Three Ghanaians have clinched the three prestigious awards given by WAEC yearly to the best candidates in West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.
The trio; Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye, Miss Ruth Ewuraama Awadzi and Miss Danielle Amo-Mensah all of Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast, Ghana, beat other West African countries to emerge the best.
The result which was announced in Accra, Ghana at the 64th Annual Meeting, saw Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye win the 1st Prize, Miss Ruth Ewura-Ama Awadzi came 2nd, while Miss Danielle Amo-Mensah won the 3rd prize. Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa.
In the WASSCE contest among candidates in Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria, the three female candidates from Ghana were outstanding in the examination taken by a total of 1,883,775 candidates in the May/June 2015 exam.
Quaye is currently a 100-level student of the Ashesi University College, while Awadzi and Amo-Mensah are also 100-level students of the University of Ghana Medical School, studying medicine.
Going down memory lane, the Republic of Ghana won the three prizes of the Excellence Awards and the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for four consecutive years (2012 – 2015).
In 2014, it was an all-Ghana affair as 17-year-old Hasan Michailand, 18-year-old Kenyah Blaykyi and Archibald Enninful Henry, 18, won all the three awards. The trio, beat over two million other candidates from Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Also in 2013, the trio of Miss Ivy Mannoh, Miss Rhoda Adu-Boafo and Master Mwinmaarong Dery from Ghana emerged 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively at the WAEC International Excellence Award. A total of 2,109,122 candidates sat for WAEC May/June, 2013 and the three Ghanaian students were the best.
In 2012, the three Ghanaians honoured with the Excellence Award, were Miss Yvette Yeboah-Kordieh (1st), Master Josbert Abaasa Ayambire (2nd) and Master Bright Seyram Tsevi (3rd). They were the best among the 1,936,728 candidates who wrote the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Statistics revealed that the top three positions were once dominated by Nigerians in the 80s and 90s but Ghanaians have stayed at the top since 2012.
For a candidate to be eligible for the awards, he/she must go through three selection stages. All candidates with a minimum of eight A1s are eligible. This is in line with the regulation which stipulates that for the award of a WASSCE certificate, a candidate should register for a minimum of eight subjects. In the case of candidates with nine subjects, their best eight subjects would be used.
You would recall that WAEC in 1984, instituted two categories of awards: International Excellence/Merit and National Distinction/Merit Awards. The former is to be competed for by candidates in more than one member country of the Council, while the latter is restricted to each of the five countries.
The T-scores alone of the eligible candidates should be the basis for ranking of the candidates. In the event of a tie, the T-scores of the candidates in their common subjects (English and Math) should be used. Where there is still a tie, the raw scores of the candidates in English and Math should be used. In case of a further tie, the T-scores of the best of the candidates’ remaining core subjects should be used. The three candidates with the highest scores at stage 2 are adjudged the winners.
Distinction Awards: To be eligible for Distinction Awards, a candidate must go through three selection stages:
*All candidates who have the minimum of seven A1s should be eligible for consideration.
*The T-scores alone of the eligible candidates should be the basis for ranking of the candidates. In the event of a tie, the T-scores of the candidates in English and Math should be used. Where there is still a tie, the raw scores of the candidates in English and Math should be used. In case of a further tie, the T-scores of the best of the candidates’ remaining core subjects should be used.
*The three candidates with the highest scores at the stage 2 are adjudged the winners.
Two pregnant women collapsed and died in Bauchi, yesterday, while waiting to be screened by the Verification Team from the office of the Account General of the state government,Vanguard reports.
The two pregnant women (names withheld) were among the over 6,000 teachers in the state that were asked to assemble at the state local government education secretariat for screening before collecting their salaries.
Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness, Abubakar Yusuf , a teacher at the Baba Didi primary school that the first woman, who was seven months pregnant, fainted when the crowd were pushing to be verified, a situation that triggered a congestion during the exercise. He said they all assembled at the local government
He added: “Some of the people who came early were lucky enough to be verified, but as the crowd kept increasing, people began to push each other. In the process, an unidentified pregnant woman fainted and went into a comma.” “Another pregnant woman also collapsed and had a miscarriage instantly. The two pregnant women were rushed to the hospital for treatment. We later heard that they died.”
Shareholders of Zenith International Bank plc have approved the payment of N62.79 billion dividends earlier recommended by Board of Directors of the bank for the year ended December 31, 2015. This translates to N1.80 per share dividend payable to shareholders whose names appeared on the register of members as at March 24, 2016.
