Latest news with #AbiaState
Zawya
27-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: RAMP, Otti pays $2mln for roads upgrade, agro logistics hubs in Abia
In demonstration of his commitment to the development of the rural communities, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has paid a counterpart fund of N3.5 billion as requirement for the upgrade of roads and setting up agro logistics hubs in about 10 local government areas of the state under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Program (RAMP). The Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this at Government House Umuahia, Monday, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week's expanded State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, stating that the projects are expected to commence across the benefitting LGAs soonest. 'So the state has paid its own counterpart funds and we expect that with a similar action from the World Bank, that project will kick off around the state,' he said. Kanu noted that in line with the announcement made by the Governor during the interdenominational thanksgiving service on roads upgrade and other project commissioning, the Governor would Tuesday commission one out of the 20 smart schools already completed in Umuahia. The information Commissioner further announced that the governor during a joint anniversary State Executive Council meeting of the executive and legislative arms of government, signed into law 18 executive bills recently passed by the 8th Abia State House of Assembly. According to the information Commissioner, the newly signed 18 bills bring to 30 the total number of executive bills introduced and signed into law by the administration of Governor Alex Otti, stating 'This landmark achievement seeks to institutionalise the reforms and transformations that have so far taken place in Abia State.' He noted that the 2 years administration of Governor Alex Otti has been full of monumental achievements as can be felt and touched by all and sundry, assuring that greater strides lie ahead, adding that in the light of the second anniversary celebrations, more activities have been lined up for the rest of the week and they will be holding in the next couple of days starting from Tuesday. Contributing, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwanna said that the laws signed would transform the landscape of governance in the state, adding that they underscore government's commitment to institutionalizing the reforms and changes being brought into governance. 'However, it's important to note that these bills underscore His Excellency's commitment to institutionalizing the reforms and changes that he's bringing together in governance in the state. 'These bills also form the fulcrum, the engine block for all the roads that you see, for the infrastructural development that is going on across the state, for the massive reforms that are being carried all around the state. So that underscores the importance of these bills that have now been passed into law,' Barr. Uwanna stated. Uwanna further revealed that with the 18 laws , some agencies have been moved from reporting directly to the office of the Governor to their line ministries for optimal performance. Also speaking, the commissioner for poverty alleviation and social protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix said Governor Otti has through payment of the counterpart fund demonstrated once again commitment to the development of rural communities through investing in long term solutions. 'Recently, His Excellency has demonstrated once again his commitment to the development of our rural communities by investing in long-term solutions as regards road infrastructure under the Abia States Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project. 'He recently approved the payment of the counterpart fund to the tune of 3.5 billion Naira, which is a key requirement for all states who are participating on the rural access project. Abia is one of the states,' Felix stated.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Nigerian students dey find Universities wey dey accept low cut-off mark
Secondary school leavers for Nigeria dey search for universities wey fit accept low Jamb cutoff marks for dis year admission, sake of wetin Jamb take students eye see for dia 2025 University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Jamb na di Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board - di exam body wey dey in charge of organising exams for young school leavers for Nigeria wey dem go take enter university, polytechnic, college of education and oda tertiary institutions. Dis 2025 Jamb exam bin record very low marks across di board according to one analysis of di results wey di exam body bin release. Almost two million students bin write di exam dis year, but na about 12,400 of dem score 300 marks. However, Jamb later agree say dia system bin get problem and dat na di reason for di mass failure. Dia oga kpatakpata, Ishaq Oloyede even cry for national TV as e dey apologise to Nigerians for di error. Dem also organise anoda exam for di affected students and di exam resits go conclude dis Tuesday as tori be say di result fit come out on Wednesday. Normally, if pesin get up to 200 for Jamb, dem dey consider am as pass mark, though some universities fit admit pipo wey score 180 for some courses. But recently, sake of di increasing poor performance by students, some universities don bring dia requirement down to 150 Jamb and rumours dey fly say di score go even dey lower dis year. One staff of Abia State University, for southeast Nigeria tell BBC Pidgin say di school neva announce wetin dia cutoff mark go be bicos Jamb exam still dey go on, "but I no expect say e go dey lower dan 140", she tok. Another staff of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, wey im former name na Anambra State University tell our tori pesin say "di university no go accept any jamb score below 150 for courses wey no relate to medicine and law". Similarly, one staff of Sokoto State University, Malam Muazu, tok say "e dey too early for di university do decide wetin dis year cutoff mark go be, especially since Jamb neva even conclude di exams". Di oga wey plead anonymity say di university go get dia policy meeting for August to decide, and by dat time Jamb go don also brief dem officially on wetin to do, but for last year, dia cut off mark na 140. Brief background on JAMB result for recent years For 2022 UTME, Jamb announce say, 378,639 candidates score above 200, 520,596 score 190 and above, while 704,991 score 180 and above. Also, 934,103 score 170 and above and 1,192,057 score 160 and above. For 2024, a total of 1,904,189 candidates sit down for UTME. 1,989,668 register for di exam, wey be 24.7% higher dan di figure for 2023. According to Jamb, out of di 1,842,464 results wey dem release, only 0.4 percent score above 300, while 24 percent score 50 percent (200/400) and above. As dem see dis kain low scores since for 2019 UTME, Jamb and institutions come conclude say make dem reduce and approve national minimum cut-off mark of 160 for university admission for Nigeria. Again for 2022/2023 admission session, Jamb come set di general cut-off mark for universities at 140 and above, as dem see say candidates underperform dat year again. And for dis year data, Jamb show say out of 1.5 million candidates wey write di exam, over 50 percent score below 200 for this year exam. Some universities wey fit accept low jamb scores Based on wetin bin don happen bifor and interview wit staff and students of some tertiary institutions for Nigeria, here na schools wey fit accept low jamb scores, Abia State University (ABSU) Uturu - 140 Ebonyi State University - 140 Ekiti State University - 140 Delta State University - 140 Federal University Gashua - Yobe State - 140 Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Imo State - 140 Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State - 150 Sokoto State University - 140 Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto - 140 Benue State University Makurdi - 150 For Polytechnics: Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic - Ebonyi State - 100 Delta State Polytechnic - 100 Kano State Polytechnic - 100 Federal Polytechnic Ede - Osun State - 120 Federal Polytechnic Ayede - Oyo State - 120
