The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said the sale of Direct Entry (DE) registration nationwide and in selected foreign centres would commence on Wednesday.

The public communications advisor at JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, in a statement on Tuesday, February 27, said the registration process would start on Wednesday, February 28, and close on Thursday, March 28.

Benjamin noted that the sale of DE was open to foreign candidates desirous of tertiary education in Nigeria through the Direct Entry mode.

The JAMB spokesperson assured the public that the board will continue to ensure a level playing field for all candidates irrespective of status.

He, however, warned that the board would not process candidates’ applications from all awarding institutions that have refused to honour several requests for the verification of their A’level certificates presented by some candidates for the 2023 admission.

The statement said: “Candidates who are not awaiting results, must have uploaded their A’ level qualifications, O’level results and DE registration template at the point of registration as no DE candidates would be processed for admission until such claimed results are uploaded and verified by the awarding institutions on the Board’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) mail platform.

“DE candidates, who at the point of registration are awaiting A’level results of IJMB/JUPEB/NABTEB, must have uploaded their Admission Letter and Registration Template at the point of registration. Applicants with Cambridge certificates for the pre-2018 examination year should visit Cambridge directly for verification.

“This verification exercise may take up to 28 days (as specified by the awarding body) after which the verification result would be forwarded to the Board. The verification would be reflected on the e-Facility profile of the DE candidate. Statement of results (in lieu of certificate) is accepted for registration only within three years of the date of award.

“The Board has also given a window of opportunity for upgrading from UTME to DE with a proviso for only candidates whose DE results have not been released at the point of UTME registration and who must have indicated at the point of registration that he/she is awaiting A’level results. The particulars of which he/she must have supplied and contained in the uploaded registration template.”

[TheNation]

In a show of solidarity with the working class, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, joined members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in their peaceful protest on Tuesday.

Amidst the nationwide outcry over economic hardship and rising inflation, Makinde’s participation in the protest underscores his administration’s commitment to addressing the concerns of the populace.

The demonstration, organized by the state chapter of the NLC, saw a large turnout of workers who commenced their march from the NLC state secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan.

The procession moved through key points in the city, including Gate, NTA, and Yemetu roundabout, where Governor Makinde met up with the protesters.

Addressing the demonstrators, Governor Makinde offered words of reassurance, affirming that the government is acutely aware of the challenges faced by the citizens and is actively working towards alleviating their plight.

He emphasized that the current economic difficulties are temporary and that concerted efforts are being made to ensure a swift recovery.

The governor said, “I am aware of the hardship in town and the difficulty the people are going through but I will be part of the generation that will fix the country.”

He also assured the workers that their letters of protest and complaints would be delivered to President Bola Tinubu.

The state NLC Chairman, Kayode Martins, earlier said the cost of living was no longer bearable, especially for the common man.

He said, “The cost of living in Nigeria today is nothing to write home and the people are fed up, so that’s why we are on the street now.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced its decision to sell foreign exchange worth $20,000 to each eligible Bureau De Change operator across the country.

This is coming more than two years after the suspended former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, stopped the sales of foreign exchange to BDC operators in that segment of the forex market.

The apex bank disclosed this in a new circular issued and signed by the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Hassan Mahmud, on Tuesday.

The circular titled, “Sale of Foreign Exchange to Bureau de Change Operators to meet retail demand for eligible invisible transactions” said the move aimed at rectifying the persisting distortions in the retail segment of Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and bridging the widening gap in the exchange rate.

The circular read, “Following the ongoing reforms in the foreign exchange market, aimed at achieving an appropriate market-determined exchange rate for the Naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria has observed the continued price distortions at the retail end of the market, which is feeding into the parallel market and further widening the exchange rate premium.

It further directed eligible BDCs to make Naira payments to the designated CBN Foreign Currency Deposit Naira Accounts and submit confirmation of payment, with other necessary documentation.

“All eligible BDCs are directed to make the Naira payment to the designated CBN Foreign Currency Deposit Naira Accounts and submit confirmation of payment, with other necessary documentation, for disbursement at the appropriate CBN Branches ABUJA, AWKA, LAGOS and KANO,” it added.

The CBN in frantic efforts to save the free fall of the naira has made a number of significant reforms towards addressing Naira depreciation, such as probing and clearing FX backlog, limiting forex for foreign education and medical tourism, increasing BDCs’ minimum share capital, and curbing FX speculators, among others.

Details later…

[Punch]

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, says himself and his team are not responsible for the current economic woes in the country.

He stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the apex bank, the first since he assumed office in September 2023.

The apex bank boss, however, said the CBN is taking the necessary steps to get the country’s fiscal and monetary health back to normal.

Cardoso was responding to a question that the CBN was responsible for the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

“I laugh at that question but it’s not a laughing matter,” Cardoso retorted. “And I think it is very important for Nigerians to understand that the Central Bank Governor — I and my team — are not responsible for the woes that we have today; we are part of the solution.

