News

Power Reform: Institute Graduates 243 Engineers

Published

12 years ago

November 8, 2013

The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) yesterday in Abuja graduated 243 engineers in the three key areas of the power sector.
Director General of NAPTIN Mr. Reuben Okeke said the graduates studied programmes in three critical areas of Transmission, Generation and Distribution as the nation was striving to boost the improvement of power supply in the country.
According to him, the institute graduated 92 students in Generation Engineering, 79 in Transmission and 72 engineers in Distribution.
Okeke explained that this was the first set of graduate engineers who had undergone a rigorous 12 month skills development programme in the three areas of the electricity production chain.
He said that NAPTIN Graduate Skills Development Programme (NGSDP), which started in September 2012 received over 1,530 applications while only 243 applicants were eventually admitted by the institute.
Okeke expressed his appreciation to nine state governments which sponsored some of the candidates in the programme.
He listed these state governments as those of Anambra, Bornu, Ebonyi, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and Yobe states and explained that the training was to ensure that privatisation of the power sector was not just to handover assets to investors but to a crop of trained professionals.
Okeke said that NAPTIN was at present collaborating with National Universities Commission to ensure it strengthens its training capabilities by partnering with some Nigerian universities.
He added that the German Government under the Nigeria- German Energy Support Programme would soon complete the development of a 25 KVA Wind / Solar Hybrid Renewable Demonstration plant at Kainji Training Centre.
According to him, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency recently granted the sum of 16,000 dollars to NAPTIN to study power loss reduction technologies adding that the institute was ready to share the outcome of that study with the new core owners of electricity assets in the country.
Okeke expressed appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan for his encouragement and financial support to the organisation.
Mr Ilobe Mba and Mr Nura Mohammed, who scored 83 per cent and 82 per cent in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, respectively received awards as the best graduating students.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, in his remarks said that capacity training was the key area he wanted to develop in the power industry.
“Without engineers, things like motor cars, electricity, telecommunication and even medical doctors will not do their work very well,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Godknows Igali, said that the graduating students were the change agents in the country.
He said that the ministry and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission only make policies for the sector while the engineers were the ones that implement these policies and called for more sponsors for this kind of programmes.
The Chairman, House Committee on Power, Mr. Patrick Ikhariele said that the National Assembly was still ready to ensure that the NAPTIN got the required funds to train its students.
Mr Dagogo Jack, the Chairman, Presidential Taskforce on Power, said that the organisation would continue to assist NAPTIN in executing its mandate to ensure that the nation’s power sector stabilized.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa

News

RSG INAUGURATES ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMITTEE

Published

3 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee to organize the celebration of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) in the State.

The committee was formally inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.

Dr Anabraba who also serves as Chairman of the Committee

highlighted the State Government’s deep appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the nation’s peace and unity.

“These heroes have given their lives for the security and peace of our nation and deserve to be celebrated. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an opportunity to show our gratitude for their sacrifice,” he said.

Dr. Anabraba further extended recognition to all Security Agencies in the State, emphasizing the importance of the event in appreciating their contributions to national security and sovereignty.

The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed on January 15 across the country is dedicated to remember Nigeria’s departed soldiers and honouring the nation’s veterans.