The Oyo State government , has announced September 21 , 2020 , as the beginning of the 2020 /2021 academic session for primary and secondary schools in the state .
This was contained in a press statement by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology , Olasunkanmi Olaleye.
The statement was titled , ‘ Oyo govt releases calendar for school resumption’ .
Olaleye stated that the new calendar was approved on July 21 at a meeting of the State Executive Council .
He said , “ The first term of the new academic calendar will run between September 21 and December 18 , 2020 .
“ The second term of the academic session is expected to run from January 11 to April 9 , 2021 , while the third term will run between May 3 and July 30 , 2021 .
“ The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology enjoins all stakeholders and members of the public to take note of the details of the academic calendar. ”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva , says the Federal Government will from October begin converting the cars and generators of Nigerians to run on gas .
Sylva said this will be done free of charge for all Nigerians to cushion the effect of the hike in pump price of petrol .
The minister said this on NTA ’ s ‘ Good Morning Nigeria ’ which was monitored by our reporter .
According to him , cars are capable of running on both gas and petrol .
The minister said the move would reduce carbon emissions as well as the demand for Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol .
Sylva stated , “ The alternative we are now introducing is gas , which is definitely going to be cheaper than the subsidised rate of PMS . So , what we are trying to encourage Nigerians to do now is to convert their cars to dual fuel.
That means your car can use either gas or petrol and that will be done for free because the government is going to ensure that you are able to convert your vehicles for free.
“ And when you convert your car for free, you go to the filling station , you see the price of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit ) you see the price of gas , you can decide to buy LPG ( Liquefied Petroleum Gas ) or CNG ( Compressed Natural Gas ) , you can decide to buy LNG (Liquefied Natural gas ) . These are all going to be available and we are going to have a roll out plan for this within October .
“ Nigerians will have alternatives . It is like introducing a toll on the roads . When you introduce a tollgate , you are expected and required by law to also create an alternative . So , we are also creating that alternative so that you can go to buy gas . ”
Following its deadlocked meeting with the Federal Government, the Joint Health Sector Unions have resolved to proceed with its strike with effect from midnight of Sunday , September 13 , 2020 .
This was the decisions reached after its expanded National Executive Council meeting.
This was just as the Federal Government directed the various unions in the health sector operating under by JOHESU to ignore the strike directive .
JOHESU , in a three- paragraph letter dated September 12 , titled, ‘ Re: Notice of 15 – day ultimatum/ outcome of JOHESU expanded NEC meeting, ’ said it would proceed on strike as nothing was achieved in the conciliatory meeting .
The memo sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige , was signed by JOHESU President , Biobelemoye Josiah ; Secretary – General , Dr Silas Adamu ; President of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals , Research Institutes , Dr Benjamin Akintola ; General Secretary , Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals , Martin Egbanubi , among others.
It read , “ Recall that at the end of the meeting held in your office on Thursday , September 10 , 2020 , JOHESU demanded that the outcome of the meeting between JOHESU and the Federal Government be reported back to our expanded NEC meeting and give feedback to the Federal Government within 48 hours.
“ In the light of the above , the meeting of our expanded NEC was held today , Saturday, September 12 , 2020 . And at the end of the meeting , which was held both physically and virtually , it was unanimously agreed that since nothing concrete was achieved at the said meeting with the Federal Government, that the strike notice is still germane and alive .
“ Therefore , the 15 – day ultimatum still subsists and with effect from midnight of Sunday , September 13 , 2020 , our members shall withdraw their services due to Federal Government’ s inability to meet their demands . ”
The Lagos State University , Ojo has said only final – year undergraduate and postgraduate students will resume on September 14 while other students will resume on November 9 .
A statement by the Coordinator , Centre for Information , Press and Public Relations , Ademola Adekoya , noted that only final – year students at undergraduate level would have lectures between 9 am and 3 pm , on Monday to Friday, while postgraduate , master ’ s and PhD students , would attend classes only on weekends .
The statement reads , “200 to 500 level students will commence academic activities on Monday , November 9 , 2020 , while lectures for newly admitted students ( 100 level ) will commence on Monday , January 11 , 2021 . Sandwich degree programme , part- time on Epe campus and diploma students will commence lectures on Friday November 13 , 2020 and their lectures will hold only on weekends . ”
It further said the university senate had decided to commence normal academic activities in compliance with the directive of the Lagos State Governor and visitor to the university, Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu , that tertiary institutions in the state could reopen from Monday September 14 .
The university warned that members of staff and students must wear their identity cards to be allowed access onto the premises and that anyone entering the university premises must have their bottle of hand sanitiser and face mask .
“ Security personnel will also be on continuous surveillance , to identify violators of laid down rules and regulations, ” Adekoya added .
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria is slowly becoming a failed state and a basket case that urgently needs to be pulled from the brink of collapse .
He said this in Abuja while delivering a speech titled, ‘ Moving Nigeria Away from Tipping Over ’ at a consultative dialogue attended by various socio- cultural groups including Afenifere , Middle Belt Forum , Northern Elders Forum , Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo and Pan Niger Delta Forum .
