News

Adeleke Bags Award As Osun Grabs First Position in NELFUND’s Process

Published

4 months ago

July 10, 2024

Eric

Governor Ademola Adeleke has received an award of excellence from the Nigeria Education Loans Fund (NELFUND) for propelling achievement of first position by Osun state in the nationwide enrolment of beneficiary states by NELFUND.

Presenting the award to the Osun State Governor on Tuesday at Osogbo, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyer said Osun came first in terms of responsiveness and filling of requisite institutional and students data among the 36 States of the federation.

The Managing Director lauded Governor Adeleke for embracing the vision of President Bola Tinubu on the loan scheme, asserting that the Osun Governor represents an enviable model in sectoral push for good governance.

Explaining the significance of the education loan fund, Mr Sawyer said the targetted beneficiaries are indigents students, noting that the critical step to reaching each student is credible data gathering on which he said Osun is leading other states.

Responding, Governor Adeleke expressed appreciation to the NELFUND management for the award and to President Tinubu for activating the initiative.

The Governor spoke further: “I thank you for your kind words. We express our appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating this Funding initiative as a response to the many challenges facing our student population.

“We commend the President for demonstrating strong political will by fast tracking not only the establishment of the Fund but its effective take off.

“For us as a state, we have a responsibility to productively partner with the Federal Government for the benefit of our people. When it comes to bringing dividends of democracy to our people, we are blind to partisan politics. Our focus is the improvement of the lives of our people irrespective of where it is coming from.

“As a government, we see the Fund as a veritable platform to provide a lifeline for many indigents students in our various schools. The initiative promises to remove the pain and hardship experienced by many brilliant students in the area of funding. Again, we are elated by the prospects and opportunities for our students , hence our launching into the programme with all machinery of government.

“We are glad our efforts paid off with the enrolment of many Osun state owned schools in the programme. It is gratifying to hear that Osun took the lead among a comity of states in the selection and compliance process. Our next plan is to follow up by further deepening the preparedness of the selected schools for accessing opportunities available within the fund.

“Our gratitude also goes to the management of NELFUND for making the take off so efficient and for the fairness manifested during the selection process. We have strong faith in the capacity of the Fund to continue on the path of openness and equity”, the State Governor posited further.

He however urged the NELFUND management to ensure there is no debt trap in the running of the student loan system.

According to the Governor,”I must call our attention to a lesson we must learn as a nation from the operation of the loans board.

“As a long term resident of the United States, I am aware of the challenges of the student loans scheme. It has become a crisis of sorts. It has also become a subject of hot political debate. It has to do with huge student loan debts in the US

“We must as a nation avoid a similar debt trap. As we have the grace to understudy other nations operating similar funds, we must avoid the pitfalls. Our new system must integrate mechanisms to prevent similar experiences like what is happening in the US.

“I task the management of NELFUND to innovate within its mandate on how to make its operations sustainable. Debt trap must never be experienced in Nigeria’s students’ loan operations”, the Governor noted in his address.

Present at the courtesy visit were; Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Adewale Egbedun, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, cabinet ranking and non-cabinet members, Head of Service, Mr Ayanleye Aina among others.

News

Senate Sets Panel to Probe NDLEA’s Drug Trafficking Allegations Against Sen Ashiru

Published

1 day ago

October 23, 2024

Eric

The Senate, on Tuesday, set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate allegations of drug trafficking against Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, who represents Kwara South Senatorial District.

The setting up of the investigative committee came after Ashiru raised Order 42 of Senate Rules, which borders on personal explanation, noting that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) accused him of involvement in drug trafficking, which led to the arrest of some of his aides.

Ashiru argued that the allegation against him by NDLEA is baseless and unfounded, stressing that the agency is angry because he contributed to a proposed bill on the establishment of a drug-related agency on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

He urged the Senate to take action on the matter, saying that the allegation was an infringement on his person and his privilege as a sitting senator.

He explained: “Mr. Senate President, I come under Order 42 – personal explanation. My personal explanation is NDLEA’s malicious reaction to my debate on a bill seeking to establish an institute on drug awareness and rehabilitation.

