Nigerian doctors in US list
conditions to relocate home.
Nigerian medical practitioners based in the United States of
America under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian
Physicians in the Americas on Tuesday said they were
determined to relocate to the country if the Federal
Government could provide incentives for them.
The doctors, led by their National President, Nkem
Chukwumerije, stated this in Abuja when their executive
officers paid a courtesy call on the Chairman, Senate
Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, at the
National Assembly complex.
The ANPA members said they were interested in returning
home to help their fatherland but lamented the government
had not done enough to encourage them.
Chukwumerije listed poor remuneration, inadequate modern
equipment and a lack of low interest loans for those who
want to set up medical facilities in Nigeria as some of the
impediments to their homecoming.
He said, “The major barrier preventing the relocation of
medical doctors back to Nigeria is incentive. Every human
character and behaviour is linked to incentives. Some of the
incentives to get back the medical doctors abroad to Nigeria
are not in place.
“Most of us here love our country and our hearts are in
Nigeria but we just have to be physically at another country.
We are very passionate about improving health care system
here but the incentives, especially remuneration sends people
out and force them to remain abroad.
“Another thing is a lack of proper equipment to work with.
Most people abroad honestly want to come back. But to
physically relocate, we will need the right financial incentives.
“The Federal Government should provide low interest loans for
health care workers so that medical practitioners abroad could
bring their money and have access to low interest loans.”
Source: the punch

Easter: FG Declares March 25 And March 28 As
Public Holidays
The Federal Government has declared Friday,
March 25 and Monday, March 28 as public
holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter
celebrations respectively.
The Minister of Interior, Retired Lt.-Gen.
Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the
declaration in a statement issued by the acting
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji
Muhammadu Maccido on Tuesday in Abuja.
The minister urged Christians and Nigerians
in general to support and join hands with
President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained
efforts to build a peaceful, united and virile
nation.
He further urged Nigerians to use the occasion
to pray for peace and unity across the nation.
While wishing Nigerians and Christians the
world over happy celebrations, Dambazau also
reiterated Federal Government’s commitment
to the change agenda in the country.

FG To Stabilise Economy With N350bn
The Federal Government has resolved to
release N350bn into the economy, which has
been battered by the sharp drop in the price
of crude oil in the global market, as parts of
measures aimed at stabilising it.
This is one of the outcomes of a two-day
retreat organised by the National Economic
Council chaired by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The governors of Zamfara and Anambra
states, Abdulaziz Yari and Willie Obiano;
Minister of Budget and National Planning,
Senator Udo Udoma; and his Finance
counterpart, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, read the
retreat’s communique to State House
correspondents at the end of the programme.
Adeosun expressed the conviction that the
money, which would be released by her
ministry in the coming months, would restore
significant economic activities in the country.
She said for contractors to benefit from the
fund, they must show proof of the number of
Nigerians that would be re-engaged.
Adeosun said, “From the Ministry of Finance,
in anticipation of the approval of the budget,
we have virtually lined up about N350bn,
which we will be pumping into the Nigerian
economy in the forthcoming months.
“We explained our rationale and the processes
that we have put in place to ensure that this
money actually achieves the desired objective,
which is to stimulate the economy.
We are already discussing with some of the
contractors who will be paid this money, and
the objectives from the overall criteria is the
number of Nigerians that will be re-engaged.
“We are specifically looking at contractors
who have laid off staff and how many
Nigerians they are going to put back to work
as a result of this money that we are planning
to release, and we believe that this will bring
significant economic activity.”
The minister said participants at the retreat
called on state governors to reduce the
number of their political appointees, including
commissioners, as much as possible.
“State governors were encouraged, where
possible, to rationalise the number of
commissioners and general political
appointees, and in addition, cost-control
measures should be identified and
implemented on an ongoing basis, and there
was a sharing of best practices from a number
of states that could be applied elsewhere,”
Adeosun added.
The minister also said the retreat called on
state governments to bring in more cost-
efficiency into their operations, noting that
they were asked to establish efficiency units to
achieve the feat.
She added, “We deliberated extensively on the
drop in revenue, particularly as to how it
affects the state governments and their ability
to pay salaries and fulfil other obligations.
“The general resolve of the house and the
consensus was that there was a need to bring
in more cost-efficiency in their operations, in
particular to look at the setting up of
efficiency units within the state governments
to rationalise expenditure, and of course, to
increase IGR.
“To that end, there is a need to generate data
because data is the basis of any revenue
collection effort. The federal and state inland
revenue services will collaborate to do joint
audits to invest in revenue, relevant
technology and efforts to improve collection.
“There is a need to develop incentives for
both federal and state revenue generating
agencies to ensure that there is an alignment
of interest.
“There is a focus at state level on property and
consumption taxes to help in improving
revenue in a fair manner. Taxpayer education
must be intensified and to expand the tax
base and ensure that there is a buy-in in the
revenue collection agencies from the
populace.”
Adeosun added that the retreat also discussed
the Universal Basic Education Commission
and the need to get legislative approval to
change the need for counterpart funding on
the part of state governments, which is
believed to be putting them further into debt.
This, she explained, would release an
estimated N58bn currently not being
accessed.
Source: PunchNg

