The NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, also said the agency would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.
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We’re impressed with Kwara’s use of UBEC grant — House of Reps
…Says AbdulRazaq a focused Governor
…Recommends Kwara for award of quality delivery
Kwara State again came up for national applause on Tuesday as the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Basic Education and Services commended the state for efficient use of basic education grants and the state government’s determination to improve standard of education.
The commendation came barely one month after UBEC itself said Kwara now stands out for excellent utilisation of the grants — a feat the body observed is a clear departure from its horrible experience with Kwara State in the past when the grants were diverted, resulting in official blacklist of the state for at least seven years (2013-2019).
The committee specifically applauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for quality service delivery seen in the management of the Universal Basic Education Commission matching grants, saying the state deserves a pat on the back for the quality of the schools and other facilities funded from the money so far accessed.
“What we have seen so far in Kwara is of high quality and satisfactory. There is evidence of focus and commitment, and a clear interest in promoting basic education and empowering our children to survive in an increasingly complex technology driven global system,” Chairman of the committee Prof. Julius Ihonvbere told reporters on Tuesday in Ilorin.
Flanked by other members of the ad-hoc committee, Ihonvbere was speaking as the committee wrapped its two-day oversight visit to Kwara State to inspect the completed and ongoing UBEC-SUBEB projects.
“I think the best way to appreciate what is going on is to have the proper understanding of how it used to be, and we’ve seen a lot in Kwara,” he added.
“It is not always that we find a leadership (like AbdulRazaq) that understands basic education and its value to national growth and development. If the basics – the foundation – is contaminated and corrupted, what it produces can never promote peace, stability, growth and development anywhere in the world, that is why basic education is very critical.”
Some of the schools the committee visited included Ogele LGEA Primary School, Ogele and Otte LGEA Primary School Otte-Oja (both in Asa Local Government area); Sheikh Alimi Junior Secondary School (Ilorin West); Amoyo Junior Secondary School (Ifelodun); Gaa-Akanbi Junior Secondary School (Ilorin South); Shao LGEA Primary School, Shao (Moro); and Adeta UBEC Model Smart School in Ilorin West local government of the State.
Ihonvbere said his committee members were just as impressed as he was about how the projects have been greatly executed in Kwara State, adding that the committee will officially communicate their judgment of the assessment to the Governor and other appropriate quarters as part of its oversight functions.
“As an academic and the Chairman of this committee, and I am sure my members share the same sentiment, we are very pleased and happy with the programmes of Kwara State. There are states that have collected matching grants from UBEC and have not deployed them to basic education. A few (of the states) have jettisoned the action plans of UBEC; they are doing something else with the money. Some have done wishy-washy works. With time, this Committee will release a list of our observations in various states,” he said.
“Without education you cannot go anywhere. It is not rocket science. And I think Kwara State seems determined to change the narratives. We are pleased about it.”
He said no efforts will be spared to sanction the states found to have diverted the UBEC grants, including taking steps to retrieve some abandoned facilities the Commission allocated to some defaulting state governments.
“There are penalties for states where UBEC allocated critical infrastructure to some state governments but were abandoned. We are amending the UBEC Act so that UBEC can retrieve such facilities and put them to public use,” Ihonvbere added.
“Secondly, we are looking at ways to compel compliance with the law of the land; a situation whereby states that have not accessed the marching grant or have accessed it but used it wrongly will face some penalties.”
He also hinted that state governments that comply with UBEC’s action plans will be rewarded with more support to serve as an encouragement to do more.
“At the level of the committee, the National Assembly and the UBEC, states that utilised UBEC grants perfectly like Kwara will get additional support as a reward, so that it will encourage them to do more,” Ihonvbere added.
“I would like to advise state governments to take basic education seriously in their own interest. Bulletproof cars, dogs and barbed wire cannot save them from the anger of uneducated, abused and marginalised children in the consequences.”
He commended the management of the State Universal Basic Education Board and their Chairman, Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja for proper monitoring and their insistence on delivery of quality jobs by contractors.
Other members of the National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee on the oversight visit were: Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin; Hon. Bashir Dawudu; Hon. Oluyemi Taiwo; Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe; Hon. Cook Ganiyu Olododo; Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga; Hon. Usman Abdullahi; Hon. Peter Owolasi; and Hon. Bukola Oyewo.
UBEC was represented during the tour by Dr. Jimmy Equensen and Engr. Yissa Yakubu.
