NANS Gives MultiChoice 7 Days To Reverse Price Hike

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April 26, 2023

The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-west Zone, has given MultiChoice Nigeria, a seven-day ultimatum to reverse its planned hike on DSTV and GOTV subscription rates.

The student association made this known in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its Coordinator, Adejuwon Olatunji, Deputy Coordinator, Alao John, and Public Relations Officer, Opeoluwa Awoyinfa

MultiChoice had announced an upward review of prices on its DSTV and GOTV packages by 17 per cent, in text messages sent to its subscribers. It stated that the new rates would take effect on May 1, 2023, explaining that rising costs of business operations was the reason behind the increase.

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Opposing the subscription hike, NANS said the South African company was bringing hardship on, and extorting Nigerians, without considering their standard of living.

It also noted that tariffs should be charged on a “pay as you view” basis.

The NANS statement remarked, “Today, we are aware that Multi Choice Digital Satellite has increased its tariffs without considering the standard of living of Nigerians. We have also waited for long to see if this same company will dance to the music of Nigerians who have been clamoring for ‘pay-as-you-view’ tariff, but the reverse is the case.

“This is the time to call on National Broadcasting Commission to go back to the Commission’s act to regulate the ownership, activities and operations of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service Providers. DSTV is one of the leading direct-to-home service providers in Nigeria since its inception of operation from as far back as 1995, and has also made a lot of profit with over 25 million subscribers which is the largest market for its operations.

“We want the Federal Government to stampede their proposed plan in tariffs increment and also force them to implement the pay-as-you-view system. We are aware that DSTV operates a system of pay-as-you-go tariffs in other countries,” NANS declared.

It stated that Nigeria constitutes over 45 per cent of DSTV global market share, and therefore called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the Minister of Communication to “break the sporting right of MultiChoice” and provide an alternative service provider in the country, so that “Nigerians can stop being exploited on a daily basis.”

Giving the ultimatum, NANS stressed, “We hereby give seven days ultimatum to MultiChoice Digital Satellite Television to reverse the plan of increasing the tariffs and also yield to the call of Nigerians by implementing pay-as-you-view tariffs, or else, we shall be left with no other option but to lock up all offices of DSTV until our demands are met which is the mind of all Nigerians.”

Adamawa Polls: Binani Withdraws Suit Against INEC

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 26, 2023

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Senate Aisha Dahiru-Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, has withdrawn the suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Adamawa governorship election.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate had prayed to the court for a judicial review of the decision by INEC to reverse her earlier announcement as winner of the poll by the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

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Binani’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff, upon resumed hearing in the matter, told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja that a notice of discontinuance had been filed to that effect and urged the court to strike out the case.

Justice Ekwo reminded Sheriff that an order was given in the last adjourned date directing him to address the court on whether the court had the jurisdiction to entertain the case or not.

The lawyer, who informed the court that a lot of issues had come up between the last date of adjournment and today, begged for an order striking out the suit.

However, the judge held that since Sheriff had failed to go by the order of the court, the appropriate thing to do was to dismiss the matter.

“I hereby make an order dismissing this suit,” Justice Ekwo declared.

Castellanos Scores Four As Girona Beat Madrid

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Emenike Agu

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April 26, 2023

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Girona striker Valentin Castellanos scored four times as they recorded a resounding victory over reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid.

Castellanos, on loan from New York City, headed the opener and then ran onto a long ball before slotting past Real’s Andriy Lunin to make it 2-0.

Vincius Jr gave Real hope with a header from Marco Asensio’s cross.

But Castellanos, tucked in a cross from Yan Couto and headed a fourth – before Lucas Vazquez’s consolation.

Real are 11 points behind leaders Barcelona, having played a game more. They play Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final first leg in two weeks.

Castellanos is the first player in more than 75 years to score four goals in a La Liga game against Real Madrid. In December 1947, Esteban Echaverria netted five for Real Oviedo against Madrid.

Girona’s Taty Castellanos celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Girona and Real Madrid, at the Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, Tuesday, April 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Argentine Castellanos, 24, only touched the ball 15 times, with as many goals as passes attempted, before being replaced in the 71st minute. He has now scored 11 La Liga goals this season.

