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Kaduna Govt, PLANE, other stakeholders commit to quality education, school safety
The Kaduna State Ministry of Education, and Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) program, and other stakeholders, have committed themselves to ensuring school safety and quality education in the state.
The commitments were made on Wednesday in Kaduna, at a one-day media parley and stakeholders roundtable to commemorate the 2024 International Day of Education.
The theme of the 2024 International Day of Education is “Promoting safe and violent-free school”, with a hashtag #Learning for lasting peace.
PUNCH reports that the event, was organized by PLANE in collaboration with the Kaduna Basic Education and Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM).
In his address, the Kaduna state Chairman of KADSUBEB, Tijjani Abdullahi, expressed delight over the achievements they have made so far in safeguarding schools in Kaduna state.
He reeled out some of the achievements the state made in safeguarding schools including the domestication of the national policy on safety, security, and violence-free schools along with its implementation guidelines.
He also mentioned the establishment of safeguarding teams in the 23 LGAs and peace clubs across the basic schools in the state.
According to Abdullahi, KADSUBEB has about 30,000 teachers for lower and middle basics and about 4,000 teachers for the upper basics.
He noted that the teacher gap analysis conducted by the state suggested that the schools in the state would need about 13,000 teachers, which the state government has since approved the recruitment in batches to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio in the state from 80-1 to 60-1.
“Kaduna state has about 4,260 primary schools also known as lower-basic and middle-basic schools and about 177 junior secondary or upper-basic schools.”
” Quality, and safe education delivery is a collective responsibility, therefore safe school and violence-free environment is a fundamental factor that determines the development and maintenance of learners’ academic focus on their school work,” He added.
He restated the state government’s commitment to ensuring the welfare and enabling environment for teachers and learners to thrive.
Also, the Safeguarding Advisor of PLANE in Kaduna, Hadiza Nasiru, said that a school should ideally be a sanctuary, a space where young minds could flourish without fear of harm or intimidation.
She, however, lamented that the reality falls short of the ideal with incidents of violence and insecurity casting a shadow over the educational landscape.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the representative of KADBEAM, Mr. Steven Wayah, said the meeting was aimed at ensuring safe and violent-free schools in Kaduna state.
He, therefore, said it was why they collaborated with stakeholders and other MDAs to bring out what they needed to do to achieve this aim.
PUNCH reports that other stakeholders at the meeting included media houses representatives, Kaduna State Peace Commission, Kaduna State Interfaith Bureau, CAN, JNI and Persons with disabilities, among others.
By Abubakar Yunusa
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has slashed its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N825.
Esan Sunday, head of media relations and branding communications at Dangote Group, announced the reduction in a statement on Wednesday.
The development comes more than three weeks after the refinery reduced petrol price from N950 per litre to N890.
The new price means that the refinery has significantly cut the ex-depot price by N125 from N950 per litre in January.
“This recent price reduction will also ensure that Nigerians pay between N860 and N865 per litre for petrol at the pump in Lagos,” the statement reads.
“This strategic price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in celebration of the Ramadan season, while also supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
“It is important to note that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently lowered the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians.
“This marks the second reduction of PMS prices in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60 earlier in the month.
“Additionally, in December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season.”
The oil firm refinery also said previous reductions have positively impacted the overall cost of living, benefiting various sectors of the economy.
Dangote refinery added that its high-quality products, which have become a favourite in both domestic and international markets, will remain available nationwide, particularly through its key partners — MRS Holdings, AP (Ardova Petroleum), and Heyden — at market-friendly rates.
The organisation assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand and a surplus for export, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange (FX) earnings.
The refinery also called on marketers to support the initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of its effort
Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the ruling party had a debt of N8.9 billion when he assumed office.
Ganduje took over from Abdullahi Adamu, who was the national chairman of the APC until his resignation in July 2023.
Speaking during the APC’s NEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Kano governor said the expenses were incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
“The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” Ganduje said.
However, the APC chairman said Kareem Kana, the national legal adviser, has been working to reduce the debt burden.
“We still passionately appeal to the national executive committee to intervene accordingly,” he said.
Earlier today, the chairman said the party is making efforts to mend internal divisions and bring aggrieved members back into the fold.
Ganduje explained that the APC had initiated high-level discussions among party leaders and stakeholders to address lingering disagreements and strengthen party unity.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.