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Tag: NOUN

  • FG is committed to making education affordable, says Buhari

    … Says functional education will reduce crisis in the country

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Federal Government is committed to making education affordable to youth of the country through the open and distance learning system (ODL).He said this at the 8th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria, on Saturday, in Abuja.

    The president also said his government would continue to deplore the necessary resources and facilities through direct budgetary funding and the tertiary education trust fund () interventions in order to ensure that provision of quality tertiary education is guaranteed to the youth.

    Buhari, who was the visitor to the university, was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Barr. Victor Onuoha, at the occasion.

    He attributed the root cause of crisis recorded in the past in the country to ignorance, saying that his government hopes to put an end to it through functional education. The President said: “It is of common knowledge that the root cause of most of the recorded crisis of nationhood that we recorded in Nigeria are as a result of ignorance which we hope can be abated through functional education.

    “This is why the federal government of Nigeria is more than ever before, committed to making education affordable through the open and distance learning system. In this connection, therefore, the national policies on education have provided for lifelong learning that transcends all barriers through open and distance learning.

    “As a government, we reiterate our commitment to continue to deplore, the necessary resources and facilities through direct budgetary funding, TETFund interventions and the NEEDS assessment funding to ensure that provision of quality tertiary education is guaranteed to our teeming youth.

    READ ALSO: Buhari’s ministers in intense lobbying

    “The president commended NOUN for expending access to higher education for Nigerians. Buhari added that the government would strengthen the ODL system of NOUN in order to meet its target of expanding access to tertiary education.

    “It is gratifying to note that NOUN continues to record successes at the national level by expanding access to higher education as well as making it affordable. In this regard, the national open university of Nigeria has carved a niche for itself both nationally and internationally.

    “The open and distance learning institution (ODL) will therefore be strengthened to take the lead in this desired direction’” the president said. In his remarks, NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, said that 20, 799 graduated from the university.

    He explained that the massive increase in the number of graduates of the university was as a result of the confidence Nigerians have placed on the efficacy of the ODL system. According to him, the university awarded 103 First Class degrees to the graduating students.

    Bala Salhu Magaji of the department of Islamic Studies emerged the overall best graduating student at the occasion.

  • NOUN gets new Deputy Vice-Chancellor

    The Senate of the National Open University of Nigeria ( NOUN ), has elected Prof. Justus Sokefun as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), a statement from the university said on Thursday in Abuja.

    The statement signed by Mr Ibrahim Sheme, NOUN’s Director, Media and Publicity, said that Sokefun polled 48 votes to defeat Prof. Gbenga Ojo, who got 18 votes in the election for the office during a senate meeting in Lagos.

    Reviewing Sokefun’s CV, Scheme disclosed that the new DVC was the Director, Lagos Study Centre of the university.

    The statement revealed that the new DVC studied Law at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), and obtained a Bachelor degree in Law in 1984.

    It indicated that he started his career as a Graduate Assistant at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he taught between 1985-1986.

    According to the statement, Sokefun served as Special Assistant to the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation between 1993-1994, and later became the Sub-Dean, Faculty of Law, Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, from 1994 to 1997.
    Sokefun became Dean, Faculty of Law, at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, between 2001 and 2007, joined NOUN

    as a Professor in 2007, and was appointed as Dean, Faculty of Law.

  • ‘NOUN Act vital for competition’

    Mr. Silas Joseph Onu, an Abuja lawyer,  is a former publicity secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch. In this interview with Legal Editor John Austin Unachukwu, he speaks on the allegations of corruption against NBA President,  Abuja branch crises, the Electoral bill, role of youths in politics and national issues.

    Some people asked the NBA President to resign as a result of his alleged involvement in N1.4 billion fraud. What is your reaction to this?

    I am concerned that the manner in which the Economic Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) has handled this case has bungled it and now makes it to appear as a politically-motivated prosecution with the aim of getting at the Akwa Ibom State government.

    The danger in this is that, while Paul Usoro (SAN) is the legal counsel to the Akwa Ibom State government in his personal capacity in which he carried out the brief in question, his  prosecution is being handled in a manner that could rubbish the entire Bar.