Speaking on behalf of other shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, the trio of Sir Sunny Nwosu, National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria ( ISAN); Mr. Boniface Okezie, National Chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria ( PSAN); and Timothy Adesinya commended the bank on the performance and dividend recommended, saying that it is in tandem with shareholders’ expectations.
They observed that the performance was commendable in view of the global economic climate, regulatory headwinds and inconsistent policy pronouncements under which the bank operated.
Sir Sunny Nwosu also commended the bank for achieving 2.2 per cent Non-performing Loan (NPL) ratio, which is far below five per cent regulatory requirements.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Mr. Jim Ovia, said: “2015 has been an interesting, challenging and successful year for Zenith Bank. However, the concerted efforts of all our stakeholders made it possible for us to sustain our profitability streak in the year.
“Even in the face of a very challenging operating environment, Zenith Bank has maintained its culture of outstanding performance and industry leadership. As a bank, we are monitoring developments both in the domestic and global economy, and applying pragmatism and dynamism as appropriate.”
Laying the financial results before the shareholders, Ovia disclosed that the Group profit before tax grew by 4.9 per cent from N119.80 billion in year 201 to N125.62 billion. Profit after tax, according to him, jumped by 6.2 per cent during the period from N99.45 billion to N105.66 billion.
The Group total assets similarly rose by 6.7 per cent from N3.76 trillion in 2014 to N4.01 trillion in 2015, while customers deposits grew marginally by 0.8 per cent from N2.54 trillion to N2.56 trillion.
Group shareholders fund grew by 7.5 per cent from N552.64 billion in 2014 to N594.35 billion; gross earnings similarly grew by 7.2 per cent from N403.34 billion to N432.53 billion in 2015 he said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Peter Amangbo, said: “The core philosophy for us is to continuously adjust to the fluctuating appetite and complexity of the customer and remain a customer-centric institution that delights in the success of its customers and businesses.
“Also, we have enhanced our progress in leveraging our innovative credentials through a strategic determination to further momentum in the retail end of the market. In line with market realities, we shall review and assess the best use of our resources to maximise return. “
A pop star who kept on singing for an astonishing 45 minutes after she was bitten mid-performance by a cobra has collapsed and died onstage. Irma Bule was known for wearing snakes during her acts, but the king cobra which she danced with on Sunday had not been defanged.
The tragic 29-year-old was performing in a village in Karawang, West Java, in her native Indonesia when the incident happened.
After her first song, she accidentally stood on the cobra, called Rianti. The reptile then bit her on the leg, injecting venom into her bloodstream, reports Coconuts . A video appears to have captured the moment.
Irma was often seen performing with reptiles, including boa constrictors and pythons “The accident happened in the middle of the second song when Irma stepped on the snake’ s tail,” audience member Ferlando Octavion Auzura, told local media. “The snake then bit Irma on her thigh,” Although the star kept her show going – reportedly turning down an antidote from the snake handler – after 45 minutes witnesses said she started vomiting. After a number of seizures, she collapsed. Irma was then taken to hospital , but passed away soon after.
A pop star who kept on singing for an astonishing 45 minutes after she was bitten mid-performance by a cobra has collapsed and died onstage. Irma Bule was known for wearing snakes during her acts, but the king cobra which she danced with on Sunday had not been defanged. The tragic 29-year-old was performing in a village in Karawang, West Java, in her native Indonesia when the incident happened. After her first song, she accidentally stood on the cobra, called Rianti.
The reptile then bit her on the leg, injecting venom into her bloodstream, reports Coconuts . A video appears to have captured the moment. Irma was often seen performing with reptiles, including boa constrictors and pythons “The accident happened in the middle of the second song when Irma stepped on the snake’ s tail,” audience member Ferlando Octavion Auzura, told local media. “The snake then bit Irma on her thigh,” Although the star kept her show going – reportedly turning down an antidote from the snake handler – after 45 minutes witnesses said she started vomiting.
After a number of seizures, she collapsed. Irma was then taken to hospital , but passed away soon after. YouTube Irma Bule was onstage with the snake when she accidentally stepped on it and it retaliated Bule’s musical genre is known as dangdut and uses props onstage.
She has previously reportedly danced with pythons and boa constrictors as part of her act. King cobras are is the world’s longest venomous snake, reaching more than 5m long. Police said they are investigating the incident and gathering information from audiences. An expert from Tulala Snake Research Centre, Lydia Apririasari, told Rappler that dancing with snakes is very common in Indonesia, especially in villages.
