Madagascar Newswire

A scholar, Mr Namse Udosen has called on the federal and state governments to develop a Literacy Development Plan to effectively address the learning poverty in the country.

Udosen, a master’s student of international education and development, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, made the call in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigerian on Friday.

He argued that Nigeria and its federating states have been struggling with literacy development for years without success, due to lack of concrete plan to address the challenge in primary schools.

He said that so far, no state in Nigeria has a literacy development plan, stressing the need for government at all levels to develop the plan to improve learning outcomes in basic schools.

According to him, the plan, if developed, will guide primary education delivery system, and ensure that the right human and material resources are deployed to improve reading instructions.

‘It will also assist in improving literacy rates by effectively utilising metho
dologies based on acceptably defined knowledge parameters and empirical processes.

‘The literacy development plan policy will equally serve as a valuable resource for designing in-service teacher training.’

He also stressed the need to align literacy goals in the Universal Basic Education Policy with pedagogy, teacher training, learning resources, school plants and local cultures at the state level in Nigeria.

He said that the national and states’ Policy on Education were designed to inculcate literacy, numeracy, and effective communication skills in pupils, but lacked the needed quantitative indicators that align with the policy objectives.

Udosen said that the current National Policy on Basic Education and the State Basic Education Policies needed to be more specific about teaching aids and other instructional materials design and development.

According to him, basic education teachers can only develop pupils’ reading and critical thinking skills effectively, if they understand the constructs associate
d with literacy instruction.

He also urged education planners in the country to work with language experts to develop orthographies of different languages to guide curriculum design.

‘Literacy assessment tools should also be designed in different languages for different basic education levels.

‘This will help measure the achievement of set targets, guide instruction, and provide remediation for students with divergent learning abilities.

‘The governments should also create supplementary materials with local stories and cultural references that align with the national curriculum and provide high-quality teaching materials for all,’ he said.

The scholar also stressed the need to collect data on student learning outcomes, teacher implementation, and programme costs to monitor literacy improvement.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A Civil Society Organisation, Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), Osun Chapter, has called for the safety and protection of journalists in Nigeria and worldwide in general.

The group made the call in a release by its Coordinator, Angel Folorunso, in Osogbo on Friday, in commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day.

Folorunso decried the way journalists were being maimed and killed globally , in the line of duty, calling for special protection and safety of the pen pushers in the cause of their operation.

‘We are appalled by the rate at which journalists are killed, maimed and/or imprisoned while on duty globally in the course of gathering and disseminating news

‘ A critical function propelling Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, incorporating the right to freedom of speech and expression.

‘This right has been ingrained in various national constitutions as supported by UNESCO, an agency of the United Nations whose mandate is to ensure freedom of expression and the safe
ty of journalists and the issue of impunity,’ he said.

According to him, Osun IBBN is unhappy with all extrajudicial killings or maiming of journalists anywhere, including Nigeria.

‘The theme of the World Press Freedom Day 2024 is : ‘A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environment Crisis.

‘The theme is apt now that climate change is massively wreaking havoc all over the world.

‘Developmental journalism needs to be enhanced to generate awareness on environmental issues such as deforestation, desertification, global warming, pollution, flood, and nuclear warheads’ threats and their consequences.l,’ he said

He stressed that in view of the enormous jobs heaped on the shoulders of journalists, it’s wrong to imprison, gag and kill them by both the State and non-State actors anywhere.

He called on governments all over the world, to compensate journalists who had been maltreated in the course of duty.

‘According to International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Report, no fewer than 2356 journ
alists were killed between 1990.and 2020.

‘Many of them were jailed and denied access to information with little or no compensation.

‘We implore Nigerian government to enable journalists have access to corporate information which is the oxygen of democracy, while journalists should report issues fairly accurately on a balance scale,’ he said

He called on civil society organisations, judicial actors and government to protect journalists and other citizens against all forms of attacks and extrajudicial killings.

He said journalists too should imbibe ethics and shun misinformation and disinformation by fact checking their stories in order to avoid falling into the unethical lure and lores of the social media

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with other Civil Society groups have called for holistic support for anti-corruption agencies in the country to end corruption.

They said this at a news conference to discuss the state of corruption and malicious attacks on Anti Corruption institutions in Nigeria both at the national and sub national levels on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Anwal Musa, the Executive Director, CISLAC, said there was the need to support the efforts of anti corruption agencies at grassroot and national level so that Nigeria could have peace.