Abacha Loot: Switzerland Returns N142.43 Billion
To Nigeria In 10 Years
The Swiss government has confirmed that it
has so far returned $723 million (about
N142.43 billion) of stolen funds ceased from
the family of the late former head of state,
Sani Abacha, to the Nigerian government over
the last 10 years.
The amount excludes $321million (about
N63.24 billion) which the Swiss authorities
recently said recently it was planning to
repatriate to Nigeria.
These details are contained in the agreement
signed on March 8, 2016 in Abuja by
representatives of the Swiss Federal Council
and the Nigerian government.
The agreement, titled “Letter of Intent on the
restitution of illegally-acquired assets forfeited
in Switzerland,” was signed by Nigeria’s
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, and the Swiss Head of
Foreign Affairs Department, Didier
Burkhalter.
The document, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES,
reveals that $321 million acquired illicitly by
the Abacha family, was initially deposited in
Luxemburg before being confiscated by the
Swiss Republic Judiciary and Canton of
Geneva following a December 11, 2014
forfeiture order.
The agreement says funds to be returned to
Nigeria would contribute to the
implementation of social programmes for the
benefit of the Nigerian people in “an efficient
and accountable way, guaranteed by a
monitoring by World Bank”.
Acknowledging the cooperation of Switzerland
and Nigeria as an excellent opportunity to
fight against corruption at domestic and
international levels, the signatories to the
agreement recalled the long partnership by
their two countries in asset recovery based the
principles of national interest, trust and
mutual respect.
Considering Chapter V of the UN Convention
against corruption, which is the international
legal framework for asset recovery, the
signatories also drew attention to Article 51 of
the document that states afford each other
measures of cooperation and assistance.
The agreement also emphasized the need for
the process of repatriation of the stolen funds
to be undertaken based on international best
practices of transparency and accountability
in a manner that satisfy the scrutiny of civil
society and the international community.
The signatories affirmed, among others, their
intention to maintain a fruitful cooperation
based on trust and respect in order to enable
transparent and efficient use of the funds for
the benefits of the Nigerian people.
Source: PremiumTimes

Breaking News!! Senate Reduces UTME Registration Fee To ₦2,500 – To Extend Validity Period To 3yrs

The Senate today passed a resolution reducing the registration fee of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) N5,650 to N2,500.

At the plenary session today, the senators recommended the extension of the validity period of the UTME to three academic year.

The resolution was taken following the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on the inquiry into the new admission policy of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

They also resolved to amend the Act establishing JAMB to reflect the extension of the validity period which is at the moment a year.

LASSA Fever Kills Pregnant Woman, Doctor Corps Member In Kaduna

A pregnant woman and two health workers have been confirmed dead following an outbreak of Lassa fever in Kaduna.

According to the state commissioner for health, Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok who confirmed the incident, the three people included a medical doctor who was undergoing his national youth service year as a corp and a community health nurse that died at the Saint Louis Hospital in Zonkwa, area of Zango Kataf local government of the state.

The doctor and the nurse were said to have conducted an operation on the pregnant woman but died of the same disease two weeks ago.

The commissioner said that two weeks ago, there was a pregnant woman that visited the Saint Louis Hospital after she was referred from a clinic in Kamuru.

‘‘An operation was conducted on her by the doctor and nurse. She subsequently died.”

“The two individuals that died were the people that actually attended to the pregnant woman. She died about two weeks ago. No one thought they would die like that after the woman. The woman died of lassa disease. She was buried properly. And it was after her death that symptoms of LASSA started to show on the medical doctor and the community nurse.

“The doctor and the nurse died after they had high temperature consistently for four days,” the commissioner said.

