BREAKING: STRIKING RESIDENT DOCTORS MUSCLED TO A MEETING, DESPITE ANGER OF "NO WORK, NO PAY" THREAT BY NGIGE

APO House online Gathers That Senator(Dr.)Chris Nwabueze Ngige,the Nigerian Federal  Minister of Labour,Employment and productivity, has muscled members of the National Association of Resident Doctors to a meeting.

According to Ngige this  follows a directive from President Mohammadu Buhari, to resolve all issues without belabouring technicality, he is compeled to meet again with the striking resident Doctors.

He said this is after the ministry had approached the National Industrial Court to enforce "No Work, No Pay" policy on the striking resident doctors.

The Minister made this revelation at an ongoing meeting in Abuja with the Nigerian Medical Association and National Association of Resident Doctors.

Ngige who is with the minister of state for Health, Olurunnibe Momora says the National Industrial Court, NIC agreed on NARD to return to talks in alternative despute resolution mediation.

While expressing confidence that after today's meeting the ongoing strike will be called off, the two Ministers who are leading the government team insist on the Doctors to place the patients first

President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Professor Innocent Ujah says the lingering issue between the federal government an resident doctors are totally avoidable, insisting however that there is no pretence that all is well.

Ujah agues that the NMA was not carried along in the 20-day old strike, adding that No Doctor is trained to go on strike for It paints Doctors in Bad light and encourages brain drain.

Before going into a closed door, Ngige clarified that the NMA has never been sidelined, following previous agreement reached, stressing that It's not also correct to mention that government of President Buhari Does not honour agreement.

OLOYEDE, RASHEED, BOBBOYI RETURNED TO JAMB, NUC, UBEC, BY PRESIDENT BUHARI

 BREAKING...

ABJ/ABULU OSEMUAGHU

President Muhammadu Buhari, has, upon the recommendation of Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, approved the reappointment of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Abubakar  Rasheed.

Bem Goong, Director Press and information, ministry of Education, in a statement from the federal ministry of Education says the two appointments are for a tenure of five years each, with effect from  August 1, 2021.

Also reappointed is Doctor Hamid Bobboyi as Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC for a second and final tenure of four years with effect from August 1, 2021.

President Buhari had earlier approved the reappointment of Professor Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe as Registrar/CEO of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board, NABTEB for a second term of four years to sustain the efforts at sensitizing Nigerians on the critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET and business subjects in the new knowledge economy.

To give further impetus to mathematics education, approval was also granted for the  fresh appointment of Professor Promise Mebine as the Director/Chief Executive of the National Mathematical Centre for an initial tenure of five years with effect from August 17, 2021.

Buhari Yet To Appoint New Heads For JAMB, NUC, UBEC, 10 Others, After 5-Year Tenure Expiration.

APO House Online Gathers That President Buhari is Yet To make announcement for new heads of 13 agencies whose tenure expired almost two months ago.

One of such is JAMB-After a five-year tenure as Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB), Professor Is-haq  Oloyede has bowed out of the public examinations body

Professor Oloyede, whose tenure in office expired alongside those of 13 other agencies and parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Education, formally handed over to the Director, Information Technology Services,  Fabian Okoro, who is the most senior management staff of the Board.

The tenure of many other chief executives of parastatals and agencies under the ministry have also come to an end last week, including the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed; Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC Hameed Boboyi, Registrar, National Business and Technical Examinations Board, NABTEB, Professor Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe and the Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Professor Sunday Ajiboye.

Other chief executives are Afolabi Aderinto of Computer Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garba Dahuwa Azare of National Teachers Institute, Professor Michael Afolabi of Library Registration Council of Nigeria  and Professor Steven Ejugwu Onah of the National Mathematical Centre, Shedda.

The rest are Professor Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche of the National Institute of Nigerian Languages,  Professor Lillian Salami of Nigerian Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, Professor Lanre Aina of National Library of Nigeria, Professor  Abba Haladu of National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and Non-Formal Education and Professor Bashir Usman of Nomadic Education Commission.

