News

NANS to NYSC: Don’t stop students with ND part-time background from service

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2024

NANS to NYSC: Don’t stop students with ND part-time background from service

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is demanding that the National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC) stop discriminating against students who completed their National Diploma (ND) through part-time programs and later upgraded to full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) studies.

NANS is pushing for the immediate mobilization of these students for the one-year NYSC program, emphasizing that they should not be unfairly excluded.

Senate President Comrade Akinteye Afeez expressed the association’s disapproval of NYSC’s actions, stressing that it is essential to address this issue to ensure fairness and equal opportunities for all students.

“We wish to bring urgent attention to a critical issue affecting students who completed their National Diploma (ND) programs under the Daily Part-Time (DPP) mode and subsequently enrolled in full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) programs. These students are being denied NYSC registration due to the “(P)” designation attached to their JAMB registration numbers, which signifies their part-time status during the ND program,” NANS said.

“This problem has arisen despite these students having completed the required JAMB regularization process. The “(P)” designation, which is a remnant of their part-time ND status, is causing the NYSC portal to reject their registration, thereby preventing them from participating in the mandatory national service. This has caused significant distress and uncertainty among the affected students, who have otherwise fulfilled all necessary criteria for NYSC registration.

READ ALSO:

“We appeal to the Ministry of Education to urgently intervene in this matter. It is imperative that directives be given to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and NYSC to collaborate and find a swift resolution. Specifically, we request that JAMB initiate a consolidation process to update the registration status of these students, reflecting their transition from Daily Part-Time ND to full-time HND. This update will ensure that their JAMB registration numbers are accepted by the NYSC portal.

“Furthermore, we call on the Ministry of Education to instruct the NYSC to recognize the unique situation of these students and facilitate their registration. This can be achieved by overriding the system’s rejection of the “(P)” designation for students who have progressed to full-time HND programs. Ensuring that these students are not unfairly excluded from the NYSC program is crucial for their academic and professional futures.

“We acknowledge the precedent where students with similar backgrounds were successfully registered and mobilized in previous batches. This inconsistency needs to be addressed promptly to prevent further injustice. Clear communication from JAMB to educational institutions on the proper procedures for regularization is also essential to prevent recurrence of such issues.

“The affected students have shown commendable dedication by pursuing their education through part-time ND programs and advancing to full-time HND studies. Denying them the opportunity to serve their nation through the NYSC program due to bureaucratic technicalities is unjust and counterproductive. A prompt resolution to this issue will ensure that these students can proceed with their careers without unnecessary delays.

“We also extend our appreciation to the Minister of State for Youth for his prompt response to the issues raised. His attention to this matter provides hope that a fair solution will be found swiftly. We urge the Ministry of Education to support these efforts to ensure that these students can proceed with their NYSC registration without further hindrance. We also appeal to the Federal Government to channel more resources towards education and youth development, ensuring a brighter future for all Nigerian students.

“NANS stands in solidarity with the affected students and will continue to advocate on their behalf until a satisfactory resolution is achieved. We urge the Ministry of Education to act promptly to address this critical issue and ensure a just outcome for all affected students.”

NANS to NYSC: Don’t stop students with ND part-time background from service

News

Missing Billions: Lawmakers Summon NNPCL and 146 Marketers Over ₦432bn Downstream Debt

Published

2 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Nigeria’s federal lawmakers are putting the downstream energy sector under the microscope after audit records revealed that state oil firm NNPCL and private fuel marketers have piled up at least ₦432 billion in unpaid regulatory obligations.

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) confirmed the formal probe this week, following persistent warnings raised in the Auditor-General’s 2023 and 2024 annual reports.

Regulatory Levies Left Unpaid

The mountain of debt has accumulated over a six-year period from 2017 to 2023, remaining largely uncollected despite the country’s tight fiscal squeeze.

Fresh Blackout Hits Abuja as Apo Substation Transformer Trips

More Than 1,000 Migrants Rescued Off West Africa in One Week

The liabilities consist of statutory fees meant to fund national energy infrastructure, including the 1% Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, National Transport Average fees, Balancing Allowances, and lingering credit balances from import and coastal operations.

Audit records track a steep rise in default:

The 2023 audit initially captured ₦392 billion in total arrears, with NNPCL carrying over ₦162 billion and commercial marketers responsible for ₦230 billion.
The 2024 report revealed that private marketer debt alone had swelled to ₦432 billion, separate from state-owned NNPCL liabilities.
Regulatory data from the NMDPRA confirms that 146 companies affiliated with DAPPMAN and MEMAN owed ₦327 billion by 2025.

