THANK YOU FOR WORKING TO STOP POLIO, GUTERRES TELLS WOMEN

The United Nations Secretary General, Anthonio Guterres has commended women working to end polio

The U.N scribe said this on his twitter handle

NECO Releases November/December 2019 SSCE Result

The National Examination Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2019 November/December Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE).

Mr Abubakar Gana, Acting Registrar of the council, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Gana said that a total of 70,140 candidates registered for the examination, and 65,207 sat for English Language out of which 41,214, representing 63 per cent, got either Distinction or Credit.

He added that 66,398 candidates sat for Mathematics, out of which 54,565, representing 82.18 per cent, got either Distinction or Credit.

The acting registrar said 33,576 candidates, representing 48.68 per cent, got five Credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

“On the other hand, 50,057 candidates, representing 72.57% got five Credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

“A comparative analysis of candidates who scored five Credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics for 2018 and 2019 shows 62.48% for 2018 and 48.68% for 2019,” he stated.

The acting registrar said that the figure represented a decrease of 13.8 per cent in 2019.

“This is coming exactly 49 days after the last paper was written. A total of 29 subjects were examined.

“Like we always point out, this is an examination conducted for external candidates wishing to acquire the minimum requirements for admission into various tertiary institutions,” he added.

Gana, however, noted that not all candidates required Credit in either English Language or Mathematics or both.

On candidates’ involvement in examination malpractice in 2019 as against 2018, he said there was an increase as 12,084 cases were recorded in 2018 as against 17,004 recorded in 2019.

“This came about as a result of the comprehensive monitoring by senior staff. This also resulted in the decline in number of candidates with 5 Credits and above,” he said.

He called on candidates to log on to www.neco.gov.ng, and click on ‘NECO Results’ and follow the prompts to access their results. 

SOURCE: NAN

NIGERIAN FORMER PRESIDENTS AT WORLD SUMMIT 2020 IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

Former president Goodluck Jobathan is making a case for world leaders to create lasting peace among people

The former president made the call at the ongoing world summit 2020 in Seoul, South Korea via his various social media handles

In several  pictures in which he was flanked by former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Dame patience Jonathan, GEJ as he is popularly called said he was delighted to have been at the summit with former president Obasanjo

The message on his twitter handle reads: I was delighted to meet His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the ongoing World Summit 2020 in Seoul, South Korea where we joined leaders from across the world to make a case for lasting peace, interdependence & shared values among the world's peoples and nations.

GEJ

NLC Bitter over Nigeria Security situation and wants Rivers state government to reopen sealed secretariat

The Nigeria Labour congress, NLC is worried that insurgency has led to the killing of over seven hundred teachers in Borno state alone as it appeals to president muhammadu buhari to show more dedication to making the country more secured

 NLC president Ayuba wabba made call at the inaugural national administrative committee meeting of congress,in Abuja where he also condemned the action of the rivers state government in sealing the secretariat of the state NLC, over issues arising from the minimum wage implementation negotiation

Ayuba wabba, filled with emotions leads the Nigerian workers to demand for an end to the disturbing security situation across the country

While calling for a review of the take home pay of lawmakers, Labour argues that the disparity as compared to the worker's salary is a national embarrassment

 On the controversial sealing of the Rivers NLC secretariat complex, by the state government,  wabba appealed to governor Nyesom Wike to immediately intervene to avoid a breakdown of industrial harmony

On growing casualisation and recent sack of workers in the banking sector, the Nigeria labour Congress challenged the minister of Labour, chris Ngige to take action on several appeals by labour on his table, to stop the worsening situation

New ILO report calls Urgent action to tackle global poverty and inequalities facing indigenous peoples

The International Labour Organization (ILO) says there is an urgent need to tackle the high level of poverty and inequalities facing indigenous peoples.

According to a new ILO report, released to mark the 30th anniversary of the Indigenous and Tribal People’s Convention 1989 (No. 169) , indigenous peoples are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty as their non-indigenous counterparts.

The report says indeginious people account for almost 19 per cent of the extreme poor, that is those living below 1.90 U.S dollarper day. Even when less stringent poverty lines are used (US$3.20 or US$5.50 per day), a disproportionate number of poor are indigenous peoples. 

The ILO report says thirty years after the adoption of the only international Convention on the rights of indigenous peoples, they are still more likely to be poor and face particular hardships in the world of work.

Furthermore, irrespective of the region and residence in rural or urban areas, indigenous peoples represent a sizable share of the global poor.

“Progress in improving the lives of indigenous peoples has been too slow,” said Martin Oelz, an ILO specialist and co-author of the report. “More ratifications of Convention No. 169 and action for its effective implementation would be a step in the right direction. To ensure that public policies address the needs of indigenous peoples and reflect their aspirations, it is essential to tackle the widespread absence of institutional and legal frameworks enabling their participation in decision-making.”

New figures  contained in the report, Implementing the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention No. 169: Towards an inclusive, sustainable and just future , show that the number of indigenous peoples worldwide is considerably higher than previously thought – equivalent to more than 6 per cent of the global population.

