By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Senate yesterday approved a loan request of N1.15 trillion for the Federal Government. The loan which would be sourced from the domestic debt market will cover the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit.The approval was sequel to the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during Plenary, under the Chairmanship of Senator Aliyu Wammako (APC, Sokoto North).

In the report, the Committee pointed out that the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59. 99 trillion, an increase of N5.25 trillion over the initial N54.74 trillion proposed by the Executive.This expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion, of which N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded deficit of approximately N1.15 trillion (N1,147,462,863,321).President Tinubu who formally requested the approval of the senate for the fresh loan of N1.15 trillion on November 4, 2025, said the loan would bridge the funding gap, ensuring full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.However shortly after the adoption of the report, Senator Abdul Ningi moved a motion directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify oversight with a view to ensuring that the borrowed funds were properly implemented and used for the intended purposes.

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has urged football administrators to engage in talent hunts at the grassroots level to discover budding stars who would represent Nigeria in the future.

He assured that modalities would be put in place to make the Senate President’s U-18 Unity Cup a yearly tournament that budding talents would be discovered and nurtured to bring back the glory days of Nigerian football.

Akpabio made this known on Sunday as the second edition of the 10th Senate President’s U-18 Unity Cup commenced in Abuja.

Twenty one teams comprising sixteen (16) male and five (5) female teams cutting across the country arrived at the nation’s capital, Abuja on Saturday ahead of the competition, which kicked off on Sunday, at the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja.

Represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports Development, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, Senator Akpabio described the young players as future stars who would go on to represent the country at both continental and world football competitions.

According to the Senate President, sports and football in particular cannot grow if the grassroot is neglected. He said, “With these young men showcasing their talents, this is the future of Nigeria, and there is no way you can grow sports if we don’t go to the grassroots.

“In times past the Late Keshis, the Okochas, the Kanus, the Amokachis, the Ikpebas and the Tijani Babangidas, who brought glory to Nigeria were discovered in these kinds of tournaments.

“I have seen tremendous signals from President Bola Tinubu in putting sports on the front burner, therefore sports administrators must key into this opportunity that the President has shown in the last two years. It should not be business as usual,” he said.

Akpabio commended the Grassroots Sports Federation (GRASOF) for their tireless efforts in organising the competition and described the tournament as an opportunity to develop the sports sector, so that the future for the young football talents would be brighter.

In his welcome remarks, Tournament Coordinator, Hon. John Bassey Ekpenyong, expressed gratitude to Senator Akpabio for recognizing the importance of such competitions to the development of youths and the sports sector. He highlighted the benefits of ensuring a yearly competition, as it would among other things become a pedestal for teenagers to nurture their football career.

“This will ensure that future generations of Nigerian youth continue to benefit from this platform, promoting unity, sportsmanship, and national development. We believe that with your leadership, this tournament can become a flagship event for the Senate, inspiring and empowering Nigerian youth for years to come.”

In the opening game the Jaguar Football Club of Abia state saw off Amahus Football Club of Yobe one goal to nil. The competition continues at the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja.

Some medical science students of the University of Calabar on Wednesday protested alleged cancellation of their admissions by the university authority.

Some of the protesting students told newsmen that the university management ordered them to change their programmes after they had completed a full academic session.

One of them, Blessing Okon, said that she was duly admitted and registered to study nursing, but was being forced to change to another programme of study.

“I have paid my fees and completed my first year in the programme. I am supposed to be in year two.

“This issue started after our examination. We started seeing ‘change of programme’ notices on our portals.

No explanation or prior communication was given,” he said.

Also speaking, Emmanuel Ekanem, a student of Medicine and Surgery, said that no fewer than 800 students were affected in the department.

Ekanem said that the university was asking them to change their programmes even after scoring the approved Cumulative Grade Point Average.

Effiong Bassey, a parent described the university’s decision as ‘unfair and heartbreaking’

Bassey said that the alleged cancellation of admission had caused severe emotional stress among parents and students.

He urged the university to reverse the decision in the interest of fairness and justice, saying that students should not be punished over the university’s administrative errors”

In his reaction, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Effiong Eyo, said that some of the protesting students were not officially admitted to study medicine or nursing in the university.

He said that some of the students secured admission through illegal windows and were not listed on the JAMB admission portal.