    Why do you say this?

    The EFCC is sensationalising the entire issue, not because of Paul, but because of Paul’s current position and they hope that he will be forced to betray his client. It is not strange for lawyers to  face prosecution as a result of suspicious transactions done for and on behalf of their clients or suspicious payments made to them by their clients. Every day, lawyers answer such questions and do come out of them unblemished. I know very many Senior Advocates who are paid billions by states and Federal Government for jobs done and none is facing EFCC prosecution. Many of these SANs even own and maintain fleets of private jets they don’t manufacture anything, just fees from briefs.

    So, why is this Usoro matter different?

    The EFCC has for, sometime now, held that the Bar is a corrupt institution, and I don’t disagree with that. But, trying to destroy it because of such notion is also not right, especially when the move is politically motivated.

    I understand that the EFCC perceives Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN) as a pro-Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP)  NBA president and desires to rattle him into cooperating with the incumbent ahead of the 2019 General Election, along with the Akwa Ibom State government. Are you not concerned that this issue is coming up immediately after the attempt to take-over the Akwa Ibom State Legislature failed? The EFCC has no tact in their approach as their fight against perceived political opponents of the President is too obvious. So, in this  regard, I will not support the call for the NBA President to resign. I understand that the political division in the Bar will also play a part in the call for the resignation of the President, but that will be an unfortunate day for the Bar. If our leaders are to fall victims of political manipulation by the government, then the Bar is truly lost and I will not support that.

    Usoro (SAN) must be supported by all lawyers of conscience through this ordeal so that the Bar will have a voice before, during and after the 2019 general election, that is real issue in the entire prosecution drama.

    What is your reaction to President Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Act recently amended by the National Assembly?

    First of all, majority of Nigerians are in agreement that the 2010 Electoral Act has a fundamental defect, even the President is in agreement here. The defect is solely the fact that, while the use of a computerised card reader has brought some level of sanity in our elections, especially with the recent improvements made on its effectiveness based on the lapses observed in the 2015 election, it has no legal backing whatsoever. Simply put, if former President Goodluck Jonathan, was desperate for continuation, as we are witnessing, he would have simply challenged the entire election for not having been conducted in accordance with our Electoral Act and he would have succeeded in court.

    So, what happened after that?

    President Buhari benefited most from that experience and the magnanimity of former President Jonathan. Therefore, it should be expected, and correctly so, that President Buhari will be the front runner in the quest to include the use of computerised card reader in our electoral law. But, we have sadly, seen a President who continues to place his individual  interest over and above that of the entire nation. His decision to reject the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, which effectively enhanced the conduct and transparency of our election was solely selfish as his decision was anchored on his chances of winning election in 2019 if the process were to be credible, transparent and predictable.

    What of his reason that there are errors in the electoral  law as  passed by the National Assembly?

    There is no law anywhere in the world that is perfect. Even the Ten Commandments made perfectly by God were not able to solve human problems as humans are imperfect in adhering to the law of God. So, President Buhari should not hide under the canopy of seeking a perfect legislation before assenting same. The word “amendment” exists for a purpose. It is because of the fact that no human law is expected to be perfect that an amendment to laws became part of legislative functions. Since the inception of our democracy, the Electoral Act has enjoyed continuous improvement through various amendments. This amendment is no different from of  the past as it sought to take our electoral process a step further from where it used to be. But, we have seen a President who will rather than act Presidentially, do his selfish bidding against the entire interest of Nigerians. This is a betrayal of trust and should ordinarily cost Buhari his Presidency.

    His failure to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018 did not come to many Nigerians as a surprise as his desperation for continuity in 2019 is visible even to the blind. Buhari is willing to burn down this nation if his second term bid will be realised afterwards. This is a shame and no one should feel any sense of pride in defending this failure by Buhari to be enthroned as a statesman, he lost a rare opportunity. That is why I am, just as many other Nigerians are, calling on the National Assembly to put aside partisanship and act in the overall interest of the nation by overriding the President’s assent and pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018 into law as an Act of the National Assembly and take the credit of saving this nation from the chaos as a result of the greedy quest for power by an individual.