Police Begs NUJ to lift Ban on its Activities, Compensates Brutalised AIT journslist

 

APO House Online Gathers That Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, the Bauchi state police commissioner on Thursday presented working tools to Nagari Damina Yusuf, a reporter with the African Independent Television (AIT) .

Items presented to the AIT reporter at the NUJ headquarter by Mr. Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, includes laptop computer, two smart phones and a multi purpose camera.

Nagari Damina Yusuf was allegedly dehumanised by the police Rapid Response Squad on line of duty three weeks ago, culminating on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to blacklist police activities in Bauchi state indefinitely.

The police boss commended the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state for putting on hold its planned street protest against police brutality following his sympathy visit to the union’s secretariat.

He further appealed to the union to lift the ban on the coverage of the Nigeria police activities in the state so that their operations could be publicized.

Abiodun reiterated the readiness of the command to work harmoniously with jourmalists for the good of the people of the state.

In his remark, Umar Sa’id, the chairman of the NUJ in Bauchi state Chapter commended the police boss for showing concern on the plight of victim and for also redeeming his pledge on compensations.

Umar Sa’id assured that the union would convene a meeting with the state executive council with a view to reviewing the embargo imposed on the police.

NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT:Research Experts advocate policy on industry, academia partnership

APOHouse online gathers that Researchers in Nigeria have advocated the formulation of a national policy on industry and academia partnership to enhance synergy and the transfer of research into products and services.

Speaking during a virtual meeting organised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Research and Development Standing Committee, RDSC, on Institutionalisation of R&D in Industrialisation, manufacturing, Trade, Investment and Economy thematic group,  the researchers stressed the need for Nigeria to utilise research to grow a competitive economy on its areas of comparative advantage such as agriculture.

President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Engr Mansur Ahmed, who chaired the meeting, noted that the country should aim for sustained economic growth, build the capacity of its manufacturing sector and expand its trade policies.

While appreciating the leadership and commitment of the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, for initiating the process of institutionalising R&D in the country, Ahmed said "we need a clear strategy for expanding our energy sector to support our industrialisation strategy; we need to upscale the skills of Nigerians."

He expressed confidence that R&D has enough potentials to grow the country's manufacturing sector, noting that the country must factor research in a way that fits the industrialisation process to grow its economy in a way that Nigeria becomes an industrialised nation.

"We all recognised that R&D has been the major driver of economies across the world and every aspect of life but it has not had that impact in Nigeria, that especially, we believe that we have potentials given the enormous human and material resources that are at our disposal.

He added that the R&D initiative which seeks to anchor research in the country's economy was overdue, stating that the time to institutionalise research in Nigeria is now.

According to him, the socio economic aspects of industrialisation, manufacturing, trade, investment and economy constitutes the social transition from the output of research and development into the provision of  products and services for human livelihood. 

A Vice Chairman of the TETFund RDSC, Prof Anya O. Anya, in his remarks, noted that Nigeria must aim at double digits economic growth and single digit inflation, adding that it is only when the country's economy grows at 7.5 per cent of GDP per annum that the country can overcome some of its challenges and induce competitiveness.

Anya said the reason Nigeria must keep its inflation down is that the high unemployment and poverty rates in the country cannot be managed except its inflation is brought down.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the RDSC, Prof Njida Gadzama, said given the potentials Nigeria has, the country deserves to be better than what it is.

Gadzama, who lamented that the country imports virtually everything, called on all Nigerians to lay aside their differences, unite and develop the country.

On the insecurity in the country,  he noted that the nation must return to the era when it used to manufacture its own military weapons such as rifles.

In a presentation, a Professor of Agronomy at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Prof Ali Garba, noted that the manufacturing sector accounts for only 11 per cent of the country's economy as at 2019, adding that manufacturing in Nigeria is hindered by poor power supply, government policies, among others.

While giving a breakdown of Nigeria's economic performance, Garba said the country's largest export sector is crude petroleum with 76 per cent, while petroleum gas has 14 per cent and agricultural products 22 per cent.

