Economy
Government Begins 6-Week Training For Teachers On Learning Deficiency In Bayelsa
Government Begins 6-Week Training For Teachers On Learning Deficiency In Bayelsa
Government begins 6-week training for teachers on learning deficiency in Bayelsa. She urged the benefitting teachers to go beyond participating in the training to be advocates of inclusive education.
The Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (BEDTF), on Saturday, commenced a six-week training for teachers aimed at overcoming learning deficiencies among children in public schools.
The programme is a collaboration between the BEDTF and the Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board (TTRCB) in partnership with the Bridge Academy in the United States of America.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Gentle Emelah, commissioner of education in Bayelsa, noted that inclusive education, which emphasises special attention to students with learning disabilities, would make inclusive education a reality.
Mr Emelah, who was represented by Charles Daniel, chairman, Bayelsa Assembly committee on education, noted that education remains a priority to the Bayelsa government. He applauded the BEDTF for the training and urged the selected teachers to utilise the opportunity to accommodate children with learning difficulties.
In her remarks, Alice Atuwo, executive secretary of the BEDTF, noted that the fund had identified a gap in learning amongst children, noting that the learning needs of children with learning deficiencies were often neglected.
She explained that the training would be held in six modules every Saturday for the next six weeks.
“I am happy because we are here today to learn how to handle a critical sector in our educational system which has hitherto been neglected, that is special education or to be specific, learning disabilities.
“Research has shown that every child has what it takes to be great, no matter how challenged they may be, if given extra support from those who understand them.
“This is the crux of today’s training, where inclusive education is practised in every classroom.
Classrooms where children with special needs are given equal treatment, learning without discrimination,” Ms Atuwo said.
Also speaking, Peremoboere Ugolo, acting chairman of TTRC, noted that the concept of inclusive education would improve learning outcomes and urged the participating teachers and school administrators to imbibe and use the knowledge garnered.
She explained that teachers remained fundamental drivers in knowledge propagation in society and so are crucial in translating educational policies and in moulding the character of children under their tutelage.
Mabel Joel of the Bridge Institute, United States, noted that she volunteered her expertise in learning disabilities to give back to her state of origin, where she was born and raised.
Bayelsa Government House
Mrs Joel, who is the resource person, delivered the training virtually from her United States base. She urged the benefitting teachers to go beyond participating in the training to be advocates of inclusive education.
She noted that children who showed signs of learning difficulties often turned out to be geniuses and great innovators who often make inventions that transform the world, adding that such children deserved inclusive learning.
Mrs Joel noted that teachers and school administrators were in a position to identify children with learning disabilities and give them the required attention by appropriate methodology to get them at par with others.
She urged the participants to go beyond being beneficiaries of the training to become ambassadors of inclusive education to bring out the best in Bayelsa children and help them develop their inert potential.
ICYMI: Governor Fubara Orders Immediate Employment For Children Of Fallen Servicemen
ICYMI: Governor Fubara orders immediate employment for children of fallen servicemen. Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed the immediate employment of children of fallen servicemen in the state.
He gave the order on Thursday during the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony at Government House, Port Harcourt, instructing the Secretary to the State Government to ensure swift implementation.
Fubara
Fubara said the move reflects the state’s commitment to supporting security agencies and families of personnel who died in active service, as he also pledged continued welfare and logistical support for the military.
EFCC Tenders More Fresh Bank Records In Yahaya Bello’s ‘N110.4bn Fraud’ Trial
EFCC tenders more fresh bank records in Yahaya Bello’s ‘N110.4bn fraud’ trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday tendered fresh bank records in the ongoing trial of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, before a federal high court in Abuja.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving about N110.4 billion.
At the resumed hearing before Maryanne Anineh, the presiding judge, the prosecution team, led by Kemi Pinheiro, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), presented prosecution witness six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, for further cross-examination.
During cross-examination, Joseph Daudu, counsel to the first and second defendants, questioned the witness on exhibit S1—a statement of account earlier tendered by the prosecution.
