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The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, on Tuesday, grilled the Head of National Office of the West African Examination Council Nigeria, Josiah Dangut, over a N6bn deficit the agency incurred in 2023 during an investigative hearing.
The committee also questioned the examination body regarding the N5bn loan it obtained in 2022 for the purchase of customised calculators.
Dangut was accompanied by WAEC Registrar, Angus Okeleze; Senior Deputy Registrar, Victor Odu; acting Director of Finance, Segun Jerumeh; and Deputy Director of Finance, WAEC.
Dangut presented the agency’s cashbook to the committee, but they rejected it, insisting on the submission of the agency’s bank statements.
Following unsatisfactory responses from the WAEC representatives, the committee resolved that WAEC must submit all its bank statements from 2018 to the present within a week.
A committee member, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, described WAEC as uncooperative, emphasising the need for accountability.
“WAEC Nigeria was an uncooperative witness in this process, shielding and denying Nigerians the value of the country’s investment in that office. They should submit to this committee, in furtherance of this investigation, all the bank account statements of the office,” Abiante said.
The committee was displeased that out of eight submissions requested from the examination body to probe their expenditure, only one, the nominal roll, was provided.
The panel demanded an explanation on how WAEC generated N34bn in 2023 but spent N40bn. It also questioned how the examination body could approve a loan of up to N5bn when even a ministerial board could not approve such an amount.
It queried the WAEC Head about the number of students who participated in the 2022 examinations for which the N5bn calculators were purchased.
The Committee demanded that WAEC provide details of the expenditures leading to the N6 billion deficit and all correspondence related to the purchase of the customized calculators.
They also insisted on receiving evidence of approval for the N5bn loan used to purchase the customized calculators.
The committee further demanded evidence of due process followed for the award of the contract, as well as payment records, including vouchers and bank statements.
Additionally, the committee requested evidence of submission of accounts to the Auditor General for the Federation from 2018 to 2023.
They also asked for the profile of the external auditor for the agency and the engagement letters for the past three years.
The committee questioned WAEC for breaching financial, public procurement, and financial regulations by paying 50 percent of the contract for constructing its Taraba state office, valued at N532m.
Dangut requested additional time to present the statement of account and other documents demanded by the lawmakers.
He explained that he had to pay 50 per cent of the Taraba office contract sum to avoid a significant rise in costs due to inflation.
“Both the legislative house and WAEC are bound by the Constitution. As such, the committee expects full cooperation from WAEC, including the timely provision of all necessary documents to expedite our inquiry and report,” the panel chairman said.
Nigerian actress, Esther Nwachukwu, has claimed that she has slept with over 3,000 men in her lifetime.
Nwachukwu made this disclosure during a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, where she also confessed her preference for married men, whom she described as “more important, mature, and understanding.”
“My body count is more than 1,000. I have had sex with more than 1,000 men. I just clocked 30 on July 7,” Nwachukwu boldly stated.
She further admitted that she has lost track of the exact number, estimating it to be over 3,000 men across different countries, including Nigeria, Cyprus, Turkey, Kenya, and Ghana.”
The actress was unapologetic about her choice to avoid single men, explaining that married men are more appealing because they do not last long in bed, preferring to conserve their energy for their wives.
“I do not have sex with single men. Married men are more important than single guys. They are more mature, they understand you,” she asserted.
Nwachukwu also shared her controversial view on marriage, arguing that sex workers make the best wives due to their extensive experience.
“The best girls to marry in this generation are prostitutes because they have had experience with several kinds of manhood. So once you marry a prostitute, she will be faithful because she already had sex with several men,” she added.
The Delta-born actress expressed her desire to become the eighth wife of Senator Ned Nwoko. “I want to be Ned Nwoko’s eighth wife…. In this generation, women love money more than love,” Nwachukwu declared.
When questioned about her views on love, she responded bluntly, “Nobody marries for love these days. Did Dangote’s daughter marry a poor man?”
