French Baguette Gains Place On World Cultural Heritage List To Bakers’ Delight

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December 2, 2022

The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) will on Saturday graduate 19,526 students with 161 bagging First Class degrees.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday, in Port Harcourt as part of programmes to mark the 33rd combined convocation of the institution.

Georgewill said the conferment of degrees, higher degrees, diplomas, certificates and prizes would be held at the university from Dec.1 to Dec.3.

According to him, the convocation was mainly for students who finished their academic programmes for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions.

“The convocation was delayed due to COVID-19 and the eight months industrial action by different unions in the university.

“So, in the undergraduate category, we are expecting to graduate about 9,536 first degrees with 161 students out of the figure obtaining first class degrees.

He said the university would also graduate about 9,699 students with postgraduate degrees and diplomas.

“Out of this figure, about 1,028 will receive Doctor of Philosophy degrees (PhD); 3,745 will obtain Master degrees while about 4,926 will receive their Postgraduate Diplomas.

“The university has taken time to prepare for this convocation, and has also set up various committees to ensure a successful convocation,” he added.

Georgewill described convocation as a period of harvest that the university uses to rate the progress of the institution.

He said the university under his leadership had achieved remarkable milestones in the areas of infrastructure development, administration and Research and Development (R&D).

“Since we came onboard in July 2021, we have done all we could to ensure UNIPORT delivers its mandate of teaching, learning, R&D, community service and recently added entrepreneurship.

“Some of the things we introduced are “This Week in Retrospect,” where we provide our staff, students and stakeholders with in-depth weekly information to be abreast of happenings in the university.

“We have also strengthened our professional promotion which faced challenges owing to delays, while also improving the career structure of some staff members of the university,” he said.

The vice chancellor said that UNIPORT had partnered both local and international institutions to establish an institute in the university to tackle climate change, partly responsible for recent flooding in the country.

On infrastructure, Georgewill said he had completed some of the newly initiated projects while works were in progress to complete other projects he met on ground.

“The projects we initiated when we came onboard that have been completed include faculty buildings, auditoriums as well as equipping our laboratories, among others.

“On research and development, we have signed several Memoranda of Understanding with several local and international institutions and universities because research is key to meeting industrial and societal needs.

He said lectures had commenced fully in the university with year one students concluding their second semester examinations recently.

The vice chancellor thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, Federal Ministry of Education, TetFund and Gov. Nyesom Wike for their support to UNIPORT.

Schools Risk 2-year Ban Over Malpractices- NECO

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December 2, 2022

National Examinations Council has said schools found guilty of examination malpractices will be delisted for two years.

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos, at a one-day National Sensitisation Workshop, titled, ‘Roles of education stakeholders in tackling examination malpractice,’ registrar, NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, advised school owners, students, parents, and other stakeholders to desist from examination malpractice, saying it had a lot of negativity on the country’s education system.

The workshop was organised by NECO in partnership with the National Assembly.

Wushishi said, ‘‘The simple advice is that they should desist from it. As an examination body, we will not fail to sanction the schools. At the end of any examination any school that we find wanting, we will delist the school for two years from taking our examinations.

He maintained that Nigeria would make progress if examination malpractice was reduced to the barest.

‘‘If we want this country to flourish then examination malpractices must be reduced to the barest minimum. We must have zero tolerance for examination malpractice because it affects the systems. This is the purpose of this sensitisation.’’

He also lamented that the existing laws on examination malpractices were not usually being implemented.

Permanent Secretary, the Federal Ministry Of Education, Andrew Adejo, also maintained that culprits of examination malpractice should be made to face the law to serve as deterrence.

He suggested that ‘‘No one should be spared both the low and the mighty should go to jail if found guilty.

School administrators must ensure adequate coverage of the syllabus for all subjects before the commencement of external examinations.

‘‘Good parental upbringing. Parents should up-scale their moral and value system and encourage their children to study hard for examinations.’’

In his own opinion, Chair, House Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonrbere, advised that ‘‘We should prosecute them maximally. N400,000, N500,000 fine that’s a chicken fee. Minimum of N4 to N5 million if you’re caught cheating, then you go to prison. More than 50,000 engage in exam malpractices every year in all the exams they take. How many have been arrested? So it’s not enough to cancel the results. Prosecute them; punish them, then the parents will warn their children at home to do the right thing.’’

YPP Governorship Candidate Jailed 42 Years

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December 2, 2022

Senator Bassey Akpan, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party in Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for corruption by the Federal High Court in Uyo on Thursday.

The presiding judge, Justice Agatha Okeke, convicted the candidate on six counts bordering on money laundering, including graft.

The YPP candidate was taken to the Ikot-Ekpene Custodial Centre, where he would serve the jail term.

Akpan, who is the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East (Uyo), was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on June 24, 2019 on charges of corruption over the receipt of exotic vehicles estimated at over N204m.

In May 2010, Akpan, who was then the Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State, was alleged to have received from one Jide Omokore a BMW X5 (bullet-proof car) worth N50m; in December 2012, another Infinity QX56 (bullet-proof) worth N45m was also received from the same source.

Again, in November 2013, he received a Toyota Landcruiser V8 (bullet-proof) valued at N40m and in March 2014, he received a Range Rover, valued at N40m; in September 2014, another Toyota Hiace High Roof bus valued at N27m was received from the businessman.

The senator was also alleged to have received, at different times between 2012 and 2014, Toyota Hiace High Roof buses valued at N16m and six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N36m.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, the court ruled that Akpan must serve seven years in prison for each of the six counts. The jail term is to run concurrently.

The judge did not include the option of a fine.

State Reiterates Commitment to Protect Pupils

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December 2, 2022

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The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to ensuring the protection of children in public and private schools across the State.