He lamented that as at 1980, Nigeria used to refine its crude and all vehicles were assembled in Nigeria but now they are all imported, stating that agriculture and the industry are important mutual partners in the industrialisation process.

According to him, adequate infrastructural development such as good road networks and electricity were very critical to the country's quest for industrialisation.

On defence and military, he said if defence could step up its security investment in the country will improve and industrialisation will take place, adding that military equipment can also be manufactured locally.

He said industrialisation in Nigeria was the solution to unemployment and poverty, while noting that all counties that developed were at one point suffering from unemployment until they achieved industrialisation.

NIGERIA'S EDUCATION MINISTRY CONFIRMS DEATH OF 13-YEAR OLD JSS ONE NUHU YAHAYA OF FGC, KWALI

APOHOUSE Gathers That The Nigerian  Federal Ministry of Education has confirmed the death of Master Nuhu Yahoya. a JSS I student of the Federal Government College. Kwali. Abujo. which sad event occurred onMonday.9 August 2021 at RHEMA Cinic. also in Kwali Area Council.

The Ministry in a statement  by Bem Goong, The Director Public Relations and information says it has dispatched a letter of condolence to the family Cs well s paid a visit.

It added that A Committee has been set up to look into the circumst.ances of Master Nuhu's death.

It said even as the Ministry aowaits the medical report from the hospital in the coming days it advises members of the public, including the media. are hereby advised to avoid speculations on the couse of death of Master Nuhu

NIGERIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KNOCKS STATES OVER INABILITY TO ACCESS UBEC COUNTERPART FUNDS.

The Fed

eral Govt has described as regreatable, the inability of some states of the Federation in accessing counterpart funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for developing primary education in their States

Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, who stated this at this year's 65th National Council on Education meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State, said, over One Hundred and Thirty Billion Naira (#130,000,000,000)in UBEC custody is still unutilized due to the inability of states to provide their 50 precent counterpart funds, 

Speaking through the Minister of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the Minister said, the affected states need to reprioritize basic education as it is the bedrock for further and continuing education, too strategic to be ignored.

Emphasizing the need for co-operation from the states, Adamu Adamu said the tasks of developing education at all levels, securing our children and ensuring basic sanitation in our schools requires that all hands must be on deck to achieve the desired results.

Also speaking at the ocassion in a goodwill message, former deputy governor of plateau state and current Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen called for greater stakeholder cooperation in the efforts to eradicate the out of school children phenomenon,adding that no child should be left behind.

President of the Association of Proprietors of private schools, Evangelist Ajibade Augustine stated that members of the Association are more than ever before, determined to take more ch.ildren off the streets in their efforts at eradicating the out of school children phenomenon.

TETFund receives draft executive bill for establishment of Nigeria Research Development Foundation, NRDF

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, on Wednesday received the draft executive bill for the establishment of the National Research and Development Foundation, NRDF.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, who received the draft law from the TETFund NRDF Bill Drafting Committee in Abuja, thanked the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, for drafting  staff of the Justice Ministry for the task.

Bogoro said with the draft bill already submitted, a foundation has been laid for driving Nigeria's knowledge-driven economy, adding that the country has no option than to embrace knowledge in its pursuit of economic development.

He noted that the document is clear on what it intends to accomplish, which is the establishment of a national research and development foundation that will coordinate research efforts in the country to usher it into a knowledge-based economy.

While applauding the committee for its efforts and said it was on a historic mission for the country, he noted that each of the persons invited to the R&D committee was mandated to make a specific contribution for the country.

The TETFund boss said Nigeria's economy cannot be competitive if it does not institutionalise research and development, R&D.

"When we lack the fidelity to implement our policies and lack the discipline to enforce our laws, it is precisely why Nigeria has failed. We have failed to attain our potential as a nation because of some of these areas.

"And let us admit collective guilt we shouldn't be back-passing; so when we bring ourselves like this, those in government are there, the academia, of course, are there; the industry operators are there.

"We agree to come together to speak the same language, the ultimate outcome, we agree to be a more competitive Nigerian economy and the nation overall," he said.

According to him, there was need to rejig and reflect over the issue of governance in government and academic institutions, adding that many times the area of appropriate governance at all levels has failed the nation.