Chairman Kwara SUBEB, Professor Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, said the school projects cover renovation, construction, and comprehensive remodelling of various structures across at least 605 public schools in the State, including provision of furniture, public toilets, and water facilities.
He said the turnaround of the education sector under Governor AbdulRazaq has led to increase in students’ enrolment, decrying how hundreds of classrooms were left dilapidated under the previous administrations.
“In terms of renovation, we have renovated 605 schools as contained in our action plan. The project consists of construction and comprehensive remodelling of classrooms, and provision of furniture for teachers and students,” Adaramaja said.
“The situation before was so pathetic that nobody wanted to put their children in public schools. But the story is different now. Enrolment of pupils into government owned schools has now increased.”
Adaramaja, who conducted the team round the places of their choice, described the Governor as the wisest leader for paying the N7.1billion UBEC counterpart fund to access another N7.1bn with which the government is now fixing public schools.
PTA Chairman for Amoyo Junior Secondary School, Prince Adeyemi Garba, appreciated the government for the work done and how the Amoyo community is given a sense of belonging.
“We have to thank the authorities for remembering Amoyo town. I have now discovered that not only does every child counts in the State’s education policy, but every community also counts, and we are grateful,” he added.
Chairman, School Based Management Committee (SBMC) for Shao LGEA school, Elder Adigun Abel, said the choice of Shao primary school for the UBEC’s renovation project was appropriate, given that the whole Shao has no other community school for basic classes.
Adigun lauded the vision of the government in turning around the education sector in Kwara and renovating school structures in their community.
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Invoke executive order for state, LG police, Afenifere tells Tinubu
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, on Saturday, urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government Police.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, also called for the erection of close-circuit television sets and deployment of modern technology for security purposes in strategic locations to end insecurity.
Ajayi said, “There are indications that Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
“On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in this respect is being worked upon.
“President Tinubu should get state and local government police off the ground immediately through the invocation of an Executive Order while the process of amending the Constitution continues.
“Close circuit television sets, deployment of modern technology for security purposes including drones must be effected immediately.”
He explained that the statement was motivated by the recent reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara and Niger States, respectively which made a research organization declare Nigeria as one of the top nations where kidnap ranks highest globally.
Ajayi noted that Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes kept occurring in Osun, Ondo and Oyo State; Otu, Igbeti and Alaga in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were the latest victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson also said, “In order to end insecurity, enhance people’s welfare and ensure the sustenance of Nigeria as one of the top investment destinations in Africa as desired by the government, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government and security agencies to be more innovative and decisive.”
He lamented that banditry, including armed robbery, kidnapping was still occurring on South-West roads such as Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan; Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos, Ikirun-Osogbo-Ilesa; Lokoja-Abuja, Owo-Benin and Ibadan-Iseyin-Saki.
“Latest reports have it that on Monday, May 13 instant, eight cocoa farmers were kidnapped at Marindoti Cocoa Farmers’ settlement in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State. Three students of Millicent Secondary School in the same area on their way to write their Senior Secondary School Examination, were also kidnapped at the same time.
“A sum of N31 million was reportedly paid to ransom three people who were kidnapped at Longe village on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road last week Sunday. On Thursday, May 16, one Seliat Adeniji (nee Raji) was kidnapped in her Ebedi home in Iseyin, Oyo State. Her guard was killed in the process.
“Hon Bello Hassan representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives last Tuesday claimed that terrorists have sacked about 50 communities and abducted over 500 people in his area of Zamfara State as bandits overran Zurmi, the second most populous town in the state killing palace officers as well as policemen.”
To put a serious check on all these, the Afenifere spokesman said that there was an urgent need to dig deep into the roots of the menace and to be decisive in applying the necessary measures.
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NAFDAC shuts cosmetic shops in Lagos, seizes counterfeit products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered “Dr. Teal’s” brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder.
The statement read, “NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered ‘Dr. Teal’s’ brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products.
“Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants.”
It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s products and other unregistered cosmetics, suspecting them to be the source of distribution.
A shop identified as Cubana Stores at Phil Hallmark Plaza was also reported to have been sealed for stocking and selling the moisturising body and bath products of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand.
NAFDAC added that according to its regulations, shop owners found guilty of selling unregistered products face penalties of up to ₦5m fine.
It said shop owners were also being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.
In the statement, the agency emphasised the health risks associated with fake cosmetics, stating the potential dangers of using products containing harmful substances.
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Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.
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