NEWS
Adamawa Ministry Seeks Upward Review of Mineral Exploration Contract
The Adamawa Ministry of Mineral Resources has requested approval for an upward review of miniral exploration contract from N255.6 million to N540.6 million due to inflation.
Mr Haruna Ibrahim, Commissioner for Mineral Resources, said this during a ministerial briefing in Yola on Wednesday.
He said the contract has been awarded to Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) Ltd in 2021, to conduct feasibility study on five selected mineral deposits including lithium, copper, lead/zinc, barite and gold, with the Exploration Licenses (EL) sites of Adamawa Mining Co.
Ltd.According to him, the initial contract has a completion period of 25 weeks at the cost of N255.6 million, adding that the project reached 40.
75 per cent completion stage.He said the balance of N153.3 million representing 60 per cent of the contract sum, had been released to the Adamawa Mining Company in December, 2023, to facilitate completion of the exercise.
“Nevertheless, due to current inflationary trends in the country the contractor requested for a variation on the project.
“However, the Adamawa Mining Co. Ltd after careful analysis opted to go for variation as executing all the scope of the project will be of advantage to government to avoid fresh contract.
“Accordingly, the variation order was carried by the Adamawa Mining Company, and the Adamawa Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) after which a Certificate of No Objection was issued.
“If the State Executive Council approve the variation memo, and subsequent approval and the release of the variation amount before the 1st quarter of 2025, will enable the firm to complete the exploration exercise, to produce the Final Report of the Bankable Feasibility Study,” he said (NAN)
NEWS
Bill to Rename Benue Varsity Passes First Reading
A bill to rename the Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi to Moses Orshio Adasu University has passed first reading at the Benue State House Assembly.
The bill was read during Wednesday plenary by the acting Clerk of the House, Mr John Hwande.
Also during the plenary, a bill for the establishment of Benue State University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Ihugh, in Vandeikya local government area also passed first.
Daily asset reports that three other bills also passed first reading.
The bills include a bill for a law to amend a free and compulsory basic education and a bill for a law to establish a task force on quality healthcare and prevention of quackery in the state.
Report says that two out of the bills, which were from the executive, were presented to the house by the Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer.
The others were presented by the member representing Gboko East Constituency, Mrs. Becky Orpin, and that of Kwande West, Mr Thomas Dugeri.
The Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, who presided over plenary, referred them to the House Standing Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative scrutiny. (NAN)
NEWS
Tinubu Approves Leadership Changes for Oye-Ekiti, Lokoja Varsities
President Bola Tinubu has approved the swap of Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of the Governing Councils of Federal University Oye-Ekiti and its Lokoja counterpart.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
“In the reshuffling, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, the Pro-Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, will move to Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, while Mr Kayode Ojo, who previously held a similar position at Oye-Ekiti, will assume same role in Lokoja.
“This strategic change is part of Tinubu’s initiative to foster diversity and national cohesion in the management of the country’s universities,” he said.
(NAN)NEWS
NYSC Gets new State Coordinator in Delta
Mr John Kwaghe has assumed duty as the new Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Delta.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Stella Ogbummuo, NYSC state Public Relations Officer, on Wednesday in Asaba.
The statement said that Mr Kwaghe, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Master’s degree in Career Management hails from Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
“The new state coordinate has worked in many states and the National Directorates Headquarters in different capacities including Ekiti and Nasarawa State.
“In line with the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters’ sustained drive to optimise the scheme’s operations nationwide, a new state coordinator has been posted to take over the headship of NYSC Delta State secretariat.
“He will take over from Mr Olusegun Alao, who has been transferred to NYSC South South Area Office 1, Delta State,” Ogbummuo stated. (NAN)