Tag: NANS

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has held a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru to address the kidnapping of students across the country.

The meeting aimed to explore collaborative efforts between NANS and the Ministry of Defence to ensure abducted students are released and improve security in educational institutions.

The leadership of NANS, in the delegation, Comr. Emonefe Lucky, NANS president, and Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, president of the Senate, highlighted the growing security challenges faced by students across the country due to the increasing incidents of kidnapping in educational institutions.

They emphasised the urgent need for proactive measures to address this menace and ensure the safety of students.

The ministry and NANS discussed collaborative strategies to enhance security in schools and prevent further abduction. The strategies highlighted include increased surveillance, deployment of security personnel to vulnerable areas, and intelligence gathering to preempt attacks.

Badau assured NANS of the government’s commitment to the safe rescue of abducted students. He provided updates on ongoing rescue operations and emphasised the importance of intelligence sharing and cooperation from the public in combating kidnapping.

To this end, NANS requested regular security briefings and updates on efforts to address the security situation in schools. It stressed the need for transparency and accountability in government actions to reassure students and their families.

The meeting also focused on the role of NANS in advocating for improved security measures and raising awareness among students about safety protocols. NANS pledged to collaborate with the government and security agencies to educate students on security awareness and response strategies.

 The meeting concluded with a commitment from both parties to work closely together to address the security challenges facing students.

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 The ministry agreed to provide regular updates to NANS on security developments and rescue operations involving abducted students to ensure transparency and maintain trust between the government and student representatives.

Both parties agreed to collaborate on awareness campaigns, security drills, and joint initiatives to enhance the security infrastructure of schools across the country.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the federal government to audit the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CTIN) funds.

The student body lamented the alleged mismanagement and lack of accountability of the funds, noting that the funds intended to provide training and development opportunities for Nigerian youth in line with the establishment goals of CTIN have not been properly utilized.

In August 2011, the Ministry of Trade and Investment established the Cement Technology Institute to support the domestic cement industry and its activities through the acquisition and development of appropriate technology, ensuring the availability of affordable cement throughout the country.

The Institute is mandated to carry out research and development, promote the adoption of sustainable alternative technologies, and human capacity building in the cement sub-sector of the economy.

During a press conference held in Lagos, NANS Senate President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, explained that the CTIN started ten years ago when Nigeria was still importing cement, and its purpose was to monitor the activities of those importing or producing cement in the country.

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The organisation’s funds were also intended to empower Nigerian students.

Babatunde said: “The CTIN is a committee involved with those importing cement and those in the cement industry in the country. Part of their responsibility is to allocate funds for the empowerment of students, especially those in vocational skills.

“For the past ten years, the CTIN has not remitted funds, even to the Ministry of Trade and Investment. So, what we are saying is that we want those funds to be accounted for, and we want to ask them why they have not used those funds for the purpose they were meant for.

Calling the attention of President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action, Babatunde said: “In clear terms, we urge Mr. President to direct the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to make public, as a matter of urgency and national importance, its role so far, the status, management, and usage of the over 20 billion Naira (about $100 million) contributed as levies on imported cement to CTIN for technical training purposes over ten years ago when Nigeria was still importing cement.

“We know and are fully aware nothing has been done with the fund in line with its purpose. This money should have gone to government coffers for investment in our vocational and technical education system.

“The Nigerian youth will no longer remain silent as our potential is suppressed, and our futures are jeopardized by anyone.

“This is not a plea for answers; this is a demand for accountability, transparency, justice, and a rallying cry for all those who believe in Nigeria’s potential and the rights of its youth to education, opportunity, and a fair shot at success.

“We will not rest until every penny of the funds is accounted for, and until those responsible for this shameful betrayal of trust by hiding these funds and not using them for their right purpose are held accountable publicly.

“We will use every available platform and legal recourse to seek justice and ensure that such a breach of public trust never recurs.”

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has praised the Federal Government for suspending the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.

NANS also called on the government to extend its sanction to Nigerian tertiary institutions offering courses without accreditation from relevant authorities.

The association made the call in a statement in Abeokuta by its National Senate President, Elvis Ekundina.

The Federal Ministry of Education had raised concerns over the utilisation of deceptive methods by some Nigerians to acquire degrees from Benin Republic and Togo, aimed at securing job opportunities for which they lacked qualifications.

The government had ordered the immediate suspension of accreditation of degree certificates obtained from tertiary institutions in those countries.

NANS called on the Federal Government to commence investigation into the activities of the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other agencies fingered in the fraudulent activities.

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“While we commend the Federal government for its quick decision to suspend the accreditation of degree certificates obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, it is important to investigate the activities of relevant agencies fingered in the fraudulent activities.

“We also want to use this opportunity to call on the government to beam its searchlight into the activities of tertiary institutions, especially privately-owned ones running unaccredited course.

“These institutions in their act are destroying our education sector and swindling innocent young Nigerians of their money by offering them unaccredited courses.

“I like to describe these universities and polytechnics offering unaccredited courses as illegal institutions which should be dealt with appropriately,” Ekundina said.

He called on the Federal government to collaborate with NANS and other student bodies to rid the country of “illegal” tertiary institutions towards repositioning the education sector.