No Hiding Place for Defaulters

PAC Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, made it clear that parliament expects compliance from corporate leaders, issuing a firm directive against corporate stonewalling.

Salam emphasized that the committee will scrutinize why statutory revenues were permitted to sit idle without vigorous enforcement from the NMDPRA. Defaulters will be forced to present audit trails detailing every transaction, outstanding balances, and proof of any remittances made to date.

For lawmakers, the objective is unambiguous: plug commercial leakages, enforce fiscal discipline, and recover every outstanding naira owed to the federation.

News

Fresh Blackout Hits Abuja as Apo Substation Transformer Trips

Published

2 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Parts of the nation’s capital have once again been plunged into darkness following an early-morning equipment failure at the Apo Transmission Substation on Wednesday.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed the outage, attributing the disruption to the tripping of a 100MVA TR4 power transformer at its 132kV/33kV facility. Preliminary findings trace the failure to an oil spillage on the transformer’s red-phase High Voltage (HV) bushing, which forced four critical 33kV feeders, H31, H33, H35, and H37 offline.

Missing Billions: Lawmakers Summon NNPCL and 146 Marketers Over ₦432bn Downstream Debt

More Than 1,000 Migrants Rescued Off West Africa in One Week

In an official public notice, the transmission utility stated that technical teams are already mobilized on-site:

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, hereby informs the public that the 100MVA TR4 transformer at the 132/33kV Apo Transmission Substation tripped in the early hours of today. Our maintenance crew are already carrying out a detailed investigation on the transformer to ascertain the exact cause of the tripping, to enable us effect repairs and restore the transformer.”

Following the grid disruption, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) confirmed power losses across several major districts, including the Apo Legislative Quarters, Lokogoma, and Apo Resettlement.

The latest breakdown adds to a pattern of recurring supply interruptions across Abuja, coming just days after scheduled maintenance works left residents grappling with low generation and prolonged blackouts.

News

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

Published

22 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

The 19-year-old Spain international insists his World Cup and La Liga triumphs speak for themselves, while also being named one of Barcelona’s vice-captains ahead of the October 26 ceremony.

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made it clear that he will not campaign or “beg” for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, stating that his achievements on the pitch for club and country should speak for themselves. Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord, the 19-year-old responded to comments from rival Kylian Mbappé, who had previously made his case for the award by highlighting his World Cup Golden Boot win, which also saw him become the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

“I don’t think I need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or. I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters. “I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more. I think I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s your job and I will not beg for anything.”

The Spanish international, who finished second in last year’s voting behind PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, is among the leading contenders for the prize alongside Mbappé, Harry Kane, Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London. Yamal was officially named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or when France Football unveiled the list on Tuesday, marking his third nomination.

When asked about Dembélé’s recent comments naming Kvaratskhelia, Kane, and Mbappé as his top three, Yamal joked: “He’s a friend of Kylian, right? Honestly, I don’t care. I’m very happy with the year I had. Whenever I’ve faced both of them, I’ve won. They must have taken a dislike to me for some reason.” Spain knocked France out of the World Cup semi-finals with a convincing 2-0 victory.

READ ALSO:

Yamal, who suffered a hamstring injury in April, has returned to form with two goals in his last two outings against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia, and appeared far more cheerful after a difficult start to the season. “In the end, I’m 19, coming off winning a World Cup, having had the best holidays of my life. I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now,” he said.

Beyond individual honours, Yamal emphasised that Barcelona’s primary target this season is the Champions League trophy, a title that has eluded the Catalan giants since 2015. “There’s no greater motivation than the Champions League, which is the one I still have to win. We will give our all to win it,” Yamal said ahead of Wednesday’s opener against Feyenoord. “Good players have arrived, like Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri.”

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised the young star, saying: “Lamine is a player who can decide games on his own, fantastic quality. It’s great, you can see it every day how he is enjoying playing football. For me the best thing is that he enjoys this game and then he’s on a top level.”

Yamal is also the favourite to win a third consecutive best young player award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, having been one of 10 players nominated on Tuesday, including Johan Manzambi, Yan Diomande, and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who all impressed at the World Cup and were then the subject of big-money summer transfers.

Interestingly, during the press conference, neither Yamal nor Flick mentioned Feyenoord by name, instead focusing entirely on Barcelona’s mission to win the Champions League. Yamal was recently elected one of three vice-captains by his teammates, alongside Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong, with coach Hansi Flick selecting Raphinha and Pedri as the other members of the five-man captaincy group. “It’s something to be proud of at 19 years old. I’m very grateful to my teammates. It’s a position that comes with responsibilities, even if I’m only 19, but I’m very happy,” he said.