By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The Federal Government has reassured students, parents, staff, alumni and other stakeholders that King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised, stressed that the institution remains a publicly owned national institution.

 The Minister of Education, Dr.

Maruf Tunji Alausa, gave the clarification while explaining the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession agreement between the Federal Government and the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).

 Alausa said the concession does not transfer ownership of the 117-year-old institution to KCOBA, noting that the Federal Government retained legal title as well as its statutory powers of regulation, monitoring, inspection and enforcement.

 “Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College. Government has retained legal title to the institution and will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities,” the minister said.

 Under the concession agreement, KCOBA is responsible for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the school, while the Federal Government retains oversight responsibilities over the institution.

 The minister explained that the concession was developed under the established PPP framework and subjected to technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, including value-for-money analysis, fiscal-impact assessment, risk allocation and commercial structuring, before securing the necessary regulatory and Federal Executive Council approvals.

 He stressed that the agreement expressly protects the public character and national identity of King’s College and does not transfer ownership or create any proprietary interest in favour of KCOBA.

 Alausa further clarified that admissions would continue to comply with applicable Unity College policies and the principles of merit, transparency, fairness and national representation, including equitable representation from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, subject to applicable merit requirements.

 According to him, admission into JSS1 will continue through the prescribed testing and assessment process, with the National Common Entrance Examination remaining central to the entry framework.

 On school fees, the minister said the concession agreement does not prescribe an automatic increase in fees, although it does not establish a permanent fee freeze.

 He explained that the concession is principally designed to address the significant infrastructure and operational requirements of the 117-year-old institution and secure its long-term sustainability.

 Under the agreement, KCOBA is responsible for financing and implementing major rehabilitation and new development covering academic and administrative buildings, hostels, staff quarters, laboratories, libraries, dining facilities, health facilities, utilities, sports and recreational facilities, landscaping, drainage and environmental works.

 The programme also provided for new classrooms, laboratories and hostels, as well as improved learning resources and digital tools.

 “King’s College is an institution with a remarkable history, but preserving that history requires us to invest in its future. The concession provides a framework for sustained infrastructure renewal, improved learning facilities and stronger operational capacity,” Alausa said.

Addressing concerns regarding teachers and other staff, the minister said the agreement contained a formal Staff Transition and Protection Framework designed to facilitate an orderly transition while protecting staff welfare and ensuring continuity of teaching, boarding, security and other essential school services.

 He explained that existing employment obligations, liabilities, arrears, pensions, gratuities and other staff-related entitlements arising before the transition remain the responsibility of the Federal Government, unless expressly assumed by KCOBA.

 Following the transition, KCOBA will assume responsibility for relevant operating expenditure, including salaries, benefits and allowances for personnel engaged under the project, in accordance with applicable contracts and law.

 The minister emphasised that the concession does not diminish government oversight, as the agreement provides for measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), infrastructure and asset-condition standards, academic and student-development measures, reporting requirements, audits, inspections and independent verification.

Government, he said, retained corrective and step-in powers in cases of persistent underperformance or serious contractual default.

KCOBA is also restricted from selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of concession assets without the required approvals, while asset stripping and deterioration beyond agreed standards are prohibited.

 Alausa further explained that the agreement does not provide for a conventional monetary concession fee. Instead, KCOBA’s obligations include capital investment, operational funding, infrastructure modernisation, institutional strengthening and measurable performance.

 He said the Federal Government welcomes legitimate scrutiny and urged stakeholders to judge the arrangement by its implementation, transparency and measurable results, particularly improvements in infrastructure, academic performance, admissions, staff welfare, student safety and wellbeing, proper utilisation of project funds and compliance with agreed KPIs.

“Our responsibility is to protect the integrity and public purpose of King’s College while ensuring that the institution receives the investment, infrastructure and management capacity required to meet the needs of present and future generations. We will continue to monitor implementation and hold all parties to their contractual obligations,” the minister assured.

The minister called on the King’s College community and the Nigerian public to engage the substance of the concession agreement and assess the arrangement on the basis of its safeguards, investment obligations, implementation and results.

He described King’s College as a national heritage institution, stressing that the objective of the concession was not merely to preserve its past but to build an institution worthy of its history, strengthened for the present and equipped for the future.