    What do you foresee as the effect of not passing this bill into law before the 2019 general elections?

    Not passing this Amendment Bill into law before the 2019 election is to allow the nation slip into electoral uncertainty that is capable of snowballing into a major crisis for Nigeria. This nation has already bleeding and any politically motivated crisis may be the end of us all. Let there be a Nigeria that is greater than any of its sitting President. After Buhari, Nigeria should exist. He is not Nigeria and our laws cannot be made to suit him or his interest. This all began with the sequence of election and he kicked because of his interest. The nation bowed to his will and since then he hasn’t backed down on imposing his will on the nation. We must move on and the National Assembly is once again called upon to save Nigeria as it once did in the past.

     The National Open University Act has just been signed into law. It permits graduates of the varsity to attend the Nigerian Law School and do the mandatory one year NYSC. What is your reaction to this?

    It is good for competition. We have few institutions to cater for the hundreds of thousand Nigerians seeking admission to study law. The National Open University (NOUN) has proven that it is capable of delivering the programme and they will be subjected to accreditation by the Council of legal Education. So, if they scale through the standard set by the council, I see no reason Nigerians who prefer that option should not be able to obtain it.

    The NYSC is an important phase of every graduate’s life. NOUN graduates must not be denied the opportunity of discharging their national duty in NYSC programme. It is their right as graduates to serve and I don’t even think that any further law is require for that to happen.

    So, I congratulate NOUN and all its prospective law undergraduates.

    You were the Publicity Secretary of the NBA Abuja branch and have followed events of the Bar closely. What is your view on how to resolve the Abuja branch crises?

    Yes, I was the Publicity Secretary of the Abuja branch, popularly called the  Unity Bar, between 2014 and 2016 and that was when the boiling rots in the Branch finally exploded. The crisis was one of injustice, corruption and impunity mostly perpetrated by the very senior members of the Branch (mostly Senior Advocates of Nigeria) who believe that the Branch is their private possession and only what they approve of can take place in the branch. Members pay their membership dues dutifully and expect to enjoy some basic rights of membership. However, what used to happen was that certain big wigs want to dictate who can become what in the Branch. That culture of anointing candidates for leadership led the Branch into a messy reign of corruption and impunity by those leading it. A situation where a chairman will spend over N40 million  Branch money without the knowledge or approval of the Executive Committee or the General Meeting became my experience while serving in the Executive Committee.

    What did the branch do to checkmate such happenings?

    Well, some of us protested against such conduct as our by-law clearly stated how expenditures should be executed and that was the genesis of the crisis in the Branch. There are those who felt that even if the evidence against the chairman was so glaring nothing should happen as the Branch belong to them and in the word of one them “we have given you the money” (A very Senior Advocate speaking at the Branch AGM of 2016, alluded that even though the Chairman took money illegally, he, on behalf of the Branch, converted such illegality into a gift). So, with the sharp division predicated on what is right and wrong, the Branch went into election and the candidate that represented justice won that election and the big men struck again by declaring people who didn’t even qualify for election as chairman and secretary.

    What was the position of NBA national on the crises then?

    Then, the A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) -led National Executive Committee compounded matters by taking side with their friends, who are the big men to further sustain the crisis since then, even in the face of many Federal Capital Territory  High Court orders against doing so.

    What is the lasting solution to these problems?

    So, to sincerely answer your question on how the crisis can be resolved, I can only say that we have reached a stage of irretrievable breakdown of trust and only the creation of a new Branch for the dissidents can resolve the imbroglio. Many of us, the young lawyers, will never trust these big men or their surrogates with our time or money. No organisation, group, society or nation state can survive unrelenting acts of injustice.

    You have been very active in the affairs of the Bar, what is your view on the current state of the NBA.

