The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has taken in 108 Nigerians who have been stranded in Tripoli, Libya.

This was stated by the agency in a statement released and obtained by Maidawaarewa on Wednesday in Lagos.

The Federal Government’s official representative in receiving the returnees, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General of NEMA, stated that there are 52 men, 46 women, four male children, two female children, and five newborns among the returnees.

READ ALSO: NEMA Recoverd 15 Corpses From Flooded River In Maiduguri

The returnees landed at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja late on Tuesday night, according to Ahmed, who was represented by Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office.

He said they arrived aboard a Boeing 737-800 operated by Al Buraq Air with the registration number 5A-DMG.

The DG declared that the administration was devoted to enhancing the economy and making it advantageous for everybody.

He gave the assurance that the administration headed by President Bola Tinubu will put a strong emphasis on youth empowerment in order to harness their enthusiasm and technological know-how for national development.

“The President would evolve a policy that will see youths and women actively participating in the implementation.

“The youths will be the driving force of all decisions in the present administration because of the importance that the leadership of this nation has placed on tapping the potentials which abound in the largest segment of the population,” Ahmed said.

Lai Mohammed, a former minister of information and culture, has been named managing partner of Ballard Partners, a global lobbying organization.

Less than two weeks have passed since the dissolution of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.

In a statement posted on Tuesday on Ballard Partner’s official Twitter page, Mohammed’s new position was officially acknowledged.

READ ALSO: Gov Fintiri drops commissioners, other political appointees

It stated: “Ballard Partners, a leading government relations business in the US, will open its first office in Africa in Abuja, Nigeria, the country’s capital.

The firm’s satellite office in Lagos, the country’s financial hub, will be managed by Lai Mohammed, the recently-retired minister of communications and culture of Nigeria.

Mohammed was appointed to the position, according to the firm’s president, because he “is one of the most respected officials in the country”.

The country’s security officials have been instructed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to create a new plan that would guide security operations.

Tinubu said he had a personal perspective about how security matters should be addressed for successful outcomes when he met with the nation’s security officials on Thursday for the first time since taking office.

The National Security Advisor (NSA), Babagana Munguno, recounted some of the events that took place during the meeting and stated that the President was adamant about the importance of collaboration amongst the intelligence heads.

Munguno claimed Tinubu made it clear to them that he would not put up with any security agency operating in opposition to one another.

The Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, were present at the meeting, which was the first since taking office.

Others include Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Yusuf Bichi, Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS).

Munguno said, “the president commander in chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.

“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting last two hours.

“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.

“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, Oil theft, sea robbery, piracy.

“The President has made it very, very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.

“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are walking and achieving greater heights”.

Briefing State House Correspondents further on their deliberations, Munguno said the President revealed that in moving this country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts.

“He’s also pointed out that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.

“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be wherever whatever it says whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house”.

According to the NSA, all agencies are expected to work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone.

“He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.

“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.

“He is already mandated by the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows as far as it’s concerned, it doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.

“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.

“The President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment”.

To revitalize skill acquisition at polytechnics across the nation, the Tertiary Education Trust money, or TETFund, has authorized N130,000,000 as a zonal intervention money for each polytechnic in its 2023 intervention line.

At the TETFund/NBTE Sensitization Workshop on the 2023 Zonal Intervention on Skills for Rectors and Directors of Skills at Beneficiary Polytechnics on Tuesday in Abuja, the Fund’s Director of Infrastructure, Malam Buhari Mika’Ilu, revealed this.

According to Mika’Ilu, the goal of the intervention was to strengthen the National Board for Technical Education’s (NBTE) efforts to improve the capacity of polytechnics to carry out their mandate.

He said that the intervention’s primary purpose was to assist colleges in fulfilling prerequisites for accreditation.

The intervention focused purely on projects with academic relevance, is aimed at addressing deficiencies in core areas of acquisition of essential instructional materials and equipment for teaching and learning and building capacities for the use of the equipment procured.

”Funds are allocated in line with the provision of the Establishment Act and guided towards addressing critical and essential needs of the beneficiary institutions for the improvement of quality and maintenance of standards in the tertiary educational institutions.

”NBTE has been at the forefront in championing the need to have skills in the educational system in Nigeria.

”It is in response to this, that the Fund has prioritised the 2023 Zonal Allocation to polytechnics to be geared towards reinvigorating skills acquisition in the polytechnics across the country.

”This is to further consolidate the efforts of NBTE of increasing the capacities of Polytechnics to deliver on their mandate.

”Therefore, the sum of N130,000,000.00 only allocated to each polytechnic has the main focus of procurement, Installation, Testing, Training and commissioning of relevant training materials,” he said.

The director also revealed that since the inception of the Zonal Intervention in 2016, the Fund had allocated a total sum of N52,046,079,584.7 as zonal Intervention to enlisted polytechnics.

”In the year 2017, the Fund focused the Zonal intervention on the “Student Dignity Project”. Hence, the intervention was used to upgrade and standardise all lavatory facilities or provision of new ones where necessary in academic areas of institutions, also shuttle buses (coaches) were also procured for students’ use among other projects.

