The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Anambra targets 700 capacity hostels for technical colleges

    Anambra State government has announced its plans to construct over 700 capacity hostels in all technical schools across the state.

    Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha made the disclosure at the weekend during a retreat organized for stakeholders in the education sector in Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area.

    She said the government was envisioning a system of education targeted at making students to be practically relevant on graduation.

    Omenugha further canvassed for improved funding to ensure inclusive education for all children.

    Read Also: School feeding: Group intervenes in 63 schools in Anambra

    Declaring the event open, the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, described education as critical enabler in the life of individuals and the society.

    Obiano, representated by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu said the retreat was targeted at getting the stakeholders acquinted with the education policy of his administration.

    “The State Government is passionate about making enormous investment in the academic sector to ensure the proper application of technical education in promoting development,” he added.

    The governor charged the education administrators to deploy robust strategies in transforming the sector.

    In a presentation, a former Director in the World Health Organization, Prof. Uche Amasigo called for sustained efforts to arrest the trend of girl-child dropout in some local government areas of the state.

    Also speaking, Coordinator of Anambra Economic Think Tank, Mr Mac Atasie stressed that the retreat was aimed at utilizing education in creating transformation in all sectors of its economy.

  • Sen. Abbo: NCWS rejects apology, demand UN intervention

    The National Council for Women Society (NCWS), FCT Chapter, on Sunday rejected the apology tendered by Sen. Elisha Abbo, for assaulting a nursing mother in an Abuja adult toy shop recently.

    The FCT Chairman of NCWS, Mrs Hadiza Umar, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, advocated for stiffer punishment for Abbo to serve as deterrent to others who assault women in workplace, shops or markets.

    “I am here with my executives and members of NCWS FCT chapter for a peaceful demonstration on what an elected senator, who is suppose to serve us did to one of our women.

    ” We want to stop the barbaric habits on women either at home, in the markets, shops, workplace and everywhere in the country.

    “We are women of women of integrity and mothers, we are not animals and we are saying no to violence against all women and the assault should stop with immediate effects,” she said.

    She called on the United Nations and all other international organisations to ensure the prosecution of Abbo in order to guard against future occurrence.

    Read Also: Henshaw dismisses Sen. Abbo’s apology as arrogant and insincere

    ” We reject his apology and we will do everything within the ambit of law to demand justice for our fellow woman who was assaulted,” she said.

    The Acting Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS), Mrs Safiya Umar, said violence against women is an international offence as clearly stipulated in the UN Convention and Beijing Charter.

    She disclosed that the secretariat had send an invitation to Abbo for him to come and explain what transpired.

    According to her, the secretariat is very passionate about anything that affects women and children in the FCT.

    The Director of Gender Development Department, Mrs Hart Agnes, said the department would not relent in doing everything humanly possible to stop violence against women, children and the Physically Challenge People in the FCT.

    “It is our mandate to remain focus, to fight this monster that is bedeviling our society.

    “It is so strange and unbecoming to us of a human being treating a fellow human being in such a disgraceful manner.

    “The video we saw is mindbogglingly because some of us couldn’t sleep after watching the video.

    ” We are overwhelmed with issues of domestic violence in highly places, people you least expected will demonstrate that level of venom on a fellow human being,” Agnes said.

    (NAN)

  • Sen. Bamidele urges Oyetola to make his victory a catalyst for development

    Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele APC-Ekiti), has urged Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun to make his victory at the Supreme Court a catalyst for more development in his state.

    The senator who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, gave the charge in a congratulatory statement he personally signed and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

    NAN reports that the apex court had validated Oyetola’s victory in a majority judgement of five to two on Friday.

    “I charge the governor to up his game and expeditiously begin the process of transforming the lives of the people in earnest.

    “The Apex Court’s verdict has again restated the widespread belief that Oyetola should enjoy the legitimacy to lead, having truly won the Sept. 22, 2018 governorship poll.

    Read Also: 10 facts about Osun State Governor Oyetola

    “I also salute the gallantry of the challenger and the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, by his resolve to work with the present government to make the state greater,” he said.

    Bamidele urged the governor to convert the victory to gains, by embarking on those policies and projects that would mitigate poverty in the state of the living spring.

