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Education

Nacabs Poly grants scholarship to 300 Nasarawa students

Nacabs Poly grants scholarship to 300 Nasarawa students

By Awayi Kuje
Scholarship
Akwanga (Nasarawa State), July 9, 2019 (NAN) Nacabs Polytechnic, Akwanga, Nasarawa State, has revealed plans to grant scholarship to 300 students for 2019/2020 academic session.
Mr Mandy Abuluya, Proprietor of the polytechnic, made this known on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akwanga.
He explained that the gesture was in line with his desire to provide opportunity for less privileged children of society to acquire higher education.
According to him, the 2019/2020 academic session scholarship beneficiaries were different from the over 155 students, who are currently on scholarship of the institution.
“I will offer scholarship to 300 children to read the courses of their choice in this institution for the 2019/2020 academic session.’’
Abuluya explained that each of the first class and other graded traditional rulers in the state would be given a number of slots of the scholarship to produce beneficiaries from their respective chiefdoms and domains.
He noted that the measure was to ensure that the benefit got to all parts and sections of the state.
“I will give slots to first class and other graded traditional rulers to bring candidates from their respective domain who qualified for the scholarship.
“I will also give some slots to the former Presidents and senators constituting the Students Union Government, SUG, of the institution to bring their candidates so as to benefit from 2019/2020 scholarship award.’’
On academic programmes, the proprietor revealed that plans were on by the institution to commence full fledge Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in six courses.
He enumerated the courses bid for the commencement of HND to include Accounting, Business Administration/Management, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Electronics Engineering and Statistics.
According to him, the institution is expecting accreditation team from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) any moment from now.
He expressed optimism that the visit by the NBTE accreditation team would boost the commencement of full fledge HND programmes in the above courses.
The proprietor restated his continued commitment to initiate good education policies and programmes that would have direct bearing on the lives of the students and staff of the institution. (NAN)
AKW/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Shell awards scholarships to 1,035 students, undergraduates in Rivers

Shell awards scholarships to 1,035 students, undergraduates in Rivers

Scholarships

By Desmond Ejibas

Port Harcourt, Nov. 27, 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 1,035 secondary school students  and undergraduates on Tuesday received scholarships to pursue their academic dreams in Nigeria and abroad.

Mr Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director and Country Chairman of Shell Petroleum, presented the scholarship letters to the beneficiaries during a ceremony organised by the company in Port Harcourt.

Okunbor said the scholarships were awarded to mark the company’s 2018 Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Joint Venture Education Day.

According to him, SPDC has for many decades invested heavily in the nation’s education sector as part of support to human resources and capital development of the country.

“In continuation of our efforts in education, SPDC-JV is offering 532 regular secondary students scholarships to continue their various academic pursuits.

“Also, 60 scholarships will be given to students in our Cradle-to-Career Secondary school programme while 430 will receive their undergraduates’ scholarships.

“In addition, 10 students will be giving scholarships to study abroad in our International Postgraduate scholarship programme,” he said.

Okunbor said the company would also sponsor professional chairs in Geophysics at the Centre of Excellence in Marine and Offshore Engineering at the Rivers State University.

He added that professional chairs would be endowed in Geosciences, Petroleum Engineering and Eco-Marathan while sabbaticals and research internship programmes would also get support.

“These initiatives are all aimed at enhancing collaboration with the academia to produce industry-ready graduates.

“SPDC is passionate about education, and this informed why for many decades, the company had been supporting education in Nigeria through scholarships and social investment initiatives.

“Education is often referred to as the soul of society and bedrock to growth and human capital development of any nation. SPDC believes in this statement,” he said.

The managing director gave assurance that the company would continue to support the Nigerian government towards actualizing the UNESCO Education For All programme in the country.

Speaking, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, commended SPDC for the scholarships and urged other multinational companies and organisations to emulate SPDC.

Represented by Mr Olagunju Latif, a senior official of the ministry, Adamu said the Federal Government was concerned with high tuition charged by some schools in the country.