The former President said , “ I do appreciate that you all feel sad and embarrassed as most of us feel as Nigerians with the situation we find ourselves in . Today , Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly divided state ; economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world , and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country.
“ And these manifestations are the products of recent mismanagement of diversity and socio- economic development of our country. Old fault lines that were disappearing have opened up in greater fissures and with drums of hatred , disintegration and separation and accompanying choruses being heard loud and clear almost everywhere . ”
He added , “ With what I have seen , read and heard from the rapprochement that you are forging together , I see a ray of hope that Nigeria can be saved from disintegration .
“ If we are ready to live together in understanding , mutual respect and love with equity, justice, inclusiveness while engendering sense of belonging and unity of purpose and all hands on deck , we can deal with internal issues of terrorism , organised crimes , banditry , kidnapping , human trafficking , drug , money laundering and corruption. We will then be able to deal successfully with any incoming attack of terrorism , organised crimes , etc; from outside . ”
Obasanjo said , “That ray of hope was somewhat manifested in the last 10 days or so when the Northern Elders Forum and Yoruba Summit Group complemented each other in their separate press releases on the Senate’ s idea of inviting submissions from Nigerian public for constitution amendment which had been regular money – gulping activity by every National Assembly session since 1999 , a veritable source of waste without end.
“ I believe one of our major problems in the past was that we did not dialogue enough , we talk at ourselves and selfishly keep old prejudices and biases . If we show understanding , give- and – take, love of one another and commitment and love of the country, we will do what is right and stand firmly together for the good of all. ”
He said , “ I believe Nigeria is worth saving on the basis of mutuality and reciprocity and I also believe it can be done through the process of dialogues rather than talking at each other or resorting to violence . It will amount to dangerous and destructive self -delusion for anybody to claim that all is well in Nigeria today . ”
He stated that rather than work on fixing the country and ensuring that grievances among several units within the country are addressed , some are fixated on the 2023 Presidential election.
Obasanjo added , “Some people are obsessed with 2023 , I believe that with death , destruction, debt , disease , deceit , disbelief , disenchantment , doubt and suspicion around , we need to see our way through to 2023 and beyond in some form of unity of purpose , reasonable security , shared values , true democratic practice , inclusiveness and shared society . That is why we are here . No constitution is even permanent ; it is dynamic with time and experience . ”
The Presidency says the prices of food items in the country are dropping as a result of the agricultural reforms of the regime of the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ).
The President ’ s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity , Mr Garba Shehu , made this known while featuring on Channels Television ’ s Sunrise Daily programme.
Speaking also on the TV programme, a senior lecturer in the Department of Economics , University of Abuja, Dr Ahmed Adamu , faulted the timing of the policy because of the inflation already in the economy .
Adamu said , “ It is also a wrong time because we have not built the right infrastructure and not supplied the right agriculture facilities and we have not built the entire agriculture value chain . We are also facing insecurity and a lot of farmers have been displaced from their farms and they cannot produce much. And now the government is discouraging cheap importation from other countries . It is going to create a lot of food scarcity in the country.
“ Now we are seeing a high rise in the prices of food items in the country and this measure is going to increase the prices of food items further at a time when we just came out of COVID- 19 lockdown . ”
The scholar stressed that Nigerians should not be punished for the failure and inability of government and policy – makers to protect the naira, adding that the government ’ s decision is “ a recipe for hyperinflation ” .
According to him , consumers are rational and so the government needs to ask itself why the people prefer foreign food items over locally produced ones .
“ They ( consumers ) know why they go for foreign food items – maybe because of quality, quantity or price. Instead of you ( the government ) to force Nigerians to buy things that they are not ready to buy, why don ’ t you make the local products become attractive to Nigerians by enhancing its quality , quantity and competitive price. These are things that we need to set in place before we force people because this actually is an aggressive measure , ” Adamu added .
Reacting , Shehu said Nigeria ’ s land borders were closed not only to curb the importation of rice and other food products but to also curb the proliferation of small arms smuggled into the country to feed inter -communal crisis and banditry , amongst others.
The President ’ s spokesperson said , “ To say the cost of food items is connected to the closure of the borders is absolutely wrong . And to say that the prices of food ain’ t coming down, I think the scholar has detached himself from the market because we sat through the meeting of the National Food Security Council and we heard presentations by experts – people who had surveyed the markets .
“ As of yesterday (Thursday ), in the morning of the meeting, go and check the index in markets. For instance in Kano, millets that had gone up to N24 , 000 has now gone down to N12 , 000 , N13 , 000 . Rice that had been N25 , 000 is now N 20 , 000 . Corn , maize is now N 18 , 000 for the old stock and N14 , 000 , N15 , 000 for the new stock .
Bakers have vowed to react to price increase in baking ingredients by increasing the prices of bread .
The Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria and the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria gave this warning at a press conference in Lagos .
