The Director-General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmad, has advised corps members to stop thinking of relocating back to their communities, emphasising that life does not end there.

Report says that Ahmad spoke when he visited the NYSC temporary orientation camp on Friday in Kaduna.

Addressing corps members of the 2024 batch ‘C stream ‘I’ currently on the mandatory three-week orientation course, he urged the corps members to find home anywhere they were posted to, emphasising the importance of adapting to new environments.

Ahmad emphasised that the corps members must find a sense of belonging wherever they were posted, stating that such mindset was crucial for a successful service year.

According to him, embracing new experiences and being open to change can lead to personal growth and development.

He urged the corps members to focus on making a positive impact in their host communities.

The director-general encouraged them to be proactive and seek opportunities to contribute to the development of their host communities.

He urged them to respect the cultures and traditions of their host communities, advising, ”remain peaceful and resilient as you add value to the community you are posted to.

”I am sure many of you will choose to remain here after your service. You should also take security seriously.

“Your security is our concern, but no one can secure you more than yourself.”

Ahmad underscored the importance of skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development of the scheme.

He urged the corps members to take advantage of the programme to become not just self-reliant, but job and wealth creators after their service year.

“Skills acquisition is designed to make you independent, self-reliant and productive.

”The Federal government is out to ensure that youths are supported and empowered so they can stand on their own.

“Thousands of your predecessors who maximised the opportunity are now independent,”Ahmad said.

The director-general however warned the corps members on unauthorised and night travels, indecent dressing, among other acts that may project the scheme in bad light.
(NAN)

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to protect the Tertiary Education Trust (TETFUND) from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024.

Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the President of ASUU, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Osodeke said that the proposed bill was worrisome and also posed potential danger to the Tertiary Education Trust (TETFUND).

“ASUU has observed with keen interest the ongoing debate on the review of the tax system in the country under a proposed bill tagged, Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.

“This is currently before the National Assembly. Arising from the tax bill is the proposed abrogation of the education tax.

“ASUU is alarmed by this dangerous and unpatriotic aspect of the proposed new tax regime,” he said.

According to Osodeke, the bill proposed that education tax, called development levy, used to bankroll TETFund’s programmes should be ceded to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

“TETFund will also receive 66.7 per cent in 2027, 2028 and 2029 years of assessment but zero per cent in 2030 year of assessment and thereafter,”he said.

He said that the far-reaching consequence of the new tax system is that from 2030, all funds generated from the development levy would be passed to NELFUND.

He said that ASUU found the development not only worrisome but also inimical to the national development objective due to the potential danger to the survival of TETFund.

Osodeke said that TETFund has been viewed as the backbone for infrastructural development, postgraduate training and research capacity building in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions in the
last 15 years.

He said that ASUU had resolved not to stand by and watch the denigration or obliteration of TETfund which represents a positive testament to its constructive engagements with Nigerian governments since 1992.

“It is our considered view that abrogating the TETFund Act 2011, by design or default, will be a great disservice not just to education but to Nigeria as a nation.

“As a result, ASUU is urging members of the National Assembly to do all within their capacity to protect TETFund from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, ”he said.(NAN)

Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of a husband and wife in a midnight inferno at Rangaza (Inken) Layin AU, Ungogo Local Government Area.

The service named the victims as 67-year-old Muhammed Uba, and his wife, 52-year-old Fatima Uba.

The Director of Kano State Fire Service, Hassan Muhammad disclosed this in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Service, Saminu Abdullahi on Friday in Kano.

Muhammad explained that the incident occurred 12 midnight on Thursday, Dec.

According to him, “We received a distress call at about 01:45 a.m. from one of our staff, Ahmad Abubakar and immediately sent our rescue team to the scene at about 01:51 a.

Muhammad said it is a bungalow  of about 50 by 25 feet used as a dwelling house, two rooms engulfed by the fire and were completely well alight.

He said that the victims were trapped by the smoke from the fire but were rescued unconscious with burns in some parts of their bodies.

He said that their corpses were handed over to the Ward head of Rangaza in Ungogo Local Government Area, Muhammad Rayyanu.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation,’’ he said.

The spokesman however, advised the general public to comply with safety regulations to avoid unforeseen circumstances. (NAN)