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Fire Destroys 23 Shops in Owode Market, Offa

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From Alfred Babs, Ilorin

An early morning fire yesterday gutted and destroyed about 23 shops and goods worth millions of Naira at Owode Market in Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The fire, according to the Kwara State Fire Service started around 1:00am and before the service was contacted, many shops had been engulfed in the inferno.

However, the Fire Service said that the arrival of its men eventually prevented the inferno from spreading to other shops and houses in the vicinity of the market.

It however said that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained but suspected that it might be due to electricity surge in the area.

Head of Media and Publicity of the Kwara Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, said that though the intelligence unit of the Fire Brigade was working to know the immediate and remote causes of the fire outbreak, he suspected that electric spark might be the cause.

He said, “Today inferno was at Owode Market, Offa, Kwara State. It started around 1:00am and before they were able to reach fire Brigade many shops have really engulfed already. But immediately the State Fire Service arrived, the fire was initially prevented from further spreading to the other shops in that vicinities before it was later put under control.

“And if not because of the quick intervention of the fire Brigade, the disaster would have been a great one, though about 23 shops were affected due to the little delay in calling fire Bigade.

“The cause of the inferno was suspected to be an electric spark the cause of the” outbreak.

“The cause of the inferno was suspected to be an electric spark, even though the intelligent team of the State Fire Brigade is still working on that to unravel and ascertain the cause of the inferno,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kwara State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Hon Aisha Ahman-Pategi said that she sympathized with the victims of the inferno at the market.

In a statement signed by the press secretary to the ministry, Oba Azeez, the Commissioner expressed shock over the incident and commiserated with the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi and the people who lost valuables to the fire, saying that she understood what this tragedy means to the victims, Offa LG and Kwara State at a time of economic recovery in Offa.

Ahman Pategi noted that Offa LGA is one of the industrial hubs of Kwara state and the importance of the market to the local community and the state cannot be overstated. She prayed that “Allah puts succour in the hearts of those who lost valuables.”

Metro

FG Declares March 29, April 1, Public Holiday to Mark Easter Celebration

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The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29, and Monday, April 1, as public holidays to mark the Easter celebration.This was contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Aishetu Ndayako on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to her, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.
Tunji-Ojo urged Christians and all Nigerians to emulate the sacrifice and love displayed by Jesus Christ in dying for the redemption of man.
The minister noted that Easter, beyond religious significance, promoted values of love, forgiveness and compassion which were essential for social cohesion and harmony.
He called on Christians to imbibe these virtues as they were capable of impacting positively on the socio-economic development of Nigeria by fostering unity, reducing conflicts and encouraging cooperation among Nigerians.Tunji-Ojo further urged Nigerians to show acts of charity and generosity to help alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged amongst them.This, he said, was in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.He wished Christians at home and abroad a happy and blissful Easter celebration.The minister also called on Nigerians to join hands with the Tinubu’s administration in its determination to bring sustainable development and usher in prosperity to all.

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Wike Woos Indian Investors to Abuja

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The Minister of the Federal Capital (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has sought for huge investments from Indian investors, as part of strategies to fast tract the development of the capital territory, Abuja.

Wike made the call when the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Shri Balasubramanian, visited him in Abuja on Tuesday.

He acknowledged the presence of many Indian companies in the country, particularly petrochemicals and fertiliser companies among others.

“We would also like to have this kind of relationship in Abuja.

“You have seen improvement in security; you have seen improvement in infrastructure in Abuja. That is part of the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“We will discuss other areas that will be of mutual interest between India and Nigeria, and Abuja in particular,” he said.

The minister said that it was within the purview of the FCT Administration to ensure that all Embassies in Nigeria, have an unhostile environment to enable them perform their assignments.

Earlier, Balasubramanian said that the excellent relationship between India and Nigeria was quite old.

The Ambassador explained that India began its diplomatic relationship with Nigeria two years before the country became independent in 1958, when India established a diplomatic office in Lagos.

He said that there were over 155 Indian companies in Nigeria, with more than 27 billion dollars of investments in various manufacturing areas.

He said that companies ranged from plastics to steel, oil, and pharmaceuticals among others in every sector.

According to him, Indian companies are the second largest employer of labour after the Nigerian government.

“So that is the level of engagement that we have, including wonderful political relationships.

“Culturally, we also have excellent cooperation. We have been having various groups from Nigeria going to India to participate in different exhibitions and cultural activities.

“We are very happy with all the facilities that are being extended to our Embassy.

“We are more than happy about it and would like to continue the relationship”. (NAN)

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British Council Partners NUC on Development of Varsity Curriculum 

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The British Council has partnered with the National Universities Commission (NUC) on the development of curriculum in tertiary institutions.

Mr Chikodi Onyemerela, Director of Programmes, British Council, at a workshop on Enhancing Curriculum and Pedagogical Approaches in Nigerian Universities, in Abuja on Monday, said the partnership was necessary to be in tune with global trend.

He said that there was need to change from traditional approach of teaching and learning to digital literacy in solving problems.

“NUC has since introduced the CCMAS which emphasised the cultivation of critical thinking, digital literacy, problem solving and enterpreneurial skill among graduates and this is imperative for our educational institutions to adopt accordingly.

 

“We must acknowledge the hurdles that lies ahead the traditional approach to teaching and learning which has long been entrenched in our university system and are not easily overturn.

“To change this will require a concerted efforts from each of us to challenge the status quo,” he said.

Also, the Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, called for collaborative efforts in initiating continuous curriculum reform in Nigerian universities.

He emphasised the need for continuous curriculum reform in Nigerian universities to enable them adapt in a fast-changing world.

He also said that initiating such reforms usually come with challenges, noting that sometimes  the actualisation of the curriculum renewal is not fully realised due to the challenges of implementation.

“Continuous curriculum reform has been considered a necessary measure to assist schools respond to a fast-changing world.

“Initiating such reforms is not without challenges as, sometimes, the actualisation of the curriculum renewal is not fully realised due to the challenges of implementation.

“It is gratifying to note that this workshop is coming on the heels of the implementation of the recently-developed Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) in line with the Commission’s enabling laws.

“The new CCMAS is a product of sustained stakeholder interactions and engagement over the years. This involved a blend of academic experts, government (represented by NUC), professional bodies, and the private sector represented by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group(NESG).

“In order to enrich the draft documents, copies of each discipline were forwarded to all critical stakeholders including the relevant academic units in Nigerian Universities, the private sector, professional bodies and the academies for their comments and input,” he said.

Maiyaki said these inputs, along with the curriculum of programmes obtained from some foreign and renowned universities, served as major working materials for the various panels constituted for that purpose.

“Innovative courses such as Venture Creation, Entrepreneurship (programme Specific) and innovation, among others were incorporated into the general studies courses to enhance the employability skills of graduates,”  he said.

Maiyaki added that the new curriculum unbundles the Bachelor of Agriculture, Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication and the Bachelor of Architecture Programmes, while establishing some emerging specialisations in these fields, in line with global practices.

He, however, stated that this was not a one-time process as there would be curriculum development and review to be at pace with current global trends. (NAN)

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