Daudu asked the witness to clarify his earlier testimony that the statement of account contained eight columns, particularly the meaning of the “description” column. Bata explained that the column reflected the narration of transactions.
He drew the court’s attention to an entry dated January 20, 2016, which reads: “Cq 158 Abdulsalami Hudu for N10,000,000.”
Bata also pointed out another entry stating, “ZB chq 155 paid Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja, N2,454,400.”
When asked whether he knew the purpose for which the N10 million paid to Hudu or the sum paid to Halims Hotels and Tours was used, the witness said he could not determine how the funds were spent or their intended purpose.
Daudu further referred the witness to exhibit X1 and asked him to identify it.
Responding, Bata said it was the account-opening package for a company with account number 1014878995, domiciled at Zenith Bank’s Lokoja branch.
The defence counsel then asked the witness about the number of transactions recorded within specific dates.
While Daudu suggested there were 21 transactions between March 10 and March 12, 2016, the witness said the entries he was working with began from November 14, 2016.
Directing the witness to entries dated December 6, 2016, Daudu asked him to read them out.
Bata told the court that the first entry was a transfer from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, credited with N74,378,483.20, adding that another entry on the same day showed a cheque payment of N10 million to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau.
Yahaya Bello
Asked whether the statement indicated the purpose of the payment, the witness said the narration did not indicate the reason for the transaction, adding that the same applied to another N10 million credit in favour of Sallau.
The witness was also cross-examined by Z.B. Abbas, counsel to the third defendant, Abdulsalami Hudu, who asked whether all withdrawals made by the third defendant were by cheque, to which the witness replied in the affirmative, adding that authorised signatories duly signed the cheques.
Abbas also confirmed from the witness that exhibit X1 was the statement of account of the government house account.
On exhibit X2, the witness said the third defendant was introduced to the bank as a civil servant and accountant.
Value-Added Tax: What To Know About VAT Fee For Banking Services
Value-Added Tax: What to know about VAT fee for banking services. On Thursday, banks said they will start deducting 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) on banking services, including point of sale (POS) transaction fees, mobile banking transfer fees, from January 19.
In an email to customers, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank said the charge stems from a government-endorsed regulatory change, with the proceeds of the charge remitted to the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS).
“The NRS has communicated a deadline of 19th January for all financial institutions (commercial banks, microfinance banks and electronic money transfer operators) to start collecting and remitting VAT,” the bank said.
According to the statement, the VAT is not on the actual amount sent by customers but on the service fee.
In this report, TheCable provides a breakdown of what you need to know about the development.
WHAT ARE BANKING SERVICES?
Banking services comprise various financial products and services provided by banks and other financial institutions to individuals, corporations, and government agencies.
Banks usually deduct fixed service charges from customers per transaction on such financial services
For instance, a N50 stamp duty and a N50 electronic money transfer fee is deducted from customers when an electronic transfer is made on transactions.
Such charges include electronic banking charges such as point of sale (POS) transaction fees, mobile banking fees (transfers), unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) transaction fees, and POS activation fees.
Other charges include card issuance fees, SMS alert charges, and account maintenance.
WHAT WILL BE DEDUCTED?
Banks are required to deduct VAT on eligible banking charges and remit it to the NRS.
The fee applies to the service charge, not the actual transaction amount.
For instance, on electronic transfer fee, if a customer intends to send N50,000 to a loved one, the bank deducts N50 as bank charges, the customer will pay the 7.5 percent on the bank charge.
Value-Added Tax
As a result, the 7.5 percent VAT will be applied to the N50, and not the principal amount (N50,000).
Consequently, a total amount of N50,053.75 will be deducted from the customer.
IS VAT CHARGE A NEW DEVELOPMENT?
In a statement on Thursday, the NRS said the VAT charge on banking services, fees, commissions, and electronic money transfers is not newly introduced.
“VAT has always applied to fees, commissions, and charges for services rendered by banks and other financial institutions under Nigeria’s long-established VAT regime,” the statement reads.
According to the service, the Nigeria Tax Act did not introduce VAT on banking charges, nor did it impose any new tax obligation on customers in this regard.
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