Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over the recent announcement by the West African Examinations Council revealing a 7.69 per cent decrease in the performance of candidates who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Nigeria. WAEC had on Monday, August 12, announced the release of the results for the 2024 WASSCE. WAEC’s Head of Nigeria Organisation, Amos Dangut, stated that the exam which was the first conducted under his term was a success. “WAEC is releasing its results today as out of 1,805,…

The Federal Government has threatened to sanction higher institutions that fail to submit lists of students admitted immediately after matriculation. This was revealed in a memo ‘CLARIFICATION ON DISCLOSURE OF ADMITTED CANDIDATES OUTSIDE CAPS( 2017-DATE)’ by the Jamb Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) obtained by Channels Television. The initiative, according to JAMB’s Public Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, is one of the recommendations made by a committee set up by the Federal Government to combat fake degree racketeering in the country. According to the memo, institutions are to “regularly submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education not later than…

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has expressed his profound gratitude to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for signing the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill into law, thereby approving the creation of the commission. It will be recalled that the bill was sponsored by Kalu and all the lawmakers from the south east region from the House of Representatives. The bill sought to establish a commission that will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage fund from allocation of the federation account for…

Happy 53rd Birthday to our champion, an extraordinary representative Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu (Utabiri Bende). I am using the word Champion with a high sense of responsibility and in its  strictest definitions as : “one that does battles for other’s rights or honour,  a winner of first prize or first place in a competition and an advocate, to describe  Benjamin Okezie Kalu , the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, as I congratulate him on his birthday, in appreciation of the pride his persona and activities have  conferred on Nigeria and his constituency. I am from Nkpa,…

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu was in Kano State yesterday to felicitate with the Emir of Kano, His Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and the Emir of Bichi, His Highness, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero on the marriage ceremony of their children. Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, whose first port of call, was the palace of the Emir of Kano in Kano City, congratulated the revered Traditional Ruler and conveyed the best wishes of his family and constituents on the wedding of his son. Hon. Kalu recalled that the Emir of Kano had shown…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has charged the newly inaugurated commissioners on the Board of the National Population Commission (NPC) to ensure that the next census will give the actual statistics of Nigeria’s population. He said that knowing the figure was essential to economic planning and the spread of infrastructure across the country. The Deputy Speaker said that it was not right to continue to hazard a guess about the country’s population each time the issue arises, stressing that it was time the narrative is changed for good. A statement by his Chief…

Leadership of Item Development Association and Traditional Rulers of Item in Bende LGA, Abia State have applauded the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu for his exceptional representation in the Green Chambers since his resumption into office. The President-General of IDA, Chief Onwuka Orji in his speech lauded the deputy speaker for showing capacity and spreading projects across Bende federal constituency from which their community has also benefited immensely He further appreciated Kalu for facilitating the appointment of their son, Chief Emmanuel Trump Eke as a federal commissioner representing Abia in the National Population Commission (NPC) and also appointing another…

The Consulate-General of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lagos and Vivacity Development are pleased to announce their partnership for Vivacity upcoming side event at Dubai COP 28, focused on Climate Change Awareness: Nigeria’s Action Plan. The event is scheduled to take place on December 4th, 2023, at 4pm. The side event aims to bring together key stakeholders, experts, and policymakers to discuss and highlight Nigeria’s action plan in combating climate change. With the theme of Climate Change Awareness, this event will shed light on the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change and emphasize…

The House of Representatives at the plenary Wednesday passed through second reading, a Bill seeking to amend the Interpretation Act, 2004 to provide conditions for appointment and assumption of offices in acting capacity. The proposed legislation titled, “Bill for an Act to Amend the Interpretation Act, Cap. 123, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide Conditions for Appointment and Assumption of Office in Acting capacity, to provide the meaning of certain words and for Related Matters”, was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere and five other lawmakers. Leading the debate on its general…

Benjamin Kalu Foundation in collaboration with Vision Saver Eye Care Limited has kicked off a National Action Against Blindness Project, organizing a three-day medical outreach in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State. The Foundation which is the brainchild of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu held the outreach in Bende LGA from 13th to 15th October, 2023. A statement signed by his special assistant on press affairs Udora Orizu, stated that the outreach was essentially aimed towards providing free community eye care services, treatment, and medical services to the constituents. The exercise witnessed…