The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 10

  • 10 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

    Good nutrition starts with smart choices in the grocery store. Cooking up healthy meals is a challenge if you don’t have the right ingredients in your kitchen.

    But who has time to read all the food labels and figure out which items are the most nutritious and the best buys? Grocery shopping can be a daunting task, simply because there are so many choices.

    “Markets perform a great public service, but keep in mind they are designed to get you to buy (and, therefore, eat) more food, not less,” says Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, professor of nutrition at New York University. But with a little guidance, healthy choices are a cinch to find in any supermarket.

    Plan Ahead for Success

    The process starts even before you head to the grocery store, experts say. Before you set out for the market, plan your meals for the week, and create a list to shop from. It takes a few minutes, but saves time in running back to the store for missing ingredients.

    To save money, use discounts, check the weekly grocery ads, and incorporate sale foods into your meal planning. And don’t shop hungry: An empty belly often results in impulse purchases that may not be the healthiest.

    To help meet the pyramid guidelines, you should be filling your cart with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean meat, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts, she says.

    Most of us tend to eat the same foods over and over again. But variety really is the spice of life, says Ward.

    One of the tenets of the pyramid is variety, so instead of white potatoes, choose sweet potatoes, which are much richer in beta-carotene, or baby spinach instead of iceberg lettuce. Be adventurous; aim to try a new fruit or vegetable each week, she advises.

    Both Ward and Nestle say organic foods are a great option, but note that they may not be the most economical choice.

     

     

  • 10 years after, retired policemen yet to get pension

    10 years after, retired policemen yet to get pension

    Some policemen who retired about 10 years ago are yet to be paid their pension. They are worried that their years of service to The Nation may go down unrewarded with their pension yet unpaid, reports Omobola Tolu-Kusimo.

    When the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamilekan recently raised the issue of the N24 billion Police Pension Fund alleged to be missing two years ago, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala was quick to refute the claim, saying the money was intact.

    But facts are beginning to emerge that something has gone wrong with the pensioners’ money, as some pensioners have not been paid their pension benefits, or gratuities 10 years after retirement. Frustrated, some of the affected retired policemen have begun to cry out over the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities since their retirement 10 years ago.

    The pensioners who do not belong to any association as they are not allowed to do so while in service, said they were told recently by some senior police officers in the pension department that their pension money has been stolen.

    The police officers are in a dilemma as some have been allegedly duped by fellow officers at the police pension office who promised to facilitate the release of their benefits. Some of the affected pensioners, who spoke to The Nation, said the situation is sad, considering the fact that they have duly served their fatherland and protected the citizenry throughout their active years.

    They said the service of a police officer in the society cannot be overemphasised. They have helped in maintaining public order, preventing and detecting crimes in the state. They have protected life  and property of the people notwithstanding the growing rate of crime coupled with increase in the complexity of civilisation, they added.

    They said: “Without the police, there would have been chaos in the society and the people would live in Hobbesian state of nature in which life would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

    “Thus, the police provide the necessary checks against the ambivalence of the human nature, play an important role in the administration of justice and enforcement of law. They are the saviour of our modern civil society.

    “Based on this, the welfare of a police officer should be uppermost in the mind of every responsible government.

    “It is therefore, appalling to find that many retired policemen under the old pension scheme, the Defined Benefits Scheme are still owed pensions and gratuities eight years after retirement.’’

    In this case, the police pensioners majorly affected, are soldiers from the Nigerian Army who got seconded into the Nigeria Police Force. Some of them have died, while some others are sick.

    Sixty-year-old Inspector, Abu Ekundayo, said he has not been paid his retirement benefits eight years after serving the Nigeria Army and Police Force for 27 years.

    He served last with the Lagos State Command, Ikeja, before his retirement on July 1, 2006.

    A letter written on behalf of Ekundayo by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Augustine Obaedo to the Director, Nigeria Police Pension Office on April 7, 2007 stated: “This is to introduce police officer, Inspector Abu Ekundayo who served last with Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, before retirement on July 1, 2006.

    “Kindly render every assistance at your disposal to enable him collect his retirement benefits.”

    Ekundayo said that despite this letter and his several visits to the Lagos Pension Office before it was moved to the Police Headquarters in Abuja, his case has not been treated.

    Recounting his ordeal to The Nation, he said: “I was receiving salary regularly until I retired in 2006, but I have not received my pension since I retired. I have been suffering and partially blind with no money to eat or go to hospital. I have been living a miserable life.

