NNPC targets two million barrels oil production daily
31st July 2024
Mele Kyari
Group CEO, NNPCL, Mele Kyari
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced its goal to increase crude oil production to two million barrels per day by the end of the year.
The country’s daily production rose from 1.27 million barrels in June to 1.6 million in July, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
Speaking during a meeting with Maritime Stakeholders at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters on Tuesday, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, expressed optimism that the target would be met, emphasising that NNPC was fully committed to achieving it.
Represented by the Managing Director of Pipeline NNPC, Folorunsho Karim, the oil firm’s boss urged security agencies to continue their efforts against oil theft and pipeline vandalism to help the company meet its target.
He said, “The target is to increase production to two million barrels by the end of the year, and we are fully committed to doing that. I appreciate the support of the Nigerian Navy in making this possible.
“They have been providing significant support, which has resulted in a reduction in oil theft. Pipeline vandalism has also decreased significantly, and there is a lot currently happening in the industry. We hope to sustain this progress to achieve our target of two million barrels per day by the end of the year.”
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, said Nigeria’s development has faced numerous complex security challenges over the past few decades, including violent agitations, oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and piracy/sea robbery.
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Ogalla added that these issues were driven by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, communal clashes, poverty, and unemployment.
“The traditional methods of addressing these security challenges have not yielded the desired results. Hence, the meeting also aimed to address emerging security issues arising from the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act.
“The Federal Government’s drive to develop the nation’s blue economy requires the support of all stakeholders,” he added.
He stated that the Navy was working to ensure its operations did not hinder operators but instead supported them in performing their duties and optimally producing.
Ogalla said, “Providing security is a way to promote ease of doing business because if there is no security, operators cannot function.
“We also ensure that our arrests and detentions do not impede legitimate business operators. When we make arrests, we conduct preliminary investigations quickly and release vessels if the information is found to be incorrect, so as not to disrupt businesses. This is our general contribution.
“We aim to promote ease of doing business by ensuring our operations and patrols do not create problems for operators. Instead, we support them by assuring them of protection from criminal elements who seek to disrupt business activities in Nigeria.”
ICYMI] Step-by-step guide on unblocking your MTN, Airtel, others using shortcode
MTN, Airtel
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Nigerian telecommunication companies have provided clear guidelines to help subscribers unblock their SIM cards, following recent disconnections due to the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) -SIM harmonisation exercise.
This initiative, aimed at enhancing the integrity of the national SIM registration database, has left many users facing temporary service disruptions.
To assist affected customers, telecom companies outlined in a statement on Monday step-by-step to restore connectivity.
1. Airtel: Dial *121# and enter your eleven-digit NIN. A confirmation message will indicate that your Airtel SIM card has been successfully unbarred.
2. 9mobile (EMTS): Dial *200*8#.
3. Glo: Dial 109 followed by your NIN number (e.g., *109*12345678901#) and follow the prompts to submit your NIN.
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4. MTN: Visit [nin.mtn.ng](http://nin.mtn.ng) to check NIN status. If not linked, proceed to link it. An OTP and NIN will be required. Once linked, your line will be automatically unbarred.
5. Smile: Send your NIN
to customercare@smile.com.ng or call 07020444444. After providing consent and verifying your NIN, your line will be unbarred.
6. Spectranet: Call 8002345678 or email care@spectranet.com.ng to submit your NIN. KYC verification at a Spectranet store is required. You can also submit your NIN online but must complete KYC at a Spectranet store.
7. Ntel: Visit any Ntel store with your NIN. Your fingerprint will be used to verify your existing KYC profile. Upon verification and consent, your line will be updated and unbarred.
Customers besiege banks to reactivate dormant accounts
31st July 2024
CBN-VUILDING-700×375
CBN Building
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Many bank customers affected by the new Central Bank of Nigeria guidelines on dormant accounts rushed to their various banks on Tuesday to reactivate the accounts.
Some of the customers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, said they had to activate their bank accounts to avoid the mopping up of their little savings by CBN.
Further inquiries by our correspondent confirmed the situation, with courtrooms also becoming crowded with requests to swear affidavits.
A bank official at a first-generation bank informed The PUNCH that numerous customers and families had submitted requests to re-activate inactive accounts so as not to lose the money to the apex bank that intends to use them for investment purposes.
