ONLINE APPLICATION FOR RECRUITMENT INTO THE FEDERAL TEACHERS’ SCHEME (FTS) FOR 2020/2021 SERVICE PERIOD

RECRUITMENT

UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION COMMISSION (UBEC)

UBEC Building, & Gwani Street, Wuse Zone 4, P.M.B 5086, Abuja

ONLINE APPLICATION FOR RECRUITMENT INTO THE FEDERAL TEACHERS’ SCHEME (FTS) FOR 2020/2021 SERVICE PERIOD.

Applications are invited from eligible candidates for recruitment into the Federal Teachers’ Scheme (FTS) for 2020/2021 service period. The Federal Teachers’ Scheme (FTS) is a two-year intervention programme established by the Federal Government in 2006 to assist States in addressing teacher shortage at the basic education level.

ELIGIBILITY: Only candidates who fulfill the following conditions need to apply:

•Must possess Bachelor’s degree in Education or Bachelor degree with Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), of not lower than Second Class (Lower Division) and not earned earlier than 2014. 

•Must have completed or been exempted from the NYSC Scheme.

•Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) with credit passes in Teaching Practice and the Teaching Subjects, and not earned earlier than 2014, with specialisation in any of the following subjects:

English Language

Mathematics

Integrated Science

Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Agricultural Science

Home Economics

Computer Science

Technical/Technology Education

Computer Science or Information Technology

Nigerian Languages

Physical and Health Education

•Not more than 35 years of age.

•Not currently employed or enrolled under the NYSC, N-Power or any similar programme.

DURATION:   

The service period is for two (2) years or as may be determined by the Universal Basic Education Commission.

REMUNERATION

The Federal Government shall pay each participant an allowance of N30,000.00 per month.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

Application Form shall be completed online. Interested candidates who fulfill the above listed eligibility criteria should visit https://fts.admissions.clouds to complete and submit their application Forms online. Candidates will be required to upload their credentials (as listed on the site) together with their most recent passport photograph.

The application portal shall be open for two (2) weeks, from 10th - 24th September, 2020. There will be no extension. 

ENQUIRIES 

All enquiries relating to the online application should be directed to: ftssupport@flexisaf.com and +2347036662931.

SCREENING TEST

Shortlisted candidates will be required to sit for a Computer-Based Test as scheduled below:

Date:Saturday, 10th October, 2020

Venue:At designated CBT Centres in each State Capital (Information on this will be provided by the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and UBEC Zonal and State Offices).

Time: 9.00 am

Enquiries about the Scheme should be directed to: 08033109307, 08033364779 and 08036014258.

Executive Secretary, UBEC

Senate Says Unsustainable To Spend N5b Monthly On IDPs In Northeast

Senate plenary

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf, has said that the federal government is expending N5 billion monthly on the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast.

Senator Yusuf disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Abuja on his committee’s findings after an oversight visit to various IDP camps in the northeast.

The lawmaker said the government must stop “IDP syndrome”, noting that there was no resources to sustain spending such huge amount on the IDPs.

He therefore charged the security agencies to do more in ensuring that the insurgency come to an end, so that people could return to their various towns and villages safely.

“It is a very sad thing that I have seen in the IDP camps. There are 2.7 million people in the IDP camps. No amount of resources that can sustain or take care of their palliatives.

“We cannot continue to believe that the IDP syndrome should continue. We must exit it at one time or the other. It is a sad thing.

“There are children who are orphans in all respect and most of them are below the age of 18.

“The government, the development partners are doing their best but the resources are very small.

“We cannot sustain spending about 5 billion Naira a month to take care of these people.

“What we will do is to put our hands on deck and make sure that security is provided for them to go back to their homes, so that we can reduce the mounting pressure on our resources to take care of the IDPs.”

On the new electricity tarrif and fuel price, Senator Yusuf said the value of Naira vis-a-vis the dollar contributed significantly to hikes.

“The dollar price of our imported products has not changed much. What has changed much is the value of the Naira vis-a-vis the dollar. Until we get the realistic value of our currency, we may not be able to sort out this problem,” he said.

Hopefully Nigeria Will Get Justice At London Court

SENATOR SULEIMAN ABDU KWARI

We welcome the ruling by a London Court to grant Nigeria reprieve to appeal the $9bn judgement debt that the country allegedly owes Process and Industrial Development, P&ID. The ruling would offer Nigeria an opportunity to state its own side on the matter.