“I expressed my concern on this bill for so many reasons. For the reason that there are a lot of information from my constituency on the negative effect of drug consumption and trafficking to the extent that one of my constituents has ascertained that in the last two years, he can count up to 50 people who have lost their sanity due to consumption of drugs.

“Equally, they are visible examples of drug barons who are making money through distribution of drugs in my constituency and other constituencies too.

“We have observed that there are increase in drug related crime. Because of these and many other reasons, I strongly contributed on the floor of the Senate that the Senate should look into the operation of NDLEA and advise that issue of corruption among operatives should be looked into to the extent that after debate, I supported the establishment of another agency that will take care of rehaibilitation.

“Mr President, I come under Order 42 to clear insinuation published especially by Daily Trust that Senator Ashiru is involved in distribution of drugs. In my life, I am 68 years now, I assert that I cannot even identify cannabis or any drug. Beyond taking water, I don’t do drugs, I don’t drink caffeine, I don’t even take carbonated drinks,” the senator submitted.

News

WAEC Begins CB-WASSCE, Extends Registration Deadline

Published

2 days ago

October 22, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said that its novel Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) is set to commence on Friday, October 25, with a termination date of Friday December 20, 2024. It also noted that the deadline for the registration of the examination has been extended till October 29, 2024.

The information was contained a press statement signed by the Acting Head, Public Affairs Department, Moyosola Adesina, on behalf of the Head, National Office.

The statement noted that “the examination will adopt the hybrid mode of delivering the examination, which implies that, the objective or multiple-choice questions would be rendered on-screen and candidates would be required to give their responses on the screen, while the essay and practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates would have to give their responses using the answer booklets provided.”

Read the statement in full:

CONDUCT OF COMPUTER-BASED WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (CB-WASSCE) FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES, 2024-SECOND SERIES: FINAL EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION DEADLINE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, wishes to announce to candidates, stakeholders, and the general public that it is set to conduct the novel Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024– Second Series from Friday, October 25 to Friday, December 20, 2024.

The examination will adopt the hybrid mode of delivering the examination, which implies that, the objective or multiple-choice questions would be rendered on-screen and candidates would be required to give their responses on the screen, while the essay and practical questions will be rendered on-screen, likewise, but candidates would have to give their responses using the answer booklets provided. Meanwhile, the examination diet has provided an option for candidates who may wish to use Paper and Pen mode, for the whole examination papers.

On this note, the Council wishes to inform all intending candidates that the registration period has been extended to Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Similarly, the “Walk-in-Candidate” opportunity (for candidates who register 24 hours before the particular paper of their choice is due to be taken) will be open at the end of the registration. Final timetable for the examination is available for download on the WAEC Nigeria website (https://www.waecnigeria.org) .

All intending, as well as registered, candidates are advised to take advantage of the numerous learning resources provided by the Council. These include signing up on the WAEC e-Study platform (via https://estudy.ng), purchasing the WAEC Past Questions and Answers’ books, and joining other candidates (on https:// www.waeckonnect.com ) to interact, on the WAECKonnect platform.

WAEC wishes all candidates for the examination success. The Council will always seek ways of delivering on its mandate by deploying technological innovations to make its services easily accessible to all stakeholders.
Issued by Public Affairs Department.

News

Immigration Arrests Bobrisky at Seme Border, Says VeryDarkMan

Published

3 days ago

October 21, 2024

Eric

Social Media activist, Martins Ortse also known as VeryDarkMan, on Monday alleged that popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky has been arrested by security authorities.

VeryDarkMan alleged that Bobrisky was arrested at the Seme border while attempting to escape to Benin Republic to evade the House of Representatives investigative hearing.

In a video on his Instagram page, VDM as he is referred to said: “Bobrisky has been arrested this morning at Seme border while trying to enter BENIN REPUBLIC to escape the current investigation by the house of reps, he is allegedly being held by the Nigeria immigration.”

Recently, VDM released an audio recording of Bobrisky claiming to have allegedly bribed EFCC officials with the sum of N15 million.

During his conversation, Bobrisky also claimed not to have spent his six-month jail term in Kirikiri prison due to the influence of his godfather.

The revelation led to an investigative hearing by the House of Representatives but Bobrisky failed to appear before the committee, claiming to be sick.

Source: The Post