Author: straightnewsng.com

Two students of University of Calabar, UNICAL, have been expelled over various forms of examination malpractices, the institution’s management has confirmed. Vanguard learned that the affected students include, ThankGod Ibiang Ofem, with Matric No. 09/32083 of the Department of Medicine and Surgery, and Asibade Benjamin, with Matric No. 13/24145002 of the Department of Radiography and Radiological Sciences. Their expulsion from the University is with effect from the 2017/2018 academic session. Also, the University has suspended three others for the 2017/2018 academic session for related offences. They are, Iroh Jacinta Adanze with Matric No. 146/1145073, of the Faculty of Law; Ndukeobong…

A 12-year-old child was among the 2,900 fresh students who matriculated at the University of Ghana over the weekend. Viemens Bamford is studying Public Administration in the University of Ghana Distance Education School. Viemens said to be tutored by his father, Robert Bamfo for the past three years in various subjects successfully passed the November-December West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). He is not the only beneficiary of homeschooling, but also his senior brother, 20-year-old Edwin Bamfo who went through the same training and completed the Kwame Nkrumah University (KNUST) with Upper-Class honours in Environmental Science. The boy, in…

By Akanimo Sampson Lack of access to all-weather roads and transport services, is a major barrier to social and economic advancement, a damning global mobility report has said, pointing out that more than one billion people, or one-third of the global rural population are denied such access. With growing urbanisation, increasing world trade and new technologies, the global mobility system is stressed. And though mobility is a key factor of human progress, transport is a major contributor to CO2 emissions. Programme Manager of the Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All), Nancy Vandycke, said “the current mobility system takes a heavy toll…

The House of Representatives, Thursday, approved a resolution to formalize the procedures of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, marking a significant step in the ongoing investigation and setting the stage for the next phase in the investigation. The vote was 232-196 and was the first time that the full House chamber took a vote related to the inquiry. The resolution passed largely on party lines. Two Democrats, Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Collin Peterson of Minnesota, split with their colleagues to vote against the resolution. No Republicans supported it. Independent Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan,…

By Akanimo Sampson Women in technology are underrepresented and poorly funded, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) eTrade for Women Project Manager, Candace Nkoth Bisseck, has said. Bisseck said “It’s a well-known fact that women in technology are underrepresented and poorly funded.’’ Pitchbook, says in 2018, start-ups in the United States with only female founders took a meagre 2.2% of the $130 billion venture capital deployed. Yet, women have played a key but shadow role in science, technology and innovation over the past two centuries. But women’s role, contribution and ideas need not be relegated to the…

By Akanimo Sampson It appears there is a growing pressure of sorts seeking to reclaim the policy space lost to footloose capital by creating a new public realm at the global level. Last week in Washington, the international community was recalling the achievement of their forebears who, 75 years ago, with the fight against fascism won, laid the grounds for a post-war multilateral economic order. Humanists are, however, curious. They are asking, with today’s multilateral system in crisis, what should they be celebrating? The aims of the Bretton Woods agreement were set out by the United States Treasury Secretary Henry…

By Akanimo Sampson Female genital mutilation is still widespread in Egypt despite being outlawed for more than a decade. Yet, rather than helping to eliminate the practice, public campaigns highlighting its dangers may have had an unexpected side effect: pushing the procedure from the home to the very place where staff are meant to “do no harm” – the health facility. “About 75 per cent of female genital mutilation in the country is performed by doctors”, said Dr. Ayman Sadek, an expert on the subject. Despite years of efforts by the government and health organisations, female genital mutilation remains deeply…

A civil society organisation in Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has requested the US President Donald Trump to impose a “temporarily” travel restriction into the US on state governors and other senior Nigerian officials who are “misusing the criminal justice system to jail journalists, bloggers and activists reporting on allegations of corruption”. A Nigerian journalist and publisher of CrossRiverWatch, Agba Jalingo, is currently standing trial in Calabar for treason over a story alleging that the governor of Cross River state, Ben Ayade, diverted N500 million belonging to the state government. Another Nigerian, a lawyer and a renowned critic…

The National Assembly, Tuesday, took a swipe at oil companies operating in the Niger Delta for their refusal to pay N72 billion and $273 million debt owed Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. According to the National Assembly, efforts were made in the 8th National Assembly to ensure the prompt payment of money meant for the NDDC, just as it accused the oil companies of not disclosing their real budget saying that most of the firms tampered with their annual budgets. Meanwhile, the Senate has resolved to carry out a full audit of NDDC, just as it welcomed plans by the…

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, requesting for the screening and subsequent confirmation of former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu as Chairman, Board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Odubu was deputy to the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole when he was governor of Edo State. In a letter read yesterday, during plenary by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, President Buhari also requested for the confirmation of 15 other members of the board. A letter dated October 18, 2019 read, “In accordance with the provisions of Section 2(2)(a)…