‘We have observed with great concern, the malicious attacks and deliberate efforts to blackmail anti-corruption agencies through sponsorship influencers, incentivised opinion publications in some national dailies.

‘Online and electronic platforms, all targeted at discouraging anti-corruption efforts and shielding the kleptocrats from thorough investigation.

‘The pattern is clear, there is an unfolding plot of surreptitious
moves to backpedal on the progress made by anti-corruption progress.

‘Procurement of political appointments by some suspected or investigated looters who are serving under the current administration as ministers, legislators, or occupying leadership positions of the ruling party,’ he said.

Musa added: ‘Has exposed anti-corruption work to serious setback and deliberate sabotage that cripple the efficiency of the anti-corruption agencies.

‘So the fight against corruption is for all of us, it is for all Nigerians because the consequences has led us to the situation we have found our selves today.’

Prof. Jubril Ibrahim, Senior Partner, Centre for Democracy and Development said corruption in the country had reached an alarming stage.

Ibrahim said that the judiciary that was supposed to checkmate corruption had been bought over by enablers of corruption and increased corruption through bribery of judges.

‘There has been consented war by corrupt people to make sure that anti corruption agencies are unable to p
rosecute corrupt individuals and preventing such institutions from carrying out their mandate.

‘We feel if we allow this destruction of the Nigerian state to continue we will not have a country and the risk is that the present tragedy of anarchy will prevail.

‘We must stop this level of corruption form continuing to grow if we must survive as a country,’ he said.

The Country Director, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Mr Odeh Friday, said there was need to set up ethics and integrity department in every MDA to build public trust.

He also called for the implementation of the Whistle Blowing Act to protect whistle blowers from been attacked by those they expose.

Mr Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, said upholding the rule of law was key to fighting corruption.

‘Attacks on institutions that have the mandate of defending our democracy should not be encouraged, it is reprehensible, unacceptable .

‘When we attack these institutions especially when they act to advance public interest we are underminin
g trust and the rule of law,’ he said.

The Convener, Good Governance (GGT) Team, Mr Tunde Salman said that the fight against corruption should be citizen driven and not government driven.

Salman said there was need to capacitate those agencies of government that have the mandate to investigate corruption, adding that special attention should be given to them and technology should be deployed to reduce human interference.

The CSOs recommended that the National Judicial Council must diligently monitor its members and promptly remove any corrupt judicial officer found to be compromising the judicial system.

‘This requires holding politicians accountable for their actions and inactions, strengthening institutions to combat corruption, and ensuring that the allocation of resources is done in a fair and equitable manner.

‘We urge the ruling All-Progressive Party (APC) and other political parties to take decisive action in purging its ranks by denouncing and breaking support with their members who are currently
being investigated by anti-corruption agencies.

‘Adequate resource allocation to the anti-corruption agencies has become imperative to uphold their independence and enhance efficiency in the anti-corruption process.

‘We urge I-G to promptly reinstate the police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission, to facilitate the effective execution of Commission’s duties,’ they said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the news conference was jointly endorsed by 50 civil society organisations supporting anti corruption and Good Governance in Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Shareholders of Odu’a Investment Company Ltd.(OICL) on Thursday approved the total dividend of N428 million declared by the company for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023.

They gave the approval at the company’s 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Lagos.

They also approved other resolutions and the company’s financial statements for the financial year ended 2023.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Odu’a group, owned by the government of the Western States of Nigeria, is a strategic investment and asset management firm founded in 1976.

The company was established to hold and manage the industrial and commercial assets of companies.

It has substantial investments in real estate, energy, hospitality, information technology, printing and publishing, equipment leasing, food and beverages, among others.

The total dividend would be shared equally among the six states that have equal equities in the company.

In his address, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Group Chairman, Odu’a Investment, said that it was the 10th
consecutive year that the company would be paying dividends to its shareholders.

On the company’s financials for the year under review, Ashiru stated that the firm recorded seven per cent growth in its operating revenue from N3.68 billion in 2022 to N3.95 billion in 2023.

Ashiru noted that in spite of the economic headwinds of 2023, the company was able to post an impressive performance, as its Profit Before Tax(PBT) grew by 62 per cent to N1.772 billion in 2023, from N1.092 billion recorded in 2022.

He expressed satisfaction with improved collaboration and synergy within the group and leveraging shared services, cross selling, joint marketing and astute business innovation.

He noted that Odu’a Investment was translating the timeless vision of the founding fathers of the company into reality by the implementation of the group’s five-year strategic plan.