    Just as the crisis of the Unity Bar, was ignited by mindless corrupt acts and lack of regards for law, rules or persons, that National body has become even worse as we saw in the immediate past administration. Offices not known to our constitution were created to accommodate cronies with fat salaries and allowances. We saw an office created with the name “Chief of Staff” in an association that already has an Executive Director whose job description encompasses what a “Chief of Staff” will do. We saw a General Secretary who took pride in breaking the law and asking people to go ahead and litigate the matter, simply because that will also give him a window to brief his friends at NBA’s expense. The last administration spent over N400 million of members’ dues on frivolous travelling and no one is shouting. The impunity of the immediate past administration and their total desire to finally destroy the NBA was made manifest in the conduct of the 2018 National Election.

    What do you mean by this? How?

    That election was nothing but a fraud and as usual, some unscrupulous lawyers now commit fraud and simply tell the victims to go to court. The mantra “Go to court” has become a very big cover for criminals, especially those with knowledge of law and access to the Judiciary, knowing that such an action will only end up being frustrated and thereby leaving the victim worse than he was when he/she went to court.

    Under the last NBA administration, we witnessed the highest level of disregard to court orders and judgments. We also witnessed the highest level of illegal activities by the leadership of the Bar.

     Can you give specific examples?

    One of such was the opening of a Branch Account for NBA Abuja by the General Secretary without the knowledge of the Branch. He operated that account alone and later handed it over to a Branch Executive appointed by the President and himself. This is a disgrace for a body of lawyers as the standard of operation was nothing but abysmal. The new administration that came in amid a fraudulent electoral process, one that I had predicted from the inception, in which financial members, including me, were brazenly disenfranchised and were asked to go to court. One would have imagined that an administration which came in with such a bad reputation will make haste to redeem its image by  exposing acts of corruption perpetrated by those who brought them in to do a clean-up. However, we recently saw this administration published a document it titled: “Forensic Audit” of the NBA Account, which was just a shameless effort to hide the infractions done by the immediate past administration. The audit was a generalisation of wastages as it blames the entire NBA for the financial recklessness of the immediate past administration. There is no indication or report about who did what and why it was done. The report was a massive cover-up of the rot that took place during the administration. So, the state of affairs in the NBA is that of gloom.

    How do you think we will get it finally resolved?

    As lawyers, each of us must be alive to our calling as ministers in the temple of justice. It is sickening that some lawyers have become so separated from their calling and are even worse than armed robbers. We must begin to deploy the mechanism of law against organisational infractions as an association. People must be punished for the wrongs they do while leading the Bar, not only when they steal money, but whenever it is established that such leaders fail or refuse to adhere to the provisions of the association’s Constitution. NBA is largely governed by the will of those elected to serve, instead of the provisions of the Constitution. The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee has become a tool in the hands of the Bar leaders to harass dissenting members, who are seen as not being loyal to the leadership – it has lost its relevance.

    What is your view on the Not-Too-Young to run bill that was recently signed into law by the President?

     The Not-Too-Young-to-Run Bill signed into law by the President, which amendwd the Constitution, is a step forward though it has been overrated as a step forward for the youth, but I hold a different view. The challenge of the youth isn’t really the issue of age, it is the issue of cost of political participation in Nigeria. The ages that have been reduced aren’t really realistic as any serious young man or lady will still be in school at that age in Nigeria. So,   what we should be advocating for is to cut down the cost of politics in Nigeria and that can only be attained if we reform internal party politics by ensuring that party members have a determining say in who lead the party and who becomes the party candidate – no by special arrangements that will make an individual $55 or $80 million  rich at the end of party primaries.

    You were a prominent member of the Nigerian Youth Council to the extent that you contested for the Presidency of the Council. What role do you canvass for the Nigerian Youth in our current democracy?

    The Nigerian youth have come of age in our quest for leadership transition across board. As a Christian, I am a strong believer in the fact that while the youth will always be visioners, the elders are dreamers. The Nigerian youth can successfully discharge the duty of leadership without much huddles. We are aware of a few bad eggs, who unfortunately, are privileged to be Governors and have become bad representatives of the youth. They have, by their conduct, portrayed the Nigerian youths as not really prepared for the task of leadership.

