Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

July 12, 2012

Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has spent N2 billion to procure essential text books for schools in the state, the Deputy Governor Alhaji Sagir Saleh, said.

Saleh stated this at the inauguration of the 2012 Professional Teachers’ Development Programme in Bauchi.

Saleh, who represented Governor Isa Yuguda, said that apart from the textbooks, the government had also provided 600 hand pumps, 260,000 twin desks and recruited 2,000 teachers.

According to him, 2,000 blocks of classrooms and toilets were either constructed or renovated to improve the standard and quality of education in the state.

Benue

The General Manager (GM), Benue State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BENSESA), Mr Ediga Akpa,has attributed his inability to create a green and serene environment in the State to lack of fund.

The GM said the agency needed N30 million to meet her task of keeping the state clean.

Akpa pointed out that the money would be used to procure equipment that could be used in cleaning and sanitising the state.

He also lamented that the agency was understaffed, adding that at present the agency had only 16 staff.

He said that BENSESA is a revenue generating agency and that if properly financed, would provide huge revenue and employment opportunities for the state.

Borno

In its bid to encourage school enrolment, the Borno Government said it will soon commence the distribution of free uniforms to students in public schools.

Governor Kashim Shettima stated this when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Government Girls Technical College (GGTC), Damboa, in Borno.

Shettima also said the state government had put in place mechanism to improve on the quality of food to students in public schools.

“By next month, our new feeding arrangement will take off in public schools where the quality and quantity of food given to students will be improved upon. The state government will also provide all needed learning materials to schools to enhance teaching and learning environment”, he said.

FCT

Nigerians have lauded the introduction of “Drink the Content: Destroy the Can (DCDC)’’ by the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

The agency launched the campaign against the background of the use of cans by criminals to make explosives.

An official of Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr Dayo Akinola, said that all Nigerians must ensure that they destroyed cans after consumption the contents.

He said that if all patriotic Nigerians supported the campaign, the use of cans in the making of bombs would reduce drastically.

Gombe

A Bogo Magistrates’ Court in Gombe granted bail to a 21-year-old man, Mohammed Musa, who was arraigned for criminal conspiracy and witchcraft.

Musa is of Tumu village in Pindiga District, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Reading the First Information Report (FIR), the Prosecutor, Mr Bako Shekari, said the accused had, on June 26, at about 4 p.m., conspired with one Jarma, now at-large, to commit the offences.

Shekari said that the accused used witchcraft and inflicted sickness on one Ya’u Abdullahi, of same address, adding that that made the victim unable to walk.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him and asked the court to grant him bail.

Jigawa

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has advised governors of states in the Northern part of the country to invest more in agriculture to tackle poverty in the region.

Yakowa, who gave the advice when he visited his Jigawa counterpart, Alhaji Sule Lamido, in Dutse noted that the North is blessed with natural resources such as solid minerals and fertile soil for agriculture.

“We are endowed with natural resources, the north has potential in all sectors but unfortunately, the region is now faced with challenges of terrorism and ethno-religious misunderstanding. We, the governors from the north must come together to restore the hope and values of the region for the benefit of the people that elected us.”

Kaduna

Kaduna State is to spend its allocation of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) on security and agriculture, a top government official said on Monday.

The Information Commissioner, Alhaji Sa’idu Adamu, said this to newsmen in Kaduna after a special executive council meeting that deliberated on a report from its committee on subsidy reinvestment. The committee is headed by the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

Adamu said that other sectors that had been identified for reinvestment were health, education, women and youth empowerment as well as the provision of infrastructure.

Kano

Twelve of the 40 members of Kano State House of Assembly have protested against the amendment of the Ramadan and Ram bonus law of the state by the Assembly.

The House in Kano amended the law by making it optional for the state government to pay the bonus.

AlhajiAbdulwahab Garba, a Member of the Public Service Committee, made the view of the 12 known to newsmen after the House amended the law.

“The House had earlier amended the law and given approval for only civil servants on grade levels 01- 13 to benefit from the bonus”.

He said the 12 legislators, including two from the ruling PDP, would support the workers if they chose to challenge the amended law in the court.

Kebbi

Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi has approved the constitution of a committee to conduct staff audit of local education authorities in all the local government areas across the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, announced this in Birnin Kebbi.

