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UNESCO World Teachers Day; College of Education Minna Honors Staff, Retirees with cash, food items

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***Raises the Alarm of shortage of Staff in the Institution

The Niger state College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has honored members of staff of the college for their outstanding contribution to the academic excellence and the development of the college, with a call on the government to as a matter of urgency address the acute shortage of manpower in the institution.
This was part of activities as Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s UNESCO world Teachers day.
The recipients of the awards which include cash, food items and other materials are retirees, serving and late staff of the college who have distinguished themselves in the service of the institution since its establishment decades ago.
No fewer than 25 staff of the college were honored with cash rewards of N200, 000 each, 50kg bags of rice and other materials which the Chairman of COEASU, Niger state college of education chapter, Dr. Hassan Mohammed said were in recognition of their contribution to the college and the development of education in the state.
The COEASU Chairman in his welcome address at the awards ceremony on Friday at the college of education main campus in Minna, the state capital said though the awards are the first of its kind in the Institution, the Union could not allow the world Teachers day celebration come to pass without recognizing its members both those who have retired and those that are late.
Dr. Hassan pointed out that while the government continues to pay lip-service to the welfare of Teachers in the country, “it is high time we begin to recognize our colleagues and reward them here on earth”, adding that era of Teachers to wait for their reward in heaven is over.
He however used the occasion to draw the attention of the authorities to the shortage of manpower in the institution both Teaching and non Teaching staff which according to him is not only crippling academic activities in the college but putting undue pressure on the few available Teachers in the institution.
He disclosed that while the welfare of the Teachers remains a source of concern, they (Teachers) have been over stretched both mentally and physically due to the current shortage of manpower, adding that “people have died, some have retired and others left the service voluntarily yet there is no replacement for them.
“This is a threat to quality delivery in our education system because this situation is not peculiar to college of education Minna alone”.
This was collaborated by the Provost of the college, Professor Yakubu Muhammad Auna who said there is a huge gap in the manpower requirements of the institution and this, he admitted is taking the toll on both academic and non academic activities of the college.
Giving the statistics of the manpower requirement of the institution, the provost disclosed that as at 2017 when he was appointed as the provost of the college, the manpower shortage was 178 but today the gap has widen to 529, stressing that “this is a common knowledge in the institution and the government is very much aware of the current situation”.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, the state commissioner for education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed said the current administration in the state is committed to addressing the current challenges facing the education sector in the state which include shortage of manpower.
He added that “the education sector in the state is in dire need of transformation and we can only do that when we have enough and well trained Teachers”.
She equally expressed concern over the mass exodus of Teachers from schools in the rural areas and therefore call for community based Teachers in other to close the gap, pointing out that “there must be a deliberate effort by government towards community based Teachers if we must revive the decline”.

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News from Niger State

Niger Senator, Stakeholders Commend Works Ministe for Minna-Suleja Road Contract Revocation

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Sani Musa

Senator Mohammed Sani Musa of Niger East Senatorial District has praised the decision of Works Minister David Umahi to revoke the stalled contract for the dualization of the 83-kilometer Minna-Suleja road, calling the move a “long-overdue intervention” in Niger State.

In a statement released Monday in Minna, Senator Musa highlighted that the contract, initially awarded in 2010 to Salini Nigeria Construction Company, had seen minimal progress despite the road’s deteriorating condition, which has led to frequent accidents and fatalities. According to Musa, Umahi’s decision offers renewed hope to the people of Niger State and showcases the minister’s commitment to fulfilling President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s National Road Master Plan under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The Minister has taken a decisive step to address an urgent issue that has troubled the people of Niger State for over a decade,” Musa stated. “This revocation represents a commitment to ensure effective project delivery for the benefit of our communities.”

Senator Musa, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, noted that Minister Umahi recently convened a meeting with key stakeholders in Abuja to discuss challenges impeding 10 federal road projects across Niger State. During the meeting, former Niger State Governor Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago presented updates on each project, highlighting specific delays and the need for improved contractor performance.

Musa commended Minister Umahi’s firm stance on accountability, stating that the minister reprimanded underperforming contractors and staff within the ministry. Umahi reportedly warned that anyone found hindering project progress would face disciplinary action, including possible referrals to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a proactive response, Minister Umahi ordered the redesign and re-awarding of the Suleja-Lambatta-Minna road (Phases 1 & 2) and directed the contractor for the Bida-Lapai-Lambatta road to immediately resume work from the Bida-Lapai axis. Additionally, the minister committed to securing more funds for the Mokwa-Makera-Tegina road project in the 2025 budget.

Other local leaders, including APC chieftain and former Niger State Commissioner for Information Jonathan Vatsa, applauded President Tinubu’s administration for prioritizing infrastructure needs in the state. Vatsa contrasted this approach with the previous administration, stating that “despite strong support for President Buhari, Niger State saw little progress in essential areas like road development. President Tinubu’s actions are giving us hope.”