“To this end, we commend the effort of Shell companies and its partners in complimenting the efforts of government in such critical areas that is of paramount importance to nation building,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high point of the event was the presentation of cheques to respective awardees. (NAN)

DES/DOE/WOJ

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Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Wale Ojetimi

General news

FCTA grants scholarship to girl hit by Air Force Jet

FCTA grants scholarship to girl hit by Air Force Jet
By Kabir Muhammad
Scholarship
Abuja, Oct. 3, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to provide scholarship to Miss Elizabeth Elijah who was hit by flying debris from the crashed fighter jet during air training for Nigeria Independence Day celebration.
The Director, FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), Dr Adamu Noma, disclosed this when he visited the girl at Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, with some directors who represented the administration on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, the FCT Administration has decided to take care of all expenses for her education, explaining that the scholarship will take care of all her schooling.
“As soon as she is discharged from hospital, the scholarship will commence,” Noma assured.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Elijah was said to be in the farm at Mpape near Maitama District, that fateful day when the ill-fated NAF aircraft mishap happened and she was hit by flying debris from the fighter jet.
The ill-fated fighter jet collided with another killing the pilot during air training for Nigeria Independence Day celebration where Elijah was hit and injured at the leg by fragments of the jet.
Noma also assured that the FCTA has granted her scholarship to university level and that they will be ready to foot her bills for as long as she can go in educational pursuit.
He said the FCT Administration would be responsible for her tuition, books, uniform, foot wears and any other requirement needed in school.
Alhaji Ahmad Rani, Director FCT Scholarship Board, confirmed the scholarship, adding that the board is ready to foot the bills and follow her up.
The girl, who is responding to treatment, has been stabilised from the trauma and the injury, and will be discharged soon.
NAN also learnt that Elijah, 15, hails from Kachia, Kaduna State, but reside with her family at Chikoko village in Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
She completed primary six in Chikoko, but poverty prevented from proceeding for secondary education.
NAN also gathered that her father could not afford transport fare from the village to see her at the Maitama Hospital.
Among those who visited Elijah at the hospital where the scholarship form was presented to the family for proper documentation include the Director, FCT Scholarship Board, and Director of FCT Call Centre, Hajia Jummai Amadu. (NAN)
KM/OSA/MST
Edited by Shittu Obasa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Niger lawmaker offers scholarship to 10 students

Scholarship
By Amen Gajira
Minna, Aug. 2, 2018 (NAN) A lawmaker, Alhaji Shuaibu Iya, representing Suleja Constituency in the Niger House of Assembly has offered scholarship to 10 students in various institutions of higher learning in the country.

Iya told the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna on Thursday that the scholarship was part of efforts to support the educational development of youths in his constituency.

“The most significant part of my constituency projects is in the area of scholarships and I am sponsoring them from 100 level to graduation.

“The sponsorship is my own little way of encouraging the educational development of our people.

“We all know the importance of education in one’s life and that is why I support people who are willing to embrace it,” he added.

The lawmaker said that the beneficiaries were drawn from the 10 wards in his constituency after satisfying certain criteria.

He disclosed that he had paid the WAEC, NECO and JAMB fees of numerous students and constructed two classroom blocks at Anguwar Gayan Local Government Model Primary School.

According to him, other projects executed by him are, the construction of 0.6km Madalla-Zuba old road and rehabilitation of 1.5km road from Zariyawa to Tunga Labaran.

Others include, equipping of two rural clinics and sponsorship of eye and ear surgeries for 10 people as well as sinking of four motorized boreholes, among others.

On the relationship between the executive and legislature in the state, he said it was cordial and was responsible for the successes so far achieved in the state.

“Our relationship with the executive has been great. It is normal for people to disagree on some things but on the whole, we are good.

“And I think it is the good relationship we have enjoyed so far that is responsible for the rapid development being witnessed in the state.