- See more at: http://www.naijaloaded.com.ng/2016/03/02/lassa-fever-kills-pregnant-woman-doctor-corps-member-kaduna/#sthash.8hkt4igN.dpuf

ABU alumni to hold lecture, recognition award

The alumni association of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is planning to hold a lecture, dinner and recognition award for outstanding members on April 23 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

President of the association Dr. Ahmed Tijjani Mora who disclosed this, said the event would also feature the launch of a publication, 2016 ABU Information Flyer, with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as chief launcher.

Dr. Mora said the event was being packaged to raise money for the construction of an overhead bridge at the ABU’s North Gate, construction of hostel for post-graduate students, provision of bus service from the institution’s main campus to its mini campus at Kogo, among others as part of the association’s corporate social responsibilities.

The morning session of the event, according to Dr. Mora, would focus on a lecture titled “Managing the Dynamics of Ethno-Religious Politics for Sustainable National Integration and Development in Nigeria,” to be delivered by Professor Ibrahim Gambari with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as chairman.

Source: dailytrust

UNILAG Graduate With 5.0 CGPA Awarded N1.1m Cash Prize




The 29-year-old best graduating student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, during the 2014/2015 convocation ceremonies, Mr. Ayodele Daniel Dada, has been rewarded with a total prize money of more than N1 million.

Dada, who broke the record of being the first student of the 54-year-old university to secure a Cumulative Gradient Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0, was formally unveiled Tuesday amidst pump and pageantry by the institution.

The graduand, who noted that the media had branded him a genius, said: “It does not take to be a genius to do the work of a genius.”

Among the prizes won by Dada was the institution’s Alumni Association Prize of N500 000, which used to be N100,000 for all best graduating students of the association.

According to the President of the association, Dr. Sunny Kuku, the money was jerked up this year, as a special reward for Dada, who said had blazed the trail.

Also, Dada won the N250,000 Tony Elumelu Prize; the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize of N100, 000; the Social Science Dean’s Prize of N50,000 and the HOD of Psychology’s Prize of N25, 000.

UTME: FG may consider re-introduction of paper-pencil test

 

Mallam Adamu Adamu

THE Federal Government may consider re-introduction of paper-pencil mode of Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME) to take care of the interest of vast number of Nigerians who have been excluded by the use of Computer-Based Test (CBT).

Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu, gave this indication on Tuesday in Abuja during the ongoing UTME being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB).

This is even as the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, Professor 'Dibu Ojerinde has disclosed that over 200, 000 results of candidates who sat for the ongoing UTME have so far been released.

The results released are for the candidates who sat for the Computer-Based Test on Saturday, and Monday across the country and seven foreign centres.

The Minister, who expressed concern about thousands of Nigerians who are not computer literate to be able to take the examination, said the paper-pencil could be re-introduced until such a time more Nigerians, especially those in rural communities become computer literate.

Adamu, however, said he was satisfied with the conduct of the CBT mode of the examination so far, adding that he was glad the board has addressed most of his concerns and other Nigerians.

He said: "I seem to be very comfortable and happy with what they are doing. But my question has not been answered; that there are many people who are not computer literate, so, what do you do with them. I do not have reservation about CBT but sympathy for those who are not computer literate and there are many of them.

When asked if he suggested that the Board re-introduce paper-pencil mode of examination alongside CBT, the Minister said, "I think so; for some time. But certainly the future is for computer."

When further prodded on the relevance of the paper-pencil mode of examination, two years after it was phased out, Adamu asked the journalist back, "how long do you think is a reasonable period?"

Prof Ojerinde, had disclosed that results of over 68,000 candidates were released within 2 hours on Saturday, the first day of the examination in which a total of 72, 000 candidates sat for the CBT.

According to him, the Board recorded about 2000 absentees on Saturday while over 100, 000 results were released on Monday within two hours after the conclusion of the examination on Monday.

Ojerinde also disclosed that the National Communication Commission (NCC) has been mandated to construct at least four CBT centres annually for JAMB. He added that the first four were on and that the next four will soon be on.

It would be recalled that JAMB, in the quest to deal with the issue of examination malpractices as well as reduce the cost of conduct the UTME, introduced the Computer-Based Test and was tested for some years before going 100 per cent CBT in 2015.

In 2014 UTME, three modes were used: the traditional paper-pencil mode; dual mode that is Computer/paper mode and CBT. After series of consultations and sensitisation of Nigerians, the National Council on Education (NCE), which is the highest policy making body in Education approved complete transition to CBT effective from last year.

Armed men abduct girls in Anglican seminary.

No fewer than three students of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS), Ikorodu have been abducted by gunmen.

It was gathered that the criminals who struck from behind the school, took three girls away at about 8pm on Monday.
The armed men suspected to be dislodged pipeline vandals stormed the school premises located at Agunfoye-Lugbusi village.