”Most recently, the 2022 intervention was used for the deployment of ICT facilities within the institutions in line with the guidelines developed by the Fund. This is essentially, to increase the capacities of institutions to function effectively and deliver their programmes online.

”The Fund has allocated a total of N60,290,000,000.00 for Zonal Intervention for the year 2023 to all the two hundred and nineteen beneficiary institutions of which, the sum of N9,230,000,000.00 is allocated to polytechnics,” he added

He said the intervention, a post-research activity, had created an opportunity for academic staff in Science and Technology Programmes to fabricate equipment, thus promoting skills development in the Polytechnics.

Mika’Ilu expressed optimism that the intervention would, in the long run, support the institution to resuscitate skills and improve graduate employability.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono charged rectors of polytechnics to explore innovative approaches to skills development and as well devise effective solutions that would enhance the quality and relevance of technical education in the institutions.

Echono said skills development and entrepreneurship represented a holistic process in which individuals in society pursue opportunities and address needs through innovation.

He, however, said that acquiring skills prepares individuals for employment across all sectors of the economy and helps overcome numerous challenges as well fostering a brighter future for both the nation and individuals for global competition.

”Today, we recognise the significant strides made by TETFund and NBTE in promoting skills development in our beneficiary polytechnics.

”Our unwavering commitment to advancing technical and vocational education has paved the way for countless success stories, empowering individuals and transforming communities across our great nation.

”The purpose of this sensitisation workshop is to discuss and enlighten participants on two key areas: One is the skills agenda and occupational areas as a panacea for gainful employment of graduates and the second is the formalisation of the informal skills sector.

”By focusing on these aspects, we aim to address the critical needs for aligning our educational system with the demands of the labour market,” he said.

Nasir El-Rufai’s son, Bashir, has slammed Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna Central, for daring his father to make his 2015 and 2023 asset forms public. Nasir El-Rufai was the most recent governor of Kaduna state.

Sani said El-Rufai  misused the state finances, however, Sani claimed El-Rufai left the state with a huge debt.

He said that the former governor had been hoping  for political position from President Bola Tinubu after “working for Rotimi Amaechi”.

Sani further dared El-Rufai to publish the content of the forms he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2015 and 2023

“Mr Elrufai, retired Governor now back to ‘blogging on Twitter’ while waiting for political appointment from Tinubu,after working for Amaechi and surreptitiously dropping negative stories.”

“You left a huge debt profile for our Children and grand Children in Kaduna State to pay AND YOU claimed that you NEVER STOLE from the coffers of Kaduna State. One of your stooges even claimed that you are poorer now. I dare you to make public your assets by publishing the content of the form you submitted at the Code of Conduct Bureau, both the one of 2015 and that of 2023. I will get back to you after you have done this,” he tweeted.

See Sani’s tweet

Mr Elrufai,retired Governor now back to ‘blogging on Twitter’ while waiting for political appointment from Tinubu,after working for Amaechi and surreptitiously dropping negative stories.

You left a huge debt profile for our Children and grand Children in Kaduna State to pay AND…

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) May 31, 2023

Reacting to the tweet, Bashir said Sani should keep the Twitter ‘war’ between people who are his mates and not extend the same to his father.

“Is this seriously how to talk to your senior? You should keep this Twitter gbas gbos between you & us, his children. We are the ones that are your mates,” he wrote.

see Bashir tweet

Is this seriously how to talk to your senior? You should keep this Twitter gbas gbos between you & us, his children. We are the ones that are your mates. https://t.co/dKzQIcWsOU

— Bashir El-Rufai (@BashirElRufai) May 31, 2023

In a unanimous decision, members of the Taraba State House of Assembly have re-elected John Kizito Bonzena of Zing Constituency to pilot the affairs of the tenth Assembly and equally re-elected his Deputy Hamman Adama Ibn Abdullahi of Bali 2 constituency.

Addressing the members after he was sworn in, the speaker commended the governor of the state, Dr. Agbu Kefas for creating an enabling environment for the inauguration of the tenth Assembly.

John Kizito Bonzena maintained that the presence of the governor at the occasion was a clear demonstration of how the governor holds the Legislative arm in high esteem promising that the Executive-Legislative relationship must continue to be cordial and symbiotic.

“I lacked words to express my depth of appreciation to you for the confidence reposed in me for electing me again to preside over the Affairs of this Honorable House”. he said.

The Speaker appealed for maximum cooperation and support by the members and by extension to governor Dr.Agbu Kefas and promised not to disappoint them as to whom much is given much is expected.
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He enumerated some of the problems of the Assembly which include poor infrastructures, lacks of office accommodation, lack of training for both legislators and staff and unpaid backlogs of allowances for staff, unpaid arrears of membership fees for Commonwealth Parliamentary Association both in Africa and International and Digitalization of the voting system of the Assembly.

“I am challenged by these numerous challenges, however with your goodwill, support, cooperation and prayers we shall collectively surmount these problems”.