“In our bid to move this state forward, we shall continue to put the common good above all other interests and considerations,” he said.

He said the 8th legislature in the state was committed to enacting laws and executing projects that have direct bearing on the people.

NAN reports that the lawmaker came on board in March 2016 following a bye-election. (NAN)
AMEN/OIF/IS
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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Ismail Abdulaziz

Education

PTDF adopts federal character in award of scholarship scheme

A typical Testing centre for the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF)

NAN-H-19

Scholarship

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Abuja, July 8, 2017 (NAN) The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) on Saturday said it followed the Federal Character principle in shortlisting candidates for the electronic aptitude test for its scholarship scheme.

The Executive Secretary of the Fund, Dr Bello Gusau, disclosed this to newsmen while supervising the examination at the Chams City Centre in Abuja.

Gusau said that over 4,949 candidates sitting for the examination were shortlisted nationwide, with 1,700 of them from North Central.

“The idea of the federal character is one of the reasons why the test is taking place in the six geopolitical zones.

“The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has representatives in all the centres in this ongoing aptitude test across the country,’’ he said.

He explained that the Fund considered areas of deficit and skill gaps in the oil and gas sector in selecting candidates.

According to him, the essence of the scheme is to train the required professionals to fill the spaces that would drive growth and development of the oil industry.

The executive secretary added that special preference was given to physically challenged candidates.

“As the sector is growing, new demands for skills are also growing, so we will keep tracking that and tailor our capacity building programmes to meet those demands.’’

He expressed the hope that the outcome would help in ensuring that all qualified candidates were accommodated in the scheme.

Mr Mamman Alakayi, Commissioner representing the FCC, said the commission was present at the centres to ensure federal character compliance.

He remarked that federal character was used in the process of shortlisting candidates as required by the law.

“It is a rule in federal character that you must advertise and it was done for interested candidates to apply.

“The commission after six weeks ensured that all applications were collated screened and those shortlisted are invited for the test,’’ he said.

Alakayi said that the test usually held in three centres – Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, but “this year it is taking place in all the six zones’’.

In a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a candidate, Mr Mongol Christmas from Benue commended PTDF for its fairness in shortlisting candidates for the test.

“I just bought the form online and wrote the test as instructed and I was later informed through an email that I have been shortlisted for the test.

“I did not know anybody, my sister who had benefited previously just told me to get the form and I did all that was required.

“That was exactly how I got shortlisted, I hope to pass the test and be a beneficiary,’’ Christmas said.

NAN reports that 891 candidates were shortlisted for the PTDF 2016/2017 Local and Oversea Scholarship Schemes from the 1,501 who applied for the awards.

From 2001 to 2016, PTDF funded the training of 2,839 candidates for Masters degrees and 839 PhD in various fields related to the oil and gas industry under its Oversea Scholarship Scheme.

Also, 862 candidates benefited for the local scholarship award for undergraduate, MSc and PhD scholars within the same period. (NAN)

ENO/AIB/MZA

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Maharazu Ahmed

Health

FEMA gives scholarship to 1,435 IDPs children in Abuja

FEMA gives scholarship to 1,435 IDPs children in Abuja

NAN-HG-6

Scholarship

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, June 16, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said it has given scholarship to 1,435 children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.

The Director-General of the agency, Mr Abbas Idris, disclosed this at the occasion to mark 2017 African Child Day in Abuja.

Idris explained that 522 of the children were sponsored to primary school, 452 got scholarship for Junior Secondary education, while 420 of them were given scholarship to attend Senior Secondary schools.

He assured of more of such scholarship to ensure some IDPs’ children were given opportunity to have their education in spite their condition.

The director-general also commended the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, for giving similar scholarship to the children of IDPs in Abuja.

According to him, the children of IDPs need to be taken care of and ensure that they have sound education because they were part of the future of the country.

Mr Arinze Orakwue, the representative of the Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), urged leaders at all levels to work hard to give children of IDPs a better life.

