Dickson launches compulsory education tax in Bayelsa

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has introduced a compulsory education levy in the state.

The governor, who made this known at a media chat on Friday, said the tax cuts across civil servants, businesses, contractors, parents, among others.

Dickson, who said the levy was part of measures to protect the future of education in the state, insisted that anybody opposed to the tax would be considered an enemy of the state.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory Angry Over Environment Situation In Kuje

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello has frowned at the Kuje Area Council Chairman, Shabban Tete for not maintaining a clean environment.

Bello made this known at a visit to a Junior Secondary School, Kuje in presentation of learning materials to indigent students of the FCT by the Nigerian Turkish international Colleges Foundation, NTIC.

Employ professionals Teachers only, NUT tells FG

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has commended the Federal Government in its plan to recruit five hundred thousand teachers for the nation’s basic education and secondary schools.

In a statement in Abuja by its Secretary General, Obong Ikpe Obong, the Union warned against using the policy as a means of compensation for political patronage as was the practice in the past.

Nigeria Police promote 558 schoolteachers

Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has approved the promotion of five hundred and fifty eight teachers in police primary and secondary schools across the country.

It was learnt that the promotion, which takes immediate effect, was meant to address the complaints among the teaching staff and also to motivate them to perform better.

500,000 Teaching jobs on the way in 2016

The employment of 500,000 people as teachers is the highlight of the N6.08 trillion budget estimates for next year presented yesterday to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The proposal, the first by the Buhari administration, seeks to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructural development, delivering inclusive growth and prioritising the welfare of Nigerians.

Nigeria Senate insists on Regulating Social Media

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday vowed to continue with the process for the passage of a bill seeking to regulate the use of social media in Nigeria despite public criticism of the bill.

The Senate had passed into Second Reading a bill seeking two years imprisonment with an option of N2 million fine or both for any Nigerian who posts “abusive statements” on the social media.

Senator Dino Melaye, coming through a point of order during plenary, ‎expressed dissatisfaction with the abuse of the social media by some online publishers whom he said sold their “conscience”.

Melaye, who specifically mentioned prominent online platform, Sahara Reporters, said others in the online news business are in the habit of fair reportage.

He said Sahara Reporters is known for outright falsehood.

He added that Sahara Reporters operates from New York in the United States of America and the Nigerian Government should write the US Government on the platform’s penchant for misinformation.

Contributing to the point of order, Senator Abiodun Olujimi said the amount of falsehood flying everywhere is staggering and a scapegoat has to be made as deterrent for others.

Olujimi revealed that she had to exit all social media platforms because of the continued lies and falsehood peddled around.

Nigeria: Bill seeking to curtail media excesses pass through second reading

A bill seeking a two-year jail term for any person who makes allegation or publishes any statement or petition in the newspaper, radio or medium of whatever description against another person, institutions of government or any public office holder, passed second reading in the Senate.

The bill also prescribed that anybody or group of persons who send any false text message or post false message on the social media against another person shall be jailed for two years upon conviction by the law court.

The bill, tagged: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith”, sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South, compels petitioners to accompany their petitions with sworn court affidavit, failure of which attracts a six- month imprisonment upon conviction. 

Senate rejects proposal to pay unemployed youths monthly

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday rejected a motion for the payment of N5, 000 monthly allowance to unemployed youths in the country.
The motion was sponsored by Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT) but was greeted with shouts of “no, no” when he tried to explain it.
Attempts by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, to second the motion were disrupted by the rowdiness.
Intervening, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, posed the question but the senators responded along party lines.
While Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members yelled ‘’aye’’ in favour of the motion, All Progressives Congress (APC) senators, who were in majority, rejected it.
However, a motion calling for the probe of the utilisation of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds by the immediate past administration was adopted by the senators.