TRCN, JAMB Deepen Collaboration To Boost Service Delivery

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June 22, 2023

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) say they are exploring ways of strengthening collaborations to boost service delivery to Nigerians.

In a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, the Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye said that the move is in the spirit of inter-agency partnership in the Federal Ministry of Education.

Prof. Ajiboye who alongside the Registrar of JAMB, inspected the new Computer Based Test (CBT) facilities built by JAMB in Kaduna metropolis, noted that the initiative was aimed at forging stronger partnership between TRCN and JAMB, with TRCN using the new facilities for its professional qualifying examinations and digital training programmes.

He revealed that each of the CBT hall has a withholding room that can seat 250 candidates at a time, stressing that the centre also have a parking lot capable of accommodating hundreds of cars.

The new 1000 seater CBT Centre was recently commissioned by the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El Rufai.

Kano Donates Education Materials To School Students

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Nzubechukwu Anodo

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June 22, 2023

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A Kano State Federal lawmaker on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Abubakar Abubakar has donated laptop and desktop computers, printers, textbooks and school bags to 4,274 secondary school students in his immediate constituency.

The lawmaker, representing the Bichi Federal Constituency of the state, donated the items to the beneficiaries in Bichi.

He said the gesture is to complement the government’s efforts toward the provision of basic educational materials to schools in the state.

He said the gesture would further enhance the quality of teaching and learning in schools, noting that it would also make education affordable.

He disclosed that he built and furnished 200 blocks of classrooms in 11 schools in the constituency adding that plans were underway to grant scholarships to graduates in the constituency, who wish to further their education abroad.

He advised parents in the constituency to priorities the education of their children adding that such a move would enable them to become useful not only to themselves but the society at large.

Receiving the items on behalf of the students, the Chairman of Bichi Local Government Area, Yusuf Sabo, thanked the lawmaker for the gesture, adding that the huge donation was the first of its kind in the history of the council.

Earlier, a member representing the Bichi constituency in the Kano State House Assembly, Alhaji Lawan Shehu described the gesture, as a giant stride aimed at investing in the future of the younger generation within the constituency.

In a remark, the Coordinator of the Education Committee of the constituency, Murtala Namowa called on other government officials, spirited individuals, and groups in the constituency to emulate the lawmaker toward improving residents of the constituents.

Nigerian Students Schooling In UK Increases – British Envoy

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Nzubechukwu Anodo

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June 22, 2023

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The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery says the number of Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom, UK, via study route had multiplied in the last three years.

He said UK’s decision in banning international students from bringing family members with them to the UK, starting 2024, was to avoid overburdening the country’s housing infrastructure and to control the inflow of migrants.

He said many more students are trying to bring their dependents with them…but it is not always possible to find the housing and services to meet all the needs of all existing student population.

The UK Home Office said international students, including Nigerians, would no longer be able to bring family members with them to the UK starting January 2024.

It also announced that overseas students would be stopped from switching from the student visa route to a work visa until their studies have been completed.

The decision has been greeted with mixed reactions from international students, schools, and some British lawmakers, who argued that the regulation would aggravate labour shortages in critical sectors, such as health care and threaten the country’s global standing as a top destination for international talents.

Montgomery said the number of Nigerian students in UK has increased, noting that It is a fantastic success story for the universities but bring family members will have to stop.

US imposes sanctions on Uganda for anti-gay law

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Henry Williams

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June 22, 2023

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The US has imposed sanctions on Uganda for anti-gay laws it says are “counter to universal human rights”.

It said Ugandans involved in human rights abuses against gay people would be banned from entering the US.

The White House is also cutting funds to a number of programmes it is running with the Ugandan authorities, and cancelling a military exercise.

Uganda has said it will not be pressed by the West to change the laws, which can see gay people jailed for life.

The law signed in February allows life imprisonment for acts of “aggravated homosexuality” and criminalises the “promotion of homosexuality”.

Meanwhile Ghanaian Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, slammed the United States Vice President Kamala Harris for advocating LGBTQ+ practice in Ghana.

He noted that her speech regarding the matter was devaluing the people and the country and blamed leaders who had devalued the country through aid seeking.

Discos Generated N480bn in 6 Months- NBS

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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June 22, 2023

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The total amount of revenue generated by electricity distribution companies rose by 20.81 per cent despite a drop of 1.74 per cent in supply, according to the new Electricity Report for the first quarter of 2023 by the National Bureau of Statistics.

According to the report, a year-on-year analysis showed that Discos collected N247.33bn as revenue in Q1 2023, which is higher than the N204.74bn recorded in Q1 2022.

However, the electricity supply was 5,852 Gigawatt hours in Q1 2023, down from 5,956 Gwh reported in Q1 2022.

