Makinde presents explosion report to Tinubu.

Makinde presents explosion report to Tinubu.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday, said he had presented the report of last Tuesday’s explosion at Dejo Oyelese Close, Adeyi Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan to President  Bola Tinubu.

This was as the  Minister of Solid Minerals Development,  Dele Alake, led a delegation of the Federal Government for an on-the-spot assessment to the site of the explosion.

It was reported that the explosion that rocked Adeyi Avenue around 7:30 pm last Tuesday killed five people, injured 77 people and damaged about 58 houses.

The President had earlier commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State following the incident, while he directed the National Emergency Management Agency to work with the state government to offer immediate and comprehensive relief to the victims.

Alake, during the visit,  expressed shock at the scale of devastation and unfortunate loss of lives, stressing that the disaster was man-made and regrettable.

“ I am here to convey Mr. President’s deepest sympathies to you and to assure you that the administration stands shoulder to shoulder with you in your efforts to get back to your normal lives and attain full recovery. Rest assured that succour that will ameliorate the impact of the tragic incident is underway.

“Let me assure the people of Oyo State that there will be full disclosure of the report of investigations and those found culpable will be made to face justice whilst mechanisms will be put in place to prevent a recurrence,” the minister said.

Briefing the minister on the state government’s rescue efforts, head of the state’s .

Makinde, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrenwaju, in Ibadan, said he was at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, at the weekend to present the report of the incident to the President.

“The governor appreciated the Presidency for its support following the incident, noting that the state government would do everything possible to provide succour to victims and to fish out and punish those behind the tragedy,” the statement read.

Makinde, also on his X handle, revealed that integrity tests were being conducted on about 230 properties around the scene of the explosion.

The properties, according to the governor, include 13 houses within 50 metres radius of the blast site, 40 houses within 100 metres radius, 122 houses within 200 metres radius and 53 houses within a 250 metres radius.

Makinde wrote, “The clinical psychologist has commenced counselling for victims of the incident at the Emergency Operations Centre in Ibadan.

“The operations at ground zero have moved from search and rescue to recovery. Let me use this opportunity to thank the Nigerian Society of Engineers who have been carrying out structural integrity tests on about 230 properties around the site of the explosion; 13 houses within 50 metres radius of the blast site, 40 houses at 100 metres radius; 122 houses at 200 metres radius and 53 houses within a 250 metres radius.”

Makinde thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State “for releasing the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency to support us and for the assistance offered by the team led by Engineer Olatunde Akinsanya, the Director of Operations.”

“The security agencies are still investigating the incident and an update on their investigation will be publicised. Our administration remains committed to supporting all victims of this unfortunate incident and ensuring that everyone responsible is brought to book,” the governor said.

Meanwhile, the President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Dele Ayanleke, told newsmen on Monday, that the association did not know the miners whose explosives were said to have caused the Ibadan explosion.

Ayanleke also blamed the incident on a lack of enforcement by regulators and agencies involved in the mining licensing process.

He said, “The government registered and licensed organisations to deal with explosives whenever you obtain a mining title, especially a small-scale mining lease or quarry lease. You are entitled to apply for the purchase of explosives but before then, you must apply for a permit to install a magazine, a special purposely-built storage for explosives. And once the approval is given, the construction must be supervised right from the foundation to the roofing by the Mines Inspectorate Department of the ministry, because they know the specifications and equipment to use and how to do it.

“Thereafter, anytime a miner wants to procure explosives, you must also go to the same ministry to obtain a permit stating the quantity you want at any point in time and they would give approval based on request every time you need it and this approval is copied to some other agencies like the Department of Security Services and the Anti-Bomb Squad of the Nigerian Police. They are usually aware of these dealings because before you can procure it from any licensed dealer, a bomb disposal expert must be available, who will accompany the materials from the point of purchase to your magazine.

“Anything outside of this is illegal, even at the mining site, a magazine is constructed far from where people stay just for safety purposes. There are rules, regulations and procedures. So, in this case, everything was flouted.”

FG to fund student loan scheme through education tax.

FG to fund student loan scheme through education tax.

 

The Federal Government on Monday said the Education Tax under the Federal Inland Revenue Service would serve as one of the funding sources for the recently established Student Loan Scheme.

It said the scheme would be fully automated to ensure zero human involvement in the application and processing of the loans to applicants.

“…that is why the education tax fund is one of the sources of funding that we will use to execute this programme,” said FIRS Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, when he addressed State House Correspondents after briefing President Bola Tinubu on the impending launch of the scheme at the Aso Rock Villa on Monday.

Barely one week earlier, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, revealed that the scheme was on track to go live in January 2024 as the President promised last October.

Adedeji, who spoke alongside the Executive Secretary of the Student Loan Board, Dr Akintunde Sawyerr, said channelling the education tax into the scheme is the administration’s way of being accountable to Nigerian taxpayers.