Senator Musa acknowledged the strong leadership of Governor Umar Bago, who, along with the state’s federal representatives, has worked closely with the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure that federal road projects in Niger are prioritized and meet quality standards. Musa concluded by urging the people of Niger State to support these developments, which he described as a turning point for road infrastructure in the region.

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Bago asks FG to revoke Minna-Suleja road contract over poor performance

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Mohammed Umar Bago

***says contractor lacks capacity

From John Adams, Minna

Niger state Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago has urged the Federal Government to revoke the contract for the Suleja-Minna road awarded to Salini Nigeria Limited since 2010, saying that the contractor lacks the necessary capacity to undertake the project.
The governor made the call in Minna on Wednesday during a Town Hall Meeting/Stakeholders Engagement on the construction of the 125KM:3- Lanes Single Carriage (Niger State Component) of the 1,068KM Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
The Governor while addressing the gathering explained that the call to terminate the contract had become expedien as it is clear that the company, Salini Nigeria Limited does not have the capacity to execute the road project effectively.
He observed that after 14 years the 83km road contract was awarded, only about 35 percent of the job has been achieved hence he demanded that the contract be terminated.
According to the governor, “I will look at this company in the face and say, Salini has failed, and the company doesn’t have the capacity.
We are calling on the Minister to revoke the contract and award it to Hi-Tech Construction Company or CCECC to handle, just like the way the Abuja-Kano road was revoked from Julius Berger recently”.
He also used the occasion to appeal to the federal government to refund monies invested by the Niger state Government to rehabilitate federal roads in the state, adding that “We have put in the State’s resources into the federal government roads project in Niger state and we are asking for refund. We did it because we have the same aspirations and dream with the federal government”.
Earlier, the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. Nweze David Umahi decried the poor state of federal roads in the state as well as others across the nation, saying that
“Many of these federal projects were awarded dating back to 2010 and have remained incomplete and abandoned by successive administrations”
On the Minna-Suleja road, the minister threatened to take a decisive action against the contractor handling the road project because of the obvious reason that it lacked the capacity to execute the work.
“The company cannot continue to collect money from the federal government for over 10 years without executing the project. I was initially told that work on Minna-Suleja road has reached 86℅.
“However, when I traveled on the road to Minna, I noticed nothing has been done, yet the contractor keeps collecting money on it”, he stated.
“The Bida-Lapai-Lambata Road is still at 64% completion despite awarding the contract over a decade ago.
“Presently, quality infrastructure and timely project completion are priorities for both state and federal stakeholders”.
Speaking on the importance of the stakeholders meeting, which focused on constructing the 125-kilometer, three-lane, single-carriageway Niger State segment of the larger 1,068-kilometer Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the minister said, “The Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is a federal road that will pass through several states, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos, with 125 kilometers of the highway to be constructed in Niger State”.
Furthermore, various stakeholders who spoke during the town hall meeting on behalf of the communities affected by the Niger state component of the Sokoto-Badagry road project called on the federal government to ensure that compensations are duly paid to the people while pledging their support for the success of the project.

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NECO Refutes Social Media Claims, Confirms Full Payment to External Examiners

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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has countered reports circulating on social media alleging that it owes allowances to 72,138 external examiners who worked on the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
NECO’s Acting Director of Information, Mallam Azeez Sani, in a statement issued in Minna on Wednesday clarified that the council has fully settled all outstanding payments to examiners as of Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Mallam Sani explained that the payment process, which began on October 4, 2024, required meticulous reconciliation to prevent errors and delays. He noted that some examiners had initially submitted incorrect bank details, causing minor delays that were quickly resolved.
In addition, the council pointed out that “it was discovered in the process that some Examiners submitted incorrect bank details, which the Council has reconciled with the affected examiners.
All 24 banks involved in the payment process have now been cleared.
The statement added that “NECO has completed the payment of the examiners allowances as at today Wednesday 13th November, 2024 according to the payment plan of the Council”.
Mallam Azeez therefore described as incorrect and false insinuation in the social media that the Council has deliberately refused to pay Examiners engaged in the conduct of the 2024 SSCE Internal their allowance.
“The Management advice that any person(s) engaged by the Council should seek clarification/explanation from it, on matters oblivious to them before resorting to the Media
“NECO wishes to reassure its esteemed Examiners and other ad-hoc Staff that the Council cherishes their invaluable contributions to the effective conduct of its examination and will therefore not take their renumeration for granted”.
It could be recalled that some social media platform had alleged that the examinations body was indebted to 72,138 Examiners that were engaged as ad-hoc Staff in the just released 2024 School-based Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for the payment of their allowance.

Mallam Sani reassured NECO’s commitment to timely and respectful payment practices for all its ad-hoc staff, emphasizing the council’s appreciation for their essential role in the successful administration of the examination.

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