He said the most competitive nations are those that have recognised and placed innovation and creativity as the lead element that drives society.

"The greatest of thinkers in history were those that drove the direction of their nations; the greatest of thinkers do things beyond the average persons," he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, said the committee was inaugurated two months ago to draft an executive bill for the establishment of the research and development foundation.

Yadudu said the bill has the support and endorsement of the executive and will be forwarded to the Minister of Education for approval before submission to National Assembly.

"The bill seeks to establish a national research and development foundation to Institutionalise, mainstream and commercialize research and development, promote innovation and support enterprise development for job and wealth creation for a knowledge-driven economy for Nigeria. 

"Everything else that we do will remain in our laboratories, in our thesis, in our classrooms if it is not translated into some applications, some uses which will require the intervention and participation of the industry," he said.

According to him, the bill recommends a governance structure that is true to the specifications and ideas generated by the document supplied to them, adding that it envisages a management team that will comprise of the different elements that will be autonomous and drive the process once inaugurated.

He said when passed into law, the bill will give birth to a foundation that will build on and further support and complement efforts of the TETFund.

Yadudu noted that in drafting the bill, key legal officers from the Ministry of Justice were well represented and provided the most critically needed professional services.

According to him, thoughts were given to various sources of funding, that are varied and diverse but innovative, stressing that the foundation cannot just think of the few available, easy ways of generating funding for research.

Also speaking, TETFund's Director of Research, Dr Salisu Bakare, said the bill was the beginning of the realisation for the greatness of Nigeria.

Professor Auwalu Yadudu's National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF) executive bill draft committee submits its document to the Federal Government.

Professor Auwalu Yadudu says Draft bill on National R&D Foundation loaded with innovative ideas.

Presenting the executive draft bill to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Wednesday in Abuja, the chairman of the committee,   Professor Auwal Yadudu, said the proposed document contains massive innovative ideas that would propel the knowledge economy in Nigeria. 

The legal luminary, who commended the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, for putting in place the committee and for his vision for R&D, said the country stands to reap bountifully when the bill is passed into law. 

"This is a bill which seeks to establish a National Research and Development Foundation to institutionalise, mainstream and commercialise research and development; promote innovation and support enterprise development for job and wealth creation for knowledge driven economy. This is the key thing," Professor Yadudu said. 

While hailing  Bogoro as the Senior Advocate of Research (SAR) for his unwavering commitment to fully enthrone a culture of cutting-edge research that collaborate with industries, Yadudu said the draft bill identified viable source of funding for the proposed National R&D Foundation as well as a robust autonomous governing structure. 

Receiving the document on behalf of the education minister, Professor Bogoro said the draft executive bill when come into force would open a new chapter in the technological and industrial development of the country.

"A foundation has been laid for driving Nigeria's knowledge economy appropriately. When people talk of knowledge economy, I always say not the knowledge but research driven deeper knowledge, that is what makes the difference," he said 

While saying the foundation would go a long way to ensure Nigeria's future is driven by knowledge, Professor Bogoro thanked the committee for a job well done. 

" The Ministry of Education is very appreciative of the great job you people have done. It is on behalf of the minister I am receiving this document and I know it is a well packaged document," he said. 

It will be recalled that the education minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, inaugurated the 11-man committee on 15 June, 2021.

The committee membership also included Prof C.K.C Dakas, Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi, Dr Segun Aina, Barr. Grace Ekanem, Pascal Eruagha, Emmanuel Akisa, Dr Mustapha Popoola, two representatives of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, while Barr. Khalid Abdul  served as Secretary.

Nigeria's TETFund injects N2.5 trillion in varsities, others in 10 years...Targets N500 billion education tax collection

The Federal Government through Tertiary Education Trust Fund has injected more than N2.5 trillion in the development of infrastructure and staff development in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria in lthe last 10 years of establishment of the Fund. 

Chairman, Board of Trustees of (TETFund), Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, who made this known on Thursday, also disclosed that.the agency is targeting more than N500 billion education tax collection by 2023. 