The President , PBAN , Tosan Jemide , complained that businesses had been comatose due to the incessant increase in the prices of baking ingredients .
He noted that in the last six months, the prices of flour , sugar and other baking ingredients had skyrocketed without a corresponding increase in the prices of bread by member bakeries .
Jemide said , “ We have been busy helping them remain profitable while our businesses suffer , because we are more in tune with the purchasing power of the consumer and are deeply concerned about food security .
“ PBAN and AMBCN shall no longer take seat and watch such blatant increases in prices going forward. We shall react with equal price increases or stiff resistance . ”
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , boasted that his regime has recorded what he called “notable achievements” in five years .
Specifically on agriculture , he said the sector has continued to grow despite the impact of COVID – 19 because of his regime ’ s targeted policies.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Femi Adesina , the President spoke at a meeting of the National Food Security Council held at the Presidential Villa , Abuja .
The statement was titled “Despite COVID- 19 , we ’ ve been able to avert food crisis , says President Buhari . ”
Adesina quoted the President as saying that the COVID – 19 pandemic exposed the level of preparedness of nations to shocks of food security .
According to him , Buhari explained that the Federal Government’ s wisdom in promoting self – sufficiency over the years helped significantly in averting a food crisis .
The President , “The coronavirus pandemic has illustrated more than any event in recent history how countries must strive harder to protect food systems.
“ It has also exposed the limits of dependency on other countries .
“ In the last five years , we have recorded notable achievements. Despite the decline in GDP by 6 . 1 per cent in Q 2 of 2020 as a direct result of coronavirus , the agricultural sector continued to grow because of government targeted policies. ’’
“ I am pleased to note that most Nigerians are taking advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture and agric – business sector .
“ I want to assure you that this government will continue to support these initiatives and many more to come , ” the President said .
“ To protect agricultural investments and boost confidence to our farmers we have deployed thousands of agro -rangers and integrated rural communities to the formal economy by extending access to credit and inputs to rural farmers and building feeder roads .
“ We have invested in building our strategic grain reserves in recent years which we recently released significant quantities to cushion the adverse impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic to vulnerable households and industries , ’’ he added .
The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , boasted that his regime has recorded what he called “notable achievements” in five years .
Specifically on agriculture , he said the sector has continued to grow despite the impact of COVID – 19 because of his regime ’ s targeted policies.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Femi Adesina , the President spoke at a meeting of the National Food Security Council held at the Presidential Villa , Abuja .
The statement was titled “Despite COVID- 19 , we ’ ve been able to avert food crisis , says President Buhari . ”
Adesina quoted the President as saying that the COVID – 19 pandemic exposed the level of preparedness of nations to shocks of food security .
According to him , Buhari explained that the Federal Government’ s wisdom in promoting self – sufficiency over the years helped significantly in averting a food crisis .
The President , “The coronavirus pandemic has illustrated more than any event in recent history how countries must strive harder to protect food systems.
“ It has also exposed the limits of dependency on other countries .
“ In the last five years , we have recorded notable achievements. Despite the decline in GDP by 6 . 1 per cent in Q 2 of 2020 as a direct result of coronavirus , the agricultural sector continued to grow because of government targeted policies. ’’
“ I am pleased to note that most Nigerians are taking advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture and agric – business sector .
“ I want to assure you that this government will continue to support these initiatives and many more to come , ” the President said .
“ To protect agricultural investments and boost confidence to our farmers we have deployed thousands of agro -rangers and integrated rural communities to the formal economy by extending access to credit and inputs to rural farmers and building feeder roads .
“ We have invested in building our strategic grain reserves in recent years which we recently released significant quantities to cushion the adverse impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic to vulnerable households and industries , ’’ he added .
The National Association of Nigerian Students said it was set to hit the streets except the Federal Government reversed the increase in the pump price of fuel and electricity tariff .
The organisation threatened to embark on a nationwide protest on Monday September 14 , 2020 , if urgent steps were not taken to reverse the new prices .
NANS President , Danielson Akpan, who made this known during a press briefing in Abuja, called on the regime of the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd ) , to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians .
Akpan said , “ Nigerians are bewildered that having been under months of lockdown and restrictive measures , welcoming them back to normal life with increases in prices of essential commodities is a burden too harsh for the citizens to bear .
“ It is no longer news that the Federal Government in a swooping total deregulation and subsidy removal policy announced another increase in the pump price of PMS . It is also a known fact that prior to that , the Federal Government also approved increases in electricity tariff while banks regrettably reduced interests on customer savings .
“ The effects of these increases amidst earlier increments made in Value Added Tax and multiple taxations on goods and services have started causing unbearable consequences , thereby compounding the obvious imbalances in the economic and social life of Nigerians , most of whom are dependent on (unstable ) electricity supply and PMS to do businesses and make ends meet .
“ Precisely on Monday , September 14 2020 , Nigerian students shall be making a loud statement in a mass protest across the six geopolitical zones , and the Federal Capital Territory to demand outright reversal of the insensitive price hikes. ”
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