News
WAEC, Firm Reward Students With Best WASSCE Results
The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and Vatebra Limited have rewarded Oyediran Akinloye, who emerged as overall best student in the 2022 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) with a cash prize of N500,000.
Three others, Pinn Margaret, Ede-Oballa, and Mgbemele Amarachi, were also rewarded.
The cash awards were presented to the students at the 61st annual meeting of the Nigeria National Council of the West Africa Examinations Council held at the Taal Conference Centre Lafia, Nasarawa Atate.
The Head, Brand and Communications, Vatebra Limited, Ben Iyoha, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
According to Iyoha, the award was organised to recognise the important role of education as a catalyst for societal progress and as part of the firm’s commitment to celebrating academic achievement.
He said, “In a celebration of academic achievement and commitment to excellence, the West African Examinations Council and Vatebra Limited, a leading technology solutions provider, for the fourth year in a row awarded the best-performing public schools and public-school students at the West African Examinations Council examinations.
“In recognition of the importance of education as a catalyst for societal progress, in the last four years, Vatebra Limited in partnership with WAEC-Nigeria upheld the award to honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements of public-school students in the WAEC examinations. This award is a testament to Vatebra’s commitment to supporting and promoting educational excellence as a cornerstone for building a brighter future.
“This year’s award ceremony took place at the 61st annual meeting of the Nigeria National Council of the West Africa Examinations Council held at the Taal Conference Centrw, Lafia Nasarawa state. The awards for this year’s edition were for the Best Public Secondary School in the Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) which went to Pinn Margaret Secondary Commercial School, Calabar-South, Cross River State. The Best Overall Public Secondary School in all subjects which went to Girls’ Secondary School, Ede-Enu, Ede-Oballa, Nsukka, Enugu State.
“In the same manner, the Best Overall Candidate in Public Secondary Schools (Male) was awarded to Oyediran Felix Akinloye of Command Science Secondary School, Saki, Oyo State; while the Best Overall Candidate in Public Secondary Schools (Female) went to Mgbemele Blessing Amarachi of Government Science Secondary School, Pyakasa, Maitama, Abuja.”
Iyoha added that the awardees were carefully selected for their demonstration of perseverance and intellectual prowess throughout their academic journey while stressing that the annual award will continue to encourage outstanding students from public schools.
“Both best overall candidate in Public Secondary school male and female recipients of the WAEC/Vatebra Merit Award, who demonstrated exceptional dedication, perseverance, and intellectual prowess throughout their academic journey expressed joy and promised to use their cash prize money to further their education.
“We will continue to be part of this auspicious event as both a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative for the company and as a reward system for academic excellence in Nigeria’s public schools.
“The WAEC/Vatebra Merit Award is an annual initiative aimed at recognising and encouraging outstanding academic performance among public school students. The award reflects Vatebra’s commitment to investing in education as a means of fostering a knowledge-driven society,” he said.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Sports4 days ago
Oyibu predicts success for Team Nigeria at Athletics Championships
-
News4 days ago
Presidency Faults US Visa Restrictions On Nigerians, Demands Fair Treatment
-
Politics4 days ago
PDP Still Formidable Ahead 2027 – Nat’l Youth Leader
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Commissioner Explains Oborevwori’s Retirement Age Extentoon For Associate Profs
-
Politics4 days ago
Civic Duty, Not Politics Necessitated My Engagement With Abacha – Obi
-
Women4 days ago
What To Know About Fufu, Loi Loi
-
Sports4 days ago
Former Champion Seeks Title Defence At Para Table Tennis Tourney
-
Rivers4 days ago
Don Sues For Leadership Assessment Centre In IAUE