  • 157 inmates set to write WASSCE, as two pursue PhD

    The Lagos Prisons Command says education behind bars is getting more interesting with two of its inmates already pursuing their PhDs at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison.

    The Controller of Prisons, Lagos Command, Mr Tunde Ladipo disclosed this in an interview with our reporter, on Monday in Lagos.

    According to him, there is a renewed interest in education among the inmates across the various prisons in the state.

    He said that the progress and courage exhibited by the two PhD inmates at the maximum prison had sparked off a new zeal for academic pursuit among other inmates.

    “The command is committed in ensuring that no inmate is left behind in terms of education, as this is part of the reformation we are carrying out.

    “Sometime around May or June, two of the inmates who have acquired their Masters degrees enrolled for their PhD in the newly established National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) centre at the Kirikiri facility.

    “One of the inmates is studying Business Management and the other, Peace and Conflict Resolution, and the Vice Chancellor of the NOUN who personally presented them with the letter approving their PhD courses said it is tuition free.

    “To us, this is ground breaking and very encouraging, as they have shown that they are not limited by the situation they find themselves. And that is part of the essence of our on-going reformation across the prisons.

    “As a result of this, the command is also witnessing an increase of enrollment of inmates into various categories of learning at the various prisons schools.

    “We are indeed happy with the establishment of the new NOUN centre at the Kirikiri Prison, with state-of-the art facilities such as ultra modern and well stocked library, computers and air conditioners,” Ladipo told our reporter.

    According to him, a total of 157 inmates across the prisons in the state have registered for the upcoming second series of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates.

    Giving a breakdown of the statistics of the inmates from the various facilities, he said that 91 of the inmates were from the Ikoyi Prisons, 12 from the Female Prisons, 14 from from the Medium and 40 from the Maximum Prisons.

    Ladipo said that preparations were in top gear for the examination at the various facilities, to ensure that the inmates come out in flying colours.

    Read Also: 44 inmates get Oyo CJ’s pardon

    “I will like to commend the Federal government for its commitment in exposing the inmates to life-changing reforms that are ongoing currently in the prisons, through education and skills acquisition.

    “It is worthy to note that government, through the Controller General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed, recently donated books to facilities across the country for improved research, teaching and learning for the inmates.

    “This, coupled with the new facilitators we have engaged to complement the existing ones in facilities, will go a long way in improving the performance of the inmates during the WASSCE examination.

    “Aside intervention from the Federal government in preparing the inmates for the examination, a bank also presented cash donation as well as some fans, in an effort to upgrade the facilities for conducive teaching and learning,” he said.

    The state controller said that empowering the inmates with education would go a long way in restoring confidence in them, as well as make them less dependent persons, whenever they regained freedom.

  • NOUN disowns fake exams questions on Buhari

    The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) yesterday denied any link with fake questions on President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement on the Nigerian youth.

    The university said it had concluded its exams  and there was no basis for any question papers in circulation.

    A statement by the Director, Media and Publicity of NOUN, Mallam Ibrahim Sheme said the varsity has filed a formal complaint with security agencies to fish out the culprit(s) behind the fake question papers.

    The statement said: “The attention of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has been drawn to a publication in the social media in which a purported examination questionnaire titled “School of Education Course Code GST 103” was circulated as a document emanating from the University.

    ”In the fake exam sheet, four questions were posed, built around His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement on the Nigerian youth. Each question was said to attract 30 marks if answered correctly.

    “The so-called examination questionnaire issued by “Henry Osas” had nothing to do with NOUN as all our exams were concluded long before His Excellency the President’s visit to the United Kingdom where he delivered the speech Osas quoted.

    “Even though some might consider the document invented and circulated by “Henry Osas” and his co-travellers as a mere social media joke, we believe that the use of the hallowed name of the National Open University of Nigeria and its official logo to transmit the joke was done with mischief.

    “We take serious exception to the use of our well-respected identity for such unpatriotic and unbecoming behaviour.

    “NOUN has filed a formal complaint with the security agencies with a plea to fish out the culprit(s) behind this mischief with the view to taking the appropriate legal action against them.”

