Fuel Scarcity: Benue Govt threatens to clamp down on petrol stations

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State government has threatened to clamp down hard on petrol stations that have refused to revert to the old pump price.

Governor Ortom made the threat yesterday through his Commissioner for Information Michael Inalegwu after an emergency State Executive Council meeting held at the

Government House, Makurdi.

He said the State Task Force on Petroleum monitoring will come into effect, warning that if in the next one week, the petrol stations refuse to revert the approved pump price, they will be doing so at their own peril.

“If you go to Nasarawa State, they are selling for 200 and 194 naira, it is only in Benue, that it is been sold at 300 and 400 naira. All the petroleum marketers should review their pump price to the level that Benue people can access. We are facing naira scarcity and at the same time, fuel scarcity, where are we heading to? Wherever the Task Force visits and finds out that there is petrol on the ground and the filling station is not selling, the general public will be called upon to fill their tanks and pay the station according to the approved price. This is our own social responsibility in dealing with people who are doing business in our state.”

On the new cash policy, the State spokesman said the Governor has held several meetings with the Banks and CBN, but regretted that the cash crunch has persisted

‘We have told them to make money available to the people as a way of reducing their suffering”, Inalegwu said.

PLANE urges Kaduna Govt to provide grants, tax waiver for private schools

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Partnership for Education for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, has urged the Kaduna State Government to provide grants and lower taxes for non-state schools to increase access to basic education.

This is among other recommendations of the SocioDemographic Survey and Graded Assessment of Non-State Schools Report in Kaduna State, supported by PLANE to strengthen the delivery of basic education by non-state schools.

Dr James Fadokun, Technical Lead on Governance of NonState Systems, PLANE, who presented the report in Kaduna on Wednesday, also called for the equipment, record keeping training and infrastructure support for non-state schools.

Fadokun described non-state schools as “formal and non-formal schools owned and managed by private individuals, faithbased organisations, and nongovernmental organisations.”

According to him, the contributions of non-state schools in the delivery of basic education in the state is immeasurable, adding that supporting such schools will significantly increase access to quality basic education.

“We want government to support a dynamic policy framework for non-state school providers so they can leverage resources and increase access and quality of education for the underprivileged.

“We equally want the government to support nonschools with funds to enhance the implementation of inclusive education at basic education level that protect the interest of children with disabilities.

“Specifically, the government should provide visual aids, hearing aids and other critical facilities to non-state schools to promote inclusive basic education.

“A downward review of the current guidelines for registration of non-state schools is also recommended to encourage nonstate school owners to register.”

Fadokun also called on the government to provide free inservice training for instructors in private schools as part of state government efforts to invest in the future of its children.

He added that another recommendation was the integration of non-state Tsangaya (traditional Quranic School) with Islamic Quranic institutions.

“Relevant stakeholders –community, religious heads, parents, government, and educational institutions must all play a role in the pursuit of educational development in the state.

“Legislation for punitive measures, such as revocation of a school’s operating license for non –state schools violating relevant laws must be in place,” he added.

The technical lead further explained that the objective of the study was to compile sociodemographic information from the state’s ecosystem of unregistered non-state schools.

He said that the results of the survey would provide vital information that would help direct future interventions aimed at improving the effectiveness of non-state education systems in the state.

He said that the study was conducted in 371 schools across six PLANE implementing Local Government Areas, namely Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Jaba, Sabon Gari, Sanga, and Soba.

He explained that the findings showed some gaps in funding, teacher quality and training, registration, infrastructure, health water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities among others.

PLANE Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor, Hajiya Umma Mohammed, also called on the government to implement the GESI safeguarding and disability inclusion minimum standards in all non-state schools.

Earlier, Ms Diana Agabi, PLANE State Team Lead, said that the dissemination of the report was to deliberate on the findings, facilitate a public private dialogue on the survey.

This, according to her, will inform policy development, public private partnership, regulation, and financing of private and Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education schools in Kaduna State.