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JUST IN: FG opposes N/Assembly’s proposals for 200 new varsities

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The federal government has expressed opposition to the proposals by the National Assembly for creation of nearly 200 new universities in the country.

It said with almost 200 bills in the National Assembly for establishment of new universities, there is a growing concern that the system is becoming overwhelmed.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja yesterday during the third edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing.

The country currently has 278 universities, 64 of which are federal; 67, state; and 147, private.

The government had, last month, announced a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities “to enhance the quality and sustainability of private universities, ensuring that only institutions with the necessary financial and academic capacity are granted licenses.”

The minister yesterday emphasised that strengthening the capacities of the existing universities is more important than establishing new ones.

He said: “They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills. Today, I can tell you that there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue like this.

Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there. What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens.

“We need to stop this (the 200 bills for new universities) from happening. There is so much pressure on the president. We have to, at least, be sensitive to it as well.

“I understand the sentiment of our legislators. They want to show that they are working. We know they are working. But then, we have enough assets, we have enough opportunities out there for students to go to universities.

“What we now need to do is to begin to mobilise more resources to develop infrastructures, build engineering workshops, build laboratories in these universities, recruit international standard teachers, so that we can begin to get these universities to develop, to deliver high quality of education that will be known for as a country.

“Today, if you care to know, we have 64 federal universities, 67 state universities and 147 private universities.

If you look at the entire enrolment together, the private universities account for just 7.5% of total undergraduate enrolment.

I will tell you the meaning of the number. The total number of undergraduate enrolments today is just about 875,000, which is, at least, fairly low.

“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there is this intense demand for more universities to be opened. We have to stop that.”

however, it is not only the legislators that are obsessed with pushing for the establishing of universities as constituency project or for status symbol.

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MultiChoice Unveils Festive Seasons Price Slash for Decoders

MultiChoice’s Executive Head of Marketing, Tope Oshunkeye, explained that the move is to ensures that entertainment remained affordable for all Nigerians as the festive season approaches.

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Multichoice has slashed the price of the DStv decoder from N10,000 to a N7,900, while the GOtv decoder price dropped to N6,500.

MultiChoice’s Executive Head of Marketing, Tope Oshunkeye, explained that the move is to ensures that entertainment remained affordable for all Nigerians as the festive season approaches.

He emphasised that this would be a great opportunity for more families to spend quality time together, enjoying local and international programming without putting too much pressure on their pockets.

According to the company, this second major adjustment in months, effective since November 1, is part of the company’s commitment to serve customers better and provide affordable access to premium entertainment.

The new price adjustment follows an earlier reduction in June, under the company’s “We’ve Got You” campaign. Then, MultiChoice adjusted the price of a DStv decoder by 50 percent from N20,000 to N10,000, and the GOtv decoder went from N18,600 to N9,900.

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Immigration returns Senator Natasha’s passport after social media outcry

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The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has returned the passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan after a wave of public outcry and condemnation on social media.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was stopped by immigration officers on Tuesday morning, and her passport was withheld without any official reason or explanation provided.

The lawmaker, who was visibly frustrated, had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of ordering the seizure, alleging it was a move to prevent her from traveling and carrying out her senatorial duties.

“I have committed no offence and there is no order from the court to withhold my passport and deny me travelling. The last time this happened, the officer in charge told us that the Senate President, Godswin Akpabio instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling because he said each time I travel out of the country, I spoil the country’s image by granting interviews out in international media.

“Please, can you tell them to release my passport and this embarrassment should stop? You have no right to withhold my passport.

“You have no right to deny me exit and entrance into my country. I have not committed any offence and this must stop. No, this must stop.

“As a matter of fact, I think I have to sue you for continuously embarrassing me. No, don’t tell me sorry. Can I please have my passport? You can’t keep doing this to me all the time,” she said.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan views the incident as part of a recurring pattern of harassment, pointing out that her passport was previously seized under similar circumstances, only to be released after intervention from influential figures.

She continued, “There is no reason why. You have no right to do that, madam. You have no right. You are taking laws into your hands. There is no court order. I have not missed any of my court appearances.

“I have attended all my court sessions. I am not a flight risk. I am not a risk to my country. So why are you treating me like a criminal? Can I have my passport, please? Thank you very much. Sometimes I think you just have to be a rebel to get things right. Then you keep asking Nigerians to be good citizens.

Minutes after her public protest gained traction online, the NIS reportedly bowed to pressure and released her passport.

“If I had not gone public, would you have given me my passport,” she added.

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DSS Sacks 115 Officers (Photos)

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The Department of State Services (DSS) has dismissed 115 of its personnel as part of ongoing internal reforms aimed at maintaining discipline and integrity within the agency.This was made known in a statement on the Service’s official X account on Tuesday, stating that the action followed a review process which identified the affected individuals, whose names have now been published on its official website.

The DSS also warned members of the public against engaging in any form of transaction or communication with those dismissed, noting that some of them continue to impersonate DSS officials.

The Service reiterated its commitment to professionalism and urged citizens to report suspicious activities through its official helpline or email.

The statement reads, “As part of the ongoing reforms in the Department of State Services (DSS), the public is hereby informed that a total of 115 personnel have been dismissed over a period.

“In addition to earlier disclaimers on the duo of Barry Donald and Victor Onyedikachi Godwin, the Service finds it necessary to warn citizens of the fraudulent activities of some of these persons still posing as DSS personnel.

“Members of the public are therefore advised to desist from any official dealing with these individuals who have been dismissed by the Service. 

“For clarity, the identities of the affected persons have been published on the website of the Service (dss.gov.ng/media/more/4). 

“For requests, enquiries or complaints, the Service can be reached on 09088373515, or via email: dsspr@dss.gov.ng.”

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