He said the 12-member committee, to be headed by Sen. Abubakar Abdullahi, has one month to come out with its findings, adding that the committee was mandated to look into the nominal rolls, verify staff appointments as well as the grade levels and steps of each staff of local education authorities.

According to the governor’s spokesman, the committee’s report will facilitate the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage at the local government level.

Kogi

Kogi State Government has been advised to formulate risk reduction and emergency preparedness policy to forestall risks, hazards and disaster situations.

The advice was given in a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day interactive meeting of stakeholders on ‘Human Security in Conflict Emergencies in Kogi State’ organised by Action Aid on Monday in Lokoja.

The session was organised in collaboration with Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID).

Other particpants included the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Lokoja , stakeholders from Adavi and Igalamela Local Government Areas, Civil Societies, security agencies and the media.

Lagos

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos inaugurated the board of the state Office of Disability Affairs responsible for protecting the interests of people with special needs.

The seven-man board includes a blind person and three crippled people. The boarded is headed by Mrs Tolulope Animashaun.

Fashola said at the inauguration in Ikeja that the board and the office should ensure that people with disabilities were not discriminated against.

The governor said that although Nigeria’s Constitution prohibited all forms of discriminations against people with disabilities, the society had not done much to adequately protect their interests.

He said that the government enacted the People with Disabilities Law in 2011 in an effort to correct the imbalance.

Ondo

A chieftain of the Labour Party in Ondo State, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has advised the Ondo State House of Assembly to enact laws to check electoral malpractice.

Ajulo said in Akure that such laws had become imperative to curb the excesses of lawless politicians.

He said such laws should classify electoral offences and recommend severe punishment that would discourage people from committing electoral offences in the state.

“Some desperate politicians have succeeded in subverting the wishes of the electorates in our society. “This ugly situation has made them unaccountable to the people while occupying public offices because they are not the choice of the people,’’ Ajulo said.

Osun

As part of its plan to provide adequate security for tourists and investors, the Osun Government is to create a data base on all hotels in the state.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sikiru Ayedun, disclosed this while briefing news men on the activities of his ministry.

Ayedun said the exercise would enable government to monitor the activities of the hotels and provide adequate security for their customers.

He said the recent inspection of some hotels in the state revealed that most of the attendants, receptionists, bar men and managers did not have adequate training for the hospitality business.

Nation

UNIZIK Honours Business Mogul, Ezekwe, For Philanthropism

Published

2 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has conferred the Award of Digital Academic Promoter on the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Arrowconn Group, High Chief (Dr.) Emeka Ezekwe, for his philanthropic gestures.

Chief Ezekwe received the philanthropist award during a landmark technical workshop organised by the Department of Business Education, Faculty of Technology and Vocational Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, recently.

Making the presentation, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ugochukwu Stanley Anyaehie, said the award was in recognition of Ezekwe’s philanthropic contributions, academic support, and dedication to human capital development, hailing his commitment to bridging industry and academia.

Ezekwe who is also the Chairman of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Professional Services and Consultancy Trade Group, delivered a keynote address at the event with a theme: “Technicalities and Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Business and Education.”

In his address, Ezekwe described the current AI surge as a civilizational shift rather than a mere technological upgrade.

He compared AI’s rapid trajectory to past innovations like electricity, computers, the Internet, and mobile phones, which he said, progressed from luxuries to necessities.

“AI is reshaping value creation, knowledge sharing, and decision-making at unprecedented speed. It has moved from experimentation to execution, powering business forecasting, academic research, digital learning, and strategic decisions,” he said.

The business mogul, however, warned that in business, delays lead to losses, while in education, irrelevance spells failure.

“AI is no longer optional, it is a necessity,” he declared.

Ezekwe highlighted the critical AI skill gap, driven by curriculum lags, limited training, and fear of the unknown, but stressed the bigger danger which is exclusion.

“Those who master AI will shape markets, education, and policy; those who lag will be shaped by others,” he said.

The Arrowconn Group boss also outlined AI’s practical advantages for businesses —including data-driven strategies, smarter investments, scalable customer insights, and competitive edges for SMEs.

In education, he clarified that AI empowers rather than replaces teachers, enabling personalized learning, efficient lesson planning, assessment support, and accelerated research.

He advocated a shift from rote memorization to critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, while preserving human strengths in engagement, judgment, and collaboration.