This amounts to over 476 million people – significantly more than the combined populations of the United States and Canada. More than 80 per cent of indigenous peoples globally live in middle-income countries.

“To ensure that public policies address the needs of indigenous peoples and reflect their aspirations, it is essential to tackle the widespread absence of institutional and legal frameworks enabling their participation in decision-making."

Martin Oelz, ILO specialist and co-author of the report

The Convention is the only international treaty open for ratification specifically aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples. Currently, 23 of the ILO’s 187 member States have ratified Convention No. 169 , meaning that only about 15 per cent of indigenous peoples globally live in countries covered by the Convention.

Worldwide, there are believed to be more than 5,000 distinct indigenous communities, in about 90 countries.

Today, the livelihoods and economic activities of many indigenous peoples have transformed. The report found that about 45 per cent of indigenous women and men are outside of the agricultural sector.

Despite their over-representation among the poor, the report finds that, globally, indigenous peoples have a higher employment participation rate than their non-indigenous counterparts (63.3 per cent compared to 59.1 per cent). But these employment participation figures come with substantial differences in the quality of work – indigenous peoples often experience poor working conditions and discrimination.

The report found that more than 86 per cent of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy – which is often associated with poor working conditions and a lack of social protection – compared to about 66 per cent of non-indigenous people.

Indigenous women face particular challenges. Informality rates for them are more than 25 percentage points higher than their non-indigenous counterparts. They have the lowest chance of having completed basic education and are the most likely to be in extreme poverty. Indigenous women also have the highest participation in contributing family work (nearly 34 per cent). At the same time, only about a quarter (24.4 per cent) of indigenous women are in wage and salaried work, a lower proportion than non-indigenous women (51.1 per cent) and indigenous men (30.1 per cent).

Even when in wage and salaried work, indigenous peoples earn on average 18 per cent less than their non-indigenous counterparts.

The report notes that the higher employment rates recorded for indigenous peoples may reflect a need, related to poverty, to undertake any form of income generation, even when it is low paid and under poor working conditions.

The report underlines that despite the progress made in public policy frameworks, there is an urgent need to tackle the inequalities confronting indigenous peoples. The report also identifies many opportunities to overcome the situation and empower indigenous women and men as development and climate actors – to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals  and realize the Paris Agreement on climate change .

Ratification and implementation of ILO Convention No. 169 is key to moving forward, particularly for building and strengthening public institutions and legal frameworks that enable consultation with and the participation of indigenous peoples.

NECO, DSS Collaborate to tackle examination malpractices

The National Exakination council, NECO is seeking collaboration of the department of state security services, DSS to tackle examination malpractices in Niheria.

Find full text below;

NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (NECO)

PRESS STATEMENT

NECO SEEKS COLLABORATION WITH DSS TO CHECK EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has sought for collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) to check malpractice in the conduct of the Council’s examination.

 

Chairman, Governing Board of NECO, Dr. Abubakar Saddique who led the Acting Registrar and other management team on a courtesy visit to the Director-General of DSS in Abuja, said such collaboration would ensure the credibility of the Council’s examination.

Dr. Saddique explained that the Council has put in place measures aimed at checking examination malpractice, but noted that without adequate security architecture, such measures would not yield the desired results.

He stated that among the measures introduced is the biometric capturing of candidates to check impersonation at examination centres.

The chairman therefore appealed to the personnel of DSS to strengthen their collaboration with NECO to prevent any form of malpractice before, during and after the conduct of the Council examination.

The Acting Registrar/Chief Executive, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed Gana, in his remarks, enumerated some reforms introduced under his leadership in the Council to include the development of an intractable, robust, secure and user-friendly corporate website, introduction of full-scale biometric capturing of candidates at examination centres, procurement of additional 20 pick-up Hilux Vans for examination logistics and full payment of Duty Tour Allowance to staff among others. 

Gana noted that NECO has enjoyed the full support and co-operation of DSS through the provision of covert operations which had helped in reducing incidence of examination malpractice.

He opined that “the world is experiencing rapid changes resulting from rapid development, these changes revolve around two major phenomena of emerging Technology and Globalization”. According to him, while these two phenomena have their advantages, they also come with disadvantages, especially when abused resulting in the scourge of examination malpractice assuming a global dimension.   

The Acting Registrar also sought for the collaboration of DSS in building an intractable open and secure filing system for the Council to prevent possible incidence of tempering with staff records, especially in the face of the on-going Staff Certificate verification exercise.

Gana appealed to the Director-General to ensure that fraudsters who attempt to compromise NECO examinations are not only arrested and investigated, but prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others. 

The Director-General, Mr. Yusuf Bichi, in his address, pledged the continued support of his Department in ensuring the credibility of NECO examinations. 

AZEEZ SANI,

HEAD, INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION.