We believe that Nigeria will win the case and save the country billions of dollars and commend the EFCC and the Nigerian team led by the Hon. Attorney General who had gone to court to establish that the contract was awarded on illegal terms.

This latest ruling by Judge Ross Cranston in a London Court noted that, “Nigeria had established a strong prima facie case that the GSPA was procured by bribes paid to insiders as part of a larger scheme to defraud Nigeria.”

Recall that on 31st January,  2017 a court in London had ruled that Nigeria should pay P&ID  $6.6bn as damages including a pre and post judgement interest at seven percent. The outstanding is estimated to be in the region of $10bn.

Two Stewards In Police Net For Alleged Cash, N250m Jewelleries Theft

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command has arrested two men, Joseph Kogbeto and Diyor Didier, for allegedly stealing money and jewelleries worth N250 million, property of their employers.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, told our correspondent yesterday that the two men, described as stewards and nationals of Benin Republic, had been on the police wanted list since January this year but were arrested penultimate Wednesday.

Elkana said the suspects’ contact person, Alice Kukudu, had already been arrested and charged to court for her alleged involvement in the same offence.

Didier confessed to the police that he was compelled to join the gang because his relatives in Benin Republic always taunted him with poverty whenever he travelled home as his kinsmen who were also working in Nigeria as stewards were doing well financially.

He stated, “Any time I travelled home, my other brothers who worked as cooks in Nigeria would be spending money anyhow. When I complained that I didn’t have money,  my relatives would ask if it was not the same work we do. These brothers of mine have built houses back home and are living large.

“When I approached one of them to show me the way, he introduced me to this. In the first operation, I got N2.5m. I did not get anything in the second home we went. We met an empty drawer. I was going for the third operation to where we were called, but unknown to us, the caller was a SARS operative.

“The person that gave us information on the second and third operations was Benjamin. He has been in prison since 2012 over a similar offence. He told us he needed money to facilitate his bail from prison and we should go to a house at Magodo and bring his share after the operation. He operates from the Ikoyi prison.

“I used the money I got from the first operation to buy a plot of land and a motorcycle back home. Unfortunately, I lost the parcel of land because it was sold to three other persons.”

Elkana said detectives recovered a gold scale, two international passports and housebreaking implements from the suspects.

Sokoto PDP Elects LG Excos Through Consensus

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State has elected its local government executives through consensus.

Our reporter who went round some of the venues of the congresses observed delegates affirming their executives in an orderly and peaceful manner.

Speaking to Daily Trust, the chairman of the Local Government Congresses in the state, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, commended Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other leaders of the party for the consensus arrangement which, he said, was the best.

Oyo APC Crisis Deepens As Stalwarts Shun Akala-Led Peace Parley

Alao-Akala

The crisis rocking the Oyo State chapter of the APC took another dimension on penultimate Saturday when some stalwarts of the party ignored a peace meeting convened by a former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala.

A 16-man reconciliation committee led by Alao-Akala was inaugurated by the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

This committee invited some members to peace meeting in Ibadan, the state capital.

The chairman of the committee, Chief Alao-Akala and secretary, Prince Gbade Lana, in a bid to reconcile the aggrieved members, called a peace meeting at the Bodija house of the former governor to settle the crisis in the party.

Our correspondent, however, observed that some strong stakeholders among whom were both former and current ministers, commissioners, lawmakers and other stalwarts of the party were either not invited or shunned the meeting.

Those who distanced themselves from the Alao-Akala peace meeting included, Minister for Youth and Sport, Mr Sunday Dare, immediate past deputy governor, Moses Alake-Adeyemo, immediate past minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu and a former chief of staff to late Ajimobi, Professor Adeolu Akande.

Others were former deputy governor to former Governor Lamidi Adesina, Barr Iyiola Oladokun, Hon. Yunus Akintunde, Fatai Ibikunle, Bayo Adewusi, Sen. Adesoji Akanbi, and Sen. Ayo Adeseun.

Also on the list were, Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku, Hon. Dapo Lam-Adesina, Abiodun Olasupo, Hon. Taiwo Michael Akintola, Hon. Sunbo Olugbemi, Hon. Sunday Adepoju, Akeem Agbaje, Ayodeji Kareem, Isiaka Alimi, Ajiboye Omodewu, Goke Oyetunji and other prominent members of the party.