    “Sometimes ago, when I visited the pension office, which was in Lagos as at the time, with some other retirees who have the same case, a fellow police officer who works in the pension office, said he could help us facilitate the release of our benefits if we give him some money. He collected N50, 000 from me and N25, 000 from another retiree. While we were waiting for him to help us, we didn’t know when he left the pension office and his phone number never went through afterwards and we could not trace him again.

    “In 2011, when a friend and retiree who has the same issue with me went to the Police Pension Office in Abuja, he said they (pension office) confirmed to me that they saw my name in the list of pending pensioners. Usually what happens is for Lagos Command to compile our files and send them to the Pension Office for payment. Under normal procedure, it should not take more than a year for them to pay. Some people who are well connected have received their own pension,” he added.

    Richard Ogundare and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), retired 10 years ago and has not been paid his retirement after serving the Nigeria Army and Police Force for 35 years.

    Ogundare, who served within 1969 and 1979 in the Nigerian Army before he got seconded to the Nigeria Policein 1979, is also aggrieved that the Police Service Commission refused to merge his years of service years in the army with those in the police.

    He petitioned the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), MikeOkiro and copied the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar in the petition written and signed byhis lawyer, Kehinde Hassan Bamibola& Co.

    According to the petition, Ogundare has not received his retirement benefits since he retired in 2004.

    It stated: “We have the authority, instruction and consent of our client to call your attention to inhuman treatment he has been receiving from your Commission after he has duly served his fatherland, Nigeria, meritoriously, formerly as a military personnel from 1969 before he got seconded/enlisted to the Nigeria Police Force in 1979.

    “Our client informed us with documentary evidences that he applied to merge his service years sometimes in 2002 and that the application was not recommended. He would have served for 35 as at December 1, 2004, if the merging application had been granted.

    “However, he served the Nigeria Police meritoriously till April, 2007 before he was retired from the service. It is so painful and we consider it an act unleashing unmerited hardship on our client, that ever since his retirement, he has not received his retirement benefits. He has been suffering and languishing in abject poverty as a result of non-payment of his retirement benefits.”

    The petition further noted that a letter from PSC dated July, 2006, put Ogundare’s retirement date at April 24, 2004, while another letter dated May 3, 2007 with the heading “Retirement Benefits” put the effective date of his retirement at April 24, 2006 with factual affirmation that he was not indebted to the Federal Government.

    “Going by the letter from PSC, he actually applied for merging of his service years comprising the service years with the Nigerian Army from 1969 to the period he joined the Nigeria Police in 1979, but the application was turned down. He was made to serve beyond December 2004 till April 2007. Assuming the merging application was granted, he would have clocked 35 years at the service by December, 2004.

    “He actually served the Nigerian Police Force for 28 years from 1979 to 2007. That, the period between December 2004 and April 2007 should be reasonably computed into his service years for the treatment, calculation and payment of his retirement benefits.

    “We hereby appeal to your good office to pay our client all his retirement benefits as he is in great need of finances for his health and other necessities. The ‘dead does not spend money’ and so he should enjoy what he has laboured for while he is still on earth now. We are looking forward to hearing from you that his retirement benefits have been paid fully,” the petition read.

    Also recounting his ordeal, Ogundare said: “We are demobilized soldiers who fought war between 1967 and 1970 before we were asked to join the Nigeria Police Force.

    “The president at the time was OlusegunObasanjo. He asked us to join the police because it had few officers. Later in 2004, former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, asked us to go on voluntary retirement. We obeyed him because we are loyal. But some people did not obey that instruction and worked up to 40 years before retiring. The most painful thing for me is that this group of policemen havebeen paid their pension with some of them receiving eight million naira.

    Ogundare also told The Nation that one of his colleagues also has the same case as his and his name is Paul Odunwa, an ASP who retired in December 12, 2005 after serving for 35 years.He has also not received his pension 10 years after retirement and he is seriously sick, Ogundare added.

    Another pensioner, he said, is AfolabiKosolu, who according to him has lost his sight and can no longer move around to demand for his pension.

    Ogundare appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid.He also called on the National Assembly to look into their matter.

    Public Relations Officer, Police Service Commission (PSC), Ferdinand Ekpe in his reaction exonerated the commission.He said the PSC does not have anything to do with the pensioners.He said: “PSC does not handle police salaries or pension. Our mandate is to appoint, promote and discipline erring police officers. Any other thing that has to do with police welfare is not part of our business.