    He said the victory came at the time when the governor’s tenure had started gathering a beneficial momentum, urging him to be more decisive and zealous in the task of transforming the economy of the state.

    “Before the huge distraction was rested by the supreme Court, Oyetola proved his mettle through regular payment of salaries and pensions.

    “I have no misgiving that he will do more now that the storm was over.

    “Apart from ensuring that the state breathe a new less of life under his able watch, the governor must also begin a process of reconciliation taking cognisance of the cleavages and bad blood the fiercely contested election and the subsequent litigation had elicited.

    “In actual fact, this was a sweet victory for the APC family in Osun State and Nigeria, for Osun, being strategic to the party’s dominance in the region cannot afford to be left out of the next level development focus of President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

    “I congratulate Oyetola and wish him the best as he superintends over the affairs of Osun State,” he said. (NAN)

  • RUGA: Ohaneze youth warns Northern coalition over ultimatum

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide on Sunday warned the Coalition of Northern youths that its peaceful approach to issues of the nation should not be misconstrued to be weakness.

    The youths who condemned the 30-days ultimatum given to the federal government and governors to implement the suspended RUGA settlement policy  or they will sack Southerners resident in the North and  establish the settlements across the nation, said the ultimatum was a declaration of war against the south and southerners living across the Northern part of yhe country.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki by Mr Okechukwu Isiguzoro, President General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide, the Igbo group vowed that it will explore all peaceful avenues for protection of lives and properties of the Igbo resident in the North.

    The youths commended the federal government for suspending the RUGA settlement and urged the Northern youths to obey the suspension and stop issuing threat over it.

    The Igbo youths accused the Northern youths of promoting hate speech banned by the federal government  through the ultimatum and called the federal government to call them to order.

    Read Also: Don’t revisit Ruga, Bishop warns Buhari

    “We studied  and weighed the implications of the recent threat and 30days Ultimatum from a Northern group named ” Coalition of Northern groups” over the suspension of Ruga settlement by Presidency, and there have been unnecessary tension in the Southern Nigeria especially Igbos emanating from the threat of these Northern group.

    “We are fully aware that these recent threat are targeted only to the lives and properties of peaceful Nigerians of Igbo extraction doing businesses in 19 Northern States, and this is a declaration of War against the Igbos.

    “ Instead of resorting to threats or Hate speech, or counter threats over the 30days Ultimatum of Arewa Youths under the aegis of” Northern Youths Coalition Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide will facilitate a peaceful dialogue with the leadership of the Coalition to ensure that the ultimatum will be resolved peacefully like the previous threat of quit notice issued against Igbos in 2017 by the same group.

    “ We will not fail to  explore all peaceful avenues for the protection of lives and properties of Igbos living in the 19 Northern States, but warn that our peaceful approach should not be understood as weakness as there are other options open to us over the recent threat, but we will legitimately pursue peaceful ways to avert this imminent mayhem and genocidal ethnic cleansing against Igbos in the North.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth council worldwide congratulate the President Muhammadu Buhari for the suspension of the Ruga settlement program and the careful approach of the National Economic Council under Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and the Sub Committee led by Governor David Umahi over the clarification of the controversial Ruga settlement program, and reintroduction of “National livestock Transformation Programme “which has programmes of rehabilitation of displaced IDPs, as a voluntary programme for any willing State to participate.

    “We urge the Coalition of Northern groups to direct Northern Governors to opt for the second option of ranching through this peaceful National livestock  Transformation Programme rather than Ruga settlement which was clearly rejected by the Southern Nigeria especially the South East /South-South Governors and the people.

    “OYC  wishes to remind the leadership of Coalition of Northern groups of the grave implications of this recent threat, reminding them that “Hate speech ban” is still effective and in the interest of National peace and security  to withdraw the 30days ultimatum immediately since there is another option for Fulani herdsmen to have ranching in North through NLTP, except they are out to use the guise ofRuga settlement program for land grabbing and neferious activities in the South East or anywhere in Southern Nigeria, which was clearly rejected and resisted by Southern Nigerians

    “We warn that the Youths of South East and South-South are not ready to stomach the threat of genocidal ethnic cleansing against the Igbos in the North, we call on Ndigbo to be vigilant and defend themselves in the North, and relocate immediately  their business headquarters to the East,

    “If the Northern Governors, Northern Elders forum, Arewa Consultative Forum , Northern Traditional Rulers led by Sultan of Sokoto and Religious leaders are not behind the recent threat, they should condemn it vehemently and call the warring Youths to other, but if they fail, we will hold them responsible for any loss of life or properties resulting from the intended ethnic cleansing by the Coalition of Northern groups”, the statement said.