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The official said, “Yes, we have seen customers coming to the bank to reactivate their accounts. Even relatives and next of kin to dead persons have submitted applications to withdraw amounts left in the account of their loved ones. It looks like the CBN guidelines made them remember those accounts.”
A businesswoman, Mrs Ugonne Akputa, said she paid some money into her six-year-old Access Bank account, which she had left for some time in order to reactivate it.
Akputa said she still needed to operate the account to save some money which she rarely withdrew.
”I went to my bank to make enquiries about my account, which I have left for some time now.
”They told me that I should just put money into the account to activate it, and I did,” she said.
Another customer at First Bank, Mr Cyprian Yusuf, said he was at the bank to make enquiries on his late brother’s account.
Yusuf said though he was not aware of the amount in the account, he would not forfeit the money.
”When I heard of this dormant account thing, I decided to quickly come to my late brother’s bank to ask them how I could retrieve the money.
”He died three years ago and I don’t think the account has been in operation.
”So, I want to see what I can do so that his wife and children can use the money at least to feed,” he said.
Another bank customer, Mrs Chinny Olaedo, appealed to banks and the CBN to ensure the safety of customers’ monies, especially those abroad.
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”I live abroad, but I came back to Nigeria for something very important to my family.
”I have a savings account in one of the banks, and I have my savings there. I transferred some money into the account recently so that it will still be active but I know that many people abroad might not know about this or do this.
”The CBN and other banks should make things easier for us abroad so that many of us will still be operating our Nigerian accounts,” she said.
A bank official who pleaded anonymity said it would take six months of no activity in an account before it would be declared dormant in their bank.
The official said the bank would notify customers whose accounts were dormant in line with the CBN’s guidelines.
The source said the bank was preparing reports to also notify the CBN on the status of their dormant customers’ accounts.
Another bank official, who also preferred anonymity, called on customers whose accounts were dormant to pay in money into them to activate them.
According to CBN, eligible accounts are dormant accounts with balances that have remained with the financial institutions for 10 years and beyond.
The apex bank said the aim of the guidelines was to identify dormant accounts/unclaimed balances and financial assets with a view to re-uniting them with their beneficial owners and holding the funds in trust for the beneficial owners.
The bank said the objective was also to standardise the management of dormant accounts/unclaimed balances and financial assets and establish a standard procedure for reclaiming warehoused funds.
The CBN said it would open and maintain an account earmarked to warehouse unclaimed balances in eligible accounts.
According to the CBN, the account would be called an “Unclaimed Balances Trust Fund Pool Account”.
The CBN had also cleared next-of-kin, a legal representative or beneficial owner, to make claims on unclaimed balances or funds in dormant accounts.
The bank said the NoK to dormant account owner could now make claims on unclaimed balances or funds in dormant accounts by submitting applications for the reclaims to the financial institutions.
Dozens of staff at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, have been hospitalized due to a food poisoning outbreak in Singapore.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, affected 60 people who experienced symptoms of gastroenteritis. Of these, 57 were treated in hospital.
ByteDance does not prepare or cook food at its offices, instead, it uses third-party caterers to supply meals.
Reports revealed that at least seventeen ambulances were dispatched to ByteDance’s office building in Singapore’s business district to assist those who had fallen ill.
Barring of phone lines heightens tension amid protest scare
•Telcos shut service centres in fear •Angry subscribers storm MTN, Glo, Airtel offices, vandalise facilities •ALTON berates destruction •NCC orders immediate reactivation of barred lines By Prince Osuagwu, Shina Abubakar, Juliet Umeh, Efe Onodjae & Adanna Nwankwo
Barely 48 hours to the planned nationwide protest against hardship in the country, telecom operators (telcos) in Nigeria, have borne the brunt of angry Nigerians, after they complied with the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC’s deadline to bar numbers not properly linked with the National Identity Number, NIN.
No sooner the telcos, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Glo and 9Mobile, disconnected thousands of subscribers who they said didn’t comply with the NIN-SIM linkage directive, than angry Nigerians stormed their offices across the country to vent their frustrations, accusing the telcos of deliberate efforts to shut down their networks as a way of sabotaging the planned protest slated between August 1-10, 2024.
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Trouble started when a prominent Nigerian lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, in a statement, Sunday, accused the telcos of trying to frustrate the planned protest by deliberately restricting services and incessantly barring subscribers’ numbers.
Adegboruwa alleged that: “From all indications, it would seem that the underlying target of the telecom companies is to limit the reach of their customers in order to restrict access and thus frustrate the protest.”
However, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria, ALTON, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, dismissed the allegation describing it as laughable. Adebayo said the social and economic contract with the people to provide services which are critical to their lives, at all times, would not permit his members to do as they were accused.
For him, “both those for and against the protest are our subscribers, so if we try to frustrate it, whose interest will we be serving?” he queried.
But, despite the denial, protests against massive call barring continued yesterday with operators facilities in some parts of Lagos, Abuja, Warri, Oshogbo and other parts of the country damaged. Eye witness account, recounted that angry subscribers pulled out the gates and barricades of MTN service centre in 23 Road, Festac Town and damaged unquantifiable amount of properties.
Protests in Festac, Oshogbo, others
Also in Oshogbo, Osun State, hundreds of subscribers, on Monday trooped out to protest the action of telcos in barring their lines.
The protesters marched to the offices of different telecom operators in the state, particularly Dada estate, Head office of MTN Nigeria in the state.
Many of the protesters claimed to have arrived the MTN office since 6.00 am with a view to unblocking their barred SIM cards but could not get quick services.
The protesters also blocked the Osogbo-Iwo Road leading to Oke-Fia area of the state capital, thereby disrupting traffic and creating gridlock in the area.
The customers consisting of old men, women, pregnant women and others, including civil servants appeared visibly angry over refusal to be attended to by the workers in the office.
According to a resident of Dada estate, Mr Ismail Ademola who was affected by the blockage, subscribers had lined up since 8am but could not be attended to after several hours.
Another customer, Ifeoluwa Dayo, said, “I left my children at home since 7am in Ikirun, Ifelodun local government area of the state only to get here and be told that I should come back another day in this period of high transport fare.”
Security operatives, especially DSS officials were later called in to calm the rising tension. The situations in Festac and Oshogbo were just few out of many in the Telcos’ offices in major cities, including Obalende, Victoria Island, Mushin and Ikeja in Lagos State,; Onitsha in Anambra State, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Warri in Delta State.
Viral videos online show protesters venting their frustration and anger over the sudden disconnection. The protests highlight the frustration and disruption caused by the mass disconnection, with many subscribers demanding a resolution to the issue.
NCC reacts
Meanwhile, the telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has directed all operators to urgently reactivate all lines that were disconnected since the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their National Identification Numbers, NINs with their Subscriber Identity Module, SIMs.
The commission said the reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.
NCC said: “At the weekend many subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines because of the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their National Identification Numbers (NINs) with their Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs). This meant that their numbers were blocked by their telecom service providers in keeping with laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.
“Telecoms consumers and the public will recall the compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM which began in December 2020 when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.
“Since December 2023, the Commission has reviewed the deadline a few times; April 15, 2024 was set as the deadline for the full network barring of subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details. This deadline was then reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines are yet to be linked with verified NINs.
“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities while also providing a critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry.
“The consumer is our priority; therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.
“Members of the public who are yet to verify their SIMs are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to maintain access to their lines,” the commission added.
ALTON berates wanton destruction of telcos facilities
In compliance with the reconnection directive of the NCC, the telcos, through their umbrella body, the Association of Telecom Operators in Nigeria, ALTON confirmed to Vanguard that efforts to reactivating barred lines are on top gear but however appealed that while some barred lines would get instant reversal, some others may take up to 24 hours to return to making calls, saying it’s a natural network behaviour.
The association’s Chairman Engr. Gbenga Adebayo also berated the wanton destruction of telcos facilities in many parts of the country saying such actions do not only set the operators backward but also severely affect quality of service.
He said that the millions of naira to be used in restoring such damaged facilities will set the already dwindling revenue of the operators and eventually affect their contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Lagos plans to get N200 billion annually from taxing remote workers
Lagos State government
The Lagos State government has unveiled an ambitious plan to generate N200 billion annually by expanding its income tax base to include remote workers and leveraging digital solutions for enhanced revenue collection.
According to the synopsis document for the EKO Revenue Plus Summit, which is expected to hold on September 25th and 26th, 2024, with the theme “Unlocking New Revenue Streams for Lagos State”, this southwest state plans to raise N5 trillion internally generated revenue (IGR) from four major sectors.
One of such sectors is the digital economy, through which Lagos State plans to introduce a Resident Global Digital Citizen Tax Management System, targeting remote workers, foreign firms, and digital influencers.
