and the Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate holders in the country.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Ayo Akinyelure and passed the third reading during Wednesday’s plenary session.

The Chairman of the Joint Committee which worked in the legislation Senator Ibrahim Shekerau said the bill will free the holders of HND from stagnation and ensure balanced treatment with their counterparts from other higher tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

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He added that the abolishment of the existing dichotomy between HND holders and graduates of Universities would meet the huge manpower needs of Nigerians, ensure social justice and enhanced corporate governance, as well encourage patriotic contributions amongst HND employees in both public and private sectors.

Senator Ibrahim Shekarau had earlier moved that the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Joint Committee on Establishment and Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND on the Prohibition of Discrimination between First Degrees and Higher National Diplomas Bill, 2021 (SB.297).

The motion was seconded by Senator Sadiq Umar and Senate dissolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the report.

The Senate in the Committee of the Whole and Plenary then considered and approved Clauses 1-6 of the bill.

The House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill in May 2019.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan while congratulating the House said the bill has been in the process for a long time.

“Congratulations to the Senate. This particular issue has been on the front burner for a long time. I recall that in the House between 2003 and 2007, this was one Bill that was so important and it is a way of encouraging our Polytechnic graduates.

“This should not take away the kind of training they give but should be a motivation for our Polytechnic graduates,” the Senate President said.

Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde has announced that an executive order has been signed for the recruitment of over 500 health personnel in Oyo state.

This is as the Governor said that an additional 2,000 non-teaching staff will be recruited to complement the 5,000 teaching staff recently employed by the state government.

The Governor announced this earlier today at the Second Year in Office Thanksgiving Service held at St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral Church, Aremo, Ibadan, the state capital city.

He said, “It has been 2 years. On May 29, 2019, I was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Oyo State.”

“The major thing that we promised the people of Oyo State was that we will tackle poverty in Oyo state’s society.”

“I am happy to report that, in our main objective to tackle poverty, we are making steady progress.”

“As regards our 4 main objectives which are education, health, economic development, and security, we have been making great progress.”

“On education, we promised the people free and more quality education for students and pupils. I’m happy to report that in the past 2 years, pupils and students in Oyo State do not pay a kobo as school fees. I’m also happy to report that despite the economic crisis in Nigeria, Oyo State employed 5,000 quality teachers for our children and we are in the process of recruiting an additional 2,000 non-teaching staff to join them.”

“Within these two years, the number of out-of-school children in Oyo State reduced by almost 54,000. These 54,000 children are back in classrooms.”

“I pledged that LAUTECH will become fully owned by Oyo state and right now LAUTECH belongs to Oyo State fully.”

“In the health sector, I said that in all the 351 wards in Oyo state, there must be a functional, well-equipped primary health care centre.”

“299 of them are under renovation and remodelling right now and the money to be used for this has been set aside.”

“Last week, I signed the executive order for the recruitment of over 500 health personnel in Oyo state.”

The Governor also spoke about the current insecurity plaguing the country and pledged to do more to combat insecurity in Oyo State. He urged Oyo State residents to report any suspicious activity in their communities to the appropriate authorities and also to dial the state’s toll-free line, 615.

He said, “The provost challenged me right now on the security challenges facing the state. He wants us to do more and we will.”

“But, here is a question I want us all to ruminate on and one which I keep posing to everyone, can we imagine Oyo state without Amotekun? Amotekun is a creation of this administration.”

“We will continue to do more in the area of security but we all have our parts to play in combating insecurity in Oyo State. Anyone that sees anything strange in their environment should report immediately using the toll-free number, 615. It is functional and response is immediate.”

“In the next two to three weeks, we will still provide more equipment to the security agencies to enable them to carry out their duties in a better and more efficient manner.”

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, applauded the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) for putting appropriate measures in place to aid the conduct of free and fair local government election in the 33 local government areas of Oyo State.

The governor, who voted at the Ward 11, Polling Unit 1, Abayomi Open Space, Abayomi Bus Stop, Iwo Road, Ibadan, said that he was so happy seeing people exercising their civic rights by voting for the candidates of their choice in a friendly and conducive atmosphere.

He said: “I am quite happy about what we have seen so far because the people are doing what they are supposed to do.

“The security agencies are there and doing their work. From what they have told me, there is nothing overwhelming as they are on top of the situation.

“My message to the good people of Oyo State is, first, this is a process. We will throw up some people and it is not the end in itself but a means to an end. The end in democracy is good governance for Oyo State. The people must be eternally vigilant.

“Even though people are being elected today, we have to hold them accountable just like I am being accountable at the state level.”

The Governor of Lagos State and the Visitor to the Lagos State University (LASU), Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, after consideration of the report of the Special Visitation Panel on the appointment of the 9th Vice-Chancellor and by the powers conferred on him by the Lagos State University Law, Cap L69 volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended), hereby adopts the recommendations and directs as follows:

(1) The immediate dissolution of the Lagos State University Governing Council and the removal of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for flagrant violations of the extant laws and regulations of the University guiding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.

(2) Cancellation of the second failed exercise to appoint the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor as a result of the flagrant contravention of extant laws, breach of due process, failure and total disregard to follow its own laid down criteria guiding the process for the appointment of a 9th Vice-Chancellor as publicly advertised.

(3) In due course, a new Governing Council for the Lagos State University will be constituted. The reconstituted Council shall conduct a new process for the appointment of the 9th Vice-Chancellor.

(4) Members of the Joint Council and the Senate Committee who participated in the two failed exercises of 2020 and 2021 to appoint a 9th Vice-Chancellor are exempted from further participation in the new exercise for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. The Acting Vice-Chancellor and Management of the University are hereby directed to elect new council members from the Senate.

(5) The Registrar and Secretary to Council is to proceed on leave with immediate effect till the end of the process for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, having failed to advise the Joint Council and Senate Committee against taking wrong decisions, which were against the provision of the law during the two failed exercises of 2020 and 2021. An Acting Registrar will superintend over the new exercise. The Acting Vice-Chancellor is to forward to the Governor/Visitor through the Surrogate Council (Special Adviser on Education) the list of all the Deputy Registrars of Lagos State University for the purpose of appointing an Acting Registrar for the University.

(6) The Governor/Visitor following the recommendation of the Special Visitation Panel, shall be setting up a full Visitation Panel for Lagos State University immediately.

Lagos Secures $629m Loan From China To Fund Lekki Deep Seaport Project

The Lagos State Government has secured a $629 million loan to fund the Lekki Deep Sea Port Enterprise Limited’s project.

This was disclosed on Monday by the state’s Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Dr. Lola Akande at the ongoing 2021 ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of the administration of Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, held at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

The loan, according to Akande, was secured from China Development Bank (CBD), to facilitate the construction and development of the project and its early targeted operation in 2022.

She said: “Current completion percentage as at February 2021 stood at 47 per cent. Trial operations of the port is slated for third quarter of 2022 while commercial operations is slated for first quarter of year 2023.”

Akande explained that the project has provided job opportunities to 611 local.

She said that the Lekki deep seaport is being built over 90 hectares of land at the centre of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), which is the first deep seaport to be built in Nigeria on Built Own and Transfer agreement.

The construction of the deep sea port began in December 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2023.

The Lekki deep sea port, which was initially estimated to cost $1,5 billion, is expected to be one of the most modern ports in West Africa and support the growth of commercial operations in the region as well as serve as an alternative to Apapa Ports when it becomes operational.