He spoke at the 3rd edition of Tax Payers Forum with the theme: TETFUND Intervention: Catalyst for Transforming Tertiary Education in Nigeria" held in Lagos, where he also promised to ensure that intervention to the beneficiary institutions be increased by 50 per cent next year and 100 per cent in two years. 

The event which had the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Olufemi Hamzat, as guest of honour was attendded by captains of industries, academia and other  stakeholders. 

Lagos State, Governor in his speech delivered by his deputy, Hamzat, however, insisted that funding for the education sector must be prioritised, noting that TETFund was then established as a child of necessity to intervene in the ailing universities system and that universities in Nigeria would have been worse than the current situation without TETFund. 

He, therefore, appealed to the companies private operating in Nigeria to be consistent in their remittances, while also charging TETFund to endeavour to create Silicon Valley for Nigeria and focus on how to take research to the market. 

Ibrajim-Imam, disclosed that for this year alone disclosed TETFund budgeted the sum of N300 billion to over 226 higher institutions across the country in 2021.

He noted that the agency had budgeted N120 billion to education in 2020, adding that this was increased to N300 billion in 2021, while tasking the Federal Inland Revenue Service on increasing the education tax collection to N500 billion in the next two years. 

According to him, more than N30 billon was set aside for academic staff training in the various institutions across the country. 

Ibrahim-Imam, said in response to the challenges of acute shortage of hostels in Universities in the country, the Board of Trustee of TETfund has approved the construction of 160,000 additional bed spaces in the institutions across the country. 

Lagos State, Governor in his speech read by his deputy, Olufemi Hamzat, insisted that funding for the education sector must be prioritised, noting that TETFund was then established as a child of necessity to intervene in the ailing universities system and that universities in Nigeria would have been worse than the current situation without TETFund. 

He, therefore, appealed to the companies private operating in Nigeria to be consistent in their remittances, while also charging TETFund to endeavour to create Silicon Valley for Nigeria and focus on how to take research the market. 

Minister of Education of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who was represented by the Pro-chancellor of University of Benin, Dr Sonny Kuku, commended the stakeholders for their contribution while assuring them of the determination of the Federal Government to transform the entire landscape of public tertiary institutions in Nigeria. 

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, in his welcome address, said the Tax Payers Forum served as the platform to honour and identity individuals and companies that have made tremendous contributions to education through the consistent payment of education tax and have invariably contributed to the development of education and by extension that of the entire nation. 

He explained that the 2  per cent education tax is remitted annually by companies through the FIRS to TETFund for allocation and onward disbursement to beneficiary institutions across the country. 

Bogoro noted that the education tax over the years has been channeled into different activities and areas in line with the mandate of the Fund as enshrined in the establishment Act. 

He said: "Infrastructure has been given special attention in this regard, because of its decay and collapse across public tertiary institutions in Nigeria at the onset. 

"A careful observation will reveal that the Fund has between January to December 2020 alone carried out

16,982 various infrastructure projects across beneficiary institutions.

"Considering the projects carried out since inception, based on annual

allocation to institutions over the years 2011 to 2021, it is estimated that a total of over 152,838 various infrastructure projects have been carried out across various public tertiary institutions.

"These projects include construction of lecture theatres, classrooms, hostels, offices, laboratories, road networks and fencing of institutions in different parts of the country. Tertiary institutions

across the country are dotted with TETFund projects which bear the insignia of the Fund distinctly inscribed on each project.

"Additionally, we have sponsored over 10,632 lecturers in the local Ph.D. program, over 9,072 lecturers in the local master's degree programme

across the country between 2011 and year 2020.

"The Fund has also sponsored well over 4,485 lecturers to overseas institutions for Ph.D. programs and over 3,192 Master's degree candidates also overseas, across tertiary institutions within the same period.

"The Fund has further supported 71,263 Lecturers in Federal and State Colleges of Education under its teacher supervision program, bringing to a total 98,644 the number of academic staff across public tertiary institutions that have benefited from the academic staff training and development programme of the Fund," he said. 

End