Orakwue said that the IDPs children were innocent and they were displaced because of the action of adults hence they must be catered for. (NAN)

MS/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Councillor disburses scholarship to 53 secondary students 

Councillor disburses scholarship to 53 secondary students 

NAN-H-5

Scholarship

By Awayi Kuje

Kokona (Nasarawa State), May 23, 2017 (NAN) Mr Danjuma Gambo, a member of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of Kokona Local Government Council, has disbursed scholarship to 53 secondary school students of his ward.

Gambo, who represents Nikoro electoral ward, disbursement N3,000 to each of the benfiaciries on Tuesday at Nikoro.

He said the gesture was to support indigent students from the area and improve on the standard of education in the state.

The councillor added that the gesture was borne out of his desire to reduce the hardship faced by students within his ward as well as reduce the burden of school fees on their parents.

“The scholarship scheme was designed to reduce the burden of school fees on parents and to enable the students purchase text books, exercise books or any other schools items.

“As Interim Management Committee member of Kokona local government representing Nikoro ward, I deem it necessary to contribute my quota to the development of the education sector in my ward, the state and the country at large.

“Despite meagre resources, the people of my ward can testify to what I have done to better their standard of living; it is better to assist the people no matter how little it is so as to improve on the standard of living of the people.

“Today, I am distributing a scholarship scheme to 53 secondary schools students in which each student will receive N3,000 in order to reduce their plight,’’ he said.

He urged the beneficiaries to be serious in their studies in order to justify the huge investments made in their education by their parents and governments.

Besides, he called Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Tanko Al-Makura to enable them deliver more democracy dividends.

Responding on behalf of other beneficiaries, Ms Ruth Sunday, thanked the councillor for the gesture and promised to ensure good usage of the money.

She called on other politicians and wealthy individuals to emulate the gesture in order to reduce the plight of the less privileged in the society.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the disbursement exercise was attended by stakeholders from the area, including parents of the beneficiaries. (NAN)

AKW/AAB/MST
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Orlam Rice offers N1.5m scholarship to 30 students in Nasarawa

 

NAN-H-85
Scholarship
By Muhammad Baba Busu
Doma (Nasarawa State) March 23, 2017 (NAN) A rice production outfit, Orlam Rice Nigeria Limited, has offered N1.5 million scholarship to 30 students studying in various tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries collected their cheques on Thursday, at a ceremony held at Government Secondary School, Rukubi in Doma Local Government Area, where the company is located

Prof. Moses Ugah, a consultant to the firm, who presented the cheques, said that the gesture was part of the firm’s efforts to uplift the standard of education in the host communities.

He disclosed that N50,000 was given to each of the 30 successful students, and listed the benefiting communities to include Ejio, Rukubi, Olegokpa, Onduri, Odendu and Achinbe.

Ugah restated the firm’s deep commitment to uplifting the living standards of host communities, noting that attention was being paid to education because the future depended on it.

“Education is the cornerstone for sustainable development. If one person is educated, the entire nation feels the impact,” he said.

Also speaking, the Community Relations Manager of the company, Mr Abubakar Ogashua, said that the selection of beneficiaries was “strictly on merit”.

He advised those that were not successful to reapply next year as the exercise would be a continuous one.

In his remarks, Mr Ezegoya Peter, Principal, Government Secondary School, Rukubi advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money so as to make the company proud.

Oyiyole Onenche, one of the beneficiaries, who responded on behalf of the rest, thanked the firm for the gesture, and promised that it would used “very wisely”. (NAN)

BAB/OIF/ETS

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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and Ephraims Sheyin

 

 

 

General news

$533,000 Scholarship Scam: Kano State anti-graft agency seals ex-commissioner’s hospital

$533,000 Scholarship Scam: Kano State anti-graft agency seals ex-commissioner’s hospital

NAN-H-11

Hospital

By Mustapha Yauri

Abuja, March 23, 2017 (NAN) The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has sealed a hospital belonging to a former Commissioner for Health in the state over alleged diversion of 533,000 dollars (about N163 million).

