World Cup Qualifier: Nigeria To Play Ethiopia

The Super Eagles will have the onerous task of facing the Walya Antelopes in the play-off on the road to Brazil 2014, as Nigeria were been drawn to face Ethiopia in the play-off for Brazil 2014 World Cup on yesterday.

The first leg matches will be played between October, 11through 15 while the second leg will be played between November, 15 through 19.

The Super Eagles will travel to Addis Ababa for the first leg while the return leg will be played in Nigeria in November.

Other draws made on in Cairo will see Cote D’Ivoire face Senegal while Ghana will face Egypt and Tunisia are drawn against Cameroon. The last draw will see Burkina Faso play against Algeria.

The matches will be played on a knockout basis with the winning five teams going on to represent Africa in Brazil.

Meanwhile, The former coach of the national team Christian Chukwu has urged the country to prepare well for their double-header against Ethiopia in the 2014 World Cup play-offs.

Chukwu who captained Nigeria to their 1980 Africa Cup of Nations win said that the draw favours the Super Eagles who have been doing well so far.

“It’s a good fixture for us. Our preparation has been going on well and we should continue like this until we get to Brazil. We need to add one or two friendlies with countries that have altitude like Ethiopia. Kenya has the same climate, so it could be good,” Chukwu said.

Ethiopia have seen a resurgence in their football since returning to the Africa Cup of Nations this year after a 31 year absence. The Antelopes trumped South Africa on their way to the final qualifying stage where they will now meet the Super Eagles for the second time this year after losing 2-0 in the last group game of the AFCON in January.

NUC Seeks Alternative Ways Of Access To Varsity Education

Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), has said that the commission is fashioning out alternative ways of ensuring access to university education in Nigeria.

Okojie made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday when he declared open a three-day workshop on e-learning and Education Resource.

He said NUC was worried by the increasing number of students, who failed to gain admission to universities because of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)'s inability to meet the increasing demand.

``This workshop is, therefore, aimed at bringing together stakeholders in the sector to discuss e-learning.

``New technology has continued to change ways of doing things and there is the need to open ways that those intending to acquire university education can do so without having to go through JAMB," he said.

Okojie further shed light on the project, saying through e-learning, students could study and acquire degrees "at their convenience".

He said using Open and Distance Learning, the programmes would be designed according to the approved Academic Minimum Standards.

Okojie also said materials for the courses had been designed for use by students without having to obtain any licences and without
fear of violating copyright laws.

He said the introduction of e-learning was to ensure that Nigeria would be on the same page with other ICT advanced countries.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on what the NUC was  doing to ensure quality of PhD graduates, Okojie said the commission had continued to enforce the Benchmark Academic Minimum Standard.

He also said that the commission also ensured the accreditation of courses offered in the postgraduate schools.

``Out of the 151 universities in the country, only 67 have postgraduate schools and not all the courses are accredited.

He said most of the programmes had been approved for accreditation with the exception of course, such as medicine, because some
structures needed to be put in place before any approval could be given.

Also speaking, the Acting Director, Open and Distance Learning, Dr Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, said the workshop was also aimed at
capacity building for stakeholders on ways of reducing the challenges in ICT development.

Ramon-Yusuf said though the current mandate of the e-learning was for universities, there was hope that other sectors would gradually be integrated in the future. (NAN)

NUC Seeks Alternative Ways Of Access To Varsity Education

Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), has said that the commission is fashioning out alternative ways of ensuring access to university education in Nigeria.

Okojie made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday when he declared open a three-day workshop on e-learning and Education Resource.

He said NUC was worried by the increasing number of students, who failed to gain admission to universities because of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)'s inability to meet the increasing demand.

``This workshop is, therefore, aimed at bringing together stakeholders in the sector to discuss e-learning.

``New technology has continued to change ways of doing things and there is the need to open ways that those intending to acquire university education can do so without having to go through JAMB," he said.

Okojie further shed light on the project, saying through e-learning, students could study and acquire degrees "at their convenience".

He said using Open and Distance Learning, the programmes would be designed according to the approved Academic Minimum Standards.

Okojie also said materials for the courses had been designed for use by students without having to obtain any licences and without
fear of violating copyright laws.

He said the introduction of e-learning was to ensure that Nigeria would be on the same page with other ICT advanced countries.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on what the NUC was  doing to ensure quality of PhD graduates, Okojie said the commission had continued to enforce the Benchmark Academic Minimum Standard.

He also said that the commission also ensured the accreditation of courses offered in the postgraduate schools.

``Out of the 151 universities in the country, only 67 have postgraduate schools and not all the courses are accredited.

He said most of the programmes had been approved for accreditation with the exception of course, such as medicine, because some
structures needed to be put in place before any approval could be given.

Also speaking, the Acting Director, Open and Distance Learning, Dr Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, said the workshop was also aimed at
capacity building for stakeholders on ways of reducing the challenges in ICT development.

Ramon-Yusuf said though the current mandate of the e-learning was for universities, there was hope that other sectors would gradually be integrated in the future. (NAN)

Statistics Bureau Commences Rebasing Of GDP

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has commenced activities towards  finalising the rebasing exercise of the national Gross Domestic Products (GDP).

