Breaking news: WAEC to withhold students’ results in 19 states over N4b debt

The West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC has threatened to withhold the results of students in 19 states that sat for the May/June 2015 WASSCE over nonpayment of candidates’ registration fees by their state governments.

Speaking at its national office Yaba, some hours ago, the Head of National Office, HNO, Mr Charles Eguridu said: “The affected states should off-set the registration fees of their candidates as soon as possible, as we cannot guarantee that the results of their candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE will be released alongside others.”

He said that a total number of 19 states in the country owe the Council in respect of entry fees for states government sponsored candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE noting that some States also still owe the Councils registration fees for the May/June 2014 WASSCE. According to him, the 19 states which are indebted to the tune of N4 billion were not making efforts to pay adding that efforts made by the Councils to get the money from them proved abortive, hence WAEC has resolved to make it public.

Eguridu who declined to mentioned names of the indebted states said, he is given them benefit of the debt, stressing that many of the governors have just assumed office. He however urged the indebted states to pay up within the next two weeks. His words: “Many of the states of the federation, as part of their education policy, pay the registration fees of candidates for the WASSCE, particularly in the public schools.

“This is quite commendable as it afforded many indigent students the opportunity to sit our examinations and relieved many poor parents of this financial burden. “As I speak to you now, we are cash-strapped as a result of the delay in off-setting the registration fees owed the Council by some states. As a result, we are finding it difficult in meeting our financial obligations, particularly to our supervisors, examiners and service providers.

“We have written to the affected states governments without any response. The poor response is threatening the smooth operations of the Council.”

Oliseh replies critics: Nigeria deserves only the best, not second division players

New Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh continues to show how his reign would be with his technological savvy as he took to YouTube to address concerns over his decision not to hand invitations to footballers who play outside of the first division in the major leagues across the world.

Oliseh’s comment during his unveiling in Abuja, a fortnight ago, divided opinions with many analysts and fans taking sides.

A couple of Goal writers had also criticized the decision that would block gifted players in lower divisions in Europe from featuring for the Super Eagles.

However, in a video blog on his website aptly called “Periodic update from the horse’s mouth on the Super Eagles’ evolution”, Oliseh explained that only the best players deserve to play for Nigeria and most of them ought to come from the top leagues where they face great competition and the best training.

“At the moment there has been a lot of talk as regards the fact that we have decided that first division players are the players that we found eligible to serve our country,” Oliseh said.

“We feel the best has to play for us and the best in any country play in the first division.

“Of course there could be some exceptions, we have players who are excellent in the second division but the basis of our decision is this: the best players in the first division are used to a certain level, tempo and competition standard because that is what the competition entails.

“And for that reason, we need the best that are used to playing at this tempo to serve and play for Nigeria.”

However, he gave exceptions to players who have excelled with the national youth teams as well as regular Super Eagles players whose teams may have been relegated and denied the opportunity to move to top division sides.

“A player who has excelled for Nigeria at top level, who has won titles for Nigeria and who we feel is at the top of his [career], if in the future due to no fault of his, his team falls down to the second level and his club refuses to sell him, keeping the player tied down, these are players that we have to look upon and decide the shape they are in and eventually may make exceptions to,” he continued.

“But at the moment, we stand firm because we feel that the best has to play for Nigeria.”

Oliseh expects that his team will soon take shape as Nigeria prepare to face Tanzania in their second game of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.

“At the moment we are assembling a team, in fact we are trying to start from scratch and getting players that we feel are the best for the style we want to play,” the 40-year-old said.

“We have split our search into two phases: the phase of the home-based and the phase of the foreign-based ones.

“At the moment we have visited some players in their clubs, even watched them play and we have made contact with several of the potential players that we hope to assemble as we play our first qualifier versus Tanzania.

“We hope to start training in mid-August and then round it up before traveling to play Tanzania,” he concluded.

Official: Aston Villa sign Jordan Ayew

The Ghana international has signed a five-year deal at Villa Park to bolster the club's forward line following the sale of Christian Benteke earlier in july. Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of striker Jordan Ayew from Lorient for an undisclosed fee.

Goal revealed earlier this week that the two clubs had agreed a fee for Ayew, with the player subsequently travelling to Birmingham.

Villa have now confirmed the arrival of the 23-year-old, who has signed a five-year deal with the Midlands club after passing a medical on Monday, and manager Tim Sherwood believes he will adapt well to England.

He told the club's official website: "I'm really pleased to bring Jordan to the football club.

"He is a fantastic young player who is perfectly suited to the Premier League." 

Ayew becomes Villa's third summer signing from Ligue 1, following the arrival of left-back Jordan Amavi and midfielder Idrissa Gueye, as Sherwood embarks on his first full season in management.

The former Tottenham coach had been left with limited attacking options ahead of the new season following the £32.5 million departure of Belgium international Christian Benteke to Liverpool earlier in July..

Goal

Happy Birthday Triple H

Paul Michael Levesque
Triple H Born July 27, 1969 (age 46) . A.k.a Hunter Hearst Helmsley, son-in-law of WWE chairman and founder, Vince McMahon. He watched Ric Flair wrestle on television & became a body builder after graduating high school in 1987 He won the body building crown of Teenage Mr. New Hampshire in 1988 He is a thirteen-time World Heavyweight Champion and appeared in Blade: Trinity as Jarko Grimwood

#Summer Crush

Imagine the shoes in this picture is your ‪#‎SummerCrush‬. Drop a comment starting with "Dear #SummerCrush" telling us just how much you want the shoes and why and you could win a N10,000 shopping voucher from Konga.com.

Cut-off marks:SERAP sues JAMB,UNILAG

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has dragged the JAMB and the University of Lagos to court over “outrageous cut-off marks decisions”. The organization is seeking an order stopping JAMB, UNILAG & others from implementing the decision. The suit number FHC/L/CS/1139/2015 filed today at the Federal High Courtby Adetokunbo Mumuni on behalf of SERAP and three other applicants affected.

Two robbers killed in Ogun

Two members of a 5-man robbery gang were killed by men of the Ogun state police command after they raided the Dalemo community in Ogun state yesterday July 26th. Residents in the community put a distress call across to the police and after the police arrived the scene, a gun battle ensued leading to the death of two of the robbers while the remaining three escaped with gunshot wounds. Items recovered from the robbers included 15 cellphones, jewellery, N3,000, 1 Dell Laptop and other items. Photo from the scene after the cut..

President Buhari to compel ministers and aides into anti-corruption pact

President Buhari will make ministers and key aides to sign a pact not to corruptly enrich themselves while in office. Buhari reportedly came to that conclusion when confronted with some documents that detailed how some ex-goverment officials amassed wealth with impunity. When contacted on the mattter,Femi Adesina said nothing was strange in Buhari giving terms and conditions to whoever he engages to work with him.

I won't resign-Deputy Speaker,Lasun Insists

Deputy Speaker of House of Reps,Yussuf Lasun, has again insisted he will resist any level of pressure on him to step down. We recall that there have been pressures from some APC, leaders, Chieftains and the government of Osun State on the Deputy Speaker to resign for Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the party’s adopted candidate in the election of presiding officer of the House on June 9.

Only in Lagos

This Guy was found clinging to the back of a bus moving at about 150km/h on 3rd mainland Bridge