Real were without first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois through gastroenteritis and striker Karim Benzema with a leg injury.

U-20 World Cup: Flying Eagles Step Up Training As Foreign Pros Arrive Camp

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Emenike Agu

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April 26, 2023

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Flying Eagles have stepped up preparations for next month’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina as they will play two test matches this week, while invited foreign professionals are expected to join up.

This week, the team led by coach Ladan Bosso began to train twice a week.

Bosso disclosed the team will play two friendlies against academies Friday and Saturday, before they tackle Premier League sides the following week.

“Test games against academies allow us to play at good tempo, while the Premier League clubs offer us their physicality and maturity,” he explained the decision to play both academies and Premier League clubs.

The coach further said he expects invited overseas-based professionals to begin to report to the Flying Eagles training camp in Abuja.

Bosso has maintained only foreign pros who will address the problem areas in his team have been considered.

Gent striker Ahmed Abdullahi and central defender Abel Ogwuchi from Swedish club Trelleborgs were the only two foreign pros who featured at the recent U20 AFCON in Egypt that qualified Nigeria to the U20 World Cup.

CAF Opens Bids For Chan 2024 And Women’s Champions League

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Emenike Agu

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April 26, 2023

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The Confederation of African Football officially opens the bidding process for the organization of two of its major competitions.

These are the CAF Women’s Champions League 2023 and the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.

The body officially launched the process through a press release published on its website this Tuesday, April 25, 2024.

“In accordance with the requirements, the candidature files to be presented by the bidding countries must contain the host stadiums, the accommodation sites, the means of transport, the training sites in addition to the government guarantees, including, but not limit thereto entry permits and visas for the entire duration.

Bidding countries must also provide a guarantee that any commitment formally made by the national association concerned will also be considered accepted by its government”, the statements read

Countries wishing to host the organization of the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League and the African Nations Championship ( CHAN) 2024 have until Sunday, May 06, 2023, to bid.

Nollywood produced 280 movies in first quarter of 2023 – NFVCB

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Emenike Agu

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April 26, 2023

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According to Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director/CEO, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), the board has received and censored 280 movies produced by the Nigerian films industry in the first quarter of the year.

The NFVCB boss said the figure was provided by the Department of Film Censorship and Classification of the board in its first quarter report for the year, capturing all films submitted to the board from across the country.

The report is for onward submission to the relevant Federal Government agency as input for the compilation of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter.

The report shows a decrease in the number of movies produced from 340 in the fourth quarter of 2022, to 280 in the first quarter of 2023, which represented about an 18% downward slope.

According to the statement, 106 of the films came in from the Lagos censorship centre of the board, representing the chunk of the movies produced during the period under review, followed by Abuja with 99 movies.

As indicated in the report, Onitsha is next with 32 films, Abeokuta raked in 3 films, Kano 15 and Benin 1 only.

The analysis by censorship location further shows that Jos recorded 14 films, Port Harcourt recorded eight, while Ibadan and Kaduna recorded one film each.

NFVCB is a Federal Government agency that regulates the film and video industry in Nigeria. The board is empowered by law to classify all films and videos, whether imported or produced locally.

It is also the duty of the board to register all film and video outlets across the country and to keep a register of such outlets among other functions.

NECO Re-Schedules 2023 Common Entrance Exams

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 26, 2023

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The National Examinations Council NECO, has rescheduled the 2023 National Common Entrance Examinations NCEE, a basic admission exam conducted for pupils of primary schools into Federal Unity Colleges.

The examinations earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday 29th April 2023 will now hold on Saturday 3rd June 2023.

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These were made known in a statement signed and made available to journalists by the Head of Information and Public Relations Affairs of NECO, Azeez Sanni.

According to the statement, the examination was rescheduled to give States with low registration of candidates the opportunity to register their candidates for the examination.

The Council called on all candidates, parents, guardians, schools and relevant stakeholders to note the new examination date.

Meanwhile, NECO added that the registration of candidates will continue till the new date of the examination.

Education Union Calls For Renegotiation On Payrise

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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April 26, 2023

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Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union COEASU has called on the Nigerian Government to return to the renegotiation table with the union to conclude renegotiation which includes salary increases for academic staff in Colleges of Education across the country.