“We are determined to ensure that we work hard to get out of the mess that Nigeria is in. We assumed responsibility in a time of crisis of confidence; there was a crisis of confidence and you may all want to go to bed and wish that crisis of confidence was not there but it was, and we can’t turn back the clock.

“All we can do is do the difficult things to make a bad situation better and I do believe that the efforts that we are making are beginning to bring back confidence because to be frank, without confidence in your business, you are not going to get far.”

The MPC also raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by four hundred basis points from 18.75 percent to 22.75 percent.

With inflation at 29.90 percent, he said the new MPR is part of moves to tackle the country’s inflation.

Cardoso, a former Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, took over the leadership of the apex bank about three months after the suspension of Godwin Emefiele by President Bola Tinubu.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), two significant opposition groups, have endorsed the ongoing two-day protest of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

This endorsement comes just as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed worries about possible protest hijacking.

Punch Newspaper reports that the opposition parties on Monday argued that the hardships faced by the people on the economic front are sufficient to motivate them to join labor unions in protest of the Federal Government’s insensitivity.

Naija News recalls that NLC president Joe Ajaero had threatened a total economic shutdown if any of the protesting members were attacked at Tuesday’s demonstration.

His threat also comes only a few days after the Department of State Services urged labor to put the protest on hold due to concerns that it would be hijacked by fifth columnists and used to wreak havoc across the nation.

However, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Ibrahim, told newsmen that the populace is always prepared to oppose any policies that are against the interests of the people.

Ibrahim said, “Labour has always been consistent in terms of expressing their misgivings because they are the ones interfacing with the workers. So it is not going to be the first time. I doubt if there is any government since Independence that has not contended with the protest or expression of agitation by labour.

“So the NLC is justified. The PDP agrees with labour. The reality on the ground defies human comprehension. You cannot expect Nigerians to fold their hands because it is an APC government that is in place. The NLC stormed the streets when it was the PDP. They did the same during the military regime. I don’t see any rationale for anybody to think the NLC is out to frustrate this government.

“The people have never been worse off as we are seeing it today. Purchasing power in the country has declined to an all-time worse. The inflation rate is also high. “Everybody should come out for this protest, including labour, civil society organisations and traders. The PDP is absolutely in support of this protest.”

A spokesman for the Labour Party Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, emphasized that people have the right to express their dissatisfaction with anti-people policies.

Tanko said, “Obviously, some policies of this government are anti-people. We are talking about a government that promised people palliatives and failed to provide them. Is it not this same government that promised civil servant increment of salary? The people are yet to see it.

“The question is how long will this government continue to use the instrumentality of law to stifle the voices of the masses? For us in LP, the protest is justifiable. In fact, the NLC needs to take it further by demanding Constitutional review including that of the Electoral Act reform that is not giving us the right kind of leadership we want.

“Because of this, INEC is still under the whims and caprices of the Federal Government hence they cannot independently conduct elections. The people are tired and definitely have the right to speak up.”

However, the ruling APC voiced fear that the demonstration could derail if it is hijacked.

APC’s spokesperson, Bala Ibrahim stated that President Bola Tinubu directly addressed the suffering of the people in several of his broadcasts, demonstrating his awareness of their plight.

Ibrahim said, “The beauty of democracy is that it allows people to register their dismay or dislike where they feel the government is not doing well. But there is a proviso. In doing that, they must know that the right to protest is theirs. But that right stops where other people’s own begins.

“In a situation like this, the government has been honest enough to admit that indeed there is hardship in the land and people are going through distress. But circumstances necessitate the introduction of certain reforms with a view to getting certain solutions. It is like someone who has a fracture or dislocation. When he comes to fix it, there will be pain everywhere.

“I agree the country is in a state of unease. But the government is not insensitive to the feelings of the people just as the president admitted. Tinubu has made a broadcast where he said he felt the pains of the people from Lagos to Kano and every nook and cranny of the country. We don’t want this protest to be hijacked.

“The NLC should have a rethink. Let’s not do something that will be injurious simply because we want to play to the gallery. This protest is ill-timed. We implore them to give the FG a benefit of doubt and see what is being done. But certainly, things are being done that are in line with the yearning of the people.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said the two-day nationwide protest by its members is about hunger and the economic hardship in the nation.

The National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, made this known while speaking with reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said contrary to the claim made by the Presidency that the ongoing protest is needless and about the minimum wage review, the union is not protesting only about the review of the country’s minimum wage.

Ajaero also accused the Federal Government of failing to meet the demands of the union since the removal of fuel subsidy, which has led to a rise in the cost of living.

He said, “You have to understand it. This protest is about hunger. What of those who are not working? The minimum wage, when will it be completed? When will it be implemented? What will be the minimum wage that will remove hunger?