JAMB SHUTS 38 CBT CENTRES, PARADES SUSPECTSED FRAUDSTERS AS COURT CONVICTS 4 TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON

 

The joint admissions and matriculation board JAMB, has shutdown 38 computer-based test centres, across the country, which are currently involved in the registration of candidates for the 2020 unified tertiary matriculation examinations, UTME over allegation of fraud in sales of e-pin.

JAMB registrar, professor ishaq Oloyede while parading the masterminds of the fraud before officials of the Nigeria Security and civil defence corps, NSCDC and the Nigeria police, at the board's  headquaters in Abuja, also confirmed that four persons involved in extortion and other crimes have been convicted by the court 

The Registrar said centres affected centres are mostly in states like Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Oyo and Rivers. 

Other states with minor cases and technical challenges, which have only been asked to suspend registration for the moment are located in Adamawa, Enugu, Zamfara, Gonbe, Niger and Osun states

JAMB had accused some commercial banks of conniving with Computer-based Test centre operators to defraud unsuspecting candidates by charging them above the specified registration fees of N4,700

JAMB reminded CBT Centre operators that alleged irregularities by officials of the National Identity Management Commission that led to the suspension of the use of the National Identity Number, NIN, which it had declared as mandatory for registration by all intending  candidates in the 2020 UTME

Meanwhile, the Head of JAMB's  Public Affairs , Fabian Benjamin has confirmed the conviction to three years imprison of four persons in Nasarawa state, north central Nigeria.

Benjamin said the accused were convicted on the January 27, 2020, by a Magistrate Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where they pleaded guilty to the offence.

He said the four convicted are Ujaku Emem Samuel, who claimed to be a pastor and his wife, Peace Emem Samuel. Others are Opulani Joseph Sunupe and Umar Musa Sa’adu

SOURCE: Ait.live

ASUP disgruntled over unpaid salaries, sack of 200 Abia Poly staff and IPPIS Implementation delay

The academic staff union of Polytechnics, ASUP has described as barbaric the action of the Abia state government for disengaging two hundred staff, despite owing them between thirteen and seventeen months salaries

while threatening to proceed on nationwide strike should nothing is done on the matter and in other institutions where teachers have been sacked, also described the current constitution polytechnics governing boards as an error and irregularity as it runs contrary to the new polytechnic act

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, newly elected ASUP president  Anderson Ezeibo said the anxiety among poly teachers have been uncomfortable due to governments non-chalant attitude towards the renegotiation of 2010 FG/ASUP Agreement

On the contentious integrated payroll and personnel information system, IPPIS, ASUP said it is unfortunate that the sector specific framework agreement reached which  encouraged poly teachers enroll on the platform is yet to be implemented

On the crisis rocking federal polytechnic, Bida, ASUP president said the issues are been resolved and the ongoing strike by workers will be suspended before the end of next week

SOURCE:Ait

BENUE STRANGE SICKNESS: Igede Youths raise alarm, could it be coronavirus or lassa fever

Youths in gode, Benue state are raising alarm over a disease out break. Could it be CORONAVIRUS or LASSA FEVER? Read their statement

EPIDEMIC ALERT

IGEDE NATIONAL YOUTHS COUNCIL is hereby drawing the attention of government at all levels to a strange sickness ravaging a boundary settlement of Oye-Obi, Obi LGA of Benue State.

The sickness has so far killed four persons in two weeks. The four victims namely Happiness Ogbu, Onah Ogbedu, Andy Edu and Wisdom Agwo developed the same symptoms of Headache, Internal heat, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Stomach ache, Weakness of the body and swollen stomach and died alike. 

Our investigation revealed the health authorities in Oju have been briefed. Igede National Youths Council is calling on the Benue State government to as a matter of urgency do all within it's powers to arrest the situation. We are not resting on our part in the area of mass mobilization and awareness campaign on how to prevent it's spread. Our investigation reveals that about six more persons as at today, Wednesday, 29 January, 2020 are already down developing the same symptoms, some of them have already been moved to General Hospital, Oju. 

All members of the state assembly, national assembly, government appointees from Igede kingdom either with Benue State or Federal government as a matter of urgency are hereby called by the Youths Wing to rise up promptly and let's fight this dreaded sickness whose name we are yet to get from medical experts.

God bless Igede land.

Signed

Com. Andyson Iji Egbodo

President Elect,

Igede National Youths Council.

Group blast transperancy international, Nigeria over corruption perception index

Anti-graft agencies in Nigeria have been told not to be dettered and discouraged by the transparency international's corruption index, but to redouble their efforts in the fight against corruption in the country

 the call is coming from anti-corruption network, the initiative for leadership and economic watch in Nigeria whose convener  Convener of the group, Agbonkpolor Slendor also called on Nigerian citizens to see the transparency international's  corruption index report as a mere perception and not actual realities on ground

The group is also calling on the Nigerian government to put in place mechanisms for proper monitoring of the activities of certain National and international Non-governmental organisations in the country, some which appear to be inciting the people against constituted Authority

Transparency international Nigeria had release its perception index which reports that Nigeria is not doing well in the fight against corruption