Ashiru explained that the strategic plan aimed to create and revive businesses and assets to deliver continuous growth and value to shareholders and stak
eholders.

According to him, notable events in the year under review included the commissioning of the Phase one of Westlink Iconic Villa, Alakia, Ibadan, comprising 67 residential units of three-bedroom apartments, four-bedroom and five-bedroom duplexes.

‘ It also involves the launching of the Odua Investment Foundation and its flagship Educational Intervention Project, tagged: ”Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development (DEFINED).

‘ Odu’a Investment also secured its first ever Credit Rating in 2023 with Agusto and Co awarding it ”A” Rating with a stable outlook attributed to its deft management and good operating cashflows.’

Mr Adewale Raji, Group Managing Director/CEO of Odu’a Investment, appreciated the shareholders for the opportunity given to him to serve the company for two successive terms, lasting 10 years.

Raji said with the support of the shareholders, a new corporate governance framework that depoliticised operations, appointments and management of the firm was enthroned.

He
stated that the company in last 10 years witnessed repositioning that was driven by her SRC (Sweat, Revive and Create)- 2025 Strategy to be a lean non-operating investment holding company focused on eight sectors.

He listed the sectors as: real estate, hospitality, financial services, agriculture, energy/power, ICT/ digital, healthcare/pharmaceuticals and logistics/e-commerce.

‘It is such focus on ”Sweating” that necessitated the consolidation of the entire group real estate portfolio under our Wemabod Ltd., subsidiary.

‘This led to the massive redevelopment either through own resources or joint venture partnerships of our real estate portfolio to optimise yield and return.

”’Revive” is manifesting in our renovation and redevelopment of Premier Hotel at Ibadan with significant progress made in both the existing building and new developments on the site with phased re-opening starting in half year of 2025.

‘ Create” reflects in the significant step up in our BITA Exploration and Production Ltd., marg
inal field (PPL 249) funding thrust to implement the Field Development Plan with our partner, Pioneer Global Energy Resources.

‘The company expects that once these funding and regulatory requirements are met, it will be able to achieve ”First Oil within the first quarter of 2025.

‘ All these translated to remarkable success in its financial performance, corporate governance, risk management, and asset optimisation across its chosen sectors,’ he said.

Raji expressed confidence that the incoming group managing director of the company, Mr Abdulrahman Yinusa, would deliver on the ongoing redevelopment of the company’s hotels and the group’s new pipeline of premium residential and commercial projects.

He assured that the new managing director would also secure viable joint venture partnerships for the agriculture portfolio and achieve ”First Oil”, in the implementation of the field development plan of BITA marginal field.

According to him, Yinusa would facilitate the company’s mainstream participation in t
he turnaround of the power sector.

Raji expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu administration’s pursuit of a market-driven approach to resolving underlying problems of the economy would attract long-term investments into the country to fund infrastructure and social services.

He said that these include roads, rail, power, healthcare, and education, among others, that would translate into sustainable economic and human capital development.

Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, Secretary to Oyo State Government, commended the board of OICL for piloting the affair of the organisation to an enviable height.

Adeyemo said, worthy of note was the consistency the organisation had maintained in remitting annual dividend for shareholders in the last 10 years.

Also, Mr Olatokunbo Joseph, Secretary to Ogun State Government, said, ‘I’m very proud to see OICL manifest as a big company.

‘ I feel everyone should give an applause to the directors for giving us a fair financial analysis.

‘ I enjoin everyone to stay focused on w
hat we are set to do,’ Joseph said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ekiti Government has directed the kingmakers of Osi-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state to ratify the selection of Prince Stephen Alabi as the valid nominee for Olosi stool.

The Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, gave the directive on Thursday, at a meeting with stakeholders, including the kingmakers and representatives of Arubiojo Ruling House in her office in Ado-Ekiti.

Afuye said Prince Alabi’s ratification became expedient, having been validly nominated by Arubiojo Ruling House of Osi-Ekiti for the exalted seat as the sole candidate, with name forwarded to the kingmakers in line with tradition.

She said that after the stool became vacant, following the demise of Oba Oladiran Agunbiade on Aug. 5, 2021, the Arubiojo Ruling House was contacted by the government to fill the vacant stool.

She gave the kingmakers up till Monday, May 6, to write an appointment letter to the nominee and forward same to government for approval.

The deputy governor, however, expressed displeased with the way
the kingmakers were allegedly manipulating and foot dragging on the process, saying it might erode the confidence the people had in their personalities.