She explained that the length of time it took for the toxin to kill the singer was related to her bite, which was some distance from the heart. “The cobra can kill an adult elephant and consume up to 1000 kg in 2 hours, let alone a singer who maybe weighs less than 60 kgs,” she added.
Gay man kisses his boyfriend in front of a homophobe & gets badly beaten
Jordan Schaeffer wason March 14thbrutally attacked and beaten to a pulp by a manfor kissing his boyfriend in aMiami Beach Burger King. The man who attacked him has not been found.
Jordan told NBC Miami that after they ordered their food at the restaurant, he and his boyfriend shared a little PDA while they waited for their order.
“It was just a simple kiss with my boyfriend,” Schaeffer said. “Then right after that kiss, I started walking over and that’s when I was approached by this gentleman.”
Jordan said the man used a homophobic term to describe him and they exchanged words.
“‘Why don’t you show if you’re tough or not you little f—-,’” Jordan said the man told him before attacking him.
CCTV footage from the restaurant later showed the man body slamming Jordan to the floor.
“It all happened so fast once I got slammed to the ground. It’s just kind of a blur,” said Jordan, who was in Miami on holiday. He’s now back in Los Angeles.
He sent photos of his injuries to NBC Miami
Saraki has no access to pension account; dedicated to education endowment—TRUSTEE
By Demola Akinyemi & Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—The Federal Government, yesterday, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, how the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, collected salaries as the governor of Kwara State for four years after his tenure had elapsed.
However, Kwara State government, in a swift reaction, denied paying the former governor salary after he left office in May 2011.
Furthermore, Abdulwahab Isa, the Director-General of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, otherwise known as Mandate, said the Senate President does not have access to his pension account, which is dedicated to helping students across the state.
At the CCT sitting yesterday, a star prosecution witness, Mr. Michael Wetkass, who is a Detective Superintendent with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, told the tribunal that investigation revealed that, whereas Saraki’s tenure as governor of the state ended on May 29, 2011, he stopped collecting salary on August 31, 2015.
Wetkass was the head of a three-man crack team that investigated six separate petitions that culminated in the 13-count criminal charge the Senate President is facing before CCT.
The charge preferred against Saraki by Federal Government borders on false/anticipatory declaration of assets, operation of foreign bank accounts while in office as governor and allegation that he acquired wealth beyond his legitimate earnings.
At the resumed sitting yesterday, the witness told the tribunal that as at September 16, 2015, when the Access Bank Plc account Saraki used for his governorship salary and pension was closed, it had a debit balance of N599,091.63, and that the account had a balance of N52,372,417 as at June 3, 2015.
Cash flow
The witness said investigations revealed that Saraki’s salary as a governor in 2007 was N254,412. 25; N291,134 as at May 2011, and increased to N572,236.32 in June the same year.
He said: “On August 29, 2011, there was another payment into the account by order of Kwara State government for N744, 002.
“On September 29, 2011, the salary was N743,902. 33; October 27, 2011, N1,165, 466.12 and the same amount was also paid to the defendant in November and December 28, 2011.
“The same N1,165,466.12 was paid to the defendant as salary on February 1, 2012. Payment of salary into the account stopped on August 31, 2015.
“Funds that entered into this account was from the Kwara State government. The salary and pension that was later paid into the account, the balance as at June 3, 2015, was N52,372,417.
“On June 3, there was a transfer from the account in the sum of N25 million to Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, leaving the account in debit balance of N2,628,632.39. There was also debit transfer of N30 million to GTB from this salary account of the defendant in Access Bank.
“At the closing of the account on September 16, 2015, it was in a debit balance of N599,091.63.”
Giving a chronological account of financial activities of the defendant, the witness said: “There was N10 million cash lodgement by Abdul, who was personal assistant to the defendant. On March 24, 2005, there was another transaction by the same Abdul to the tune of N8.24 million. On March 29, 2006, there was transaction of N200.640 million in favour of Implementation Committee on the sale of government properties. It was a bank draft.
“On the same March 29, 2006, there was also credit disbursement of loan in favour of the defendant to the tune of N200 million, which preceded the bank draft. On the same day, there was another loan disbursement of N380 million from GTB.
“On the same day, there were two bank drafts compiled in one transaction for the sum of N256,312,815, in favour of the implementation committee on Federal Government landed property. On October 16, 2005, there was another draft of N12,815,000, in favour of the implementation committee.