  • 10 facts about Osun State Governor Oyetola

    The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the victory of Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, dismissing the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party against his declaration.

    Oyetola emerged winner in the Osun state governorship election held on September 22, 2018 with  255, 505 votes to Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 255,023.

    He was sworn in by the Chief Judge of Osun at the Osogbo township stadium on Tuesday, November, 27 as the 5th civilian governor of the state.

     

    Below are ten facts you should know about Oyetola

    *Oyetola was born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun on 29 September, 1954 to the family of Hammed Oyetola (the current Chief Imam of Egbeda, Iragbiji)

    * First born of 30 children, he attended Ifeoluwa Grammar School in Osogbo for his secondary school education which he completed in 1972. He proceeded to the University of Lagos where he bagged a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Insurance in 1978. Oyetola capped his education with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in 1990 at the same university.

    Read Also: Buhari congratulates Oyetola on Supreme Court victory

    * He had his mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 1978 and 1979 at Potiskum, in present day Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre.

    * His professional career began in 1980, when he joined Leadway Assurance Company Limited as Area Manager and worked there till 1987. He took another step by taking his expertise to Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager between 1987 and 1990. He moved again in 1990 to Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991.

    * He established his firm, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited, in 1991. He was the Managing Director until his appointment as Chief of Staff in 2010.

    * His other stints in business include, Executive Vice-Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies which has interest in Oil and Gas, Mining and Real Estate from 2005 until 2011. He was also Chairman of Ebony Properties Limited.

    * He had been a Director of Pyramid Securities Limited until 2011, among other business interests, before his appointment as Chief of Staff by Governor Aregbesola.

    * Oyetola is a pronounced technocrat as well as a progressive politician. He was a founding member of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Osun State and has been a chieftain of the party through its metamorphosis to Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now All Progressives Congress (APC).

    *He is happily married to Kafayat Olaitan Oyetola and the marriage is blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren.

    *On March 22, 2019 Osun State Tribunal nullified his election and declared Senator Ademola Adeleke winner of the poll. But on May 9, 2019, the Court of Appeal upheld Oyetola’s victory at the poll. Finally on June 5, 2019, the Supreme Court affirmed Oyetola winner of the Osun governorship election.

  • AFCON 2019: Edo supporters urge Eagles to buckle up

    Soccer supporters in Benin, have urged the Super Eagles to buckle up, if they intend to win the ongoing 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition in Egypt.

    A cross section of those who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Benin, said that the cup is not out of the reach of the Eagles if they can be more tactical in their matches.

    While commending the Eagles on their victory against Cameroon on Saturday, the fans called for more connection between the midfielders and the attackers.

    A fan, John Omoruyi, said though there was more seriousness in the team’s approach in the match against Cameroon, he, however, said that more needed to be done for the team to move beyond the quarter finals.

    He appealed to the technical crew to give Samuel Chukuezie more playing time in the competition.

    “I must commend the team for its victory against Cameroon on Saturday; there was much improvement in the match compared to the group stage.

    “The team must however work hard to further improve in all the departments of the game, especially the link between the midfield and the attack,” he said.

    Read Also: UPDATED: AFCON 2019: South Africa sends Egypt packing

    Another fan, Ogun Omotola, corroborated Omoruyi’s claim saying that the coveted trophy is not out of the reach of the Eagles.

    omotola, however, called for more determination from the players.

    While noting that the team’s opponent in the quarter finals, South Africa, are familiar foes that could be beaten by the Eagles, especially with the spirit with which they beat Cameroon, he called for more tactical discipline in the team.