Particularly, she berated the process leading to the forwarding of the name of one Prince Femi Adewumi as the validly selected nominee to the Local Government for approval.

‘Even when he was neither voted for nor nominated by the ruling house.

‘The ruling house had done the due diligence by nominating someone. If they want only one nominee, nobody should force them to add more, since the process was transparent from the beginning.

‘Gov. Biodun Oyebanji places respect for traditional institution and traditional rulers are benefiting from this government because of the partnership between them and the government.

‘We don’t want your town to lag behind, hence appealing to other aspirants to join hands with the stakeholders in moving the town forward.

‘They should cooperate with the nominee in the task of building a new Osi-Ekiti that will benefit all and S
undry,’the deputy governor said.

Ekiti Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, sitting on the meeting held in her office in Ado-Ekiti

In his submission, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr Sunday Bamise, said four judgements have been delivered on the Olosi selection matter and the state government won in all the cases instituted.

Bamise clarified that the kingmakers have no relevance in nomination of candidate according to the law, saying the only valid nomination was the one done on the Nov. 21, 2021, which favoured Prince Stephen Alabi.

‘What we expect the kingmakers to do in the eyes of the law is to validate the nomination of Prince Stephen Alabi and issue him a letter of appointment to begin the process.

‘But if they fail to continue, then the government will revert to the second option, which I may not disclose here,’he said.

The Odofin of Osi-Ekiti and head of the kingmakers, Chief Olaiya Faturoti and other colleagues consented to the government’s position, promising that they would co
mply accordingly.

Counsel to the nominee, Chief Tony Adeniyi (SAN), applauded government for standing on the truth and point of law on the matter, saying it would ensure expeditious installation of a new traditional ruler in the town.

According to Prince Adebayo Ajayi, the head of the Arubiojo dynasty, Prince Alabi polled a total of 26 votes to defeat other contestants in a traditional shadow poll, conducted by the ruling house and monitored by local government officials.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) have unveiled an assessor e-learning training platform, aimed at institutionalising the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

Prof. Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, speaking in Abuja on Thursday, said the platform would help in fast tracking the training of assessors for global best practices.

He explained that the Quality Assurance Assessor (QAA) e-learning platform would offer quality certification and as well raise the standards of the country in the area of quality assurance.

‘This is a major milestone because at the moment we have very low number of assessors and skills trainers’ required proper assessment.

‘Even those in the informal sector that have to be given the Recognition Prior Learning (RPL) of assessment will also require the training.

‘Three years ago, Nigeria has only 1,400 assessors, today we have just 3,000. Our counterpart in Africa like Ethiopia has at the mome
nt 37,000.

‘So, we have a long way to go and we felt the e- platform will be the fastest way to fast track the training of these assessors,’ he said.

Bugaje called on the polytechnics that have keyed into the skills training to get their lecturers, instructors and technologists on board to become certified QAA.

He lamented the skills certification issued by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Ministry of Labour, saying they were below the minimum benchmark for certification.

‘We are also hoping that in the nearest future technical colleges at the tertiary level, all the technical teachers must also undertake this QAA so that they will be able to facilitate skills training.

‘This is not politically motivated skill trainers which yield no nationally acceptable certificate. All skills training being organised these days by the ITF and Ministry of Labour does not also reach the benchmark.

‘The ITF skills programme is not in line with the NSQF, the ministry of labour is also guilty of the same wrong p
ractices by the issues of trade test.

‘We have made a call several times that Nigeria government should delist trade test from skills qualifications in the country.

‘This is because the curriculum of trade test is developed by the federal ministry of labour, examinations, trainers and even the certificate is carried out by the ministry of labour.

‘Therefore it falls short of international standards. We will like to call on the ministry of labour, ITF and other agencies to embrace the Nigerian skills Qualification Framework approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) since 2013,’he added.

He called on Nigerians especially those in the skill sector to key into the platform which is at minimum cost.

On his part, Mr Ahmed Nagode, Director-General, National Power Training institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) said that the e-leaning courses tackled Unit 1 of the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

According to him, the course focuses on the core principles and practices of assessment.

Nagode said th
at by the end of the programme, learners would gain a comprehensive understanding of principles and concepts of assessment and the different methods of assessment.

‘It will provide effective planning strategies for assessments, the importance of involving learners and stakeholders in the assessment process.

‘Providing constructive feedback and making informed assessment decisions maintaining quality assurance in assessments.