Speaking through his media aide, Adebowale Adeoye in Ibadan at the weekend, Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku said he was surprised a meeting was held penultimate Saturday without extending invitation to all aggrieved members.

In a similar development, one of the members who preferred not to be mentioned said the so-called Akala’s meeting was dominated by those who benefitted from the impunity in the last party primaries.

Troops Neutralise 100 Bandits, Arrest 148 In Northwest

  

Troops of Operation Sahel Sanity said they have eliminated 100 armed bandits and arrested 148 others in the ongoing onslaught against bandits terrorising North-West region of the country.

The troops said 315 illegal armed miners were also arrested and 3,984 cows recovered, with 1,627 sheep in Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig-General Bernard Onyeuko disclosed this during the quarterly media briefing by the operation held at the Special Army Super Camp IV, Faskari, Katsina State, over the weekend.

Brigadier Onyeuko said that 107 kidnapped victims were rescued during the period, with 32 logistics suppliers for the bandits, 20 informants, and collaborators, six arms suppliers, 13 rustled cattle dealers arrested.

He added that 43 AK-47 riffles, 100 dame guns, 151 live cartridges, 3,261 rounds of 7.62mm were recovered by troops of Operation Sahel Sanity in the affected states.

“So far, in all the operations conducted, 100 armed bandits were neutralised. A total of 3,984 cows, 1,627 sheep/rams, and 3 Camels were recovered. 148 suspected bandits and 315 illegal armed miners were arrested,” he said.

He further explained that the troops destroyed 81 bandit camps, including that of the notorious Katsina Dangote, and foiled 74 bandit’s attacks and 54 kidnap incidents within the region.

Bandits Kill 3, Abduct 7 In Kaduna Villages

At least three people were killed and seven others abducted following an early morning attack on Adara Buda and Kemara Timi villages in Buda west of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The National President of Adara Development Association, Awemi Dio Maisamari, in a statement mailed to journalists, said the attackers laid ambush on the communities at 2 am yesterday and identified those killed as Ishaku Peter, Adamu Tata, and Rev. Alubara Audu.

Another source from one of the communities told Daily Trust that the gunmen had attacked Adara Buda first where the three persons were killed, adding that they abducted Sani Peter, 25, and Esther Sani Peter, 20, from the village.

“They now proceeded to neighbouring Kemara Timi and abducted Ojo Aminu, 35, Danfulani Makaranta, 37, Namiji Gwamna, 36, Ali Musa, 36 and Grace Mathew, 16,” he said.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige said he would call back as soon as he is briefed on the situation but did not do so at the time of filing this report.

Daily Trust reports that security agents had briefed Governor Nasir El-Rufai on recent attacks in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa, Kauru, and Kajuru Local Government Areas of the state where the governor condemned the attacks and urged them to double their efforts and intensify operations against bandits.

A statement issued by the state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan yesterday said “The governor received briefs on the situation in Kidandan, Rigachikun, Kuyanbana, Buruku general area, and Buda within the five local government areas listed and condoled families that lost their loved ones in the attack.

“These attacks are actions of criminality and sheer evil, which stand condemned by the government under the leadership of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

“Our communities are strongly urged to stand together to confront criminality. Bandits should not be allowed to inflict such pain and then have their actions be allowed to divide their victims along religious and ethnic lines. This criminality is an attack on our unity and collective wellbeing.”

He quoted the governor as stressing that his administration will continue to work with security agencies in the ongoing operations against bandits, being coordinated by the Defence Headquarters.

Source: DHQ Twitter

Open Letter To Chief Of Staff To The President

Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, President Buhari’s Chief of Staff

Dear Professor Ibrahim Gambari CFR,

I write this piece with a heavy heart; my mind is troubled with the current happenings in our dear country. Prof Sir, I specifically write to you because of the high respect I have for you, and indeed with the hope that our dear president would listen to you as his close and trusted friend.

No doubt, the current administration has tried on infrastructural developments most especially in the transportation and aviation sectors, despite the downturns in the oil industry globally.

