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African Child: UNICEF wants Nigerian govt, stakeholders to explore digitalisation for children development  

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The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has called on government at all levels as well as other stakeholders, to explore opportunities available in the digital space to enhance education, empowerment and overall wellbeing of Nigerian children.

UNICEF stated this in a statement Friday, in solidarity with Nigerian children as the world marks this year’s “Day of the African Child,” with the theme  “The rights of the child in the digital environment.

The statement which was signed by Anike Alli Hakeem of the Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships Department, UNICEF Nigeria, stated that- “In realizing this right, we are equally offered the opportunity of exploiting the digital space for learning and development.

“The education sector in Nigeria faces many challenges. One of these challenges is access to quality learning which is inhibited by low domestic spending on education resulting in limited school infrastructure and qualified teachers, high levels of poverty and social norms not supportive of education especially for girls.

“These challenges are exacerbated by attacks on schools and abduction of learners. Both have made parents fearful of sending their children to school.

“The disruption to education by school attacks has meant millions of children have significantly missed out on learning they would have acquired if they had been in the classroom.  More than 10 million children are not in school at the primary level. For those in school, the quality of learning is poor; 75 per cent of primary school age pupils are unable to read with understanding or solve a simple math problem.

“To bridge the access to quality learning opportunities, UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Education launched the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) last year, an online, mobile, and offline digital learning platform powered by Microsoft that enables continuous access to 15,000 curriculum aligned learning and training materials in local languages for learners, teachers, and parents.

“It is highly flexible and adaptable, allowing states, schools, teachers, parents, and other users to adapt it easily and quickly as their learning management system in school, for homework support and to ensure continuity of learning when schools are closed in emergency contexts

“The NLP is inclusive enough to bridge the digital divide because of the availability of an offline module that allows for deployment in rural and hard-to-reach environments where there is no access to the internet. To this end, UNICEF has provided 780 schools in hard-to-areas and rural schools with 13,500 tablets, 1,000 smart rechargeable projectors and 780 Airtel internet routers. Connectivity has been enabled for 186 schools through a partnership with IHS towers and data costs removed through the whitelisting of the NLP on an Airtel SIM card.

“So far, since its inception, the Nigeria Learning Passport has provided access to quality teaching and learning resources to 280,000 learners, teachers, parents and young people.

“Result of a user satisfaction survey that was conducted involving 5,002 respondents, 92% of them mentioned that they are using the platform more than once, 51% mentioned that they used it daily and 63% mentioned that they access the platform from home. Additionally, 95% of these respondents mentioned that the content meets their needs, 76% said that they learnt new things and 91% (9 in 10 persons) said that the NLP supported their education,” UNICEF said.

 

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Petrol price to drop by N50 as independent marketers load at N990/litre at Dangote

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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN has disclosed that over 30,000 of its members are set to buy Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in bulk.

IPMAN also revealed that the price of petrol from the refinery was N940/litre and N990/litre when purchased using ships and trucks, respectively.

Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, IPMAN President, Abubakar Garima, said the pump prices of petrol at its retail outlets will drop following the agreement with the Dangote refinery to lift products directly from the plant.

On Monday, IPMAN agreed with the Dangote refinery to directly lift petrol, diesel, and other petroleum products.

This agreement follows months after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation suspended its plan to serve as the sole off-taker of petroleum products from the 650,000 barrels per day refinery.

The IPMAN president explained that the Dangote refinery had been obliged to allow marketers to lift PMS, AGO, and DPK directly for onward supply to their depots and retail outlets but didn’t reveal the price.

Giving an update on pricing during the interview, the IPMAN national officer said the Refinery has provided two different rates for marketers based on their preferences.

He said marketers can load at the gantry at a price of N990 per litre or N940 through vessel transportation.

Garima said, “Presently, we have been given two different arrangments on how to buy fuel from the refinery. There is the one that we can load the vessels and carry to our various depots at the rate of N940 per litre. Then for the depots, it is at the rate of N990 per litre.

“The difference is because we have to load it and carry it to another part of the state. We use vessels to carry these products and there is another one to load from the gantry.

“For Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar, we have to use vessels because there is no Dangote loading gantry there, we have to carry it to our private depot and discharge and distribute it to our members.”

 

 

 

 

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Zulum reinstates 23 suspended health workers, deploys others

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Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the reinstatement of 23 health workers previously suspended for absence from their duty posts at Gwoza General Hospital.

This decision was announced during the Governor’s inspection of the hospital’s newly renovated maternity and child center, as well as other ongoing projects.

Dauda Iliya, Spokesperson and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, in a statement Tuesday, said the health workers had initially been suspended after Zulum’s earlier visit, where he found them absent from their duties.

Addressing the staff, Governor Zulum emphasized the importance of dedication to work and assured them of improved working conditions and other incentives.

“Complaints were made about the 23 medical workers who were absent during my last visit,” he noted. “No one is perfect, so the government has pardoned them, although no arrears will be paid.”

In response to a staff shortage raised by the Principal Medical Officer of Gwoza General Hospital, Dr Nuhu Nasiru Wakawa, Governor Zulum directed the immediate deployment of four additional doctors and ten nurses to the facility.

He further announced that Gwoza General Hospital will be upgraded to support training for nursing students from the new school of nursing under construction.

“The Commissioner of Health, together with the Chief Medical Director of the Hospitals Management Board, will work on this deployment,” Zulum added. “We will also recruit community health workers from Gwoza to strengthen local healthcare services.”

In addition to his healthcare initiatives, Governor Zulum inspected the crusher plant base under construction in Pulka, which will produce up to 300 tonnes of stones per hour.

He said the completion of the crushing and asphalt plants is expected to facilitate new road networks across Borno State.

The Governor also visited other development sites, including the 500-unit mass housing project in Wala B, Gwoza Local Government Area, and a proposed site for a high Islamic school in Bama, underscoring his administration’s commitment to infrastructure and educational advancement.

 

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Dangote to begin direct supply of petroleum products to marketers

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Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has secured an agreement with Dangote Refinery to lift products directly.

IPMAN’s National President, Abubakar Garima, announced this at an ongoing press briefing on Monday in Abuja, following a meeting of the National Working Committee of the Association.

He said the partnership would ensure a steady, affordable supply of PMS products nationwide.

“After meeting with Aliko Dangote and his management team in Lagos, we are pleased to announce that Dangote Refinery has agreed to supply IPMAN with PMS, AGO, and DPK directly for distribution to our depots and retail outlets.”

Garima urged IPMAN members to support Dangote Refinery, citing the benefits of backward integration and its positive impact on Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.

“IPMAN members should rely on Dangote Refinery and Nigerian refineries for white products, creating more job opportunities and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.”

The latest development concludes several months of negotiations between both parties and is expected to increase efficiency, affordability, and economic growth.

The Dangote Refinery, the largest in Africa and Europe, has already commenced the production of petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel, with plans to supply products to over 30,000 IPMAN members and 150,000 retail outlets nationwide.

 

 

 

 

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