The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said it generated N22 billion in revenue for 2024, with N6 billion remitted to the federal government coffers.

This information was disclosed in the JAMB weekly bulletin made available on Monday.

The exam board said it spent over N18 billion on the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), service providers, and essential expenses.

JAMB also noted that it staff claims totaling N2.1 billion were also paid out during the review period.

The board added that it provided a N1,500 subsidy per UTME registration candidate, totaling N3 billion.

The bulletin reads in part: “In 2024, the Board generated a total income of N22,996,653,265.25. From this amount, it expended N18,198,739,362.68 towards conducting examinations (UTME), paid service providers, and covering essential expenses, including staff claims amounting to N2,119,571,022.88.”

It was earlier reported that between 2010 and 2016, JAMB remitted only N50 million cumulatively.

Remittances during this period included N11,522,808 in 2011, N25,303,274 in 2013, and N13,926,462 in 2014. No funds were remitted in 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2016.

However, remittances increased in 2016 following the appointment of Is-haq Oloyede as JAMB head by then-President Muhammadu Buhari.

JAMB remitted N5 billion that year, followed by N7.8 billion in 2017, N8 billion in 2018, N5 billion in 2019, and N7 billion in 2020.

In 2021, JAMB remitted N3.51 billion, and N2 billion in 2023.

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The Kano State Government has announced Sunday, January 5th, 2025, as the resumption date for all boarding public and private primary and secondary schools in the state for the commencement of the 2024/2025 second-term academic session.

Meanwhile, students in day schools are to resume on Monday, January 6th, 2025.

In a statement signed by Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru, Director of Public Enlightenment of the Ministry, parents and guardians have been called upon to adhere to the resumption dates to ensure smooth operations.

The statement threatened that disciplinary actions would be taken against students and pupils who failed to resume on time.

The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda, said the government was determined to ensure good education and create an enabling learning environment that could stimulate and encourage students academically.

The statement further wished the teachers, students, and pupils a successful resumption of the second term, saying monitoring exercises would be a routine one to ensure punctuality and efficiency among staff in all schools.

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The Governing Council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), under the chairmanship of Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (Rtd), has approved the appointment of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the 7th Substantive vice-chancellor of the University.

The appointment was announced during the 77th Extraordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday, December 31 2024.

The appointment takes effect from January 1, 2025, and it is for a non-renewable tenure of five years.

Blueprint learnt that Maikudi emerged as the preferred among the 10 shortlisted candidates and interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board of the University, in line with the extant regulations governing the process.

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Workers in the employ of the Lagos State University, (LASU), operating under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, have suspended their industrial following the meeting of two or three of their demands by the state government.

The workers are the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, NASU.

In a statement by the workers, signed by Prof. Ibrahim A. Bakare, Chairman, ASUU-LASU, Comrade Oluwaseyi Lawal, Chairman, SSANU-LASU,, Comrade Olujimi Adejo, Chairman, NAAT-LASU, and Comrade Obafemi Sanni, Chairman, NASU-LASU.

“The leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the staff unions in Lagos State University acting on behalf of all the members of staff of the university is hereby issuing this press release to inform the general public that the indefinite action embarked upon by our members has been suspended effective from Monday 23rd December 2024 through a successful motion at the Emergency Congressional Meeting of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) held at the MBA Auditorium, Lagos State University, Ojo.

“The decision to suspend the strike action was taken to return normalcy to our institution and to allow the leadership of the JAC to continue negotiations with the university management and the state government on our remaining unresolved demands.

“Please, be further informed that, after a successful collective bargaining process between the state government, the University Governing Council, the university management and the leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the staff unions in Lagos State University, two out of the three demands made by our unions have been successfully addressed by the government and we have taken the decision to suspend the strike action in the interest of peace and stability in the university and to allow our union leaders to engage in further negotiations with the government on the remaining unresolved demands being made by the unions under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC).

“In conclusion, the leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the staff unions in Lagos State University, on behalf of all the staff members of the university, is using this medium to profoundly appreciate His Excellency – Mr Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu – for meeting some of the unions’ demands thereby setting the pace for a quick and amicable resolution of the industrial impasse occasioned by the strike action.”

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Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has pledged to provide a secure environment for corps members.

Governor Lawal reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of corps members deployed to the state.

This assurance was given on Tuesday, marking the end of the three-week Batch C stream one orientation course at the temporary orientation camp in Gusau.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Tasi’u Musa Shinkafi, represented the Governor at the event.

Lawal urged corps members to demonstrate hard work, commitment, and dedication to contribute positively to the state’s socio-economic development.

He said, “my administration will provide a safe environment for the corps members to serve and thrive.”

The NYSC State Coordinator, Muhammad Auwal Lawal, commended the state government’s efforts in providing necessary support for corps members’ well-being.

He also advised corps members to remain committed to serving their country and avoid unnecessary social activities.

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The Federal Government has announced the renaming of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) to Yakubu Gowon University.

Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, revealed the decision to State House correspondents on Monday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.

The renaming was in honour of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), who recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

Idris stated that the proposal will be forwarded to the National Assembly for formal approval.

WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that FEC also approved a free train ride for any Nigerian wishing to travel to celebrate the Christmas festivities.

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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has suspended its two-week warning strike and directed its members nationwide to resume duties on Monday.

WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that the union had embarked on a two-week strike on December 2 over neglect of the polytechnics education in Nigeria and other issues.

However, in a statement dated December 12 and made available to newsmen on Friday, the ASUP National President, Shammah Kpanja, said the union suspended the strike following a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Kpanja said a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with a caveat that another meeting would be held on January 23, 2025, to end the industrial dispute finally.

The ASUP president stated that the union’s National Executive Council will meet to review the situation ahead of the meeting with the government in January.

The statement reads, “The general public may recall that our union declared a two-week definite strike effective 2nd December 2024 over the inability of government through its agencies to execute nine items in the work plan jointly developed with our Union to resolve some pending issues of trade dispute.

“You will also recall that a strike was declared to serve as a warning and precursor to an indefinite strike.

“Within the period of the strike, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment convened a conciliation meeting between our Union and the government on the 9th of December 2024 to resolve the dispute and save the sector from the impending indefinite strike.

“At the meeting, a new memorandum of understanding was signed with a caveat that another meeting will be held on 23rd January 2025 to assess compliance by parties as well as to address other issues.

“After this meeting, the union’s National Executive Council will meet to review the situation.

“In view of this development, all members of the Union are directed to resume duties from Monday 16th December 2024.”

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The Taraba State University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has declared an indefinite strike, bringing academic activities, including the ongoing second-semester examinations, to a halt.

The union announced the decision on Thursday following a congress meeting held at the university in Jalingo.

Speaking to journalists, ASUU Chairperson Dr Garba Mbave outlined several unresolved grievances that prompted the industrial action.

Among the key issues are unpaid salaries, the absence of a functional pension scheme, outstanding salary arrears from the 2022 nationwide ASUU strike, and the lack of a governing council for the university.

Other grievances include the non-implementation of the national minimum wage for university staff, the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, and the government’s failure to approve a 35% salary increment for professors and proportional adjustments for other academic staff.

Dr Mbave stated that the union had exhausted all avenues for dialogue with both the university management and the state government.

“We have made repeated attempts to resolve these issues through negotiation, but the government’s persistent neglect of our welfare has left us no choice but to take this step. Staff members cannot continue to work under these conditions,” Mbave said.

The ASUU Chairperson expressed frustration over the absence of a governing council, describing it as a significant obstacle to addressing key administrative and policy matters.

He also acknowledged the impact of the strike on students, particularly those in the middle of their exams.

“It is not our intention to disrupt examinations or leave students stranded, but this strike is the only viable option left to demand justice for our members,” he added.

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Prof. Omoregie Edoba has stepped in as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

He has taken over from Prof. Lilian Salami as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

Edoba is a Professor of Constitutional Law and Governance.

Born on 5 April 1969, Prof. Omoregie is a native of Benin and attended the University of Benin for his first, second, and third degrees.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 and conferred with the prestigious Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title in 2021.

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The federal government has directed universities to establish Sexual Assault Referral Centres.

This move aims to tackle cases of students being coerced into offering sex to lecturers in exchange for good grades, as well as harassment and gender-based violence on campuses.

Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs, made this announcement at a national summit in Abuja.

The summit was organized by Alliances for Africa, in collaboration with the Committee on Gender Directors in Nigeria, to kick off the 16 Days of Activism Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence.

This directive comes after the Federal University in Oye Ekiti cleared a female student, Ramota Olahanloye, to graduate following a re-marking of her final-year examination scripts.

Olahanloye had alleged that a lecturer, Dr Anthony Agbegbedia, demanded sexual favours from her and deliberately failed her in two final-year courses when she declined.

According to the minister, introducing timely intervention and survivor support in the recommended centres is crucial to curbing this trend.

The minister emphasized that university leadership should prioritize establishing SARCs to ensure timely intervention and support for survivors within their communities.

She noted that currently, only 47 Sexual Assault Referral Centres exist across 22 states and the FCT, which is insufficient.

The minister highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to championing gender equality, eradicating GBV, and promoting safe academic environments under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The minister also announced plans to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Education, universities, and other stakeholders to launch nationwide campaigns against sexual harassment.

She expressed appreciation for the support of Directors of gender centres from various universities across Nigeria.

Recent high-profile cases have highlighted the pervasive nature of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions.

The BBC Africa Eye documentary “Sex for Grades” exposed lecturers demanding sexual favours from students in exchange for academic rewards, sparking global attention and nationwide outrage.

The minister emphasized the need for robust reporting systems, survivor-centred support mechanisms, and swift disciplinary action against perpetrators.

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