Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has strongly criticised the World Bank, accusing it of complicity in Nigeria’s prolonged economic hardship.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Sani claimed that the World Bank envisions another 15 years of hardship for Nigerians before the country can reach what he described as the “promised land.”
Sani’s remark comes in response to the World Bank’s latest Africa’s Pulse report, which flagged the Nigerian Naira as one of the worst-performing currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the report, the Naira’s depreciation is on par with that of the Ethiopian Birr and the South Sudanese Pound, reflecting steep declines in value over recent months.
“The World Bank wants the hardship to extend to the next fifteen years before we can reach the promised land,” Sani posted. “I don’t know how many people will be remaining at that time to enjoy the fruits of the WB in its promised land.”
The former lawmaker also questioned the World Bank’s track record in Africa, asking, “How many African countries have the World Bank taken to the promised land?”
The World Bank report attributed the Naira’s fall—about 43 percent by August 2024—to sustained demand for dollars and limited dollar inflows, further destabilising Nigeria’s currency.
This economic strain has compounded difficulties for millions of Nigerians, who are already grappling with high inflation and rising living costs.
Sani’s remarks underscore growing public discontent and raise questions about the efficacy of international financial institutions in addressing Africa’s economic challenges.
The Federal Government has prohibited individuals under the age of 18 from taking part in the National Examinations Council and West African Examinations Council exams.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman disclosed this when he featured on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ program on Sunday night.
Mamman explained that the federal government has directed WAEC, which conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates wishing to take these exams.
This, he said was not a new policy.
He added that the age limit for candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, remains set at 18 years.
He said, “It is 18 (years). What we did at the meeting that we had with JAMB (in July) was to allow this year and for it to serve as a kind of notice for parents that this year, JAMB will admit students who are below that age but from next year, JAMB is going to insist that anybody applying to go to university in Nigeria meets the required age which is 18.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a new policy; this is a policy that has been there for a long time.
“Even basically if you compute the number of years pupils, and learners are supposed to be in school, the number you will end up with is 17 and a half – from early child care to primary school to junior secondary school and then senior secondary school. You will end up with 17 and a half by the time they are ready for admission.
“So, we are not coming up with new policy contrary to what some people are saying; we are just simply reminding people of what is existing. In any case, NECO and WAEC, henceforth will not be allowing underage children to write their examinations. In other words, if somebody has not spent the requisite number of years in that particular level of study, WAEC and NECO will not allow them to write the examination.”
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Here’s a look back at the president’s more than 50 years in public office:
Politics tamfitronics It all started in Delaware
When President Biden leaves the White House in January, it will mark the spectacular end of a career in politics that spanned five decades. Getty Images
Biden got his first taste of politics in 1970, after winning a seat on the New Castle County Council two years after graduating from Syracuse Law School.
The then-27-year-old ran for the Wilmington, Del., county’s 4th District seat on a liberal platform, which included calling for more public housingand flipped it blue when he defeated Republican Lawrence Messick.
He served on the county council until 1973.
Politics tamfitronics Seeking ‘national prominence’ in the Senate
Democratic Senator-elect Joseph Biden, of Delaware is seen here after he took his oath of citizenship as he checks in at the office of the Secretary of the Senate in 1973. Bettmann Archive
In 1972, while still in his first term on the New Castle County Council, Biden launched his first Senate campaign, challenging two-term Sen. J. Caleb Boggs (R-Del.).
HIs campaign succeeded in part by playing on the 33-year age gap between then 29-year-old Biden and the 62-year-old Boggs.
Politics tamfitronics The latest on President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
Biden defeated the Republican incumbent by less than 3,000 votes and assumed office in 1973 as one of the youngest senators in US history.
In his early days in the upper chamber, Biden worked with segregationist Sen. James Eastland (D-Miss.) to oppose busing as a way to desegregate public schools – a position which Vice President Kamala Harris slammed him on during a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate.