A Norwegian man has managed to board a plane at Munich airport without a ticket two days in a row — and even flew to Sweden on the second occasion, police said Tuesday.
The 39-year-old sneaked past security at Germany’s second-busiest airport for the first time on August 4.
Passengers are supposed to scan boarding passes at an automatic gate but he stood close to another traveller and got through without one, the Bild daily reported.
He then snuck past airline staff at the gate and boarded the plane.
But the aircraft was fully booked and his deception was discovered as he did not have a seat. The man was handed over to police, who charged him but let him go, the paper said.
Undeterred, the Norwegian returned a day later, used the same technique, and boarded a flight to Sweden that was not fully booked, said police spokesman Sebastian Pinta.
However on arrival in Stockholm, he attracted the attention of airport staff as he wanted to return to Munich immediately, and he was handed over to the police.
Pinta insisted the man did not pose any danger.
He is under investigation for unlawful entry and transport fraud, he added.
Munich airport said it was investigating how the man had bypassed security checks.
…16 dead, 16 injured—FRSC
No fewer than 25 people were feared dead, yesterday in an accident on the Ojo-Iwo Road section of the Ibadan-Lagos expressway, near the Agbowo/Ajao area in Oyo State.
Also, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, yesterday, said 12 persons were burnt to death, while four others sustained injuries, in an accident that occurred on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The accident occurred when a trailer loaded with roofing sheets collided with an 18-seater Hummer bus, a Micra taxi, and a Honda CR-V car.
But Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, officials said: “16 people were killed, 16 injured while two were not injured.”
Giving further statistics, FRSC officials said the accident victims include 14 male adults, 10 female adults and 11 children.
According to FRSC, Iwo Road command, a commercial bus with number plate, MUB 20 LG, Micra taxi with number plate, BDJ 520 YC, a CRV with number plate, KRD 707 ER and articulated truck with registration number AKM 548 ZY were involved in the accident.
Meanwhile, according to eyewitness reports at the scene, the trailer involved in the accident experienced brake failure, causing it to collide with three other vehicles travelling in the same direction, which resulted in a devastating crash.
Narrating the incident to Vanguard, Mr. Emmanuel Omotoso and Mrs. Funmi Adejumo, said the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway could be responsible for the fatality as the other lane of the expressway was blocked.
However, the motorists appealed to Oyo State government to buy heavy towing vehicles and ambulance buses for rescue operations in case of emergency situation like the one that just occurred.
They equally called on the contractor handling the road construction to open up the other lane that was blocked to prevent future accidents that claim many lives every day on Ojo-Iwo Road expressway.
At press time, private heavy towing vehicles were instrumental in removing trapped vehicles from the scene and some of the rescued passengers were transported to the hospital for medical attention.
The accidented vehicles were taken to Irepodun Police Station along Agbowo/Ojoo by the police.
12 burnt to death in Lagos-Ibadan road
According to a statement by the Ogun State Sector Command spokesperson of the FRSC, Mrs. Florence Okpe, the crash involved one white Mazda bus with number plate, DDA733XA.
She said the crash occurred at 1514hrs.
Okpe said: “The crash involved one vehicle with the following details: White Mazda bus with number plate, DDA733XA.
“Total number of people involved in the accident were 16, which comprised 12 male adults, three female adults and one female child. Four male passengers were injured in the crash and rescued while the other 12 persons were burnt to death.
“The injured victims were taken to Patmag Hospital, Ogere.
“The suspected cause of the lone accident was wrongful overtaking by the bus driver, which led to loss of control and the bus hitting the road divider at the middle of the road. The bus fell and was engulfed in flames immediately.”
She added that the Sector Commander, Ogun Sector Command, Akinwunmi Fasakin, was pained over the recklessness of some motorists on the highway, who refuse to obey traffic rules.
