News

Fayose Slams Buhari Over N458m For Experts’ Hire

Published

8 years ago

November 20, 2017

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has questioned the rationale behind the Federal Government’s alleged hiring of consultants from Malaysia with the sum of N458 million to help Nigeria build her economic capacity.
He said “the Federal Government’s action is a clear vote of no confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and economic experts in the country.”
The governor, said; “it is shameful that Nigeria, which produced the likes of African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina; Treasurer and Vice President of the World Bank, Mrs Aruma Otteh; Independent Non-Executive Director of Standard Chartered Plc, United Kingdom, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, among others is now paying people from Malaysia to revive its economy.”
In a statement issued, yesterday, and signed by Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said “out-sourcing consultancy for the conduct of study that would aid the implementation of the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) is tantamount to telling Nigerians that they all lack capacity to govern their own country.”
He asked, how can you hire foreign consultants that would work for 13 weeks to conduct a study on how to revive the economy of a country like Nigeria and pay the consultants N458 million?”
Fayose said he had said it several times that the APC government of Buhari lacked clue as to how to solve our country’s economic problems, adding that, “now they have just confirmed that truly, they are clueless.”
He said; “By hiring economic experts from Malaysia, President Buhari and his men have confirmed that they have no capacity to govern this country.
“It was the cluelessness of the Buhari’s government that made the exchange rate that was N197 to $1 as at May 29, 2015 rise to as much as N500 to $1 before it came down to about N370 to $1. Today, official rate is N305 to $1.
“It was this same cluelessness that made one bag of rice that was N7,000 as at the time Buhari took office to rise to as much as N22,000 and made more than 25 States to be unable to pay workers salary regularly owing to dwindled revenue from the federation account.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), an agency of the Federal Government, the number of unemployed Nigerians rose from 7.51 million at the beginning of October 2015 to 11.19 million at the end of September 2016. This was caused by Buhari’s government’s cluelessness.
“Like I have said before, President Buhari and his men do not know what to do. It is therefore left for Nigerians to use their votes to show Buhari and his APC the way out of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in 2019,”Fayose said.

Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade (2nd right),with his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu(2nd left)and others, during the second day of the Carnival in Calabar, yesterday.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

4 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

4 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

4 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.