Biden became one of the youngest U.S. senators in American history. Penske Media via Getty Images
Biden “sought prominence as a national figure” throughout his first term in the Senate, an essay on the president from the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs noted, including by criticizing President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal and President Gerald Ford after he pardoned his predecessor.
Biden, a longtime chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, controversially recommended that the Senate reject President Ronald Reagan’s Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in 1987.
He also helmed the 1991 hearings on Clarence Thomas’ nomination which put his former law clerk, Anita Hill, under intense scrutiny when she alleged that the then high court nominee sexually harassed her.
In 1994, Biden pushed for a massive federal crime bill which critics argued during his 2020 presidential campaign contributed to the mass incarceration of racial minorities in recent decades.
For 11 years, Biden also served as chairman or ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during which time he pushed for US military intervention in the Balkans, voted against the 1991 war in Iraq and voted for the 2002 Iraq war.
Biden later called his 2002 Iraq war vote a “mistake” and he opposed the successful 2007 troop surge.
Politics tamfitronics First White House run
Biden launched his first presidential campaign in June 1987, halfway into his third term in the Senate.
The campaign was short-lived, as he withdrew from the race three months later after he was caught plagiarizing a speech by British politician Neil Kinnock during a Democratic presidential primary debate in Iowa and allegations of past plagiarism surfaced.
Politics tamfitronics Second unsuccessful presidential bid
In January 2007, Biden announced on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would be taking a second stab at the White House.
Biden launched his first presidential campaign in June 1987, halfway into his third term in the Senate. Getty Images
His campaign, centered on his plan to partition Iraq into several autonomous regions and his 36 years of experience in the Senate, failed to gain much momentum.
He drew criticism just days into his campaign when he referred to rival candidate Barack Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
Politics tamfitronics What to know about President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
In a letter posted on X Sunday afternoon, Biden admitted that it is in the “best interest of my party and country” for him to step down as the Democratic nominee.
Biden wrote that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term and will address the country on his decision later this week.
In a follow-up X post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the suddenly open Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” the president wrote.
Biden withdrew from the race after finishing fifth in the Iowa Democratic caucuses in January 2008. He received only 1% of the vote in the Hawkeye State.
Politics tamfitronics Biden and Obama
Biden served as former President Obama’s vice president from 2009-2017. Getty Images
Despite Biden’s racially charged blunder on the campaign trail, Obama tapped him as his running mate in August 2008, and Biden served as his vice president through the entirety of Obama’s two-term presidency.
The Obama White House described Biden as the president’s “point person for diplomacy” and a “leading architect of the US strategic vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace.”
Biden also served as Obama’s trusted negotiator on Capitol Hill, frequently being deployed to leverage his relationships and Senate experience to cut deals with Republican lawmakers.
Obama surprised Biden in the waning days of his presidency by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.
“This honor is not only well beyond what I deserve, but it’s a reflection of the extent and generosity of your spirit,” Biden told his then-boss about receiving the honor.
Politics tamfitronics Pathway to the presidency
Despite placing fourth in the Iowa caucuses and fifth in the New Hampshire primary, Biden emerged the victor out of a crowded field of Democratic presidential primary candidates in 2020.
His breakthrough moment was an endorsement by Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) followed by a landslide victory in the South Carolina primary, where he won all of the state’s 46 counties and topped second-place finisher Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) by nearly 20 percentage points.
His general election campaign against Donald Trump centered on the message that the “soul of America” was at stake, and that he would serve as a bridge president between Trump and a new generation of leadership.
He defeated Trump, who has continued to allege that there was widespread fraud during the contest, by securing key wins in the battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia.
Politics tamfitronics Ambitious agenda
Despite Democrats holding narrow majorities in the House and the Senate, Biden struggled to get several parts of his ambitious agenda through Congress, leaving many of his initiatives unrealized.
US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris stand onstage after delivering remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 7, 2020. AFP via Getty Images
As president, he was able to shepherd the $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package through Congress, as well as a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act.