She urged motorists to maintain the stipulated speed on the highway and also ensure a clear road before overtaking and commiserated with the crash victims and wished them quick recovery.
Famous Nigerian singers, D’banj and Don Jazzy have reunited to release a new album ‘The Entertainer Sequel’.
D’banj who made the announcement on his Instagram page, sharing the video of a short play featuring Don Jazzy, TV host Jimmie Akinsola, actor Gideon Okeke and others.
The album, which is a follow up to D’banj’s 2008 ‘The Entertainer’ album, includes remixes of popular songs like ‘Fall in Love’, ‘Feli Feli’, ‘Igwe’ and ‘Suddenly’.
D’Banj became famous after the release of his first hit, ‘No Long Thing’, in 2005.
He worked with Don Jazzy at a music label they both co-founded, ‘Mo’Hits Records’, before their fall out.
As Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan retires from the civil service after a distinguished career, I wish to publicly commend her for reforming the civil service and leaving behind a legacy of professionalism.
Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan’s tenure as Head of Service stands as a testament to exceptional leadership and dedication. Her remarkable contributions have left an enduring legacy in the realm of public service, characterised by her dedication and commitment to reform, efficiency and integrity.
In addition to running an effective civil service, Dr. Yemi-Esan championed the whistle blower policy in the civil service, thereby creating an avenue for citizens to report any maladministration in the civil service. I particularly note that every time I reached out to Dr. Yemi-Esan over corrupt or sharp practices by civil servants, she availed me her time and resolved all issues I brought to her attention.
As we reflect on Dr. Yemi-Esan’s career, I celebrate her as a paragon of excellence and dedication, and I believe that her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide the civil service in years to come.
DEJI ADEYANJU, ESQ
Nigerians and Indians recorded the most growth in employment in the UK between 2019 and 2023, according to data from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
HMRC is the UK taxing authority that collects all direct and indirect taxes, and administers benefits and tax credit payments to residents.
According to a freedom of information (FOI) request made by Neil O’Brien, member of parliament and former government minister, there were about 10 percent fewer employments for European Union (EU) nationals in the UK, and 69 percent more for people from outside the UK in the period under review.
The FOI was made before last month’s general election.
O’Brien said the figures showed the “extraordinary changes” in the job market since the introduction of Britain’s new post-Brexit migration system in January 2021.
STEEP DECLINE IN EARNINGS FOR MIGRANTS
Of the 1.481 million more employments which the UK recorded between the requested period, 1.465 million were accounted for by people from outside the EU, while UK nationals recorded 257,000.
“Within that non-EU total, the biggest growth in employments in absolute terms were among nationals of India (+488,000), Nigeria (+279,000), Pakistan (+101,000), and Ghana (+55,000),” O’Brien wrote in the report analysis.
“There were also 175,600 more employments held by people from unspecified other non-EU countries.
“Obviously, there is no lump of labour, and whatever the other pros and cons of migration, there is no fixed number of jobs that migrants are competing for.
“But it is pretty striking that the UK economy has created more additional employments for nationals of both India and Nigeria as single countries than for UK nationals over this period.”
In the UK private sector, non-EU-nationals recorded a 1.2 million increase in employments while UK nationals secured only 29,000.
However, in terms of earnings, India and Nigeria saw steep declines relative to UK nationals.
According to the data, young working-age people from both countries earned 15 and 10 percent more than UK nationals of the same age before the pandemic, and earn less now.
Ben Brindle, an economist at Oxford University’s Migration Observatory think tank, told the Daily Mail that evidence suggests that non-EU migrants are now doing jobs previously held by EU workers before Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wunmi’s sister, Karimot, has made fresh revelations concerning the late singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad’s death.
Karimot went on TikTok Live on Monday, alleging that the late singer’s wife had a hand in his death, leaving social media users in shock.
She noted that the couple had a terrible fight, which damaged a particular railing in his house.
