Tutorial centre owner arrested for hiking JAMB form price

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has arrested a tutorial centre operator for collecting N6,500 registration fees from would-be UTME candidates.

The operator, Bayo Olajide, who owns Perfect Tutors centre in Koroduma, Oneman Village, Nasarawa State, allegedly engaged in the act even while JAMB is yet to commence the sale of forms for the 2021 examination.

Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Head of Media, told journalists that, Olajide who claimed to tutor candidates for the university examination confessed that his highest educational qualification is an “O Level” certificate.

“He was arrested and when asked, he said he is a tutorial person, that he has been teaching candidates for the exam, but the tragedy of the story is that he is not even qualified to sit for the exam himself”

“These tutorial centres are used to collect money from candidates and perpetrate exam malpractices, Dr Benjamin, revealed.

“Parents should know there is no shortcut to success. He is collecting N6,500 from candidates even when the JAMB fee is not even up to that amount,” He said.

Bayo, in his confessional statement, claimed to have received money only from one candidate.

He said out of the N6,500 he collected, N4,700 was for the JAMB exam registration while the balance will be for his services, lectures and others.

- DAILY POST

HIGH DEBT ! ZERO PROGRESS !! DMO: Public debt increased by N692bn in three months — hits N32.91trn

 

The Debt Management Office (DMO) says Nigeria ended the year 2020 with a public debt stock of N32.91 trillion.

This means that public debt increased by N692 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to N32.223 trillion at the end of September 2020.

In a statement on Monday, DMO said the debt to the gross domestic product (GDP) ratio as of December 31, 2020 was 21.61 percent.

This, it explained, is within Nigeria’s new borrowing limit of 40 percent.

The debt figures includes the debt stock of the federal and state governments, as well as, the federal capital territory.

The DMO said the level of new borrowing at the federal level has reduced since the 2017 exit from recession.

It attributed this to efforts by the federal government to moderate the rate of growth in the public debt stock in order to ensure debt sustainability.

It said the loans acquired to finance budget deficits declined from N2.36 trillion in 2017 to N2.01 trillion in 2018, N1.61 trillion in 2019, and N1.59 trillion in the first 2020 budget.

DMO explained that the trend was reversed in 2020 due to the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as new borrowing in the revised 2020 appropriation act increased to N4.2 trillion.

“It should be noted though, that apart from the new domestic borrowing of N2.3 trillion, the other new borrowings were concessional loans from the International Monetary Fund ($3.34 billion) and other multilateral and bilateral lenders.

“This incremental borrowing to part-finance the 2020 budget and the additional issuance of promissory notes to settle some arrears of the Federal Government of Nigeria, contributed to the increase in public debt stock.”

DMO further said the various initiatives of the federal government to increase revenues such as the strategic revenue growth initiative and the Finance Act, 2020, should help shore up federal government’s revenue and reduce the debt service to revenue ratio.

- THECABLE

Gunmen storm Ibadan quarry site, abduct RCC, Polaris bank staff

Some gunmen have stormed a quarry site in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and kidnapped two people.

DAILY POST gathered on Tuesday that the gunmen stormed the quarry site located along Ijebu-Ode / Ibadan Road and kidnapped the victims on Monday.

Our correspondent gathered from a source that one Mr. Popoola Isaac, a staff of RCC and Mr. Ismail Adeoye, a staff of Polaris Bank were the two abducted.

The incident occurred at Dalli Village (Binu Quarry), along Ibadan – Ijebu-Ode Road.

The case has been reported at the Idi Ayunre police station.

Our correspondent gathered that the kidnap of the duo is coming a few months after some gunmen stormed a quarry site at Akinyele local government area in Ibadan and kidnapped some workers.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi confirmed the abduction.

Fadeyi told DAILY POST on Tuesday that efforts have been intensified to get the victims released.

Fadeyi said, “Efforts intensified to get them released and also arrest the abductors.”

- DAILY POST

93-year-old Adebanjo replaces Fasoranti as Afenifere Leader

 

Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has stepped down as the National Leader of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural Organisation, Afenifere.

Fasoranti, 95, stepped down due to old age.

In his place, 93-year-old Chief Ayo Adebanjo has stepped in as the acting National leader.

Adebanjo was formerly the Deputy National leader, Afenifere.

Former Financial Secretary of the group, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Alaago of Kajola Ago, Atakumosa East Council Area, Ilesa, Osun State was named as the group’s deputy leader.