“This is in fulfilment of Mr President’s promise that we will make education accessible to all. This is one of the schemes where we will be applying the education tax that we collect.

“It is a way of being accountable to the taxpayer. Because the essence of education tax is to consolidate and restore education integrity and quality, in fulfilling that part of the Act, education tax fund is one of the sources of funding that we will use to execute this programme,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Sawyerr, who gave his first public briefing on the programme said eligible applicants would route their requests through the loan App or website, affirming that the scheme would be devoid of human involvement.

He itemised the application process, saying prospective candidates must avail their JAMB registration number, Date of Birth, National Identification Number and Biometric Verification Number, amongst others.

“The applicant will go on to a portal, or they will engage with the app. They will have to put in certain pieces of information that make them eligible, such as their JAMB number and, of course, the tie-in to their date of birth.

“Further pieces of information include their NIN, which confirms that they are Nigerians. This loan scheme is being paid for by Nigerian taxpayers. So, it’s for Nigerians and the NIN helps verify and qualify them as such.

“Their BVN is for financial inclusion because this scheme in itself will, at some point, be able to empower students, so we need to know they have bank accounts. We need to know where their accounts are to be able to access those accounts.

“It will also have their matric number and admission number so that we can firmly establish which institution they are going to because one of the key elements of this is that once we have received applications and those applications are approved, the fees or the tuition requirements in terms of financials will be transferred directly to the institution. That in itself has benefits for the institution,” The Executive Secretary explained.

While likening the loan to a bridge linking the desire for further education and the funds to do so, Sawyerr explained that the FG was keen to ensure that young Nigerians do not fail to acquire tertiary education simply because they lack the funds.

He said, “The intention behind it is to ensure that the reason for not being able to go on and further your education at a tertiary level is not for the lack of finance. This law seeks to bridge the gap between the desire to study and the capacity to go further. It seeks to bridge that gap that is created by lack of finance and funding.”

The Loan Chief explained that the scheme would enable Nigerians to pick a career trajectory of their choice rather than being forced into other paths because they were unable to acquire vital education.

He also affirmed that the loan would help to stem the dangerous journey undertaken by Nigerian youths across the Sahel to Europe in search of a better life.

“Some of the opportunities provided by the scheme include enrolling intending students in teacher training programmes and vocational skills.

“The program provides opportunities for Nigerian students who want to go into the academic side and get a university degree or perhaps want the technical side and acquire some vocational skills and also in the teacher training space.

“This intervention will affect the lives of many Nigerian youths because that’s usually the bracket to further their education. It will…enable us to intervene and support families, particularly the needy,” he explained.

The Executive Secretary disclosed that the school fees for successful applicants would be transferred directly to their institutions.

On June 12, 2023, President Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loan Bill into law. The move was in “fulfilment of one of his campaign promises to liberalise funding of education,” a member of the then Presidential Strategy Team, Dele Alake, told journalists. The law enables indigent students to access loans at interest-free rates.

Declaring the 29th session of the annual Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja open on October 23, 2023, the President said, “By January 2024, the new Students Loan Programme must commence. To the future of our children and students, we’re saying no more strikes!”

Stakeholders protest in Rivers to stop Fubara from re-presenting budget.

Stakeholders protest in Rivers to stop Fubara from re-presenting budget.

Some civil society organisations on Monday, January 22, held a protest to stop the Rivers State Governor from re-presenting the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly.

The stakeholders, who displayed placards containing various messages, also urged the governor not to recognise Amaewhule as the Speaker of Assembly claiming that doing so was against the 1999 Constitution as amended.

They were seen standing at the entrance of the Government House in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Chairman of the Coalition, Enefa Georgewill, said Fubara should not succumb to the pressure of further desecrating the Constitution by carrying out the remaining items in the peace accord.

He said that re-presenting the already passed budget would amount to disrespecting the constitution and could result in anarchy in the state. 

The Public Relations Officer of the group, Solomon Leenu said they staged the protest to give Fubara the support and encouragement to act according to the law.

Ibadan explosion: FG “ll allow investigations to be concluded before making statement – Alake.

Ibadan explosion: FG “ll allow investigations to be concluded before making statement – Alake.

The Federal Government’s will allow the investigative, technical and intelligence agencies to conclude their investigations before making any categorical statement on Ibadan explosion.

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, said this on Monday while speaking with newsmen shortly after meeting with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in Ibadan.

He said all the questions pertaining to the explosion would be answered at the end of the investigations, adding that by then, Nigerians would be well-informed.

Alake said he was at the governor’s office to commiserate with Makinde and commend him for his efficiency and effectiveness in the handling of the explosion.

He particularly thanked Makinde for the speed with which he had responded to the incident which he described as unfortunate.

The minister said that Makinde’s efforts was ‘very remarkable’, adding that President Bola Tinubu was impressed.

The minister said he had visited the scene of the explosion as well as the hospital to see some of the victims.