According to Karimot, it was the quarrel that prompted Wunmi to get a nurse, which eventually led to Mohbad’s death.
Karimot, who publicly disowned Wunmi, also claimed she had some implicating information about the singer’s ex-wife.
She alleged that Wunmi stole Mohbad’s phone from his mother and has refused to return it alongside other phones that were collected for evidence.
The late singer’s sister-in-law further revealed that Wunmi has an account opened in her mother’s name where Mohbad’s funds are diverted.
DAILY POST recalls that Karimot had tendered an apology to Mohbad’s father following the release of his autopsy result.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Tuesday, warned that the implementation of the new minimum wage would affect Nigeria except if the country’s means of income is increased.
To avert this, Primate Ayodele advised the government to expand the country’s means of income by partnering with states that have resources to help the economy.
In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele said: ‘’There are some states that should be resourceful for Nigeria because if we are not careful, our economy will become worse. Let’s utilize states that have resources to increase our income.
“The minimum wage we are celebrating may still cause us to cry if we are not careful, it will add to the instability in our country except our means of income receives an addition.”
The clergyman also noted that the fight against corruption in Nigeria isn’t real and effective.
Primate Ayodele said several pastors, politicians, businessmen, and individuals will be jailed if Nigeria wants to effectively fight corruption.
He noted that corruption is one of the greatest killers of the Nigerian economy because people in the system are after accumulating wealth in dubious ways.
According to Ayodele, it is the reason the economy of Nigeria will continue to go down the drain.
He said: ‘’To end corruption, so many things will happen, a lot of people including politicians, businessmen, individuals, even pastors will be jailed if indeed Nigeria wants to fight corruption as it ought to be.
“The fight against corruption in Nigeria is sentimental. The country is living beyond Her income and the expectation is too high. Nobody wants to build anymore, people just want to wake up to riches.
‘’Until people stop accumulating wealth, we will continue to have issues in this country, our economy will still not be anything to write home about because of corruption.’’
The University of Ibadan says it has received the sum of N201,114,650 from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for 1,370 students of the institution for the 2023/2024 academic session.
The university’s Director of Public Relations, Mrs Joke Akinpelu, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Ibadan.
An internal memo, dated Aug. 9 but seen by NAN on Tuesday, stated that the money was paid into the institution’s account to cover the fees of the 1,370 students who applied for the loan.
The memo, signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mr Ganiyu Saliu, and addressed to the Dean of Students, said that the bursary department was currently processing the fund to enable the concerned students to obtain ‘smart receipt’.
“Any student who is a beneficiary of the NELFUND loan and has already paid levies for the session fee is entitled to a refund.
“To apply for a refund, the student must write through the Dean of Students to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, providing their account details for the refund.
“A photocopy of the original payment receipt must be attached to each application,” the memo, entitled: ‘Re: Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)’, stated.
According to the registrar, the information is only for those who applied for the NELFUND loan and whose applications were approved.
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An incident of alleged rape has been reported in Alakuko, Lagos, where a 14-year-old girl was reportedly raped by the son of her landlord.
The incident occurred yesterday, according to an anonymous X user, who tweets anonymously as #Rhwaley, who shared videos of the victim.
Rhwaley added that when the family confronted the landlord about the incident, he dismissed their concerns, saying “Nothing will happen”.
Sharing videos of the victim #Rhwaley wrote, “
– A 14yrs old girl was raped yesterday by her landlord’s son in Alakuko Lagos. The parents and family of the girl are helpless. The landlord said nothing will happen!!
Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, assured that no one is helpless in the matter and urged the family to contact the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team for assistance.
Reacting to the post, Gawat, wrote, “Helpless ke …. Nobody is helpless on this matter in this State. Call #Lagosdsva SHARPLY”
Media
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— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) August 13, 2024
An incident of alleged rape has been reported in Alakuko, Lagos, where a 14-year-old girl was reportedly raped by the son of her landlord.
