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Girl child education critical to nation building – Shehu Sani

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Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani has launched a non-governmental organization called Access to Education and Health Centre, declaring that girl child education is critical to nation building.
While presenting toiletries, educational materials and other assorted gifts, materials worth millions of naira to four FCT schools in Abuja, penultimate week, the ex-lawmaker said that education of a girl child should be a matter of priority to government and private citizens.
The former lawmaker who was represented by the Programme Officer of the  NGO, Halima Halidu Sani lamented the challenges faced by out of school girl child, noting that the society and government must change the  tide and insist on training the girl child in the country as part of processes to rebuild the country.
Shehu Sani disclosed that a staggering over 7 million girls are out of school in Nigeria with only 3.9 of them at the primary, while 3.7 million at the junior secondary schools across the country.
According to the former lawmaker in the 8th National Assembly, Nigerian has not taken the lead in the girl child education not only in Africa, but also in West Africa sub-region, emphasizing that it was time, Nigeria should champion the girl child education through enabling laws and deliberate policies that would ensure girl child education is repositioned towards building a strong nation.
To achieve this feat, he called on ‘well to do’ Nigerians to deliberately invest in girl child education, noting that leaving the task for the government alone was not the best option to educating girl child in the 21st century.
Sani said, Access to Education and Health Centre, non-governmental organization which he founded would continue to support female gender  in primary, secondary and tertiary schools’ campaign and advocate for the training of girl child which he believes that his generation has onus of responsibility to train female children for the betterment of the society.
Senator Sani said: “The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF has confirmed in its latest report in August, 2024 that over 7 million girls are out of school in Nigeria, only 3.9 million at the primary and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level.
“This is unacceptable and if African nations, especially Nigeria, must build a strong and virile economy, girl child education must be uppermost as female genders command sizable numbers in each nation across the globe.
“Girls are would-be mothers with tasking responsibility and influence in future, hence educating a girl child is a direct investment  that would have impact on the society, thus they should not be seen as weaker when it comes to building strong society”, recalling that some generation of women like the late Benazir Butto, Mother Theresa, Indira Gandhi created impact through education.
The beneficiary schools are as follows:Government Girls Secondary School, Kuje, Government Girls Secondary School, Abaji, Government Girls Secondary School, Garki and that of Dutse while receiving the gift items on behalf of the female students express joy for coming to their rescue, promising that the gift items would be equitably distributed among the students.
Speaking separately after presentation of items,  the principals appreciated Senator Sani for depriving himself of comfort to distribute the items through his NGO, even when he was no longer a serving lawmaker.
In the words of the principal of Government Girls Secondary School Garki, he said,  “I want to thank the Senator.  This is somebody who stood there, when others turned their eyes away from the weak and deprived himself of comfort just to satisfy others.
“I really appreciate what the Senator is doing and  everybody appreciates him and the only way he can reach the masses is through this NGO.  I really appreciate that and that is what God wants.”

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WAEC, NECO to adopt CBT for exams 2026

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Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa
By Our Correspondent
 In a bid to ensure that Nigerian students compete favourably with their counterparts in West African subregion, the Federal Government has directed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to adopt full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for all their examinations by 2026.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the monitoring of the ongoing exams alongside JAMB officials, in Bwari on Monday.
Recall  that more than 2 million candidates registered for the ongoing examination in more than 800 centres across the country.
Alausa revealed that both the WAEC and NECO would start administering their objective papers via CBT effective this November.
According to him, subsequently adopting the CBT for the essay and objective components would commenced fully by May/June 2026.
”If JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for more than 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO can do the same.
“We are going to get WAEC and NECO to also start their objective exam on CBT.
“By 2026 exams which will come up in May/June, both the objectives and the essay will be fully on CBT. That is how we can eliminate exam malpractices.”
Alausa also disclosed that a committee is currently reviewing examination standards nationwide, with recommendations expected next month.
Earlier, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, while speaking on the early schedule of the exams, clarified that the board’s UTME exams had always begun at 8:00 a.m.
Oloyede said that candidates were only expected to be on ground by 6:30 a.m., to enable them get accredited before the exams.
He dismissed complaints about early arrival times, noting that it was necessary to screen candidates before exams begin.
“We have always started our exams at 8 o’clock. The first session is 8 o’clock, second session 10:30, third session, 1 p.m, and fourth session 3:30p.m.
Oloyede also debunked claims of candidates being posted to centres they did not choose, stating that investigations showed no such cases happened.
He confirmed that more than 1.6 million out of 2.03 million registered candidates had completed their exams, with about 50,000 remaining.
The registrar also disclosed that more than 40 candidates had been arrested for malpractice, including impersonation and attempting to smuggle out exam questions with hidden cameras.
He declared that of the registered candidates, more than 41,000 were underage.
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Construction Company debunks roof leakage in NASS . .says report driven by ‘bad belle’