‘Managing information effectively throughout the assessment process and legal consideration and good practices in assessment, ”he said.

Nagode said that the e-learning offered a multitude of benefits as it facilitated flexible learning allowing participants to access course materials and complete modules at their own pace, irrespective of location.

Meanwhile, Dr Walter Olatunde, Project Director, Tech Systems, commended the organisation’s efforts at improving the quality of education in the country through technology and skills education.

Olatunde said that the platform would offer
opportunities for increased number of Nigerians to have increase access to training.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Anambra Disability Rights Commission has called on local airlines to protect the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD).

Mr Chukwuka Ezewuzie , the commission’s chairman, made the plea at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.

He alleged that some local airlines had been discriminating against PWD with impunity.

Ezewuzie cited an incident, which involved him in 2019, where an airliner insisted that he must produce a travel companion before he could board a plane from Abuja to Anambra.

Ironically, the chairman said, he boarded the same airline to Abuja without a companion for the conference he attended.

‘ I told them that i have travelled alone unsupervised to 21 countries through 50 airports around the world, without a travel companion, they refused to allow me travel alone.

‘ This caused me to spend more money in securing another ticket with a different airline that did not require a travel companion,’ he said.

Ezewuzie said the purpose of the press conference was to draw the attention of loca
l airlines to the special needs of PWD.

‘ It is also to call on the airlines to respect the federal laws, respect the provisions of the international convention of the rights of PWD community.

‘ To respect the resolution of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that is the umbrella organisation for all the airlines around the world.

‘ Also, we want the domestic airlines in Nigeria to pay attention to the law of the land, to the needs of PWD community and to the rule of the organisation they subscribe to,” he said.

The chairman called on stakeholders to work assiduously toward eliminating all forms of barriers to accessing air transportation by PWD.

‘ The World Health Organisation has estimated that more than 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability, which constitutes approximately 16 per cent of the world’s population.

‘ The airline commitment to accessible air transport was reaffirmed at the 2019 IATA Annual General Meeting , when IATA members approved a Resolution on PWD comm
unity.

‘ The UN Convention on the rights of PWD community requires its parties to take appropriate measures , so that PWD community have access.

‘They should have access on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation and others, both in the urban and rural areas,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has pledged to flush out persons in public and private organisations working with fake certificates.

Mamman made this known while speaking in Abuja on Friday when he received the report of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling from the Chairman of the committee, Prof. Jubrila Amin.

The News Agency of Nigeria report that the minister of education on Jan. 9, inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to examine the veracity of allegations of degrees racketeering within both foreign and local private universities.

The committee was mandated to review the role of any MDAs or its officials in facilitation of the recognition and procurement of fake certificates in question.

Mamman, who expressed sadness over what has been uncovered during the investigations, said that the ministry would work with relevant agencies to sanitise the education sector and rid it of any fake tendencies.

‘We can’t afford to have the integrity of our e
ducation soar by some few persons.

‘It is possible that some are carrying fake certificates in public and private organisations who needs to be flushed out. This report is a product of a thorough investigation.

‘It is sad that someone who should come out from a Nigerian institution with a 2:1 or 2:2 is now parading an international certificate of first class.

‘The ministry is determined to take steps to sanitise the system,’ he said.

He pledged to take decisive role to ensure standards were enshrined in the system saying that ‘we can’t afford to let down our country when it comes to standards’.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee, Amin, decried the horrible standards of education in those schools saying that many of those schools awarding degree certificates were an eye saw.

Amin said the problems at hand required speedy intervention, recommending that all agencies in the sector must digitise/automate their system.

He said that automating the entire education system was a
way to go in such a way that you could sit in your office and monitor what is happening in all tertiary institutions.

According to him, in the course of our investigation, we realise that the present programme of accreditation and evaluation of results is inadequate.

He called for more universities in the country, saying that more universities to train PhD holders would help a lot rather than Nigerians going outside in search of certificates while ending up getting fake certificates.

He therefore, urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to pay more attention to institutions offering part time or sandwich programmes so we don’t have a repeat of 2017 saga of centres offering unaccredited courses.

‘People go and get fake degrees and we have been to those countries and we know what a proper degree looks like, we know what the fake one looks like.

‘We have given it to the ministry to scrutinise anyone presenting a certificate from those institutions and anything else is fake.

‘it is up to the minist
ry to find out people with fake certificates and deal with them in whatever way they derm fit,’ he said

Source: News Agency of Nigeria