The incident occurred… pic.twitter.com/86GbmjWcML
Former Chief Security Officer to the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd), has called on Nigerian youths to use their voter cards to unseat bad leaders.
Al-Mustapha spoke in Abuja on Monday at the commemoration of the International Youth Day Celebration 2024 by the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
Al-Mustapha accused politicians of being disconnected from the people.
He said: “They’re not connected to the villages and do not know how the councils and local governments functioned before and that is why the LG system was crippled.
“This is part of the crisis the federal government is trying to handle today. If the LGs were functioning, we would not have the food supply chain cut off because the foods are being produced at the community and LG levels.
“Today, insecurity, kidnapping, barbarism and the failure of leadership have crippled our communities. They cannot even farm. The crop of leaders from 1999 who are not career politicians queued in and hijacked the system and this is the only reason a governor will tell you that the state resources belong to him and say, ‘It’s my money’.
"This situation, we have the capacity to change it and we can change it through only one way. In a democracy, the day of the election is the day of coup and the weapon for coup is your fingers. You change bad leaders by voting them out, not with guns.
“And then, all of you here, you have your weapons, you have your guns – your fingers. Now, if you don’t use it, who would you blame? People rig elections where they’re not popular. Nobody will rig if you cast your votes and work together to protect them. I’m happy that the era of rigging is gone.
"If you see millions of youths on the streets, you will assume that the world is coming to an end. You can’t afford the injustices in Nigeria that have kept us where we are today.
"I read the recent report released by the MBS; our judges are the most corrupt judges in the world. Get your PVC. That is your greatest weapon. Don’t be deterred. Don’t let anyone intimidate you. This is our country.”
A man simply identified as Musa has been apprehended in the Amuloko area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, with a fresh human skull of an unidentified woman.
Residents, suspicious of his unusual behaviour, confronted him and demanded to see the contents of a sack he was carrying.
Upon inspection, they discovered a human skull inside.
Sharing the video of the suspect on X.com on Monday, OyoAffairs wrote, “Man caught with a fresh human head earlier today in Amuloko area of Ibadan. He has been handed over to the police.”
During questioning, Musa revealed that he is part of a syndicate that deals in the sale of human body parts.
He has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
Media
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— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) August 13, 2024
A man simply dentified as Musa has bern apprehended in the Amuloko area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, with a fresh human skull of an unidentified woman.
Residents, suspicious of his… pic.twitter.com/WzDGINyjA0
Vegetables N50, pepper N100; garri N700 - Ekiti Oba Slashes Food Prices, Bans Traders’ Associations
AFOLABI
The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, has cancelled various traders’ associations in markets in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, intending to remove their undue control of prices and ensure farmers have direct access to traders.
Oba Adejugbe, who also ordered traders in the markets not to sell their foodstuff beyond stipulated prices, said the steps were necessary to regulate the high prices of foodstuff in the state capital.
The monarch, leading the Ewi-in-Council, gave the directive in Ado Ekiti on Monday during a meeting with the leadership and some members of the market women association, warned of sanctions for anybody who flouted the directives.
The Ewi-in-Council, which noted with dismay the reports from members of the public on the heartless attitudes of most of the traders leading to high food prices, said the directives were to correct the trend.
The Council, at the meeting, directed that henceforth “vegetables should not be sold more than N50; pepper, pepper N100; garri N700; while kilogramme of meat should be reduced to N4,500.”
Oba Adejugbe said, “Reports have it that traders, under the aegis of the associations, hide under middlemen to inflate the prices of goods such as tomatoes, pepper, vegetable, palm oil, locust beans, meat, garri, among others by dictating prices to the farmers that brought them to the markets for sale.
“We have taken these steps to make life bearable for residents of the town. I hereby direct the leadership of traders in the market to effect the directives. Chiefs will continue to monitor marketplaces to ensure strict implementation and sanction defaulters.