However, there are many issues people are grumbling about in the effort to ensure the socioeconomic stability of the country. Let me start by the most recent government decisions that are directly going to affect the ordinary Nigerians drastically:

1.      The increase in the fuel pump price to N151.56 per litre.

2.      Increase in electricity tariff

Sir, the president needs to be informed that these decisions shouldn’t have been his priority for now; or at least that the timing is absolutely wrong considering the economic hardship that many Nigerians are currently subjected to.

Sir, in case the president is away from the Nigerian reality, kindly remind him that the current price of local rice is over N23,000 and that of foreign rice about N27,000. To talk less of other cereals; apparently the price of everything is skyrocketing at the speed of light.

Perhaps, the 30,000 tons of maize the president ordered for release from the federal reserved to feed poultry should have been distributed to the Nigerian masses, because there is so much hunger in the land.

In addition to all these, Sir, as an experienced academician, and I am glad to call you Professor, perhaps, the first professor to hold this subtle position if my memory of Nigeria’s history post republic serves me well, the current situation between the federal government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should not be happening under your watch. After their salary was withheld for several months, followed by their forceful enrolment into the controversial IPPIS, again the same salary is withheld currently indefinitely.

Source: Daily Trust

2023: No Plot To Return Secondus As National Chair – PDP

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus

 The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dispelled claims that some power brokers in the party are plotting to return the national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, for a second term ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Secondus was elected alongside other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national convention held in December, 2017, in Abuja.

His tenure of four years would elapse in December 2021, when another national convention would be held to elect a new NWC.

But there are claims in some quarters that some political bigwigs in the party and especially from the northern part of the country were strategising to return Secondus, a politician from the South, at next year’s convention to pave way for the emergence of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate from the North.

But reacting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, told Daily Trust in an exclusive interview that the party was not concerned about future positions but focusing on building itself for the task ahead.

“Honestly, we are not there yet. Our party is concerned about building itself. We have re-invented the party and all the issues that Nigerians were complaining about as they concern PDP have changed.

“PDP has become a transformed political party. As regards the positions in the party, that is not what is before us now.

“What is before us is to keep the party steady. And that is what we are working on. So there is no such move,” he said.

Source:Daily Trust

Kwara Lauds Sterling Bank On Health Scheme

Kwara State Government has commended Sterling Bank Plc for partnering with the state to actualise the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme (KSHIS), which was moribund despite its inauguration three years ago.

Kwara state Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq stated this in Ilorin at the official re-launch of the scheme.

He said the resuscitation represents a direct response by the state government to ensure that Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is achieved by 2030, which is access to good health and well-being.

Abdulrazaq said the scheme will start as a test-run with at least 10,000 indigent citizens from across the 16 local government areas of the state.

The governor noted that the health insurance scheme would boost life expectancy of the people, promote good health and ultimately strengthen the economy, saying the scheme has the potential to prevent a sudden fall into poverty among indigent people as a result of any unforeseen health crisis.

The Executive Director of Institutional Banking, Sterling Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, said the bank decided to partner with Kwara State Government as part of its commitment to the development of the health sector, which is one of its focus areas.

He said, “Sterling Bank is working with Kwara State Government to pioneer a truly inclusive healthcare delivery model. There is no better time to do that than now.”

Don’t Resume Classes If Schools Reopen, NUT Tells Teachers

The Chairman of the FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Stephen Knabayi, has directed primary school teachers in the territory not to resume classes anytime schools are reopened for academic activities.

Comrade Knabayi made the call while speaking with newsmen shortly after an emergency of the State Wing Executive Council Meeting (SWEC) of the union at the Teachers House in Gwagwalada, on Saturday.

He said the union’s decision to direct the primary school to stay away from classes followed failure of the area council chairmen to pay minimum wage of the teachers.

He said the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, has paid the new minimum wage so the council area council chairmen should emulate him.

He noted that the union after emerging from last week’s meeting with the FCT Minister of State, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu and the six area council chairmen as well as other stakeholders, a resolution on the payment of the primary school teachers minimum wage was not arrived at, hence the decision of the teachers to embark on strike when schools reopen.

“We have seen that the area council chairmen are not serious and not committed to the welfare of the teachers. Since FCT administration did not waste time in paying the minimum wage, we expected the area council chairmen to have taken a cue from there and done same,” he added.

He further said despite the union’s call on the six area council chairmen to pay the new minimum wage of the primary school teachers, which he said has been lingering for over 17 months, they have failed to do so.

He said secondary school teachers would in solidarity,  join the primary school teachers on strike.