According to Fasoranti, he stepped down because the group needed more than ever before to have an improved organisation with a more effective approach to combat the monstrous invasion of the Yoruba culture and pride as a people.

He said only a more alike and active leadership could achieve this, saying that at 95, he is hardly able to provide such and that it was time he stepped aside.

“At this junction, I am proud to announce Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a politician of the Awolowo school of thought as Acting leader of Afenifere and His Royal Highness, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Alaago of Kajola Ago in Atakumosa East Local Government Area, as the Deputy Leader,” Fasoranti said.

The leadership change of baton was applauded by the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum.

Akin Malaolu, the group’s president said: We are not surprised at the decision of our foremost Yoruba leader Pa Rueben Fasoranti to take a bow citing old age.

“He is a worthy leader who will never and has never betrayed the great Awoist of Yoruba land. Our late sage late Chief Obafemi Awolowo would have done the same under age reasons but he died before attaining very old age.

“Pa FASONRANTI’s decision was not from fear of death because he is still within the arrival hall.

“Departure is not on our mind for any leader and we can only say thank you for your uprightness in managing the affairs of our people and our nation.

“Chief Ayo Adebanjo shall keep the Awoist light glowing and Yoruba Ronu leaders shall offer assistance at every bend that may unstable

“Chief Ayo Adebanjo as our new Yoruba leader is hereby accepted and recognised”

- PM NEWS

REPRESENTHIEVES ! Rep: N16bn for managing n’assembly not enough — it should have been doubled

Yunusa Abubakar, lawmaker and member of the house committee on house services, says the amount of money allocated to the national assembly as running costs should have been doubled.

 Abubakar said this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Benjamin Kalu said the house of representatives is broke and its “poor budget is a disservice to Nigerians”.

While speaking on Tuesday however, Abubakar said the house is not broke but that funds allocated to parliament are grossly inadequate.

“The assembly is not broke as such, but when you talk about inadequacy, the amount allocated to the national assembly is somewhat grossly inadequate to run the structure that exists in the assembly,” he said.

“It is obvious the N16 billion naira allocated to the national assembly management is not enough. According to the bureaucracy ( the national assembly administration), to maintain our chamber alone, they are spending over N40 million monthly,” he said.

When asked how much would be enough for the national assembly management, he said, “going by our need assessment, the amount should have been doubled”.

“Everybody knows that we do live coverage and we are charged how many millions for it. Running it is very costly.

“What is taking the chunk of the money is how to conduct the day to day business of the legislative arm of government.”

- THECABLE

CBN introduces new USSD charges for customers

 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new charges for customers using the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services.

The apex bank has announced that from Tuesday, customers will pay N6.98 per transaction every time they use USSD services.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi and Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ikechukwu Adinde.

“Effective March 16, 2021, USSD services for financial transactions conducted at DMBs (Deposit Money Banks) and all CBN-licensed institutions will be charged at a flat fee of N6.98 per transaction.

“This replaces the current per session billing structure, ensuring a much cheaper average cost for customers to enhance financial inclusion,” it read in part.

It added that “this approach is transparent and will ensure the amount remains the same, regardless of the number of sessions per transaction.”

- DAILY POST

No land for Fulani herdsmen in South-east: IPOB

 The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a warning to Fulani herdsmen, telling them that there is no land for them to occupy in the South.

IPOB on Monday said that it has made it abundantly clear that the whole of Southern Nigeria, particularly South East does not have land for Fulani herdsmen to make a permanent settlement.

In a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB warned that any South-East or South-South Governor, Traditional ruler or President General of any community in any Biafra land, who for any reason cede any space of land, including for monetary reason is ultimately calling for the death of their people, and IPOB and ESN will not spare such Governor, Traditional ruler or President General, because they will equally pay with their own lives.

IPOB’s statement signed reads in part, “IPOB has made it abundantly clear that we have no land for Fulani herdsmen settlement in Biafra land, the North have more space than the South, especially the South East.

“We must warn that any traditional ruler or President General of every any community in Biafraland who venture to cede any space of land to the Fulani herdsmen for the sake of monitory gain, or issue, is ultimately calling for the death of their people.

“The person must equally pay with his own life for such ceding of land to the Fulani herdsmen, he must die, IPOB and ESN are prepared to deal with them. Even the governor who tried will not go scot-free.

“We don’t have land for Fulani terrorists in Nigeria they are free to stay in the North where they were allowed in 1804.

- PM NEWS