NEWS
Ghost Workers: Enugu Gov’t Begins Physical Verification of LG Staff

The Enugu State Government says it has begun the physical verification of local government workers in the state to fish out ghost workers and ensure effective and productive workforce.
Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who monitored the exercise to ascertain the level of workers’ compliance on Friday, said the process was fair to all and satisfactory in line with established best practices.
Speaking to newsmen after the inspection of the exercise at the Enugu North Council Areas, Onyia disclosed that the physical verification exercise was another phase of the verification process which had been ongoing since 2023.
He insisted that there was need for the government to know the status and identity of the actual staff in every local government area and those who illegitimately made their way into the respective local government payrolls.
According to him, his unannounced visit was to know how punctual and dedicated the workers have been in the discharge of their official duties.
He stressed that the state could not continue to utilize taxpayers money to service the wage bills of ghost workers and those that had abandoned their work places and failed to discharge their responsibilities for the growth of the state.
“The verification team that is here will go through a verification process that includes; the workers’ appointment letter, their schedules, and we are going to ensure that their biometrics that were captured and presented to us reflect in what we have seen here.
“This is because we also know that people are going on filling out information online, but they are not the actual people present here. So, we didn’t tell anybody we were coming today and none of the local government areas knows which local government we would show up.
“So, we chose Enugu North today and as you can see, we did not have a significant numbers to justify what was on our payroll,” Onyia said.
The SSG, while lamenting that the local government system had become a dumping ground for people who think they can corruptly influence the system because they know highly placed people, assured that the system would be overhauled by this present administration.
This, he said, would enhance productivity aligning with Gov. Peter Mbah’s plan of moving the state’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
He stated that the exercise would be conducted in the 17 local government areas in the state, while the state team would continue to monitor all the exercises and take appropriate measures against those that failed to be captured in the exercise.
Reports says that the State Government Thursday concluded the online registration exercise for all the Local Government workers in the state. (NAN)
NEWS
Unique Secondary School Expands Outreach, Honors Ogbodo, Launches Scholarships

By David Torough, Abuja
Unique Secondary School Makurdi (USSM), a leading private educational institution in Benue State, continues to make significant strides in academic excellence and community impact.
In a bold move to increase accessibility and reward excellence, the school has unveiled a new examination centre in Oju Local Government Area, launched a scholarship scheme for families with multiple children in the school, and honoured a distinguished alumnus, Dr.
Mark Ogbodo, by naming a recreational facility after him.The newly inaugurated Dr. Mark Ogbodo Park was officially commissioned on July 24, during a colourful ceremony held at the school’s New GRA campus in Makurdi.
The event drew an impressive turnout of students, staff, parents, alumni, and dignitaries.
Chairman of Unique Schools and co-founder of USSM, Engr. Felix Atume led the commissioning, describing it as a tribute to dedication and impact.
Dr. Ogbodo, an author and founder of Lydia Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo, was visibly moved by the honour.
In a social media post after the event, he wrote: “Who am I to deserve this great honour? What impact have I made on USSM? These thoughts flooded my mind as I stood speechless in awe.”
He praised the school leadership, particularly Principal Mr. Samuel Ortsega, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for the recognition.
Also unveiled at the event was a scholarship programme aimed at easing the financial burden on families with more than one child enrolled at USSM.
The initiative was met with excitement and gratitude from parents in attendance. Furthermore, the newly established Oju exam centre was widely applauded for eliminating the long travel often required for external examinations, especially for students living in remote areas.
Founded on September 1, 1998, by Engr. Atume and Mrs. Juliana Atume, a noted philanthropist, USSM has built a strong reputation for nurturing students through academic rigor and character development.
Originally a day school, it added a boarding facility in 2007 to cater to growing demand. Situated in a serene environment, the school provides a secure and conducive atmosphere for learning.
USSM is part of the larger Unique Schools family, which began with Unique Nursery and Primary School in 1995.
The secondary arm offers a comprehensive curriculum infused with entrepreneurial and vocational training in areas such as catering, fashion, cosmetology, and design—preparing students with practical skills for life beyond the classroom.
The school boasts modern infrastructure, including science laboratories, an ICT centre, a digital library, spacious classrooms, quality boarding facilities, a healthcare unit, and the expansive Engr. Felix Atume Hall. Recreational amenities include courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, a football pitch, and indoor games like chess and scrabble.
In keeping with global trends, USSM has embraced digital innovations such as an online result-checking system and is planning an enhanced presence on social media.
The school runs a three-term calendar and prepares students for key national examinations including BECE, WAEC, and NECO.
Ambitious plans are underway to launch Unique Technical College, which will focus on technical and vocational education.
As the evening of July 24 transitioned into a celebratory dinner in honour of the 2025 graduating class, guests—including PTA members, parents, alumni, and staff—shared heartfelt goodwill messages. The PTA Chairman described the event as “unparalleled in the school’s history.”
Through initiatives like the Oju centre, new scholarships, and the celebration of alumni impact, Unique Secondary School Makurdi continues to set the benchmark for holistic and community-rooted education in Benue State.
Foreign News
Zelensky Announces New Draft Law on Anti-corruption Bodies after Protests

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.
Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.
On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.
He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.
The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.
At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.
The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.
Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.
Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.
Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.
On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.
“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.
Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.
Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”
“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”
In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”
NEWS
Why I Quit Banking for Music – CDQ

Nigerian rapper CDQ has revealed that he left a stable banking job to pursue his true passion, music.
In an interview, the hip-hop star shared that becoming a banker was a move to honor his late father’s wishes, but it wasn’t where his heart truly belonged.
“I quit my bank job.
I couldn’t tell my mother or any family member then. I left the house and went to stay with Masterkraft in the studio,” he said.CDQ admitted that while at the bank, he often found himself scribbling lyrics during work hours instead of focusing on his official duties.
The internal conflict eventually led him to a bold decision, quitting his job to chase a career in music.
According to him, even his close friend and producer, Masterkraft, was shocked when he learned about the decision. Interestingly, Masterkraft used to lend CDQ suits to wear to the bank.
“I told him banking isn’t my passion. I will probably just do it to make ends meet. But music is something that, whether it gives me a return or not, I’m still happy doing it,” CDQ added.
CDQ’s gamble paid off. He shot to fame in 2016 with his hit single “Indomie” featuring Masterkraft and Olamide.