He said that there would not be any particular time frame for the submission of the report on the explosion, as it was a technical investigation that required lots of expertise.

Alake, however, said that the report would not take too long, based on the speed with which all the agencies involved had been handling the assignment.

He assured Nigerians that government would not sit on the report, given the magnitude of the explosion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the explosion, which occurred on Jan.16 at Bodija area of Ibadan, had claimed five lives, with 77 people injured and several houses destroyed.

(NAN) 

Nigeria Beats Guinea-Bissau 1-0, Advances to AFCON 2023 Round of 16.

Nigeria Beats Guinea-Bissau 1-0, Advances to AFCON 2023 Round of 16.

By Olamide Akinwumi J. 

In a gripping encounter at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles of Nigeria emerged triumphant against Guinea-Bissau, sealing their place in the round of 16. The pivotal moment came in the 36th minute when Opa Sangante, in an attempt to thwart Victor Osimhen, inadvertently netted an own goal from a Moses Simon cross.

Both teams experienced disallowed goals in the second half due to offside, adding suspense to the match. Nigeria's Victor Osimhen also had an effort invalidated for handball. The final whistle confirmed Nigeria's 1-0 victory.

This win places the Super Eagles in second position in Group A with seven points, trailing behind Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea's commanding 4-0 win over Ivory Coast solidified their position at the top of the group with a superior goal difference.

The next challenge for Nigeria awaits in the last 16, where they will confront the second-placed team from Group C. This could be Senegal, Guinea, or Cameroon. The encounter is scheduled for Saturday, promising another exciting chapter in Nigeria's AFCON 2023 journey.

Tinubu directs expansion of student loans programme.

Tinubu directs expansion of student loans programme.

President Bola Tinubu has directed an expansion of the focus of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to include students interested in skill-development programmes.

Tinubu gave the directive to the management of the Fund after receiving briefing on the build-up to the launch of the programme later in the month from the Executive Secretary of NELFUND, Dr Akintunde Sawyerr, at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President said it was important for the scheme to accommodate those who may not want to pursue university education, noting that skill acquisition is as important as obtaining undergraduate and graduate academic qualifications.

“This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas. This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation.

“In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,” he said.

Tinubu emphasised the need for equity and inclusivity in the management of the programme, stating: “No matter how economically challenged you are, accredited and qualified students will and must have access to this loan to advance their education in higher institutions. There is no compromise in our commitment to the disadvantaged citizens of this nation.”

In his presentation to the President, Sawyerr said the loan application process will be technology-driven, limiting human interface and “eliminating any possibility of maladministration in the programme.”

“By design, this is a perpetual programme and will not terminate. The funds, earmarked for bona-fide Nigerian students, will be disbursed directly to the institutions in the initial phase through electronic transfer. Our students will be catered to in a way that bypasses human interference through the full utilization of available technological platforms, in adherence to Your Excellency’s stated objectives,” he said.

He also said NELFUND has developed a robust risk-mitigation mechanism to address potential risks that may arise from the programme.

Ekiti Elevates Economic Prospects: Fountain Holdings, EKDIPA Boards Officially Inaugurated by Gov Oyebanji.

Ekiti Elevates Economic Prospects: Fountain Holdings, EKDIPA Boards Officially Inaugurated by Gov Oyebanji.

By Olamide Akinwumi J. 

In a significant move aimed at propelling Ekiti State's economic agenda, Governor Biodun Oyebanji officially inaugurated the chairmen and Boards of Directors for Fountain Holdings Ltd (FHL) and the Ekiti Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA) on Monday, 22nd January 2024.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the Exco Chambers, Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, underscored the governor’s commitment to revitalizing the state’s investment agencies and business sector.

Addressing the newly appointed leaders, Governor Oyebanji stressed the imperative of diversifying the current investment portfolio, exploring new opportunities, and playing a pivotal role in job creation and wealth generation. Emphasizing the significance of Fountain Holdings, he urged the leadership to contribute directly to the state’s development plan through profits and taxes generated from its business operations.

The Governor called for strategic investments aligned with the state’s local content agenda, focusing on housing, capital and credit access, technological advancements, infrastructure, and knowledge development.

Mr. Jide Ogundare, the newly appointed Chairman of Fountain Holdings, and his team received a charge to make substantial contributions to the state’s prosperity.

Governor Oyebanji stressed the shared goals of both agencies in promoting business opportunities for Ekiti people, encouraging synergy, attracting direct investments, making symbolic capital contributions, and boosting investors’ confidence. Board members for Fountain Holdings Ltd (FHL) and EKDIPA were announced, with the Governor expressing gratitude for their acceptance of responsibility and assuring them of his support.

Responding on behalf of others, the reappointed chairman of Fountain Holdings, Mr. Jide Ogundare, assured the people of the state that the newly inaugurated boards would leverage their capacities to transform the business narrative in Ekiti.