    “The pensioners will need to direct their complaints to the Police Pension Office.”

    Efforts to speak with the Managing Director, Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), Ms Nellie Meshack and Force Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mbah, proved abortive as at press time.

    In a statement in March, this year, the minister’s Special Adviser (Media), Paul Nwabuikwu, said: “As we explained in a recent communication, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, has maintained her stance that N24 billion is not missing from the police pension account contrary to allegations.

    “Therefore, allegations by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon AdeolaOlamilekan over a so-called missing N24 billion from the police pension account, are ridiculous and false. It is unfortunate that the chairman has persisted in using his privileged platform to disseminate such distortions even though the minister has repeatedly explained to the committee that the money was an overpayment based on the demands of those trying to steal from pension funds, which were successfully blocked and the money returned to the treasury by the minister.

  • Mourinho dreams 10 years EPL domination

    Mourinho dreams 10 years EPL domination

    Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is eyeing a decade of Premier League dominance after signing Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis.

    Mourinho splashed out around £80million to bring the trio to Stamford Bridge from La Liga, where Fabregas had been deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona and Filipe Luis and Diego Costa had just led Atletico Madrid to the league title.

    ‘A team which has been a winning team for ten seasons is changing step by step, we’ve bought new players and we are trying to build for the next decade,’ said Mourinho, in a press conference at Chelsea’s hotel in Velden, Austria, on Tuesday.

    ‘Last year we reached the semi-finals and it was a transitional season,’ he added. ‘We had a very young team at the time but, even so, we reached the semi-finals and were playing to win the competition.

    ‘This season we think we are going to be stronger, the younger players are more experienced, they are stable and better adapted to fighting for titles.’

    Despite acknowledging the competitiveness of the English top flight, the 51-year-old said he would not be at Stamford Bridge if he did not think Chelsea could win the Premier League next season.

    ‘If I didn’t think that way I would go home and let somebody else take charge of the team,’ said the Blues boss.

  • Eagles move up 10 places

    Eagles move up 10 places

    • Now 3rd in Africa, 34th in the world

    The Super Eagles profited from a credible performance at the just concluded World Cup as well as their tune-up games held before the commencement of the tournament, as they climbed 10 spots in the latest FIFA World Ranking.

    In the global ranking, the African champions occupy the 34th position while they are the 3rd best team on the continent.

    Algeria, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana are the top five teams in Africa in that order.

    The Eagles’ rivals for a ticket to the next African Nations Cup – South Africa and Sudan – are placed 14th and 35th in the zonal ranking.

    The top three performers at the World Cup – Germany, Argentina and Holland – have maintained their positions in the rankings, with Colombia and Belgium completing the top five countries in the world.

    The next ranking will be published by the official website of FIFA, fifa.com on 14th August, 2014.

  • Orphan, 10, in menial jobs to feed blind grandmother

    Orphan, 10, in menial jobs to feed blind grandmother

    At a tender age of 10, little Sehinde Bakare has become the breadwinner of a family of two; his grandmother and himself.

    The boy is battling with the harsh realities of life following the death of his parents and the subsequent loss of sight by his 72-year-old grandmother.

    He does menial jobs to put food on the table for his granny and fend for himself.

    The Primary Two pupil of Saint Benedict Primary School, Akure, the Ondo State capital, lost  both parents when he was just nine months old and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Ajayi, immediately  took up the responsibility of taking care of the orphan.

    But another tragedy soon came when he was four years. Mrs. Ajayi lost her sight due to lack of proper medical attention.

    It was learnt that the relations and friends of Sehinde’s parents tried at the initial stage to assist the young lad, but after some years they abandoned him for the old blind septuagenarian. The condition of the grandmother made life more miserable for the orphan.

    The little boy, who narrated how he and his grandmother survive, said when it was obvious that assistance was not coming from their relations and friends, while hunger and starvation were ravaging them, “Mama advised me to go out and look for menial jobs at food canteens so that the little money they give me will be used to feed both of us, but she advised me strongly not to steal anybody’s money.

    IMG-20130821-00206

    “She weeps anytime I come back from school and tell her that I am going out again to look for what we will eat. She is always complaining that I am too young to be passing through this trauma.

    “But I always reply her that I don’t have any option since my parents’ relations and families have abandoned me to my fate and I must survive and I don’t want to steal, so I do tell mama to leave me and be praying for me.