Special Counsel Robert Hur was appointed to investigate the scandal and ultimately decided against leveling criminal charges against Biden, in part because he believed a jury might view the president as an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
The chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021– which resulted in the deaths of 13 US servicemembers and left thousands of Americans and American allies stranded in the Taliban-controlled country – was also a lowlight of his presidency.
As president, Biden was able to shepherd the $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package through Congress, as well as a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Getty Images
Biden launched his re-election bid in April 2023, asking voters to give him another four years to help him “finish the job.”
The commander in chief, who at the time was already the oldest president in American history, opted to seek a second term despite plunging supportwith polls at the time showing that the majority of Americans, including Democrats, did not want him to reprise his role in the Oval Office for another four years.
The president’s 15 months on the campaign trail did not alleviate voter concern about his age and mental acuity. A second term would’ve seen Biden possibly reach the age of 86 before the end of it.
His disastrous showing at his first debate against Trump in June — during which he appeared incoherent, soft-spoken and at times downright confused — led to calls for him to end his re-election effort, which he ultimately did.
/PRNewswire/ — JK LAB, a leading cosmeceutical product in Korea, proudly announces a significant milestone, serving 1 million customers with highly effective anti-melasma solutions. Its unwavering commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has fueled this remarkable achievement
High-quality skincare that focusing on melasma treatments
According to Statista, the worldwide natural cosmetics market is expected to reach $15.7 billion by 2025, indicating considerable development in the beauty business. Recognizing the urgent demand and the desire to give safe solutions, JK LAB studied and produced a specialized range of natural dark spot treatment products, giving the company a competitive advantage and difference as it enters the international marketplace.
Over the previous year of development, JK LAB has always prioritized our customers’ health and safety. Its melasma skincare products rigorously comply with the “3 No’s” principle, which includes no scents, GMOs, no parabens and dermatologist-tested.
Dedication to enhancement driven by a particular guiding principle
– No animal testing:JK LAB adheres to the policy of no animal testing during product research and development. JK LAB has implemented alternative approaches, guided by a philosophy that prioritizes people and the environment. This not only helps to safeguard animal rights, but also demonstrates JK LAB’s social responsibility and commitment to environmental conservation. Because of these efforts, JK LAB has earned the trust and support of both customers and the scientific community.
– Eco-friendly beauty product:JK LAB is dedicated to the sustainable utilization of natural resources and uses and develops components derived from plants. The entire process complies with EU Green Chemistry requirements, including cultivation, harvesting, extraction, manufacture, packaging, and transportation.JK LAB uses exclusively natural materials for the production of its product packaging, which includes rhubarb, green tea leaves, and tree peony ink. In the process, waste is reduced, production materials are maximized.
– Ingredient transparency:What has distinguished JK LAB as a distinctive cosmetics company over the past year is its unrelenting candor about every ingredient in its goods. JK LAB not only makes it simple for clients to search for components, but also instructs consumers on how to choose which product best suits their skin type. JK LAB adheres to the fundamental value of honoring the truth and persistently employs data derived from comprehensive research findings. JK LAB is now ranked among the best safe skincare companies because of this dedication.
JK LAB has reached a million dependable customers
During its year-long development journey, JK LAB has accomplished several noteworthy milestones. Three deep-acting melasma therapy products—Active Brightening Ampoule, Retin A Cream, and Sunscreen Broad Spectrum—were introduced and released by the brand in 2023. JK LAB debuted the White Perfect Gel Facewash in 2024 with the goal of purging pollutants and giving users a morning boost.
Achieving the one million customer milestone is even more impressive. This figure not only attests to the items’ efficacy but also shows how much our esteemed consumers trust us. Thousands of positive reviews support this accomplishment, and after just two weeks of product use, 95% of customers reported visible improvements in their skin.
Our products are now easily accessible to customers globally due to their extensive distribution network, which has made them available in numerous international marketplaces.