This system will also involve accreditation and licensing of digital economy operators, supported by a robust platform including e-Portal, Market Place, and a Recovery Platform.
According to the synopsis document, the initiative’s estimated budget is N250 million, covering portal construction, data mining, partnerships, stakeholder engagements, and communications.
The southwest state aims to generate N200 billion annually from about two million people in this area.
Other revenue targets for the digital economy sector
Digitalization of Government Services and Data Monetization: Lagos State plans to develop a public data marketplace to license and monetize data from various government services. Key components include the Lagos ProveIT App and the Lagos State Document Validation and Authentication App. This initiative is expected to cost N500 million and potentially generate N50 billion per year.
Lagos State Fintech Hub: The state plans to establish a fintech hub to support digital payments, mobile money, lending, and crowdfunding. The projected budget is N5 billion, with an estimated annual revenue of N100 billion from vendor transaction fees and platform services.
Lagos State Software Development Center: It also targets a new hub focused on developing software solutions for finance, SMEs, and retail sectors is planned. With a budget of N500 million, the initiative aims to generate N150 billion annually from subscriptions and service fees.
Lagos State Digital Economy Acceleration Hub: This initiative involves selecting and developing 100 innovative startups through a hackathon and subsequent support, with an estimated cost of N12 billion and expected revenue of N100 billion per year from profit-sharing models.
Lagos State Advertisement Network: The creation of a state-owned advertisement network and approval management platform is anticipated. With a budget of N500 million, the projected annual revenue is N15 billion from income fees and permits.
Blockchain and Tokenization Agenda: Lagos State plans to implement tokenization for real estate, infrastructure, and intellectual property. This project will require N500 million and aims to generate N100 billion annually from income fees and permits.
Collaboration with FGN on Digital Service Tax (DST): The state plans to work with the Federal Government to implement DST, generating revenue from global digital platforms operating in Nigeria. This collaboration has a budget of N750 million and is projected to bring in N50 billion annually.
What you should know
With the EKO Revenue Plus Summit happening in September, Lagos State plans to hit N5 trillion in internally generated revenue (IGR) under the current governorship of Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
A part of the document read: “Increasing Lagos State IGR to 5 Trillion Naira in the life of the current administration requires a comprehensive and innovative approach that leverages technology, strengthens tax administration, expands the tax base and explores new revenue stream options, especially in the non-tax areas, while optimizing the existing processes.”
The Lagos State government has set an ambitious target to significantly boost its internally generated revenue (IGR) as part of the Lagos New Money Initiatives.
The plan aims to propel the IGR to a staggering N5 trillion by unlocking an additional N2.73 trillion stream of revenue.
This initiative is designed to build upon the existing IGR framework target of N1.25 trillion, thus creating a substantial financial foundation for the state.
The Lagos State government has identified four core sub-sectors of the state’s economy as key areas for additional revenue generation, aiming to achieve an incremental IGR of approximately N2.73 trillion.
These sub-sectors, which include the Property Industry, Digital Economy, Informal Sector, and Circular Economy, are each poised to contribute significantly to the state’s financial growth.
The Property Industry alone is expected to generate N1.5 trillion, while the Digital Economy is projected to add N750 billion. The Informal Sector is anticipated to bring in N460 billion, and the Circular Economy is expected to contribute N20 billion.
The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appointed popular comedian Oluseyi Aletile, also known as Seyi Law, as his Senior Special Assistant on Entertainment and Tourism.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, made this known in a statement on Monday in Akure, the state capital, stating that the appointments are effective immediately.
Adeniyan added that the appointments are part of the governor’s efforts to enhance governance and service delivery in the state.
Others appointed as Senior Special Assistants include Alonge Felix Kolawole (Social Investment), Hon. Tomide Akinribido (ICT), Allen Sowore (Strategic Communication), Femi Lawson (Public Enlightenment), and Rotimi Agbede (Citizen Orientation).
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Also appointed were Muyiwa Ogunleye (Community Integration), Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola (Agric & Agribusiness), Uzoma Egbulefu (Non-indigenes), and Chief Olufunke Adu (Market Women Relations).
Others are Mrs Eko Davies (Traders Affairs), Kike Isijola (Digital Media), Mrs Dupe Adetuwo (Arts & Culture), Oriade Adebanwo (Emergency Response), Fadesola Ojamomi (Inter-Party Affairs), Oladimeji Olawale (Intra-Party Affairs), Akinboni Samuel (Party Affairs), and Bello Titus Abiodun (Innovation).