    “Yes, we can and should win the cup for the 4th time if we continue with the same run of play that saw us defeating Cameroon. All we need is more aggressiveness and determination on the part of our team,” he stated.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles, on Saturday, defeated Cameroon 3-2 to advance to the quarter finals of the AFCON where they will meet South Africa who defeated host Egypt 1-0.

    (NAN)

  • FG committed to knowledge-driven economy – Osinbajo

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday said the development of human capital was key to the progress and prosperity of any nation.

    Osinbajo made the remark in Lagos while speaking at the “40th Anniversary Re-Union Symposium’’ organised by the 1979 Economics Class of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the  symposium was “Alternative Approach to Financing Public University Education for Effective Human Capital Development in Nigeria’’.

    The Vice-President said what separated the developed and the under-developed countries of the world was the high quality of the human capital of the former.

    He added that the development of the Western countries, as well as the Asian Tigers was not by accident but by massive investment in human capital.

    Osinbajo said the government was committed to a knowledge-driven economy, hence its increased investments in the education sector.

    Read Also: ‘Buhari committed to private sector driven economy’

    The Vice-President added that the government was also implementing programmes and policies to improve access to education, to catalyse the country’s progress.

    He described the 10million out-of-school children as an undesirable situation, saying the Federal Government was collaborating with the state governments to address the problem.

    The Vice-President said the Federal Government was investing massively in the free and compulsory education for children, for the first nine years of their lives.

    He urged the state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by showing more commitment to basic education.

    Osinbajo said the government’s school feeding programme had improved enrolment by about 40 per cent and that the government was strengthening the programme to record more gains.

    The Vice-President said the girl-child education was strategic to development, saying the government was giving it all the attention it deserves.

    “Some studies have shown that girls are smarter than boys.

    “Any nation that does not educate its girls is doing itself a great harm.

    “How do you solve your problem when you lock up your best minds?

    “So educating the girl-child is not only sound economics but can also help to reduce the problem of population growth.

    “One of the reasons we have a large population is early marriages and it is because many of these girls are not educated.

    “When you educate these girls, you can actually reduce population growth rate. We are committed to the girl-child education and we are doing a lot to get our girls in schools,’’ he said.

    On teaching quality, Osinbajo said the government was revamping Colleges of Education to provide the needed manpower for especially, basic education.

    He added that the government planned the redesigning of the school curriculums to ensure that education meets the needs of the times.

    The Vice-President said the government was also investing in education infrastructure at all levels, to improve teaching and learning.

    He commended the OAU 1979 Economics Class for organising the symposium, saying that it would add to the discourse on the need for better education.

    Osinbajo urged the class to sustain its advocacy for a better education sector.

    The Vice-President said nation-building was a collective responsibility and urged all citizens to contribute their quota to move the country forward.

    Delivering the keynote address, a former Vice-President of the African Development Bank, Chief Bisi Ogunjobi, called for increased funding of education to make it functional.

    He expressed regrets that the education sector had continued to nosedive owing to poor funding and other issues.

    “We used to have a university system that was working. I attended the University of Ibadan, and in those days, the facilities were excellent and the faculty members were great.

    “UI was a university of diversity because students from all over Nigeria, including so many countries like Cameroon and Zimbabwe were there at the time.

    “What we have now is the “catchment areas’’ system where universities attract their students mainly from particular areas and this has really affected the system.

    “Things used to be good, there is need for a revamp in the sector to drive development,’’ he said.

    Ogunjobi said the proliferation of universities without commensurate funding had negatively affected the sector.

    The one-time Pro-Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, added that the establishment of many universities to get bragging rights by states was not good for the country.

    He said there was need for all stakeholders to initiate alternative ways to fund university education, to guarantee affordability and quality.

    Ogunjobi said the academic exploits of Nigerian students in foreign universities showed that with a good learning environment, there would be better outcomes.

    He commended the Class for the symposium but expressed the worry that economists were not doing as much as accountants to shape policy formulation in the country.

    Ogunjobi, therefore, urged members of the class to join the relevant professional body so that they could contribute more to the nation ,just like ICAN.

    The Guest Speaker, Mr Chinedum Nwoko, faulted the use of strikes by university lecturers to make demands from government.

    He said frequent strikes had affected the university system negatively and undermined standards.