The report also indicated that Discos collected N232.32bn in Q4, 2022, bringing the total revenue raked in by the companies in six months to N479.65bn.

The report read in part, “Revenue collected by the Discos during the period was N247.33bn from N232.32bn in Q4 2022. On a year-on-year basis, revenue generated in the reference period rose by 20.81 per cent from N204.74bn recorded in Q1 2022.

“Electricity supply was 5,852 (Gwh) in Q1 2023 from 5,611 (Gwh) in the previous quarter. However, on a year-on-year basis, electricity supply declined by 1.74 per cent compared to 5,956 (Gwh) reported in Q1 2022.”

It was also disclosed that there was a rise in the total number of customers, with the total hitting 11.27 million in Q1 2023.

The report added, “Total customer numbers in Q1 2023 stood at 11.27 million from 11.06 million in Q4 2022, showing an increase of 1.89 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, customer numbers in Q1 2023 rose by 5.99 per cent from 10.63 million reported in Q1 2022.

“Similarly, metered customers stood at 5.31 million in Q1 2023, indicating a growth of 3.61 per cent from 5.13 million recorded in the preceding quarter. On a year-on-year basis, this grew by 10.86 per cent from the figure reported in Q1 2022 which was 4.79 million.

“In addition, estimated customers during the quarter were 5.96 million in Q1 2023, higher by 0.40 per cent from 5.93 million in Q4 2022. On a year-on-year basis, estimated customers increased by 1.99 per cent in Q1 2023 from 5.84 million in Q1 2022.”

The report further showed that Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had the highest number of customers, about 2.23 million.

It was followed by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (1.32 million) and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (1.23 million).

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company with a customer base of 1.07 million had the highest revenue of N49.76m, while Eko Electricity Distribution Company with a customer base of about 666,941 had a revenue of N41.73m.

They are followed by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, which had a revenue of N38.12m in Q1 2023.

The PUNCH in January this year reported that electricity distribution companies quietly increased the tariff payable by power consumers across the country.

Although most of the Discos did not make this public, electricity users have kicked against the move, describing it as “a perfect robbery” amidst the harsh economic realities in Nigeria currently.

In a separate report, the NBS said there was an increase the average retail price of automotive gas oil paid by consumers in May 2023.

‘Titanic Sub: Lost at Sea’ Documentary Set To Explore Extreme Tourism

By

faith Jegede

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June 22, 2023

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The search to locate and rescue the Titan submersible before it runs out of its four-day air supply will be the focus of a new fast-turnaround documentary on U.K. broadcaster Channel 5.

“Titanic Sub: Lost at Sea” has been scheduled to air today at 7 p.m. local time and will be presented by Channel 5 News host Dan Walker.

The ITN-produced documentary promises to “go beyond” news coverage and bring viewers up to date while examining the wider context of the voyage, its passengers and the fascination with the Titanic shipwreck. According to them, the film will also talk to experts and look at the rise of extreme tourism.

The go-to production company in the U.K. for fast-turnaround films in reaction to current events, ITN recently produced a special on British woman Nicola Bulley, who vanished in January without a trace while walking her dog, and was found dead three weeks later in a local river.

Ian Rumsey, managing director of content for ITN, said: “This program will chart everything from the exploration itself, to the rise of extreme tourism, to the rescue attempts, but above all it will tell a very human story that has captured the nation which is about 5 people, all with families, who are trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Our expertise and heritage in fast-turnaround documentaries and reputation for responsible filmmaking means we always treat such stories with great sensitivity.”

The Titan, which is roughly the size of a truck, went missing in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday with five people on board.

Banging sounds were allegedly detected in a search area on Tuesday, marking the first breakthrough in what’s now been a multiple-day search and rescue operation for the submersible, which lost contact on Sunday about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive to see the Titanic wreck. The Titan’s air supply is projected to have run out by now.

There are five people confirmed on board: British businessman Hamish Harding; British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman; former French Navy diver Paul-Henry Nargeolet; and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.

Box Office: Transformers top with ₦35 million

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Emenike Agu

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June 22, 2023

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The newly released Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has enjoyed a great opening weekend at the Nigerian box office.

Data from the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria shows that the seventh installment in Paramount’s action franchise earned ₦35 million from June 9-11, 2023.

Directed by Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II), the PG-13 follows Optimus Prime and the Autobots as they attempt to take out a threat that’s capable of destroying the entire planet.

Reviews across the world have been mixed, but the numbers show that audiences appear to be enjoying the film, which stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse maintains second place with additional ₦22.7 million, after the movie opened with ₦28 million.

The animated adventure from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation has now grossed a total of ₦67.9 million.