“The UN said that every the poorest man should be fed on $2 per day. That’s the poorest. And if you have a family of six people, $2 per day by six is $12,” he said while addressing the press in Abuja.

“In a month, you have $360 which translates to about N700,000. Is that the minimum wage you’re talking about? Is that what will feed you? That’s feeding alone. I’m not talking about transportation and accommodation. So what are we saying? What about medical? What are we saying?

“Well, you know, we don’t, we don’t tell them what to do. We will tell them how we feel. There was hunger in the land, but it wasn’t this bad until deregulation. And then after the regulation, we proposed all that we needed to. If they had solved the problem of transportation immediately, they would have solved almost 50% of the problem.

“Because even when you process garri in the village, you need to transport it to town. The expenses you incurred on transportation, you add it to the cost of garri.

“So the moment they touch PMS, you can’t fill your tank with N30,000, N40,000. So the moment they touched it. We said, ‘OK, bring CNG buses. This is 7-8 months, no one bus is on the street.

“So we have provided all those solutions, even the cash transfer. They are still telling us now that they will start the cash transfer and they were playing politics with it that they were diverting it to their accounts. After today, we review our situation.”

A yet-to-be-ascertained number of persons have been trapped following the collapse of a building under construction in the Ochanja market in Onitsha, Anambra state.

The cause of the collapse, which happened on Monday evening, is yet to be determined.

Chukwuma Soludo, governor of the state, who visited the site on Tuesday, said five casualties have been recorded so far.

Soludo described the incident as tragic and one “that was not supposed to happen”. He disclosed that 26 individuals had been rescued and hospitalised, with rescue efforts ongoing to locate those still trapped under the rubble.

“The contractor at his own cost will come and put down the illegal buildings he erected here,” the governor said.

“They are all going to come down. My government did not approve of this building. We will redesign this area and build it properly.”

He added that other buildings constructed without proper approval will be demolished, including structures currently under construction at other markets.

“A comprehensive inventory of buildings in Anambra markets and public places will be conducted,” Soludo said.

“Markets will undergo integrity tests to identify and remove potentially unsafe structures, and individuals found responsible for illegal construction will face legal consequences.”

The governor also assured that the hospital bills of those receiving treatment will be offset by the government, and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

A yet-to-be-ascertained number of persons have been trapped following the collapse of a building under construction in the Ochanja market in Onitsha, Anambra state.

The cause of the collapse, which happened on Monday evening, is yet to be determined.

Chukwuma Soludo, governor of the state, who visited the site on Tuesday, said five casualties have been recorded so far.

Soludo described the incident as tragic and one “that was not supposed to happen”. He disclosed that 26 individuals had been rescued and hospitalised, with rescue efforts ongoing to locate those still trapped under the rubble.

“The contractor at his own cost will come and put down the illegal buildings he erected here,” the governor said.

“They are all going to come down. My government did not approve of this building. We will redesign this area and build it properly.”

He added that other buildings constructed without proper approval will be demolished, including structures currently under construction at other markets.

“A comprehensive inventory of buildings in Anambra markets and public places will be conducted,” Soludo said.

“Markets will undergo integrity tests to identify and remove potentially unsafe structures, and individuals found responsible for illegal construction will face legal consequences.”

The governor also assured that the hospital bills of those receiving treatment will be offset by the government, and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

A prominent Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho has declared his readiness to confront and expel killer herdsmen from Yorubaland.

This bold statement was made in a video that rapidly spread across social media platforms on Tuesday.

In the video, Igboho is seen speaking to a supportive crowd during the funeral of his mother in his hometown, located in the Igboho area of Oyo State.

Expressing his determination, Igboho, who communicated in Yoruba, criticized the Federal Government and the military forces stationed in Yorubaland, specifically mentioning the inability of these forces to protect Ekiti State, where traditional rulers were tragically killed in broad daylight.

He implied that the government and soldiers have failed to address the threat posed by killer herdsmen, thereby necessitating his intervention.

He said, “I want you all to stand with me so that we can liberate ourselves from the herders encroaching on our lands. Let us mount security in all the Yoruba lands ourselves, if not, they will take our lands.

“We don’t have to wait for the government or anyone. Let’s just work in unison. We cannot farm on our lands because of these herders. And our people are going hungry and angry. We don’t need the soldiers the government claims to have deployed to Ekiti State. We work in accordance with our elders and mount the places ourselves.

“It was my mother that was my fear before but now she’s gone, I have nothing to be scared of again. I am now back to take back our land.

“I am not working for any politician. In fact, if I incidentally slapped someone, the government would be ready to arrest me and put me behind bars. I know they are watching me closely now to know my next action but I’m ready to take a step to stop these marauders’ activities in our lands.”