    “If I don’t go home with money, Mama will not eat. In fact, I have to go out and look for money so that Mama and I can eat. Mama is blind and she cannot do anything. Sometimes, some people in our house pity us and give us food but not always.

    “When there is no money and food, I find a restaurant and help them to wash plates; they pay me and give me food”.

    Sehinde said sometimes, he would beg people for money but he doesn’t always go far because Mama would be hungry at home and he would strive to get anything for her to eat even if it is garri.

    When asked how he manages to go to school, he said one Akure-based human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, is sponsoring his education.

    His words: “Daddy lawyer is the one that is helping me; he buys books and school uniform for me and gives me money. Most of the times, he is the one that gives me money that I take home to buy food for mama and myself.

    “There are times that Daddy lawyer will not be in office and we will be hungry at home. Times like that I just stay with Mama because there is nowhere to go and get money”.

    Bakare has known what suffering and agony mean. To him, life is another picture, which not all can see.

    Ogele, an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, confirmed that he had been helping the little boy for about a year and said if not for the poor, aged and blind grandmother, he would have sought police permission to take custody of the boy for proper care.

    The activist said he picked interest in the boy when he saw him where he was washing plates in a restaurant.

    Moved by this development, he decided to help the little boy by giving him money every day.

    He also saddled himself with the responsibility of caring for Sehinde’s academic needs.

    Narrating her ordeal, the blind grandmother said she lost Bakare’s mother when he was still young. The old woman, who said she could not remember the actual age of Bakare, disclosed that the little boy’s late mother was a twin and her Taiye is still alive.

    The old woman said the twin sister of Bakare’s late mum stays in Orita-Obele in Akure with her husband and kids.

    Besides, she said the younger and elder brothers of Bakare’s father stay in Odo- Ijoka in Akure in their family house, but she could not remember the addresses.

    The septuagenarian said the family members were not assisting them in any way, adding that their non-chalant attitude towards Bakare’s plight is giving her serious concern.

  • Group targets 10,000 pupils for ICT contest

    A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Talent Hunt in partnership with Siama Technologies Limited and Nova Strategy for School Growth, has pledged to involve about 10,000 pupils from both public and private primary schools in Lagos State in its 2014 talent hunt computer competition.

    The group’s National Coordinator, Mr Kingsley Kalu spoke at the second annual presentation of prizes to winners of 2013 talent hunt competition.

    Kingsley said the 2012 and 2013 editions were restricted to private schools because of limited resources, promising that with the two partners coming on board, more pupils would participate in 2014.

    A pleasant surprise for Kingsley and other judges was that the best contestants did not come from elitist schools.

    This means that pupils have what it takes to prevail irrespective of where they are from if given the necessary assistance and exposure, he also said the competition, though only in its second edition, has helped to expose the innate abilities of the children, none of whom are above 12 years.

    He urged other Nigerians and corporate bodies to work together to invest in children and stop waiting for the government to do everything.

    Five schools were presented with prizes at the event. The first prize of a laptop computer went to Evans Happy Home Nursery/Primary School, Ojodu. Double Glory Nursery/Primary School won a desktop computer for coming second; while Yemkem International Nursery/Primary School got a standing fan for placing third. The fourth and fifth placed prizes were taken by Children Home Nursery/Primary School and Spring flower Nursery/Primary Schools which got wall clocks.

    The chairman of the programme and proprietor of Barachel Group of Schools, Pastor Joshua Alonge, who was represented by Mr Agidi Albert Kayode, Head Teacher, admonished all school owners to take the issue of computer education seriously stressing that no meaningful development can take place without effective use of the computer.

    The Managing Director of Siama Technologies Limited, Mr Iyke Nwaneche assured schools in the state that the firm has a flexible policy aimed at assisting them acquire computers – including free installation of application and educational softwares, and free internet installation.

    Addressing school proprietors at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nova Strategy for School Growth, Mr Samuel Sayo Ajayi, said running a successful school business has gone beyond acquiring classrooms and gathering children and teachers together.

    He underscored the importance of relationship building and management to the success of schools.

    “To win and keep relationships, your sentences have to be appealing, you have to put in empathy, place yourself in the shoe of the clients. The modern school success is not only dependent on teaching of ABC but equally on relationship building and management. Thought on how to make your life a center of attraction and the way you present and relate with your clients (parents and staff members) is the key to the success you want for your school”, he said.

     

  • ‘Over 10m children out of school’

    Federal Government yesterday released its scorecard of educational achievements for 2012 and estimated that a total of 10.5million children of school age are not yet exposed to basic education in the country.