It was learnt that the criminals gained entry into the school by breaking the perimeter fence which served as protection for the boarding students from the thick bush surrounding it.

The Nation gathered that the abduction of the female students from BMJS has created unease in the police such that the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni and a team of crack detectives were at the school premises till about 4am on Tuesday.

Confirming the incident, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police said that efforts were on to track the abductors and rescue the girls.

“Yea, three female students were taken away by some criminals on Monday night but investigations are on to track then.  At this moment, we cannot give you more information but you will be briefed as event unfolds,” she said.

The model private missionary school, BMJS was founded on October 18, 1996 by late Most Reverend Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye.

Situated on about 25 acres of land, BMJS is a co-educational Secondary institution of Lagos Anglican Dioceses and was named after Late Reverend Thomas Babington Macaulay who was the founder of C.M.S. Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos in 1859.

JAMB Cancels Centres, Relocates Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, yesterday cancelled two centres in the ongoing matriculation examination following complaints of poor facilities provided by the centres’ administrators in Lagos.

Okorie, who is coordinating the Yaba College of Technology’s Computer Based Test (CBT) examination centre, said candidates at the two centres had been relocated to another centre nearby.

She named the affected centres as Huntview Technology Limited, No. 4, Ayanboye St., Anthony village and the New Ocean Comprehensive High School, Megida, Ayobo area, Lagos. She advised candidates in the affected centres, who were yet to sit for their examinations, to report immediately to the alternative centres provided for the examination.

“We have relocated candidates from the Huntview Technology Limited, at no. 4, Ayanboye st. Anthony, Lagos to Jkk building, ETC Nigeria Limited, 229, Ikorodu road, Ilupeju.

“Also, all candidates initially posted to the New Ocean Comprehensive High School, Megida, Ayobo, were relocated to Island Computers College, 99, Meiran road, Otapo Bus-stop, Meiran, Lagos.

“We appeal to all candidates posted to these centres to relocate to the new centres immediately.

“We have stationed officers of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps at the cancelled centre to direct candidates to the new centres”, she said.

Okorie explained that the generator at New Ocean Comprehensive High School got burnt during the first paper on Feb. 27 and destroyed some computers and cables.

“We managed it for that day but we cannot continue because we do not want any candidate to suffer or miss the examination on account of the incident.

“Many computers are not functioning properly at the Huntview Technology Limited”, she said.

The coordinator explained that prior to the examination, she had held meeting with all the CBT centre administrators in Lagos on Feb. 19, and pleaded with them to put their facilities in proper shape.

She warned that any centre with faulty router would not be able to access the questions from the JAMB server. Okorie noted that the affected centres would not be paid because they breached the agreement.

“The sanction for any centre that failed to meet the requirements is that it will forfeit agreed payment. We pay the centres after the examination”, she further explained.

JAMB: Answers not in the options – Candidates

Meantime, some candidates of the on-going Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, said aside the lateness in starting the examination, a bigger challenge was with the English Language paper as answers to some of the questions were not made available.

Speaking to Vanguard, Miss Basirat Jerah, whose examination center was at the Yaba College of Technology, said “the examination scheduled to commerce at 6:30am started by 8:45am as a result of server failure, but the surprising aspect was that some of the questions on English Language were wrong as the answers were not in the options given. Only God knows what would become our fate as we pray JAMB officials would consider this when marking and grading us.”

Collaborating Jerah’s claims is Miss Precious Ogunlele who also wrote the exam at Yaba College of Technology, who said “Questions 11-20 of English Language were incorrect as the answers were not on the options. We only pray and hope this would be taken into consideration so as not to negatively affect our scores.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the portion in question is the comprehension part whereby they have to fill in the gaps. He said “You know these students are in a hurry to finish and most of them don’t take their time to go through the questions.

Even some candidates in one of the centers I visited pointed out that to me and I had to explain to them that in comprehension, you have to fill in the gaps. I can assure you that JAMB didn’t make any mistake when setting the questions.”

Source: Vanguard

IMPORTANT NOTICE!! If You Are Writing JAMB Or You Have Someone Writing, Please Read This

Please for those who have their children & wards writing JAMB tomorrow please inform them not to use the “ENTER” key on the keyboard of the computer they are going to use tomorrow.

But they should make use of the mouse & the up & down arrows on the keyboard b/c once they press ENTER their work will be submitted & can’t be retrieved back, so if they must use it let it be only when they are done with the questions & want to submit their work…

Best of luck to all JAMB candidates!!