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NASS complex

 

By George Mgbeleke
The Managing Director of Laralek Ultimate Construction Company , Olalekan Adebiyi has debunked media reports on purported roof leakage at the white house segment of the National Assembly on Friday during storming downpour .

An online platform had in the early hours of Saturday , reported that the violently storming rain that fell on Friday , made mince meat of renovation work carried out by one of the subsidiaries of Laralek (Visible Construction Company ) on roofs and other areas of the National Assembly complex from 2022 to 2024.

The online medium in the report alleged that some staff of the National Assembly lamented that if the N38billion renovation work was given to Julius Berger , there wouldn’t have been problem of roof leakage again during rain fall , positing that the Federal Capital Development Authority( FCDA) that awarded the contract to Visible Construction Company , compromised .

But hours after the publication , the Managing Director of Laralek Ultimate Construction Company , Olalekan Adebiyi in a telephone conversation with journalists covering the National Assembly said the report was fake as investigation carried out by them through their subsidiary company used to execute the contract ( Visible Construction),, revealed that there was no leakage from the roof at the White House segment of the National Assembly

According to him, Amothene , imported from United States of America ( USA) and applied to the points of leakages on the roof , is water tight and can never leak .

” The report to us , is unfounded and simply put , bad belle because if it was Julius Berger that carried out the renovation work , no such fake report , will be written against it .

” I wonder why some Nigerians always like to be enemies of their fellow country men for no good reason whatsoever .

“We checked and found out that it was an ingress of water that came through the Smaller windows at the upper part of the Chamber Building that flooded the floor and not roof leakage .

” The said story or report , has no single picture of points of leakages from the roof which to us , is very unprofessional and unethical .

“The report is fake as there was no leakage from any point on the roof. We did a good job and stand by it and shall surely be vindicated as more and more rains will still fall in the coming weeks and months “, he said .

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Imbibe the culture of humility, love, sacrifice Says, Apostle Godfrey Omodubor – as BMNA honours him

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Apostle Godfrey Omodubor being honored by BMMA

 

By David Owei, Baylesa

Pastors have been advised to imbibed the culture of humility, love and sacrifice towards their members and the society in general.

This was handed down on Sunday by Apostle Godfrey Omodubor at the Faith Gospel Revival Deliverance Ministries Worldwide in Eteqwe, Yenagoa the bayelsa state capital during an award ceremony in his honour.

The award which was bestowed on him by the organizers of the most prestigious award, the Bayelsa Media Network Award (B.M.N.A) as the “Prophet of the Year 2025″ due to his outstanding love and care for the people.

Prophet Godfrey Omodubor said, he was honoured by the award and it is a call to do more for the society.

” I was not expecting it neither did I solicited for it, but as it please God to honour me this way, I must say am very happy and God will empower me to do more”.

” If God called you, he will back you up and give you all that you needed to succeed. It only required patience, endurance and hard work. God is not a magician neither is God a debtor, he paid everyone at the right time and in due season”.

He thanked the organizers for deeming it fit to recognize his little contributions to the society.

Presenting the award, the Project Manager, Bayelsa Media Network Award Mr. Blessing Ozegbe said, the award was as a result of Apostle Godfrey Omodubor contributions to the development of society in general.

The Project Manager described the man of God as a faithful and hardworking man, saying despite being a spiritual Father he still reachout to people within and outside his domain.

“We have been observing him from far and from investigation and testimonies of people around, his is truly a man of God full of humility and respect for both young and old alike. His character is worth emulating and I pray that other men of God will learn from him.

“This is an award that is not commonly given and because we couldn’t find a worthy person last year, this category was suspended and by the grace of God this year, we discovered this man of humility, full of love and sacrifice to be given the award “.

He encourage the man of God not relent in doing good to people and to see his calling as a genuine call from God.

The award ceremony was witnessed by his large congregation and visitors which also happened to be his birthday.

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