  • NOUN disowns fake exams questions on Buhari

    The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Tuesday denied any link with fake questions on President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement on Nigerian youth.

    The university said it has concluded its exams and there was no basis for any question papers in circulation.

    A statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity of NOUN, Mallam Ibrahim Sheme, said the varsity has filed a formal complaint with security agencies to fish out those behind the fake question papers.

    The statement said: “The attention of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has been drawn to a publication in the social media in which a purported examination questionnaire titled: “School of Education Course Code GST 103” was circulated as a document emanating from the university.

    “In the fake exam sheet, four questions were posed, built around His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement on Nigerian youth. Each question was said to attract 30 marks if answered correctly.

    “The so-called examination questionnaire issued by ‘Henry Osas’ had nothing to do with NOUN as all our exams were concluded long before the President’s visit to the United Kingdom where he delivered the speech Osas quoted.

    “Even though some might consider the document invented and circulated by ‘Henry Osas’ and his co-travellers as a mere social media joke, we believe that the use of the hallowed name of the National Open University of Nigeria and its official logo to transmit the joke was done with mischief.

    “We take serious exception to the use of our well-respected identity for such unpatriotic and unbecoming behaviour.

    “NOUN has filed a formal complaint with the security agencies with a plea to fish out the culprit(s) behind this mischief with the view to taking the appropriate legal action against them.”

     

  • Obasanjo successfully completes PhD programme at NOUN

    Obasanjo successfully completes PhD programme at NOUN

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is among 14, 771 persons expected to receive honours at the 7th convocation of National Open University of Nigeria ( NOUN ), Prof. Abdalla Adamu, NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor, has said.

    The former president is expected to receive a doctorate in Christian Theology, Adamu said at a news briefing on the institution’s 2018 convocation scheduled for Jan. 20 at its s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

    He said Obasanjo would be considered for an appointment as a facilitator or supervisor as PhD was the least qualification for one to teach in the institution.

    The vice-chancellor said 14,771 was the highest number any institution in Nigeria had ever graduated at a convocation ceremony.

    He said in spite of being a former president, Obasanjo conducted himself properly and deservedly bagged Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Theology.

    “One of the graduands is the first PhD graduate the institution will produce; a university must graduate students at academic Masters Level before graduating PhD.

    “Only one candidate has been able to do that and that is Obasanjo; the Senate has found him worthy of the award and approved the conferment of PhD on him.

    Read also: Obasanjo, seven governors and Buhari’s second term

    “There are lessons to be learnt from Obasanjo’s feat – one is never too old to learn; Obasanjo was about 80 years when he started the programme and has finished it at 82.

    “Again, one is never too powerful to learn; he was the president twice and yet subjected himself to learning; learning is a humbling process.

    “We will consider him for the post of a facilitator or supervisor; maybe for our Abeokuta Study Centre; we will suggest it to him.’’

    Adamu said that because of Obasanjo’s achievement, NOUN had received requests from other older citizens.

    He said the institution was able to graduate such a huge number of students because it had created its own internal data management which was previously handled by external vendors.

    The vice-chancellor said students who were hitherto not cleared by the external vendors had been cleared.

    He said that NOUN’s Business School would soon take off and would run nine professional programmes.

    Adamu said the institution had created Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies which would generate employment opportunities for the graduates.

    According to him, NOUN has opened linkages with foreign universities in order to broaden its scope.

    “Sussex University in the UK has reached out to us-to be its hub in Nigeria; Open University of UK, University of South Africa among other are partnering with us.

    “We are expanding to create Diaspora study centres in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Gambia, Senegal, among others.

    “These are still subject to approval from the National Universities Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,’’ he said.

    On the standoff between NOUN and the Council for Legal Education over the status of Law graduates, he said that the Senate had passed the NOUN Act Amendment Bill.

    He said once both chambers harmonise the bill, it would be sent for presidential assent.

    Adamu said once the amendment was signed into law, all controversies surrounding the Law programme as well that concerning the National Youth Service Corps would be resolved.