Prior to the latest figures, Fast X put up a good fight, successfully holding the first position for three weeks and raking in a total of ₦254.56 million.

The tenth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise is currently in third place. The movie has made over $630M worldwide with the newest addition, Jason Momoa’s villain Dante Reyes largely praised as the best antagonist of the franchise.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid is in fourth place with ₦12 million and a cumulative earning of ₦91 million while the just-released Daddy stands out as the Nollywood movie in the top five slot. The film opened over the weekend with ₦3 million.

Written by Emmanuel Lop’laa Ogidi Olu and produced by Isi Blacc, the movie follows a father’s protective instincts as they take him through the chaos of Lagos, from Island to the mainland.

Kalu Ikeagwu Bags Best Actor At TAFF 2023

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Emenike Agu

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June 22, 2023

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Nigerian actor Kalu Ikeagwu has won the best actor award at the 2023 the African film festival, TAFF for his role in a Ugandan collaborative film, ‘Kafacoh.’

The other winners at the awards ceremony include Cameroonian actress, Stephanie Tum who won the best actress award for her role in the film “when the levees broke.’

The best narrative feature film award went to “crystal – countless misfortune” from Uganda, while the best documentary feature was “Mamody, the last Baoba digger” from Madagascar.
The festival, which showcases African films in Diaspora, recently held its eighth edition in Dallas, Texas, the united states.
It was held between June 1 and June 3 at Dallas college-Richland campus and witnessed screening of 50 films submitted for this year.
As usual, in attendance were filmmakers from different African countries and the united states who celebrated the exploration of Africa and its Diaspora through the global lens and voices of talented filmmakers.

Participants enjoyed culturally rich narratives, documentaries, short stories among other activities that made this year’s festival an experience of a lifetime.

Meanwhile, the highlight of the festival was the awards ceremony, which was held on June 3, Anchored by us-based comedian Edo Charles, the award ceremony featured performances from Nigerian-born Lanre Teriba, naira Ali of Uganda, and natural vybz of st. Lucia.

A total of 14 awards were presented by a host of nationals from Kenya, south Africa, Nigeria, Gambia, Uganda, Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, and the united states. In addition, honorary awards were also presented to local leaders including Dr. Opal lee, who received the TAFF legend award for 2023.
In his speech during the awards show, the founder and director of the African film festival, Kelechi eke, congratulated colleagues and filmmakers for the relentless effort in telling the African stories.

FG Considers Dollar Supply To Stabilize Naira As Naira Sinks Further

By

faith Jegede

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June 22, 2023

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The federal government has disclosed that it may inject some foreign exchange into the economy to shore up the value of the naira while market forces stabilize.

The Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake stated this while speaking with reporters in Paris.

Alake is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s team attending the new global financial pact summit in Paris, France to facilitate foreign direct investment into Nigeria.

Alake’s comment is coming on the heels of the recent exchange rate unification which saw the Naira experiencing a significant surge against the US dollar at black market.

On Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the naira traded at an average exchange rate of N758/$1, marking a remarkable increase of 2.82% compared to the previous day’s trading session where the dollar was valued at N780/$1.

Thursday, saw the naira skyrocket to 820/$

Although the presidential spokesman was not specific about the nature of the dollar injection, he said: “Don’t forget that Mr. President has taken some very bold steps in the area of economy, in the area of social engineering in the last few weeks, and particularly with reference to the unification of the multiple exchange rates, which has caused very positive multiplier effect.

He said the president’s policies in the last three weeks had encouraged the foreign nations and investors to become more interested in the affairs of Nigeria, shoring up the country’s economy.

The special adviser also said heads of state and international financial institutions had indicated interest to meet with the president to consider areas of cooperation with the new positive development in Nigeria.

Since its launch a week ago, the naira-to-dollar exchange rate has fluctuated, plunging 29% to N664/$1 on the first day.

Before ending the week marginally stronger at N664/$1, it dropped further to N702/$1.

The I&E Window shut down on Monday at N770.3/$1 then reopened on Tuesday, June 20, at N756.6, continuing the volatility that had been dealt with ever since the unification process began.

Kroos extends Real Madrid contract for extra season

By

Emenike Agu

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June 22, 2023

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Toni Kroos has agreed an extension to his contract and will stay at Real Madrid next season, the Spanish giants announced on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old midfielder’s previous deal was due to run out at the end of June but he will now stay for a 10th campaign at Madrid.

Kroos has won four champions leagues and three la Liga titles since joining real from Bayern Munich in 2014, when he also won the world cup with Germany.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti had previously said he expected Kroos and fellow veteran midfielder Luka Modric, to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu for another season.

Madrid signed English teenager Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund last week for more than 100 million Euros ($108 million), adding to their midfield options which already include Fede Valverde and French youngsters Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.