Tinubu aware times are hard–SGF Akume
News Source: Punch Newspaper
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, on Monday, said President Bola Tinubu is aware that times are hard in the country.
Akume said this while representing Tinubu at the birthday service held in honour of the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who clocked 70.
Akume noted that the President was aware of the economic hardship in the country, but assured Nigerians that the country was on the right track.
“The President acknowledges that times are hard, but at the end of the tunnel, there is always light.
“And solutions to complex problems can never be as instant as coffee, but we are on the right track,” he said at The Citadel, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos, where families and friends gathered to pour encomiums on Bakare.
ASUU Calls For Varsity Autonomy
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged Nigerian university leaders to advocate for autonomy and resist dependency on external aid to secure the future of the higher education sector. Speaking at a TETFund meeting in Abuja, ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke highlighted concerns over a proposed tax reduction that could reduce TETFund’s resources, warning that such changes could undermine university funding. TETFund officials, including Chairman Aminu Bello Masari, emphasized the need to find sustainable funding sources beyond government support. TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, outlined recent tax increases aimed at boosting the fund's impact on infrastructure, programs, and access to education.
Lawmakers, others push for greater support of local contractors
News Source: Punch Newspaper
Federal lawmakers have called for the inclusion of local contractors in the country’s construction industry to foster national development.
The lawmakers, drawn from the Senate and the House of
The lawmakers made the call in Abuja at a summit on local contractors organised by the National Assembly Committee on Works in collaboration with Optimum Horizon Limited.
The theme of the summit was “Empowering Local Contractors for National Development: Bridging Gaps and Building Partnerships.”
Addressing participants at the event on Monday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Barinada Mpigi, highlighted Nigeria’s vast and diverse infrastructural landscape, which offers numerous opportunities for growth and transformation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
However, he lamented that indigenous contractors have not been given sufficient opportunities in the nation’s infrastructural sector over the years.
He said, “Our local contractors face significant challenges that hinder their potential to contribute to national goals. Challenges such as limited access to long-term financing, inadequate equipment, lack of insurance facilities, and issues of insecurity have long been obstacles to their growth and success.
UK Varsities Face Funding ‘Crunch’ As Foreign Students Go Elsewhere
UK universities are facing a financial crisis as a result of declining international student enrollment, which has been exacerbated by stricter visa regulations and the impact of Brexit. In 2022, the UK was the second-most popular destination for foreign students, with nearly 760,000 enrolled. However, the number of student visas dropped by 5% last year, with a significant 16% decrease in visa applications between July and September 2024. This decline is concerning as international students pay higher fees than local ones, making them crucial for university funding. Institutions, already grappling with the lowest funding per student since 2004, have become financially reliant on foreign students. The previous government’s visa restrictions, which included banning students from bringing family members and preventing them from switching to work visas, have made the UK a less attractive option for international students. This shift is reflected in a notable drop in overseas applications in 2024.