NEWS
$700M Loan: 11 States Join World Bank Girls’ Education Initiative
An additional $700 million has been greenlit by the World Bank to further support the advancement and growth of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).
Project Coordinator Hajia Amina Haruna made this statement during the inauguration of the national steering committee on AGILE in Abuja.
Under the updated funding arrangement, 11 more states providing financial support have joined the initial seven pilot states.
The newly added states in the funding arrangement are Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.
During the inauguration of the national steering committee on AGILE in Abuja, Project Coordinator Hajia Amina Haruna mentioned that the committee included executive secretaries from SUBEB, Commissioners of Education from 18 states, and pertinent Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
The AGILE project, supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) and directed towards the Federal Government, is currently underway in seven states.
In Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Plateau, the AGILE project, initially costing $500 million, was established with the aim of enhancing secondary education opportunities specifically for girls in those areas.
Haruna highlighted the project’s focus on improving educational access for girls across these seven participating states.
Haruna emphasized the necessity for state governments to ensure the recruitment of qualified teachers for the project to make a substantial impact.
She also stated, “We have reached over 2.4 million beneficiaries across the seven states, with more than 1,341,821 adolescent girls benefiting from the initiative thus far.
“Over 7,967 non functional classrooms have been renovated and in use in the seven states. 84,567 teaching and learning materials to schools and in use.”
During the committee’s inauguration, Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman urged both committee members and state chapters to prioritize the sustainability of the project.
Mamman highlighted the pressing challenge of removing millions of out-of-school children from the streets as one of the major hurdles.
He said: “If we can register success in the 18 states, we will be half way through in reducing the number of out-of-school children in the country.
“We need to scale up what we have to reach other states. The project has assisted us in a template we can adopt to work out deliverables in reducing the number of out-of-school children.”
During the inauguration, Minister of State for Education Dr. Yusuf Sununu emphasized the event’s objective: to implement system reforms that expand access and offer financial incentives for girls’ education.
Sununu urged the commissioners of education to use the available resources wisely.
He also highlighted the substantial efforts made by the federal ministry of education to enhance learning outcomes.
Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director of the World Bank, stressed the institution’s dedication to the project, emphasizing its capacity to empower girls to become valuable contributors to their families, communities, and the nation.
Chaudhuri also mentioned that achieving the project’s objectives efficiently would lead to increased World Bank investment in girls’ education.
In the midst of political tensions, the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara has conducted the screening and confirmation of legal expert Dagogo Israel Iboroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the Commissioner-designate.
Led by Speaker Victor Oko Jumbo, the faction endorsed Commissioner-nominee Dagogo Iboroma on Monday, within the Chambers of the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt.
Iboroma is poised to assume the role of Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, succeeding Professor Zaccheus Adangor SAN, who resigned upon his redeployment to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s office) two weeks ago.
According to report, Iboroma received an invitation on Sunday, signed by Dr. G.M. Gills-West, the Clerk of the House, summoning him for screening as the Commissioner nominee and potential member of the Rivers State Executive Council.
Recall that last week, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, a factional Speaker aligned with Governor Fubara, was elected after Governor Fubara asserted that the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers, loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital, ceased to be Rivers State lawmakers in the eyes of the law following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Observers speculate that Governor Fubara is pushing forward to instigate governance activities, with more Commissioner nominees expected to undergo screening by the Victor Oko Jumbo-led three-man Lawmakers.
However, our correspondent highlights that the invitation for screening is already stirring controversies.
In a Facebook post by lawyer Oraye St Franklyn, he raised various legal issues.
Former Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, Edison Ehie has revealed that he was offered money to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Ehie, now serving as Chief of Staff to the governor, was previously the majority leader when the first attempt to impeach Fubara took place.
Along with a few others, he opposed the move, leading to a split from the lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ehie later became the speaker of the faction, which disbanded after President Bola Tinubu intervened and a peace accord was signed between the Wike and Fubara camps.
The peace efforts faltered shortly thereafter, and the two factions resumed their conflict.
Speaking at an event in Ahoada East area of Rivers State over the weekend, Ehie reiterated that he was offered money to oust the governor.
While he didn’t reveal the identities of those behind the offer, he affirmed that he declined it.
He said “They invited me, your son, to impeach the governor and I told them clearly, I was not interested. They gave me all the money that was hidden before, which I rejected. And because I refused, they conspired and declared me wanted.”
Recall that in 2023, the police declared the Chief of Staff wanted in connection with the invasion of the State House of Assembly.
Also, in October 2023, an explosion rocked the state assembly building amidst reports of lawmakers attempting to impeach Fubara.
The lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule reportedly lodged criminal complaints against Ehie with the Rivers State Police Command over the invasion and arson of the Rivers State House of Assembly chambers by unidentified hoodlums.
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led a raucous protest at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) headquarters in Abuja against the recent spike in electricity tariffs on Monday.
According to report, protesters, including workers from the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), forcefully entered the NERC complex on Monday.
Workers, supported by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, besieged various electricity distribution company offices in defiance of the Band A tariff increase.
This nationwide agitation, sparked by the Federal Government’s removal of subsidies and tariff adjustments, threatened to paralyze key power sector institutions including NERC’s Abuja headquarters, the Ministry of Power, and state distribution company offices.
Recall that NERC’s had April 3, announced the electricity tariffs hike for Band A customers from N68/kWh to N225 per kilowatt-hour.
See video below:
Fubara’s Allies In Rivers Assembly Confirm Iboroma As Commissioner
I Was Offered Bribe To Remove Fubara, Says Ex-Rivers Speaker
Tariff Hike: NLC President Leads Protest In Abuja [Video]
NGX Lists N4.075bn AVA Infrastructure Fund
NNPC/First E&P JV Empowers NGOs With N53.4m
SERAP, NGE Caution Tinubu, Govs Against Repressive Legislation
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
Adeosun: We are investing in infrastructure to grow the private sector
Shell launches Nigeria campaign on energy efficiency