    NAN

  • Inmate emerges overall best Masters graduate of NOUN

    Inmate emerges overall best Masters graduate of NOUN

    An inmate of Enugu Maximum Security prison, Chukwununso Nomeh has emerged the overall best Post-graduate student of the National Open University of Nigeria ( NOUN ) prisons special study centres nationwide.

    The spokesperson of the Nigeria Prison Service in Enugu State, Mr Chukwuemeka Monday made the disclosure in a statement issued in Enugu on Friday.

    Nomeh, a convicted inmate, who was sentenced in 2010 gained admission to study Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

    He graduated with a cumulative grade point of 3.80.

    The Desk Officer of Enugu study centre, CSP Kelvin Iloafonsi said two other inmates also graduated from the NOUN post graduate school.

    Iloafonsi said that one of the inmates had since been released.

    The spokesperson recalled that one of the ex-convict of the same centre, Theophilus Adeniyi, emerged the overall best graduating student in 2014 while in incarceration.

    Monday said that he was currently pursuing his PhD in one of the universities in Nigeria.

    The Controller of prison in the state, Ndubuisi Ogbodo, encouraged more inmates to enroll into NOUN and embrace the transformation mantra of the Controller General of Prison, Ja’afaru Ahmed which focused on training and retraining of both staff and inmates.

    Read Also: Buhari applauds NOUN for redefining ODL

    The CP also called on the public to accept ex-convicts as reformed and responsible member of the society.

    He said that their continuous rejection would only lead them back to crime.

    NAN

  • 25 inmates studying at NOUN

    Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service said yesterday 25 inmates were undergoing degree courses at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

    The Controller of Prisons, Ekwere Ekaneem, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia, said 20 inmates of Keffi Prison and five inmates of Lafia Prison were studying at NOUN study centre in Lafia.

    “At Medium Security Prison in Keffi, we have 20 inmates at the Open University and at Lafia Prison we have five.

    “Besides these inmates, we have inmates who have written NABTEB and other examinations,” he added.

    Ekaneem said promises of assistance to pay their fees by the government and organisations were yet to be fulfilled.

    He said prisons authorities took up the responsibility of paying their fees to ensure they were reformed.

    According to him, educating inmates and helping them to acquire skills will reform them and ease their re-integration into society after their jail terms.

    Ekaneem appealed to public-spirited individuals and organisations to assist the inmates, saying: “They remain citizens of this country despite being in prison.”

    He said prisons were facing challenges, such as shortage of drugs, beds, mattresses and potable water.

  • Dalung calls for radical reforms in criminal justice system

    Dalung calls for radical reforms in criminal justice system

    The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung has called for radical reform in the Nigerian criminal justice system.

    Dalung made the call on Saturday in Jos when he celebrated his 54th birthday with inmates of the Prison Command in Jos.

    The minister said the call became necessary to strengthen criminal justice and ensure justice to all accused.

    “There is need for radical reforms in our criminal justice delivery system.

    “You cannot keep somebody in prison for years without trial and at the end of the day, do justice to the person.

    “There is urgent need for speedy dispensation of cases in our courts, for justice to be done,” he said.

    Dalung, a former prison officer, advised prison inmates be of good behaviour when they eventually gain their freedom.

    The minister said that he would liaise with governors and Minister of Interior to ensure that prisoners that qualified for prerogative of mercy were released.

    “This will help give freedom to those that merit it and it will help decongest our prisons.

    “I will also leave a token with the records department so that those who are to be set free but couldn’t pay their fines are freed.

    He also donated a cow and toiletries among others to prisoners with a promise to provide sports facilities like footballs, jerseys, table tennis balls and nets for them.

    On the prisoners’ request for study centres at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in the prisons, Dalung promised to discuss the issue with vice chancellor of the university.

    The Controller of the Command, Noel Ailewon, thanked Dalung for the gesture, saying that it would assist the inmates.

    Ailewon said that the visit was in line with what the holy scriptures admonished good believers to do, to visit prisoners.

    He appealed to the minister to talk with governors to exercise their prerogative of mercy in order to decongest the prisons.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inmates trilled the minister with cultural dances and special birthday songs to add colour to the event.