    The report released by the Federal Ministry of Education in conjunction with some of its parastatals also indicated that majority of the affected children are from the northern part of the country and are mostly girls.

    Government also listed a number of shortfalls encountered in basic education delivery in the year under review which were teacher quality, inadequate classroom furniture, libraries, laboratories and relevant text books among others.

    In the scorecard, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) revealed that among 1.6million candidates who applied for admission into tertiary institutions in 2012, only 218,324 eventually got admission offers into various institutions.

    Further statistics also revealed that a total of N44, 100,207,962.60 set aside as Universal Basic Education (UBE) matching grants between 2005 and 2012 was un-accessed as at December 31, 2012.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, at the report presentation which held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) yesterday called for private sector participation in the commercialization of research products churned out from tertiary institutions.

    She emphasized that such partnership would boost the nation’s economy through employment opportunities for the youths and by extension reduces the importation of similar products from other countries.

    Her words: “Over the years, we have been aware that pockets of innovations exist in our educational institutions. The challenge has been that of bringing these out to the public domain through commercialisation so that they can serve the interest of society.

    “The ultimate advantage of commercializing is that it would help enhance the nation’s competitive standing globally as a nation”.

  • 10 home truths

    10 home truths

    T HE year 2012 is racing inexorably towards its end. So, you have been in the employment market throughout the year or even before, you will probably be concerned by now by your situation.You are probably strategising about next year. The starting point is why are you still unemployed? I don’t know.

    Sure, you are the one to find the answers, mine is to ask questions, assist and encourage you. In this article some subsequent ones, I will try and help you to a new and profitable start in 2013. That was the promise I made earlier.

    Our employment status is crucial and important to our lives. Why? Most of us start work in early 30’s and retirement often occurs in the mid–60’s. This implies that we spend 80 per cent of our adult life at work.

    It will then be obvious that we need to get not just a job, but also a job of our choice. We need a job that will give us the greatest quality of work life, one that gives us the fullest opportunity for maximum expression of our needs, interest and values.

    The unemployed is poor, feels loss of control over his/her life and faces social pressure (some unintended). He also feels frustrated, angry and has low esteem. in the same vein, sudden loss of job disrupts family and social life, leads to loss of income and identity.

    The resultant change results in emotional turmoil, given the magnitude, speed and scope of change. At another level, many are not happy with their jobs-and are passively or actively looking for opportunity for job/career change.

    They all are really in the job market. The frank unemployment statistics (or better still, estimates) are not cheering: 16 millions Nigerians are unemployed – 25 per cent or four million are University/Polytechnics graduates.

    About 220,000 are produced from such higher institutions, and only 10 per cent obtain employment within one year post-NYSC. These were estimates made two years ago. I don’t think things are better now. In all, it may well be true that over 25 millions Nigerians in the job market-looking for job, a better job or a new career.

    From the foregoing, it is obvious that the Nigeria Job market is tough. The hard reality is that it requires more than extensive cognate experience and academic excellence to obtain a good job in the Nigeria’s job market.

    Question then is, at the personal level, is there anything you can do to get and stay ahead. Yes, you need to acquire job search skills. It is that simple. Buying an exquisite car will not give you the pleasure and pride of driving it, except you know how to drive.

    In the same way, the vast majority of us will only enjoy the fruit of our formal education and training only through paid employment. It is therefore the ironic that few possess the requisite skills for effective job search. That is home truth no1: few of us possess job search skills

    Let’s look at the hiring process, from the point of view of the employer. It is a good strategy of war to have good understanding of the ways of your enemy. The hiring process consists of essentially 3 stages Recruitment, Selection and Placement.

    Recruitment is the set of activities a firm uses to attract job candidates who have the abilities, knowledge and skills required for occupiers of the job position to help the firm achieve its objectives.

    Home truth No 2: Most candidates failed even before the start- they do not get to know about job openings. They are not looking the right places or they are looking in wrong places.

    Selection is the process of choosing the specific candidates for the job. It entails gathering sufficient information about the potential candidates for the purpose of evaluation.

     

    The sequence may be as follows

    • Preliminary screening (basal evaluation of candidates’ application and Resume/CV. A candidate may be considered absolutely unsuitable for academic, vocational, vocational, experience etc reason)

    • Completion of Application Blank (candidates may be required to fill standardised application blanks which are required for information usually already available on the Resume/CV)

    • Selection Test- (usually pencil and eraser, designed to predict candidates performance on the job, intellectual ability, numerate/verbal aptitudes etc.)

