Senate fixes N2, 500 for UTME, extends validity period to 3yrs

The Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution reducing the registration fee of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to N2, 500 from N5,650 that was paid this year by students.

The resolution was taken following the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on the inquiry into the new admission policy of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The Senators also recommended for the extension of the validity period of the UTME to three academic year.

They also resolved to amend the Act establishing JAMB to reflect the extension of the validity period which is at the moment a year.

The Senate also adopted the recommendation of the Committee chaired by Senator Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North) that the change of institution, course form and other incidental activities around the exam should be free.

Contributing to the debate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (APC, Kano Central) said stressed the need for government to look into the revenue being generated by JAMB.

Also yesterday, the Senate condemned the non- payment of allowances of Nigerian students studying abroad who are beneficiaries of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) and other scholarships of the federal government.

The condemnation was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator David Umaru (APC, Niger East) and seven others.

The Senators also urged the Federal government to take immediate steps to ensure prompt payment of all outstanding allowances of students who under its scholarship scheme abroad.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/senate-fixes-n2-500-for-utme-extends-validity-period-to-3yrs
Sources: Dailytrust

President Buhari Orders Investigation into Benue clashes, Express Deep Shock

President Buhari expressed "deep shock" at the past week's violence between herdsmen from the Fulani ethnic group and local farmers, an official statement said.

Several thousand people have been displaced, according to local media.

Benue has a history of violent attacks and reprisals between semi-nomadic herdsmen and farmers.

The clashes are often linked to cattle raiding.

President Buhari called for unity among Nigerians, saying: "There should not be any reason why Nigerians of any group or tongue cannot now reside with one another."

Different groups of Fulani militants killed a total of more than 1,200 people in 2014, meaning that if taken together they would be the world's fourth deadliest militant group, according to the most recent Global Terrorism Index.

The scope of their attacks is now enough to "pose a serious threat to stability", the report said.

The communal violence in central Nigeria is not connected to the six-year insurgency by Islamist militant group Boko Haram in the country's north-east.

Boko Haram was the world's most deadly militant group, according to the report.

Elite out to discredit Buhari’s administration – Senate leader

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, on Monday disclosed that the bourgeois are on the move to militate against President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration saying their intention is to set masses against this administration.

Ndume in a chat with Journalists on the economic situation in the country explained there is deliberate attempt by elite to set this government against the masses since they have discovered the support base of this administration.

The Senator wondered what the price of dollars had to do with gari, maize and tomatoes that are produced locally in Nigeria.

According to him, the elite are deliberately sabotaging the Buhari administration ‎in order to make the All Progressive Congress (APC) government unpopular.

He explained that the Buhari’s administration has made significant achievement in the area of war against insurgency, war against Corruption and infrastructure decadence in Nigeria.


Senate Leader said,” if not for the saboteurs, Nigerians would have been reaping the dividend of electing President Buhari. Otherwise, what has the fall of Naira to do with millet, tomatoes and other local produced commodities?

“We are working hard on the 2016. Budget and in it President has included things that would enhance the living ‎conditions of Nigerians. We will pass the budget in March.”