The Chairman of the commission, Mr Muhuyi Rimingado, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by telephone on Thursday in Abuja.

Rimingado said that the health facility, New Age Diabetic Clinic, located at Dorayi Babba in Kano, belonged to Dr Abubakar Yusuf, the former commissioner for health allegedly involved in the scholarship scam.

He said the amount was part of 1.5 million dollars (about N458 million) meant for the payment of scholarship grants to 139 students sponsored by the previous government to study at Al-Mansuora International University, Egypt.

He explained that the commission’s attention was drawn to the development following complaints of non-payment of the allowances by the students.

The chairman said that the allowances covered the 2012 to 2014 tuition and accommodation fees of the students.

Rimingado said that the subsequent seizure of 200,000 dollars (about N61 million) by authorities at the Cairo International Airport from a Nigerian bound for Kano was also directly linked to the ex-commissioner.

The chairman said that the suspect had confessed his connection to the seized $200,000.

“Yusuf said the money was meant to finance a company they created but could not provide the source of the fund and the reason for the attempt to smuggle it into the country,’’ the chairman said.

“In the course of investigation, one of the directors at the Ministry of Health confirmed that he served the former commissioner with the money sourced from the consultant to the students’ scholarship scheme,” Rimingado added.

He said the consultant collected 1.5 million dollars from the Kano Government for the scholarship scheme, but how the fund was disbursed remained suspicious.

The Chairman said: “This is an act punishable under sections 22, 23, 40 and 41 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended)”.

The law empowers the commission to seize any money or property suspected to have been acquired fraudulently or corruptly.

Such funds, assets or property belonging to suspects under investigation shall remain in the custody of the commission pending final court verdict or at the discretion of the anti-graft agency.

He assured the public of the commission’s commitment to ensure justice, equity and fairness to all and sundry in the discharge of its mandate.

NAN also recalls that the commission is investigating staff of the state Judiciary over alleged non-remittance of about N100 million revenue to government coffers.

The anti-graft agency is also investigating some workers of the state traffic control authority (KAROTA) over an alleged N50 million corruption case. (NAN)

AM/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Plateau primary school pupil wins N12 Million scholarship

NAN-H-79
Competition
By Martha Agas
Jos, March 21, 2017(NAN) Master Godswill Okafor, a primary six pupil of the Plateau Private School, Jos has won a N12 million scholarship in a mathematics competition held in Abuja.

The scholarship covers his six-year secondary school education in any of the six Tulip Colleges in Nigeria.

Okafor came second in the northern region where he competed with 512 others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition was organised by the Nigeria Tulip International College (NTIC), Abuja, in collaboration with the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja.

Mr Lucky Abdul-Hakeem, the Managing Director of NTIC, who briefed newsmen on the competition on Tuesday in Jos, said that the initiative was to encourage pupils to love mathematics and improve their performance in it.

“The scholarship covers tuition, feeding and accommodation of the pupil for the six-year study in the school,” he explained.

He said that the competition commenced in February and ended with the award ceremony, adding that N200,000 cash was also given to Okafor.

Abdula-Hakeem said that a desktop computer was given to Okafor’s school, while his mathematics teacher received N100,000 cash gift.

In her remarks, Mrs. Joy Okafor, the mother of the winner, commended the school for grooming her son to excel in the competition.

Okafor, a nurse, challenged parents to augment efforts of schools toward instilling excellence in children.

“We assist him in his homework; his father downloads mathematics questions from the internet and challenge him to answer them,” he said.

Godwin, who described his feat as “very encouraging”, advised his peers to love mathematics.

“The subject is simple; you only need to know the formula,” he said. (NAN)
MAA/MNA/ETS

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Edited by Maureen Atuonwu and Ephraims Sheyin