“The bank drafts were meant for the purchase of properties from the implementation committee by Saraki. On February 5, 2007, there was another disbursement by GTB into the Naira account, of N380 million.
“On February 27, 2007, there was cash deposit of N3 million by one Josiah Samuel, while on April 3, 2007, there was a telegraphic transfer of N180,675,000.
“According to the narration in the account, the transaction was on instruction of the defendant in favour of the Presidential Committee, as part payment for a property.
“On September 18, 2007, Ubi made cash deposits in five tranches on the same day into the same account in GTB. The sums are N11 million, N20 million, N20 million, N20 million and N6 million. The total amount was N77 million.
“Before the lodgements were made, the account had a debit balance of N81,960,289. On November 22, 2007, there were cash lodgements into the account by Abdul Adama in 50 different transactions, totalling about N45 million. Before the lodgements, the account was in a debit balance of N80,210,976.70.
“On November 29, 2007, there were cash lodgements by Ubi, in over 20 transactions and the total sum is about N20 million.
“On March 14, 2008, there were several cash lodgements by different individuals. Before then, the account had a debit of N96,857,885.17.
“On April 18, it was the same thing; there were cash lodgements by various individuals. On September 23, 2008, the same thing happened; there were several cash lodgements by different individuals with different names.
“On April 30, 2009, there was a draft in favour of BGL Assets Management Limited for N400 million. On same day, there were also several cash lodge-ments by several individuals.
“There was a lodgement of N65 million after which there was a loan disbursement of N400 million, followed by several cash lodgements by different individuals.”
FG’s evidence
Meanwhile, Federal Government, yesterday, tendered 25 different sets of documents into evidence before CCT.
Among the exhibits admitted into evidence by the tribunal were the letter EFCC wrote to GTB for details of the telex transactions, statements of accounts, request of information on the Pounds Sterling account and financial details from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
Other exhibits were letters of investigation on ownership of the three Abuja choice properties traced to Saraki and replies from Abuja Geographical Information Service, AGIS, as well as copies of the petitions that led to the trial.
However, Saraki, through his lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), said he would reserve his objections to the documents till a later stage of the trial.
It will be recalled that FG had on Tuesday tendered into evidence six separate assets declaration forms the defendant filed and submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, between 2003 and 2015.
Whereas Saraki was said to have submitted four of the assets declaration forms while he held sway as governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011, the other two forms contained the list of assets he declared in 2015.
Saraki’s only receivingpension—Kwara govt
Meanwhile, Kwara State government, yesterday, denied paying Dr. Bukola Saraki, salary after he left office in May 2011.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in a reaction, explained that Dr Saraki’s last salary was N291,474.00 for the month of May 2011.
The SSG said in a statement: “From June 2011, former Governor Saraki started receiving his pension which was N578,188.00 as other past governors in the country.”
He added that after the review of pensions of former political office holders by the State Pension Board, the former governor’s pension increased to N1,239,493.94 monthly from October 2014 to date.
Alhaji Gold dismissed as false and misleading the allegation that the former Governor, Saraki, was receiving salaries after the expiration of his two-term tenure as governor of the state.
He advised interested stakeholders to seek clarification from appropriate authorities to avoid misleading the public.
‘… donates pension for education endowment’
Meanwhile, Abdulwahab Isa, the Director-General of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, otherwise known as Mandate, has said that since Saraki left office in May 2011, his pension, which was paid into a special account, had been managed by a group of trustees and used for education endowment for students across the state.
Isa, in a statement in Ilorin yesterday, said the Senate President did not even have access to the account. He said a group of trustees, led by him, were mandated to use the money to pay scholarship grants and funds for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, forms for students across the state.
He said: “We have also used the money to pay for coaching of students, who were preparing for JAMB examinations. For example, the most recent beneficiaries from the funds were two University of Ilorin Faculty of Law students, who were the best in their set and needed money for their enrollment into the Nigerian Law School.”
Isa added that the funds from the pension account had been utilised in fulfillment of a pledge publicly made by Dr. Saraki to the people.
Meanwhile, the Justice Danladi Umar led two-man panel tribunal has adjourned further hearing on the matter till April 18.
There were not up to 20 senators that accompanied Saraki to CCT during his trial, yesterday, and most of the lawmakers that came to show solidarity with him belong to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
This development may be connected with intensified moves to remove Saraki as Senate President, in view of the criminal charge pending against him.