The National Bureau of Statistics and the National Planning Commission are currently engaging all relevant stakeholders at a two-day sensitisation workshop.

Tentative rebased GDP figures is expected to be announced in December 2013.

MOHAMMED ABACHA DEFECTS TO PDP

MOHAMMED ABACHA DEFECTS TO PDP

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ngress for Progressive Change (CPC) to the Peoples Democratic Party at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja yesterday.

Mohammed, son of late head of state, General Sani Abacha, yesterday defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He contested but lost in the governorship primary election of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the run up of the 2011 elections.
The CPC has now merged with two other opposition parties to form a new party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Mohammed had been less visible during the merger talks but he has resurfaced lately and is seen moving round the country in the company of his late father’s Chief Security Officer Major Hamza Almustapha.
They were in the Imo state capital weekend where, together with three regional irredentists, they try to push for the unity of youths in the country.
Speaking at the PDP national Secretariat, Abuja yesterday, Mohammed said he had consulted widely with his supporters and other members of the party before taking the decision to return to the PDP saying from what he has gleaned the PDP is the right party for him in the current dispensation.
He described the PDP as the only party in Nigeria that accommodates all shades of people from across religious and ethnic divides saying it is the true party for Nigerians.
“In my initial sojourn as a politician I joined the PDP first in year 2010 and we did the best we could at that particular time.  I joined when Chief (Vincent) Ogbulafor was the chairman and shortly after he was replaced by Chief Nwodo.  Sometime in 2010, we decided to change our political affiliation to another party, we had a little problem at that time which in summary, I would say is due to lack of internal democracy at that particular point in time,” he said.
Abacha who assured that he will discuss other issues concerning his membership of the party in subsequent meetings said the issue of waiver and consultations with the governor of his state Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso would come later.
He however acknowledged that Kwanwaso is the leader of the PDP in the state stressing that he is not in PDP to wrest power from the governor as he said only God gives power.
Abacha who was escorted to the PDP national secretariat by throngs of his supporters held a closed door meeting with the members of the National Working committee of the party including the deputy national chairman; Uche Secondus before confirming his return to the party.
 Earlier, national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, confirmed that the party has received Abacha to the fold of the party saying Abacha had been a member of the party and is now retuning to its fold.
He said the return of Abacha is part of the reconciliation efforts by the party under  Bamanga which aims  at bringing back all aggrieved members of the party.
Reacting to the defection of Abacha to PDP, chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in Kano state, Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Ababakar yesterday said Abacha has not been active in the party.
“Well, he came from PDP to our party CPC, now APC and he has returned to where he came from. In politics, people will pursue interest where it pleases them. Some people will stay and stick to a party come rain, come sun and others will leave in pursuance of their personal interest,” he said.

ASUU Strike: "Nigerian Students Have Lost Confidence In Jonathan"

The National President, National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) said Monday Nigerian students have lost confidence in the administration of President Jonathan in revamping the educational sector to international standard.

Prince Miaphen said in a statement distributed to journalists that the Jonathan administration had failed to address the lingering ASUU crisis and by so doing thwarting past efforts to rev up the standard of education in the country.

“It worrisome and infuriating that the administration of Goodluck Jonathan has failed to implement the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU. This as a result has caused a great setback in the pursuit of education by Nigerian students.”

The NAN president said the Jonathan administration was toeing the path of his predecessors who he said paid lip services to education and other sensitive sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Mr. Miaphen said Mr. Jonathan’s attitude had resulted in the current rot in the academic sector.

“NANS therefore pass a vote of no confidence on the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for the poor pursuit of qualitative education among students in Nigeria”.

The student leader regretted that President Jonathan and the outgone minister of education, both of whom were teachers, failed to proffer lasting solutions to the problems bedevilling the educational system.

The statement said the situation in the education sub-sector has resulted in Nigerian higher institutions producing unemployable graduates.

“As a result of persistence strike each academic calendar, our universities and other high institutions churns out half-baked graduates every year due to incessant strike action, we cannot suffer in silence while individuals responsible for our travails send their own children to choice universities school abroad,” he said.

Abuja university students protest ASUU strike

Students of the University of Abuja on Monday staged a peaceful protest against the prolonged nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The protesting students called for an end to the strike, saying that it had paralysed academic activities in the nation’s universities and was gradually mortgaging their future.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesting students, who carried placards, first converged on the SDP Junction in Gwagwalada before moving towards the Airport Road.

They urged ASUU and the Federal Government (FG) to amicably address the issues that constitute the "bone of contention" in the overall interest of the students and the nation at large.

One of the student union leaders, Mr Toyonkiki Sunday, said that the protest was to draw the attention of ASUU and the FG to the pitiable plight of the students.

Sunday said that students were fed up with staying at home indefinitely and implored the two parties to explore all avenues to resolve the dispute amicably and immediately.

"Our only reason for staging this protest is to draw the attention of ASUU and the government to our plight; we are tired of staying at home," he said.

Another student, Peter Egbe, a 300-level English Language student said that ASUU and the FG "should, by whatever means, resolve their differences as soon as possible to enable us return to class".

NAN reports that all efforts to get the views of the university PRO on the students’ protest proved abortive.