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NDE Recruits 100 Unemployed Persons For Agricultural Training In Edo

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The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has recruited 100 unemployed persons in Edo in its sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme
(SADTS) of the Rural Employment Promotion ( REP) Programme.
The NDE Director-General, Dr. Nasiru Argungu, represented by state Coordinator, Mrs Ayo Edegbai, flagged off the training on Friday in Benin.
According to him, the training is expected to last for three months, adding that some stipends will be paid to participants to enable them fully attend the training.
The programme is unique because it is a further proof that  the Federal Government through the NDE is fully committed to it’s drive towards Job creation and reduction of poverty.
” Over 7,552persons in Edo have benefited from REP programme, while over 150,p000 persons have benefited generally from the NDE programmes and Schemes.
“The training involved both theoretical and practical trading in crops production, animal husbandry and Agro Services with view to enhancing productivity, increase income and improvement in the standard of living,”Argungu said.
He said that the scheme targeted interested unemployed youths and training them in modern methods of Agricultural practices, which abound for economic growth and wealth creation.
He noted “The importance of this training cannot be over emphasized given the level of commitment and seriousness the present administration attaches to agriculture.
“The training will further empower the participants to boost food production as well as reduce poverty in the land.”
He said that Agriculture was the mainstay and revenue earner for the economy in the 60s and 70s, adding that with the advert and discovery  of Oil., the Agricultural sector was neglected.
He thanked God that that a lot is now being done to revive the sector.
He  said that the Agricultural sector could easily sponge up the unemployment crisis in the land because of the value chain benefits.
Argungu, however, thanked the state government and Rev Father  Edwin  Omoregbe of St. Paul Catholic church for given NDE an enabling environment to operate and impart on the youths.
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Two Schoolchildren Electrocuted In Anambra During Rainfall

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Tragedy struck in Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday when two schoolchildren were electrocuted while taking shelter from the rain at a roadside shop.

The incident, which occurred at St. Peter’s Claver Junction, threw the community into mourning.

Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage revealed that several pupils had gathered at the shop to escape the downpour when the tragedy happened.

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A resident near the scene, who pleaded anonymity, recounted, “Several pupils were taking shelter at the roadside shop during the heavy rainfall. But tragedy struck when the wet bodies of two of the schoolchildren came in contact with a live metal, and they were instantly electrocuted.”

READ ALSO:Four Escape Death As Trucks Collide In Anambra

According to witnesses, panic spread as the children collapsed instantly, while others narrowly escaped.

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The shop owner was said to have not yet opened for business when the incident occurred.

“It took the intervention of some security officers and passers-by, who used protective gloves to evacuate the bodies,” another eyewitness said.

The incident came just days after a similar tragedy in the same Nnewi area, where a woman was swept away by floodwaters in the Uruagu community.

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READ ALSO:Four Escape Death As Trucks Collide In Anambra

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, noting that an investigation was underway.

“The facts are not clear yet, but the divisional police officer has been directed to find out the details for a comprehensive report,” Ikenga stated.

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The latest tragedy adds to recent cases of electrocution in the state.

READ ALSO:Four Feared Killed As Gunmen Attack Burial Ceremony In Anambra

In May, a three-year-old girl was killed in Awka after stepping on a live cable belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

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Residents had reportedly alerted officials about the fallen high-tension wire, but it was not repaired until after the fatal incident.

A resident, identified as Uche, said, “The cable fell on Friday and wasn’t fixed until Sunday, after it had electrocuted the girl. The officials even requested ₦30,000 to fix it but didn’t show up until it was too late.”

The repeated incidents have reignited public concern over poor electricity infrastructure and safety negligence in Anambra communities.

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Oyo Orders Traders To Vacate Airport Road In Two Weeks

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The Oyo State Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to traders operating along Airport Road, Old Ife Road, and Onipepeye areas of Ibadan to vacate the roadside or face enforcement action.

The directive was detailed in a Tuesday statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr. Suleimon Olanrewaju.

He warned that the state would no longer tolerate roadside trading or the placement of container shops on drainage.

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READ ALSO:2027: Oyo Gov, Makinde Speaks On Successor

According to the statement, “the government has provided markets and other designated spaces for trading across the city, making it unnecessary and unsafe for traders to occupy roadsides.”

The government said the action was necessary to safeguard lives, prevent environmental hazards, and protect public infrastructure.

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It also warned that trading on walkways and blocking drainage channels increases the risk of flooding and undermines the state’s efforts to promote tourism.

READ ALSO:Former Oyo Police Commissioner Is Dead

The government has a duty to protect citizens from all manner of danger,” the statement said, noting that roadside trading exposes people to serious risks.

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The ultimatum expires on October 27, after which enforcement will begin.

The government said “non-compliance could lead to the confiscation of goods and prosecution of offenders.”

It appealed for cooperation from residents to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment in the state.

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Admissions: Mathematics No Longer Compulsory For Arts Students, Says FG

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Nigerian senior secondary school students in arts and humanities will no longer be required to present a credit in mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council, as a condition for admission to universities and polytechnics, the Federal Ministry of Education said on Tuesday.

For years, admission seekers in arts and humanities, like their contemporaries in sciences and social sciences, have been mandated to have five credits, including mathematics and English language, to secure admission into higher institutions.

“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.

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“The new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country as follows:

READ ALSO:FG To Disburse ₦6.3bn Interest-free Loans To 21,000 Flood Victims

Universities: Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.

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“Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.

“Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs,” a statement by the FME’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said.

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READ ALSO:JUST IN: FG Enforces No-work-no-pay On Striking ASUU Members

An education analyst, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, hailed the reform.

This is a brilliant reform, which we hope will open the doors and improve the ease of admissions into tertiary institutions for more seekers.”

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The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the reform as a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education.

The ministry also approved a comprehensive reform of admission entry requirements into all tertiary institutions across the country, increasing the average annual intake from about 700,000 to one million students.

READ ALSO:Progress Means Food On Tables, Not Statistics, CAN Tells FG

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According to the government, the new policy aims to expand access to higher education and create opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 admissions each year.

The minister explained that the reform became necessary after years of limited access, which left many qualified candidates unable to secure admission despite meeting the required standards.

“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission. This imbalance is not due to lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.

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“The reform is a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education, creating opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students each year. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed—putting the Renewed Hope Agenda into action,’’ he said.

The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.

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