News

Students In Lagos Schools May Miss WASSCE Registration

Published

2 years ago

February 4, 2024

Editor

Some students in public secondary schools in Lagos State may miss being registered for this year’s West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, to be conducted by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, because of the inability of their parents to pay N8,100 levy.

Lagos State government pays the WASSCE fees of students in public secondary schools, but parents who are working in the informal sector would have to pay the levy, while those working in the formal sector would make do with their tax clearance certificates.

Checks by Vanguard showed that some of the students, whose parents were unable to pay the levy were shut out of the free registration process last week, which was initially fixed as the deadline for registration for the exam by WAEC.

However, a saving grace came their way at the weekend when WAEC extended the registration till February 24, this year.

It was learned that due to the economic situation in the country, some parents were unable to pay the levy.

A parent, whose child is at Igbo Owu Senior Secondary School, Work Yard, near Majekodunmi Street, Mushin, lamented her ordeal to our correspondent.

“I am a petty trader and who struggles to take care of her children. We all know what the situation in the country is now. The cost of living is high and business is not like it was before. The state government just introduced this levy for final year students this year. They said people should show their tax clearance certificates or pay that levy.

” I tried as much as I could but could not make the deadline last week and the school authorities told me that my child would not be registered for the examination. We appreciate the state government for helping parents pay the exam fee, but they should know that not all parents work in the formal sector where they can get a tax clearance certificate to show, ” she said.

When contacted on the phone, the Commissioner for Secondary and Basic Education, Hon Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said the state government should be commended for taken the burden of the exam fee off parents’ shoulders.

“We are not asking the parents to pay any tax, especially those in informal setting. We only ask the for N8, 100 levy, that is less than N650 monthly. Those in formal setting who have tax deducted from their salaries have tax clearance certificates that cover them.

However, i don’t think that is too much for the parents because Lagos State government pays the WAEC examination fees of all students in public secondary schools and that runs into billions of naira.

“In how many states do they do that? Not even in FCT that they pay such on behalf of parents. if we now ask parents to show commitment and responsibility by paying that levy, i don’t think is is too much. Tax is paid everywhere in tbe world and it drives growth. I am not aware that some people were unable to meet the deadline. That has not come to my notice. Even the deadline is not about Lagos State, it is WAEC issue. Their examinations will start in March and they have the deadline to tidy things up, ” he said.

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

6 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

22 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.

News

Things To Know As INEC Begins Physical Voter Registration Monday

Published

24 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the physical, in-person phase of its 2025 Continuous Voter Registration exercise across Nigeria today, Monday, August 25.

This follows the online pre-registration that commenced on August 18, 2025.

In an update on its X handle on Monday, the commission provided details of the schedule, locations, and eligibility of voters.

INEC said in-person registration will run Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and urged eligible Nigerians to complete their registration at INEC state or local government offices in their area.

The commission said those eligible to register or update their details include:

New voters aged 18 and above who have not registered before.

Holders needing to replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Voters seeking to transfer their registration to a new location.

People who need to update or correct their voter information (name, address, etc.).

The electoral umpire asked registrants who completed online pre-registration to proceed to their INEC State Head Office or LGA office to finalise the process.

The commission also published a list of registration centres on its official portal.