Ezekwe urged ethical AI development, warning that “technology without values is dangerous,” and called on institutions like UNIZIK to update curricula, train educators, promote interdisciplinary work, forge industry partnerships, and produce graduates who are solution providers in an AI-driven world.

The workshop also marked the unveiling of the maiden edition of the UNIZIK Journal of Business Education and Entrepreneurship, reinforcing the department’s push for scholarly innovation in AI applications.

Nation

UPWA Hosts Colourful Inter-House Sports Fiesta

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.

The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.

Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.

In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.

“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”

The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.

Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.

She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.

The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.

The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.

Nation

Nigeria Risks Drifting Without Strong Education Policies-Don

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria’s quest for national greatness may remain elusive if educational policies continue to suffer poor implementation, Prof Nathaniel Abraham has warned, declaring that education remains the strategic compass capable of steering the country toward sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
The respected scholar made this assertion while delivering the 206th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Port Harcourt at its Abuja Centre of Excellence. His lecture, titled, “The Rudderless Ship and Its Major Rescuer,” employed a striking maritime metaphor to illustrate the state of the nation’s educational system and, by extension, its development trajectory.
According to Prof. Abraham, the rudder, though a small and seemingly insignificant component located at the rear of a ship, determines the direction, stability, and safety of the entire vessel. Without it, even the most magnificent ship with powerful engines and sophisticated equipment will drift aimlessly and is at risk of wreckage. He likened this crucial component to educational policies in a nation’s governance structure, arguing that policies serve as the guiding mechanism that determines whether a country reaches its intended destination or wanders endlessly without direction.
In his analysis, he noted that Nigeria possesses abundant human and natural resources and is not! lacking in intellectual capacity or policy formulation. However, he emphasised that the country’s recurring challenge lies in weak implementation, inconsistency, and a culture of cutting corners.
He recalled that at independence in 1960, Nigeria stood shoulder to shoulder with several nations that are now classified among the world’s leading economies. The difference, he maintained, is not destiny or potential, but discipline and adherence to policy execution.
“What made them move forward was discipline and the will to implement policies the way they were designed. For as long as we trivialise our educational policies, we will continue to drift. But the moment we commit to proper implementation, Nigeria is destined for greatness,” he stated.
Prof. Abraham stressed that education remains the foundation upon which every other sector stands. He argued that a properly structured and effectively managed educational system produces competent manpower, ethical leadership, innovation, and national cohesion. Conversely, a poorly managed system weakens governance, slows economic growth, and undermines social stability.
Delving into higher education administration, the Professor identified funding as a critical coordinate of effective university management. Drawing from his scholarly publications in international journals, he explained that adequate and well-managed funding directly impacts teaching quality, research output, infrastructure development, staff motivation, and global competitiveness of universities.
He described the current funding situation in Nigerian universities as grossly inadequate, noting that without intentional and strategic financial investment, reforms may remain theoretical.
“Funding is very poor. If we address it deliberately and commit to doing it right, the transformation will be evident,” he affirmed.
Beyond funding, he called for collective responsibility in rebuilding the education sector, urging policymakers, administrators, lecturers, parents, and students to play active roles in restoring value and credibility to the system.
He emphasised that education should not be seen as the exclusive concern of those currently within school walls, but as a national asset that shapes future generations and determines the country’s long-term prosperity.
Respondents at the well-attended lecture described it as both diagnostic and prescriptive, noting that Prof. Abraham not only identified systemic weaknesses but also offered a roadmap for reform. Some participants expressed optimism that the insights presented could serve as a blueprint for policymakers if carefully studied and adopted.
The event drew members of the academia, deans, the clergy, stakeholders, and guests from various sectors who commended the inaugural lecturer for what many described as a courageous and timely intervention in the national conversation on education.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Prof. Abraham was flanked by deans and colleagues in recognition of his contribution to scholarship and public discourse.
The 206th Inaugural Lecture once again highlighted the role of the University of Port Harcourt as a centre for intellectual engagement and policy advocacy. More importantly, it amplified a central message: without a functional “rudder” in the form of faithfully implemented educational policies, Nigeria’s journey toward development may remain uncertain. But with discipline, adequate funding, and unwavering commitment to policy execution, the nation can chart a new course toward enduring greatness.