The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will ensure that residents of Guzape and Kpaduma communities affected by road construction in the area are duly compensated without delay.

The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, made the pledge during a meeting with the traditional rulers and representatives of Kpaduma and Guzape communities in Abuja on Monday, over the road project.

He explained that the meeting was to address concerns over the delay in relocation of affected villagers living on the road corridor.

The minister expressed concerns over the continued presence of the residents on the road corridor marked for construction to ease traffic and boost connectivity within the FCT.

He assured the traditional leaders and community members of the government’s commitment to ensure justice and fairness to everyone affected.

He promised that every affected individual would be duly compensated, adding that a Right of Occupancy for new resettlement areas would be provided without delay.

Wike directed the Director of Resettlement to evaluate what it would cost to resettle the affected residents.

He pointed out that the compensation rate was too meagre and asked the director to increase it by 100 per cent.

“Increase their rate. If they are supposed to get N50, give them N100.

“We are not here to displace anyone unjustly. This is about building a better Abuja for all.

“We will ensure your people are properly compensated and given legal documents for their new homes,” he said.

He, however, clarified that compensation would be paid for only structures along the road corridor and not the entire community.

The minister emphasised the critical importance of the road project to the overall development plan of the capital city.

He acknowledged the deep-rooted attachment the communities have to their ancestral lands and appealed for their understanding.

According to him, government’s development efforts must sometimes involve difficult decisions.

Responding, the traditional leaders, led by Sa’peyi of Garki, Alhaji Usman Nga-Kupi, commended Wike for his transparency and the willingness to engage them directly.

Nga-Kupi acknowledged the benefits the road project would bring to the area, and pledged their resolve to cooperate and support the resettlement process.

 “We are grateful for the minister’s assurance and the respect shown to our people.

“We will support this effort in the interest of peace and progress”, the traditional leader said. (NAN)

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to fully transitioning to Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and other exam bodies by 2026.

Dr Alausa made this known while monitoring the conduct of WAEC’s CBT examinations in Abuja on Wednesday.

He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s capacity to modernise its examination system and reduce widespread malpractice through digital innovation.

Commending WAEC’s initiative, the minister described the shift from traditional pen-and-paper exams to CBT as a historic and crucial step toward fairness and educational integrity.

“We are working very hard to eliminate fraud in our exam system, and WAEC is taking the lead,” he said.

Highlighting the advantages of CBT, Alausa noted that the system simplified the exam process while significantly curbing cheating.

“We now have clear evidence that when exams are done using technology, the level of fraud is minimised to almost zero,” he stated.

He further lauded WAEC’s internal safeguards, explaining that the CBT system was operated via a secured Local Area Network (LAN), making it “literally impossible” to hack.

According to the minister, by Nov. 2025, all WAEC multiple-choice exams will be conducted using CBT.

He added that essay questions and NECO examinations would follow suit by 2026.

On infrastructure and logistics, particularly in remote areas, Alausa acknowledged the challenges but assured that scalable solutions are in progress.

“Are we going to be ready to provide every single needed infrastructure by November? Absolutely not.

“But as we move into the future, we will be ready. We have to challenge ourselves as government,” he said.

He also addressed concerns over the logistics of conducting multiple exams.

“In WAEC, the average student takes about eight to nine papers.

“They do it over several days. Those are the logistics we, as administrators, have to work through, and we already are,” he explained.

The ongoing WAEC exams, which began on April 24, are scheduled to conclude on June 20, 2025.

A total of 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools are participating. Of this number, 979,228 candidates are male, accounting for 49.63 per cent, while 994,025 candidates are female, making up 50.37 per cent.(NAN)

 The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to embrace their cultural diversity and promote unity and respect within the diverse nation.

The first lady made the call in her message on Wednesday in commemoration of the 2025 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

“The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, highlights the profound strength that lies our differences and the shared humanity that connects us all.

”There is indeed strength and unity in diversity.

“Nigeria for example is blessed with over 250 ethnic groups, each speaking a different language, but it is through our dialogue, our interactions, and our mutual respect that we find true identity and unity.

“On this day, I encourage every Nigerian to celebrate our cultural richness, to listen with empathy, and to lead with understanding.

“Let us embrace this journey together and shape a brighter future for Nigeria and the world,” Mrs Tinubu said.

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is celebrated every year on May 21, to raise awareness on the role of Culture in sustainable socio-economic growth and development. (NAN)