    Nwoko, a Consulting Executive at Policy Associates, a policy advisory and development outfit, urged university lecturers to find better ways to engage the government on issues.

    “Also, the government should stop throwing money at ASUU whenever there is a strike. That is not sustainable; you cannot throw money at a problem to solve it.

    “There must be practical solutions to the problems of the university system, instead of giving money to lecturers anytime they are on strike,’’ he said.

    In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Class, Chief Mark Dike, said the class was concerned about the state of affairs in the education sector.

    He said that it was in view of the concern that the class organised the 40th Re-Union symposium to give input to the question of how to improve the sector.

    Dike said the class would forward the recommendations of the symposium to the Federal Government for necessary interventions.

    NAN reports that renowned academic, Prof. Bolaji Aluko; Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede and the president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, were some of the prominent personalities at the programme. (NAN)

  • Live healthy to avoid erectile dysfunction, doctor advises men

    An Abuja based medical practitioner, Dr Maxwell Odiegwu, has advised men to imbibe healthy living to avoid erectile dysfunction.

    Odiegwu, the Chief Medical Director of a private hospital in Abuja gave the advice

    in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

    He said that to live healthy meant to eat well and exercise regularly.

    Odiegwu said that the advice became important to enable men to guard against bad lifestyles that caused erectile dysfunction.

    Read Also: Put An End To Premature Ejaculation, Erectile Dysfunction and Low Sperm Count Today With This Proven Natural Solution

    According to him, 50 per cent of men over the age of 40 years will suffer some degree of erectile dysfunction.

    Erectile dysfunction is a situation where a man is unable to attain an erect penis that is rigid enough for sexual penetration or sexual satisfaction.

    He said “people with certain illnesses like diabetes and hypertension are susceptible to erectile dysfunction. Moreso, stress, eating habits and certain drugs can cause it.”

    He said erectile dysfunction was not curable except its cause was identified, but it could be managed.

    He advised men who detected weak erection early to seek medical help, noting that “any man with some degree of erectile dysfunction should watch out for signs of heart attack.”

    (NAN)

  • Buhari decries attacks in Katsina

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed immediate reinforcement of the security architecture in the state, and prosecution of all those involved in the conflict that triggered violence and loss of lives in Katsina State on Wednesday.

    He gave the directive following a brief on the incidents.

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also warned herdsmen and communities to stop taking the law into their hands by resorting to violence at every provocation.

    He said the herdsmen returning from the South due to the rainy season must respect the boundaries of farmers and villagers, while the communities must refrain from attacking herdsmen.

    The President commiserated with families that lost loved ones in the attacks from herdsmen, assuring the state that the security structure will be further strengthened to avoid unnecessary violence between herdsmen and communities.

    Read Also: Breaking: Buhari re-appoints Boss Mustapha, Abba Kyari as SGF, COS

    President Buhari, who commended the State Government for providing logistic support to security outfits to carry out their operations of protecting innocent citizens, said the Federal Government will continue to create enabling environment for citizens to go about their businesses without fear of harassments or violence.

    He directed security outfits in the state and all parts of the country to work towards preventive, rather than reactionary measures; strengthen inter-agency intelligence sharing and deploy updated security platforms; and ensure partnership and harmonious relationship with community leaders and members for local intelligence.

  • Bindow congratulates Osun governor on Supreme Court victory

    The immediate past governor of Adamawa State, Sen Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow, has congratulated Governor Adeboyega Oyetola of Osun State on his victory at the Supreme Court.

    In a statement signed by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Martins Dickson, Sen Jibrilla Bindow said the victory is well deserved and a relief for the governor to concentrate on governance as he implements the party’s manifesto in the state.

    Read Also: Jubilation in Osun over Oyetola’s victory at Supreme Court

    “Governor Adegboyega will now concentrate on his primary functions as governor devoid of the distractions associated with court cases. I applaud the majority decision of the apex court delivered by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour,” Bindow said.

    He also congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari over the victory, stating that the judgement is an indication that the APC was genuinely voted for across Nigeria, considering the number of victories the party has gained in courts across the country recently.

    He urged APC members to remain committed to the party and anticipate victory in all pending court cases across the country.