    • Interview (interaction and exchange of information between the employer and job seeker)

    • Decision to Hire (Making up the mind of the employer as regards that most suitable candidate)

    • Job offer (contacting and informing successful candidate about the decision of the employer to hire him and the terms of such employment).

    Are you positioned to cross these hurdles?

    Permit me to ask this obvious question again: Do you want a job? Or, a better job? Do you know how to? From deciding what you want, to crafting a winning resume through job interview to negotiating your employment conditions reqires know-how. JobSearchguru’s JOB-HUNTING MANUAL, is now published and available in the market. You can visit our website for further details. It is your complete job search tool-kit.

     

    See you next Monday.

     

     

     

     

     

  • OAU to admit 10,000 more

    The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has concluded plans to admit 10,000 students next year.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Bamitale Omole, said this at a retreat for management staff at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

    He said the additional admission would be made possible through the new e-learning platform of the Distance Learning Centre, which has been developed to replace the face-to-face learning.

    According to him, the new e-learning is an upgrade of the current distance learning developed in partnership with the United States-based Venture Garden Group (VGG), which has developed the same learning platform for many universities in the US.

    Prof. Omole said the e-learning delivers contents on electronic medium with the minimal use of the Internet.

    Explaining the rationale behind the project, the VC said: “We decided on this because we realised that any university in the 21st Century must not only be innovative and forward-looking, but must adopt new technologies that can create opportunities for thousands that can not access university education.

    “Only about 20 per cent of those who write the University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are admitted yearly based on the available places. So we believe that this retreat is a good sensitisation for the top echelon of the university to make them to be aware of what our distance learning is doing. We began the programme in 2002. It was conceptualised as a result of the inability of some of our workers’ children to gain admission.

    “The new project will give us an expand base of the number of students we can accommodate. Over 70,000 candidates apply to OAU yearly, but we have capacity for about 5,000 students. We believe it should not be so in terms of giving opportunities to different categories of people. This will develop the existing distance learning programme by upgrading it to e-learning. Again, distance learning education is a way to the future. What is happening by and by is that the percentage of the people having face-to-face engagement in learning is dwindling. It is important for us to catch up, to reposition ourselves for the challenges of the future.”

    Omole said the workers are prepared for the task, adding that the university also has the technological base to support it.

    “We have confidence in the ability of our workers in partnership with the VGG. OAU is the most IT-compliant university in Nigeria. Our band is the biggest among the universities. We pioneered Internet use.

     

     

     

  • 10 die in JTF’s reprisal for officer’s death

    10 die in JTF’s reprisal for officer’s death

    A military officer was killed yesterday in an attack on a patrol vehicle in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    Two soldiers, who are also members of the Joint Task Force (JTF), were critically injured in the attack.

    The killing of the officer, a lieutenant, by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), angered the task force’s men who shot sporadically, leading to the death of no fewer than 10 people.

    The IED was buried on Lagos Street, near the NUJ Press Centre. It went off at about 7.15am as the JTF patrol vehicle was passing by. The lieutenant, sitting in front of the vehicle was killed.

    A few minutes later, another bomb went off in a residential apartment facing the spot of the first blast. Military sources said a middle age man who was believed to be coupling the explosive device was the victim. He died.

    The JTF spokesman, Lt Col Sagir Musa, in a statement said two soldiers were injured. “It is feared that two soldiers sustained injury,” he claimed.

    Soldiers reportedly shot sporadically in the area particularly Gwange Ward adjacent the scene of the blast. Over hundred houses, shopping mall and offices were set ablaze while thousands of residents in the area were displaced. Gwange is believed to be one of the flash points of the Boko Haram activities in the city.

    Heavy shootings were heard in the city as most residents remained indoors. Many of the employees of the University of Maiduguri could not access their offices because the Lagos Street was barricaded.

    Sources said the soldiers “believed many residents were aiding the activities of the sect.

    Deputy Governor Zanna Mustapha inspected the area. He appealed to Boko Haram members to lay down their arms. “If they say they are fighting for the sake of Allah, people are suffering and if they say they are fighting for people, our people are still suffering. Just see what they have put people into now. It is really sad.”

    He said government would assess the extent of loss by the people and see how it could be mitigated.

    There was heavy security around the construction site of a Chinese firm in the city yesterday following the killing of one of their colleagues and his aide at Gubio, north of Borno state.