The President of COEASU, Smart Olugbeko made the call in Abuja while addressing journalists on the 40% pay rise by the federal government to civil workers.

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The federal government in granting the increase, explained that it was to enable civil servants to cushion the effect of inflation and increase the cost of living.

Olugbeko said that the Union has reached an understanding with the Federal Government Team on virtually all issues raised for renegotiation except salary increase which the Government Team said was awaiting the response of the government.

“The Federal government eventually acceded to the demand of the Union by inaugurating the FGN/COEASU Renegotiation Team in 2022 under the leadership of Professor Kabiru Ishyaku, a former Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

“There had been various efforts on the part of the Union to make government renegotiate the 2010 agreement that gave lecturers in Colleges of Education the current salary structure even though the agreement should have been renegotiated after three years.

It further added that lecturers and other workers in Colleges of Education had their last increase in salary in 2010 which was 13 years ago.

“The implication is that what the lecturers were earning in 2010 is the same amount they still earn in 2023.

“Salary increase for academic staff in tertiary institutions is not a donation from government. Rather it is a product of negotiation between the government and the unions because of the peculiarity of the system in terms of job specifications that attract different allowances for different cadres of workers,” Dr Olugbeko added.

COEASU however expressed dismay at the pay rise decision that excluded some categories of workers including lecturers and other workers in the tertiary institutions.

“The Union is, however, appalled at the government’s decision to exclude some categories of workers including lecturers and other workers in the tertiary institutions even though the various unions in the sector have made several overtures to the government on salary increase,” COEASU President added.

Zambia 2023: Team Nigeria departs with 42 athletes

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Emenike Agu

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April 26, 2023

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The first batch of Nigeria’s delegation to the 2023 African U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships left for Ndola, Zambia, Tuesday with of 42 athletes.

A total of 42 athletes and 10 officials made the trip after eight athletes were dropped due to their inability to secure international passports on time.

Due to non-availability of seats in one airline, the contingent had to travel in two batches.

While the first batch left Lagos on Tuesday by Kenya Airways, the second batch will travel on Wednesday by Ethiopian Airlines.

Head coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Seigha Porbeni, told newsmen on his way to Lagos, that some U.S.-based Nigerian athletes, who are still within the age limit, could not make the trip to Ndola due to their tight academic schedule.

According to Porbeni, “Right now, this is a busy period for our athletes in various schools in the U.S. We have so many of them who are still within the age limit for this championship, but we don’t want to disturb their activities.

“Again, eight of the local athletes already selected for the trip could not travel with us due to delay in getting their international passports. But we are hopeful that these 42 athletes can give Nigeria the number of medals we expect when hostilities begin in Ndola.”

In the Nigerian delegation are 10 officials, comprising one secretary, one doctor, one physiotherapist, AFN’s Technical Director and five coaches attached to the athletes.

The 2023 African U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships in Zambia will run from April 28 to May 5.

Team Nigeria finished third behind South Africa and Kenya at the last edition held in Cote d’Ivoire in 2019.

JAMB Reschedules UTME Candidates For April 25

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Precious Obazee

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April 26, 2023

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has rescheduled candidates who could not sit the Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Tuesday 25th of April, 2023 on account of technical challenges for another date.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen after a management meeting at the close of examination on the first day of the 2023 UTME.

JAMB urged candidates who could not take the examination due to technical reasons to print a new examination notification early morning of Wednesday 26th April, 2023 to know their new scheduled sessions.

Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board

The board noted that about 100 centres out of the 708 centres participating in the 2023 UTME exercise across the country experienced technical challenges that prevented their allotted candidates from successfully taking their examination.

It reiterated its determination to deploy world-class assessment in line with global best practices to deliver quality assessment and regretted any inconveniences experienced by candidates and their parents.

JAMB restated that the series of challenges encountered were on account of some novel features deployed by the Board to safeguard the sanctity of the examination, in order to checkmate all incidences of examination misconduct being perpetrated and perpetuated by vested interests.

The Board assured Nigerians that no candidate would be denied the right of taking his/her examination as a result of challenges experienced.