OYO – The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government has directed that all unqualified teachers should be flushed out of the classrooms by December 31, this year.

TRCN Registrar, Prof Olusegun Ajiboye, while inducting over 200 Education graduates of the University of Ibadan, said quacks teaching Nigerian children would be thrown out and replaced by qualified and certificated Education graduates to mould sound future leaders for the country.

He noted that teachers must stand shoulder to shoulder with other professionals in the knowledge-driven economy.

While administering the Oath of Practice on the inductees, Ajiboye reiterated that any teacher found wanting in the code of practice would be sanctioned, adding that Nigerian teachers now have a separate and unique career path with the recent approval of Teachers’ Career Path by the National Council on Education.

He stated: “It is worthy to stress the importance of today’s induction ceremony, in line with government directives that by December 31, all unqualified people practising the profession of teaching would be swept from the classroom and their place would be occupied by young and vibrant professional teacher like you.

“We need to appreciate the fact that education unlocks the key to modernisation, but the teacher holds the key to that door.

He is the hub of any educational system and the major determinant of its quality.

“This is because he is saddled with the responsibilities of translating educational policies into practice and programmes into actions and, therefore, my dear inductees, you have a big role to play in changing the pendulum of affairs in your place of service.”

Culled from The Guardian.

AKWA IBOM- The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) Akwa Ibom state has presented an award to the Executive Chairman, Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), Mr. Okon Okon.

The award is in appreciation of his ingenuity in repositioning tax collection and the concomitant improvement in the internally generated revenue of the state.

The AKIRS generated N26.6 billion between January and September 2019.

Earlier this month, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriations lauded the AKIRS for significant improvement in the state”s IGR since the Okon Okon led board was sworn in.

APBN presented the award to Okon at its annual dinner and awards held at Monty suites, Uyo.

The AKIRS chairman represented by the Legal Adviser to the Board, Barr. Inyene-Ibeh Bassey, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for giving him and members of the board the opportunity to add value to the development of the state as pioneer executives of the board.

He lauded APBN for finding him worthy of the prestigious award, urging the association to groom more professionals for greater development of the state.

The tax chief dedicated the award to all taxpayers, emphasising that the significant improvement in IGR of the state would not have been possible without their cooperation.

Okon thanked taxpayers in the state for voluntarily complying with tax obligations, urging tax defaulters to endeavour to pay their taxes to enable government deliver its social contract to its citizens.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Acting Executive Director Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh on Monday, directed all contractors handling NDDC projects to return to sites or be ready to face the consequences.

Ojougboh, who gave the directive while addressing newsmen, said this had become necessary following President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s avowed commitment to ensure that the Niger Delta Social Economic Development nerve centres were adequately connected by a network of quality and long-lasting sustainable projects.

He said the Federal Government’s policy drive was to ensure that all public funds channeled into infrastructural development, were judiciously accounted for, adding that as a result of this that President Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC and subsequent inauguration of Interim Management Committee to oversee the commission while the audit lasts.

According to him, the three-member Interim Management Committee would not fold its arms and watch its efforts being sabotaged by any contractor, who attempts to cut corners rather than stick to acceptable standards and specifications.

Ojougboh added: “The ongoing efforts to expand lasting projects in the region have been due largely to the deliberate efforts of Federal Government to aggressively tackle the rot and infrastructural deficiency across the Niger Delta region, with a view to ensuring that no part of it is left behind.”

He, however, assured the people of the region that all projects embarked upon by the Commission would be completed, even as he commended them for their unflinching support to the Interim Management Committee and in drawing government’s attention to the lapses witnessed by the commission in recent times.

This was as Ojougboh reiterated that the task of developing the region remained a collective responsibility of all the people.