News
Fed govt to build modern hostels in 36 tertiary institutions
Fed govt to build modern hostels in 36 tertiary institutions
The federal government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has kick-started the process of constructing state-of-the-art hostels in 36 tertiary institutions.
This is even as the government indicated its willingness to construct more hostel accommodations once these first sets are completed.
Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono stated this on Wednesday, March 20, when the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its President, Comr. Lucky Emonefe visited the agency.
Reacting to the association’s call for the maintenance of TETFund projects in beneficiary institutions across the country and the construction of the NANS secretariat in Abuja, Echono pointed out that there was increased allocation for maintenance of TETFund infrastructures above five years in the 2024 intervention cycle.
On the request for a NANS secretariat, the agency boss promised to look into it and get the buy-in of the Ministry of Education.
He also disclosed that the intervention agency would work out modalities to incorporate the students’ body for joint monitoring of projects across beneficiary institutions.
Lamenting the increasing challenge of student housing in institutions of higher learning, the Executive Secretary said: “As I speak, this year, we shall be providing hostels for students in 36 tertiary institutions across the country. Because we realise that some of the places where our students live are so deplorable. And only about 15 percent of our students are staying on campus. Many of them are living outside campus, some of them can’t even come back for evening lectures because of the cost and the trouble of walking all the way and coming back. And there is also the security situation in their areas.
READ ALSO:
- CDHR threatens to sue Adeleke over extension of HoS, Accountant General’s tenure
- Nurses sue health minister, others over new certificate verification guidelines
- JUST IN : NLC orders nationwide picketing of Labour Party offices
“So we have a policy to ensure that as much as possible, we will do the minimum of 50 to 60 per cent of our students to live on campus. And provide those hostels. Those hostels will not be matchboxes and shanties. They will be solid buildings that can attract other students from anywhere in the world to compare with what other people enjoy when they leave Nigeria.”
He congratulated the national leadership on their successful election even as he applauded the body for its constructive engagements on issues.
Echono assured the NANS leadership that Nigerian students would continue to be at the centre of any project in tertiary institutions.
He also urged the students to on-board its digital services platform for tertiary institutions – Tertiary Education Research, Applications, and Services (TERAS).
This, he said, would address critical challenges faced by students, researchers, and institutions in accessing educational resources and research materials.
According to him, other services such as sponsored mobile internet access, EagleScan for plagiarism checking, aggregated journal and research subscription inclusive of EBSCO, Blackboard Learning Management System, digital literacy, and intervention funding are available to both public and private tertiary institutions in the country.
“We will continue to support NANS, and partner with NANS because there is no doubt that in any policy, programme, or project that you want to do in the education sector, students must be at the centre of it. Higher institutions exist because of students,” he stated.
Emonefe said the visit was to formally introduce the new leadership of the association to TETFund management as well as work out areas of collaboration.
Citing the increase in TETFund’s 2024 budget and the new Students’ Loan Bill currently before the National Assembly, the NANS President applauded President Bola Tinubu for his “love and commitment to the upliftment of education in Nigeria.”
He also lauded the TETFund boss for throwing his weight behind the bill at the just concluded public hearing on the proposed legislation.
Emonefe said: “We are not going to relent. We are going to complement your efforts to ensure that these gigantic projects that TETFund is ensuring in our tertiary institutions. On our part, we are going to monitor, supervise and protect the education infrastructure to complement the efforts of Mr President and TETFund.”
A member of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund and lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Nwoko was part of the engagement.
Senator Nwoko joined the TETFund management to receive the NANS leadership even as he pledged the support of the committee to Nigerian students.
Fed govt to build modern hostels in 36 tertiary institutions
News
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.
Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.
Notwithstanding, the declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu yesterday generated more kudos and knocks from across the country.
Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, said the action of the president was meant to ensure protection of lives and restoration of law and order in the state, while the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said his principal was required to “avert needless harm and destruction .”
National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, said Tinubu, by his action, cleared what had manifested as a constitutional crisis in Rivers state.
But former President Goodluck Jonathan saw it from a different perspective.
READ ALSO:
- Senate didn’t get 2\3 majority for Tinubu emergency rule in Rivers –Tambuwal
- FG destroys another 200 containers of expired drugs
- Rivers court bars woman from answering ex-husband’s name
He described “abuse of office and power by the three arms of government in the country“ as a dent on Nigeria’s image.
The NGF, in a statement by its Director General Abdulateef Shittu, said it is essentially “an umbrella body for sub-national governments to promote unified policy positions and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth and the well-being of the people.”
It added: “As a technical and policy hub comprising governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.
“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.
“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education and universal healthcare, among others.”
It asked for “the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”
Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG
News
Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.
“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.
“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.
Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.
He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.
“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”
READ ALSO:
- Oluwo accuses Ooni of plotting to dethrone him
- Natasha: Court blocks recall attempt, stops INEC
- US ends legal status for 500,000 immigrants
Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.
“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.
“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.
The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”
“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.
“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.
Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.
According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.
“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.
“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.
Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.
Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi
News
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.
Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.
The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.
The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.
However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.
Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.
The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.
-
metro3 days agoNatasha: Court blocks recall attempt, stops INEC
-
Sports3 days agoOdegbami speaks on Osimhen breaking his 44-year goals record
-
Entertainment3 days agoI didn’t snatch Asake’s mother from her husband -Musibau Alani
-
Entertainment1 day agoSome ladies in movie industry ready to sleep their way to fame — Jide Kosoko
-
metro19 hours agoCourt refers Ojukwu property case to alternative dispute resolution
-
metro3 days agoOluwo accuses Ooni of plotting to dethrone him
-
metro2 days agoPresidency blasts Jonathan, Soyinka over comments on emergency rule in Rivers
-
metro3 days agoBoko Haram attacks military base in Adamawa