Special Assistants for mobilization and representation of non-indigenous communities in the state include Hon. Ejor Agagu (Mobilisation), Oluyemi Damilola Grace (Mobilisation), Isaiah Igwe (Non-indigenes for Igbo – North), Francis Belohun (Non-indigenes for Igbo – Central), Uche Okafor (Non-indigenes for Igbo – South), Mohammed Jamil (Non-indigenes for Hausa – North), Goniya Garuba (Non-indigenes for Hausa – Central), Issa Umar Mohammed (Non-indigenes for Hausa – South), Tenuche Fatai (Non-indigenes for Ebira – North), Alhaji Abdulkadir Adinoyi (Non-indigenes for Ebira – Central), Alhaji Abdulkareem Ododo (Non-indigenes for Ebira – South), and Imo Owoh (Non-indigenes for others).
Foreign missions foresee violence as FG, Obi differ on protest sponsorship.
The united States, United Kingdom and Canada have raised the alarm over the likelihood of violence during the planned August 1 #EndBadGovernance protest in the country.
The three countries, in separate travel alerts, cautioned their nationals in Nigeria to avoid getting caught in the confrontation that might occur between the security agencies and protesters, citing past incidences.
The advisories come as apprehensive market leaders in Abuja, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Ogun, Osun, Zamfara, Gombe and other parts of the country requested strong security around markets during the rallies.
Also in preparation for the demonstration, the police authorities have recalled all personnel on non-essential duties.
A memo dated July 25, 2024 and signed by CSP Okon Moses directed the withdrawal of riot policemen ahead of the protest.
The message titled, ‘Notification of temporary withdrawal of personnel for national assignment,’ read, ‘’In view of the planned nationwide protest, it becomes imperative to temporarily withdraw some of the personnel attached to you in order to muster sufficient officers to dominate the public space.
“This is part of the proactive necessary measures to enhance the operational capacity/capability of the squadron and your understanding in the above regard is highly solicited.’’
Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, told The PUNCH that the personnel withdrawal was in line with the Inspector-General of Police’s directive.
He added that this was done to bolster the strength of the police, adding that the men would be deployed to fortify banks and other critical national assets.
He said, “The IG ordered the withdrawal of policemen from some beats to augment our strength. Those withdrawn are those on non-essential duties. We’re going to have men to fortify banks and critical assets. That is where we will have our men, we want our men to be back to base.”
The PUNCH reported that the military had cancelled leaves and passes for its personnel.
In the past weeks, the organisers of the protest, under the #EndBadGovernance tag, have intensified the mobilisation of youths and civil society groups to participate in the rallies against the economic hardship in the country and the alleged failure of the Tinubu administration to address the people’s plight.
On assuming office in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced an end to fuel subsidy, promising to utilise the savings on infrastructural development, but the policy, compounded by insecurity in farming communities, sparked high transport costs leading to food inflation.
Tinubu also unified the foreign exchange rates to curb currency arbitrage and floated the naira resulting in a slump in the value of the national currency.
Stop trying to demarket Dangote refinery, Northern elders warn
27th July 2024
Prof Ango Abdullahi
Chairman, NEF, Prof Ango Abdullahi
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The Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof Ango Abdullahi, has warned against frustrating and demarketing Dangote Refinery, saying it is an ill wind that would do the country no good.
The former vice-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, raised the concerns in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.
His concerns come in the wake of the Federal Government’s intervention in the lingering face-off between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority and the management of Dangote Refinery.
The media was awash recently with news on the difficulties being experienced by the refinery, arguably one of Africa’s largest oil plants, in securing local crude oil in the country.
But Abdullahi expressed worry that for 30 years, the vested interests that run the NNPC cartel ensured that the nation’s four refineries were rendered comatose and incapable of refining the needed petroleum to meet domestic consumption.
He noted that instead of Nigerians appreciating the popular business mogul, Aliko Dangote, for his efforts to save Nigeria the burden of continued importation of refined petroleum products, some vested interests are bent on frustrating its operations.
According to him, Nigeria has become the object of global ridicule being the only member nation of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries without refining capacity and heavily dependent on mass importation of oil and other derivatives.