Speaking during the conclusion of a three-day intervention seminar tagged: “Safeguarding and child protection’’ for private schools, the Director-General of the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Abiola Seriki-Ayeni said the agency has ensured that schools complied with minimum safety standards as standardisation is important in child protection.

Seriki-Ayeni, who was represented by the Director, Private Education, and Special Programmes, Falayi Bambi noted that the State Government has continued to put in place adequate measures to stop insecurity in schools, noting that OEQA will continue to work tirelessly in ensuring the safety of students so that teaching and learning will continue uninterrupted.

She highlighted the need for schools to recognise their role in ensuring children’s well-being and safety, especially as they spend a significant time of their day in school. According to her, schools are institutions of learning hence they have to comply with standards of learning as well as protection.

She noted that the state government is emphatic on child protection policy, but, however, emphasised that the state government should not be left alone to tackle the issue of safety and security in schools, noting that it is essential for schools to have a ‘child protection officer’ for complaint and inquiry.

She added that the doors of OEQA are opened for opinions and suggestions on how to improve the education standards as they affect learning outcomes in the State.

She urged participants to take advantage of the free online course “Introduction of Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy” on the agency’s website www.oeqalagos.com, which some educators have successfully completed, encouraging those who haven’t taken the course to do so.

YABATECH Graduates 7554, Record 256 Distinctions

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December 2, 2022

A total of 256 Higher National Diploma students made Distinction as Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) graduated 7,554 students.
This was as 2,507 had Upper Credit, 3,425 Lower Credit and 779 Pass.

This was made known at the institution’s 34th convocation held on campus in Yaba.

The convocation was for the class of 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 full and part time academic sessions following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rector of YABATECH, Obafemi Omokungbe, said the convocation was another achievement of the institution’s mandate as a polytechnic.

He gave the breakdown of the performances of the part time graduating students as HND Part-Time: Distinction 33; Upper-Credit, 551; Lower Credit, 1,20; and Pass 312.

The National Diploma Part-Time: Distinction, 271; Upper Credit, 2,862; Lower Credit, 7295; and Pass, 3,386.

The rector expressed optimism that succeeding administrations would be committed to the objective of the N50 billion endowment fund meant to develop the college.

Omokungbe said despite his achievements, there was room for improvement.

He said the college had a policy to combat sexual harassment.

“The policy is to guarantee a violence-free, safe and non-discretionary education and work environment in accordance with international regional and national legal frameworks.

“Yaba Tech Consult, the business arm of the college, was restructured and rejuvenated as part effort to increase the revenue base of the college.

“Steps have been put in place for the general improvement of students welfare, safety as well as efficiency and productivity of members of staff of the college,” he said.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, urged the Governing Council and authorities of the institution to expand its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and manage it judiciously.

He said: “One of the challenges being faced is in the area of ensuring that technical level education competes favourably with other means of delivering education as a means of ensuring enhanced development for the country.

“It is, therefore, important that you increase your interaction with the industry to achieve more handshake between teaching, learning research on one hand and development on the other.”

Adamu who was represented by Director Special Duties, Ministry of Education, Vivian Wategire, restated his support towards strengthening polytechnics in the country.

Chairman, Governing Council, YABATECH, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that it was time for the Federal Government to fulfill its promises of the conversion of the college to a university.

“The management has attended and made the requisite presentation at a public hearing held as part of the law-making process, the bill is at its concluding stage,” he said.

Fagbemi hailed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its assistance, which he said culminated in the completion of the new School Management and Business Administration Building Phase 1.

The overall Best Graduating Student, Adisa Paul of Civil Engineering Department, got automatic employment with Lotus Bank and cash prize of N500,000.

Nigeria’s Justice Ministry gets N630 million for Consultancy Services

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December 1, 2022

The Federal Executive Council has approved N630 million for the Ministry of Justice to engage the services of a consultancy firm that would assist the nation in the deployment of technology to reduce risks and damages associated with the award of contracts.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Wednesday, at the end of the council’s weekly meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Minister, the memo presented by the Ministry of Justice will help address all deficiencies associated with contracts that expose the nation to higher risks and damages.

Technology: Nigeria to Unveil Africa’s First Humanoid Robot

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December 1, 2022

Nigeria is to officially unveil the first humaniod in Africa named Omeife.
The unveiling will take place on Friday 2nd December 2022 in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The 6-foot-tall multilingual human-like robot was built by Nigerian technology company based in Abuja, Uniccon group.

Uniccon Group is one of Nigeria’s fastest growing technology startups that offers eclectic, innovative technology solutions to businesses and government agencies across Africa.
The technology sector in Nigeria is fast gaining ground and is making accessibility and sharing of information, ideas, and business transactions much easier.
Not only that, the innovations made by Nigerian tech companies are giving the country wider recognition by the rest of the world.

NNPC signs $1.4 billion Financing Agreement For Northern Hydrocarbon

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December 1, 2022

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has signed a $1.4 billion financing agreement for Northern Hydrocarbon Funding Limited.
A statement seen by Nairametrics said the financing agreement was arranged by Standard Chartered Bank and United Bank for Africa (UBA).

About sixteen lenders are participating in the financing programme. The NNPC’s Executive Vice President in charge of Upstream, Adokiye Tombomieye, expressed delight over this, noting that it shows stakeholders’ confidence in the NNPC He said.
He used the occasion to appreciate the lenders, the arrangers of the deal and everyone else who worked on making sure the deal came to fruition.
Tombomieye added that the funding will facilitate the NNPC’s commitment to sustainably meet today’s energy needs and deliver energy for the future.

South African President Faces Impeachment Threat For Oath Of Office Violation

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December 1, 2022