CrossFire Interrogator

National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) have unveiled an assessor e-learning training platform, aimed at institutionalising the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). Prof. Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, speaking in Abuja on Thursday, said the platform would help in fast tracking the training of assessors for global best practices. He explained that the Quality Assurance Assessor (QAA) e-learning platform would offer quality certification and as well raise the standards of the country in the area of quality assurance. “This is a major milestone because at the moment we have very low number of assessors and skills trainers’ required proper assessment. “Even those in the informal sector that have to be given the Recognition Prior Learning (RPL) of assessment will also require the training. “Three years ago, Nigeria has only 1,400 assessors, today we have just 3,000. Our counterpart in Africa like Ethiopia h...

Says NFF Went For Merit   Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has congratulated Bayelsa-born newly appointed Head Coach of the Nigerian national football team, Finidi George.  Governor Diri also commended the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for appointing the new Super Eagles tactician based on merit.  He stated this on Thursday during the draws for the 2024 Bayelsa Governor’s Cup Tournament, christened “Prosperity Cup,” after the weekly Prosperity Walk at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa.  His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, in a statement, quoted the governor as having commended the NFF for appointing a son of the soil for the prestigious job.  He said that the governor disclosed that the NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau, who visited him on Wednesday, asked why he did not lobby for Finidi to get the job like some of his colleagues did, and that he responded that his disposition was always to allow merit play a major role in such ...

Results of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) recently released BY the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has continued to generate mixed reactions from the Nigerian public.  Expectedly, mixed emotions are the hallmark moments of every examination results or outcomes. While many thanked their stars for achieving the cut off marks required for admission into the nation's tertiary institutions, others gave thanks to the Almighty for outstanding performances of their wards in the recently concluded 2024 UTME which results are now officially in the public domain.  Bayelsa-born Jason Tamaraefiye  Amaduobogha produced an outstanding UTME score of 347 to wow thousands of Nigerians with his scintillating performance. The breakdown of the score of 347 is as follows : English 69, Math 95, Physics95, Chemistry 88. Although the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board JAMB did not reveal the candidate with the highest score on the 2024 UTME, a scor...

  By Pius O. Ughakpoteni Across the Niger Delta, where dark mangroves intertwine with winding waterways, a wondrous transformation is taking place. Spearheaded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), under the visionary stewardship of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director, a staggering 56,786 solar streetlights ascend like quiet guardians. Their soft glow heralds a new era across the region, signalling the NDDC's ambitious "Lighting Up the Niger Delta" project. This change is rippling across the region, fuelled by the immediate and tangible benefits of solar lighting. "The solar streetlights have brought a sense of security we didn't have before," remarks Mr. Okejoto Gochua, a community elder and retired public servant in Delta State. "Before the solar lights, my shop would close when night comes," explains, Mr. Chike Okechukwu a Yenagoa, Bayelsa State market vendor. "Now, I can serve customers long into the evening. It is like ...

By Willie Etim When the idea was first muted, a number of cynics dismissed it, typical of naysayers in our society.  They thought that all the effort will end in futility. The resilience of Chief Samuel Ogbuku, (PhD), Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who nurtured the birth of the Niger Delta Chambers of Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), came to bear when all other such chambers in the region put up a resistance against the registration of NDCCITMA, a battle that lasted over nine months. As the initiator and benefactor of the NDCCITMA, the management of the NDDC, established a management committee for the chambers to midwife it to solid take off point. After the design of an implementation plan which was carefully followed, the committee terminated its engagement and set the stage for the official inauguration of the Chamber’s Board The eventful registration and inauguration of the Board of the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Ind...

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has pledged to collaborate with Rotary International to enhance the delivery of services and the execution of development projects in the Niger Delta region. Mr. Pius Ughakpoteni, NDDC's Director, Corporate Affairs in a signed press statement on May 1, 2024. said the  NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, made the promise when a delegation from Rotary International District 9141, led by the Governor-Elect, Mr. Chinedu Ikegwuani, paid him a courtesy visit at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. The delegation included a former Acting MD of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari. Ogbuku emphasised the need for partnerships in fast-tracking the development of the Niger Delta region, noting that the NDDC found it expedient to introduce new policies to drive the development process. He said: “One of the new policies we introduced is the "Rewind to Rebirth" initiative, a strategic vision designed to recalibrate engagement with N...

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Election Peter Obi, has written to Nigeria Workers saluting their resilience and doggedness to ensure a better Nigeria. Obi said in the letter to mark the Worker's Day that he stands in solidarity with the Workers in all their struggles. "As we come together to celebrate Workers' Day, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration for each and every one of you who continue to stand tall and steadfast in your commitment to building our great nation, even in the face of adversity and challenges. "Today, as we honor the hard work, dedication, and resilience of workers across the country and beyond, I am reminded of the incredible strength and spirit that defines us as a people.  "Despite the countless obstacles and hurdles that may stand in our way, you, the backbone of our society, remain unwavering in your resolve to contribute to the growth and development of our beloved nation. ...