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The statement read, “The Northern Elders Forum is watching with sustained interest the unfolding drama being orchestrated by some powerful vested interests to frustrate the good example set by the nation’s leading investor and foremost African entrepreneur, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who has defied all formidable odds to build a privately-owned ultramodern petroleum refinery in Nigeria.
“This remarkable business feat, which ordinarily should instantly earn him national encomiums and accolades, has paradoxically ignited the malicious fury of enemies of our dear country, who are strategically located in the oil and gas sector of the economy. They have been wreaking havoc over the years through many subterfuges, resulting in the crippling of our nation’s refining capacity and the ruthless imposition of a ruinous regime of massive refined oil and other sundry products importation to the detriment of our national growth.
“In this wise, the lamentable and highly troubling commentary against the Dangote refinery that came out from the NNPCL and its other sister regulatory bodies smacks of a glaring attempt to de-market this epochal national achievement and premeditatedly derail the economy from the path of healthy growth and stability.”
Continuing, the Arewa leader warned that the masses who mostly bear the brunt of escalating fuel pump prices, frequent fuel shortages and joblessness would no longer fold their arms and allow a few powerful individuals to continue taking the economy of the nation hostage.
“Regrettably, it is only in Nigeria that politics is played with narrow interests as the motive force and the sole determinant, more often than not, allowed to trample the economic interest of the nation.
“The NEF, while welcoming and taking judicious note of the timely action taken by the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Heineken Lokpobri, to arrest this worrisome situation, wishes to conclude by restating our determination to stand resolutely with Dangote in defence of this gigantic business stride, which signifies the dawn of prosperity for our people,” the statement added.
6,700 applicants jostle for 380 teaching jobs in Enugu
Enugu Teacher Applicants writing exams
Applicants writing teaching recruitment exam in Enugu on Saturday.
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No fewer than 6, 700 applicants were currently jostling to take up 380 teaching jobs at various Secondary Schools in Enugu State.
The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who monitored the examination on Saturday in some of the designated centres for the examination, reports that the applicants turned out in large numbers.
The Chairman, Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board, Fr. Hilary Mgbodile, told NAN that the board received more than 12,000 applications.
He said that out of the number, 6,700 people were shortlisted for the 380 positions needed to replace those who had retired.
Mgbodile disclosed that five centres namely Union Boys Secondary School, Queen School, Enugu, Holy Rosary College, College of Immaculate Conception and Trans Ekulu Girls Secondary School,
Enugu were selected as the venue for the examinations.
He said that the shortlisted applicants were being tested in English, Information Communication Technology, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
According to him, over 2,000 applied to teach English while in ICT, the board needs only 80 but 1,700 applied for the subject.
“So we are picking the best of the best which is the only consideration and parameter for the selection of the teachers,” he said.
He added that after the test and the needed competent teachers were not found, the board would call for another application, stressing that he was optimistic that with the number of applicants, the board would get the qualified ones.
“We cannot lower the standard because we cannot get what we want.
“The recruitment is being done by PPSMB but in order to reduce pressure and to ensure meritocracy and absolute objectivity, we decided to seek the assistance of an independent recruiting company,” Mgbodile said.
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On why they dropped a large number of applicants, he noted that after sorting out the applications, it was noted that some were non-indigenes and some were over-aged as they pegged the age requirement at 45 years.
“While some did not have the requisite qualifications for the subject they intend to teach, those that studied Social Studies may apply to teach English which is not compatible,” he said.
The chairman also said that those people who were awaiting their statements of result and others who could not provide their certificates were excluded from the examination.
Explaining the idea behind the recruitment, the chairman said the board observed upon assumption of office in 2023, that Secondary Schools in Enugu were lacking teachers, especially in the rural areas.
He said that at the instance of Gov. Peter Mbah’s directive, the board posted some teachers from the urban to the rural areas.
“As we were doing that, we discovered that we lacked teachers in some key subjects like sciences and other core subjects.
“We made a recommendation to Gov Mbah on the need to recruit teachers to fill the shortfalls of science teachers which he approved.
“That is why we want to recruit competent professionals who studied Engineering, to teach Chemistry.
“I want to restore the legacy of teaching and learning and make it easier for parents to stop borrowing while taking their children to private and mission schools.
“I want to restore confidence in the public schools and Mbah is a pathfinder in this regard and we want to follow his mantra,” he said.
![ICYMI] Step-by-step guide on unblocking your MTN, Airtel, others using shortcode](https://www.kicnews.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MTN-Airtel.png)