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, has charged the leadership and members of The Apostolic Church to continually pray for the greatness, peace and prosperity of Kogi State, saying that the state is rising and shining under his administration.

Ododo gave the charge at the maiden convention of The Apostolic Church, Lokongoma Area, held on Sunday in Lokoja, where he was represented by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon.

Kingsley Femi Fanwo.

The Governor said Kogi State was steadily rediscovering its lost glory through the landmark projects and development initiatives of his administration, including the Lokoja International Airport, the Ultramodern Market, and the ongoing transformation in the education and healthcare sectors.

He said the theme of the convention was in line with the vision of his administration to reposition Kogi State as a leading destination for development and investment in Nigeria.

“The theme of this convention resonates with our administration’s drive to reposition Kogi State and make it the epicentre of development in Nigeria. Our state is accepting the charge to arise and shine.

“In a couple of years, we will boast of an International Airport, and in a couple of months, we will be launching a safer and more commercially viable Ultramodern Market.

“We are building schools, Primary Healthcare Centres, clinics and hospitals. We are constructing roads and providing other social amenities for the benefit of our people. Our civil servants are happy with the Governor.”

Ododo also announced a donation of N5 million to support the convention, alongside an SUV for the use of the newly appointed Superintendent of the Church.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for people of all faiths to worship and practise their religion freely across the state.

“The Governor has also sent in a donation of N5 million to support this convention. In addition, the Governor has donated an SUV for the use of the new Superintendent.

“Despite being a Muslim, the Governor is a friend of the Church, and he will continue to provide a conducive environment for all faiths to thrive,” Fanwo said.

Responding, the Vice Chairman of the LAWMNA Territory, who represented the Chairman, Pastor A.B. Geoffrey, thanked Governor Ododo for his support and for allowing himself to be used by God to bless the Church.

He assured the Governor of the continued support and prayers of the Church for his administration and the development of Kogi State.

The Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Pastor Folashade Ayoade, and the Auditor-General for Local Government, Hon. Yakubu Adabenege, commended The Apostolic Church for its consistent prayers for the Governor and the government of Kogi State.

Other senior government officials present at the event included Hon. Femi Obanewo and Hon. Dele Nihi, among others.

The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) and China Tourism Academy have agreed to deepen cooperation to attract more Chinese tourists to Nigerian destinations.

The agreement was reached at a recent meeting between NTDA officials and officials of the China Tourism Academy in Beijing, the NTDA said in a statement issued on Saturday.

NTDA Director-General, Dr Ola Awakan, during the meeting, called for a structured China-Nigeria Tourism Market Development Programme to provide deeper insights into Chinese traveller trends and preferences.

Awakan said the programme would help Nigeria develop tourism products and destination-marketing strategies tailored to the Chinese market and strengthen its competitiveness in global tourism.

He also advocated increased technical and capacity-building cooperation in tourism data and research, destination development, standards and institutional development.

According to him, stronger collaboration would create opportunities for Chinese tourism investors, operators and hospitality businesses to explore investment-ready projects in Nigeria.

Awakan reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to diversifying Nigeria’s economy through tourism and stressed the importance of international partnerships to achieve the objective.

Responding, Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, commended Awakan’s initiatives in Nigeria’s tourism sector and described the country as richly endowed with cultural and historical resources.

Bin expressed the Academy’s readiness to establish a strategic partnership with the NTDA to support its mandate and promote tourism exchanges between Nigeria and China.

He, however, stressed the need to improve Nigeria’s image and visibility among Chinese tourists and tourism operators to strengthen understanding of the country.

“Nigeria’s image needs to be promoted in the minds of the Chinese people for our operators and tourists to understand your country better,” he said.

Bin also called for more exchange programmes in education, training and business to strengthen interactions between the two countries.

The China Tourism Academy also expressed willingness to collaborate with the NTDA to establish a Nigerian International Tourism Promotion Centre in China.

The proposed centre is expected to promote Nigerian destinations and tourism products, improve understanding of the Chinese market and attract more Chinese tourists to Nigeria.

The meeting was attended by Dr Yang Jinsong, Director, Department of International Exchange and Finance at the China Tourism Academy, and other senior officials.

The meeting formed part of Awakan’s working visit to China, which also included participation in a seminar on Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals for Developing Countries.

The seminar is being facilitated by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce as part of efforts to expose participants to China’s development strategies.(NAN)