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FG assures students of conducive learning environment on campus

The Federal Government has assured students across the country that it has put measures in place to ensure a conducive learning environment on campuses.

The assurance was given by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, while speaking in Gombe on Thursday at the donation of 25 laptops to outstanding students studying Computer Science and Computer Engineering across tertiary institutions in the North-East subregion.

The donation was made under the Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for the North-East Zone.

He said, ‘No Nigerian student should abandon tertiary education because of financial hardship,’ stressing that the Federal Government was creating opportunities to ease the burden on students.

Asefon said the laptop initiative was designed to reward academic excellence while giving deserving students access to digital tools needed to excel in their studies.

‘Any student who has distinguished himself or herself in the course of study needs to be celebrated and encouraged,’ Asefon said.

He explained that his office had written to tertiary institutions across the North-East subregion, requesting nominations of outstanding students in Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

According to him, ‘What we are doing is for a student in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. I discovered that the majority of them do not even have a laptop. But yet, they still distinguish themselves by leading in their departments.’

He said the initiative targeted students who had demonstrated academic excellence but lacked the resources to acquire personal computers.

‘So, if such a student without a laptop is leading in a department of Computer Science or Computer Engineering, if such a student has access to his own personal laptop, I can assure you that in the next few years, we will have a Bill Gates among them,’ he said.

Asefon said the 25 beneficiaries were selected through their institutions to ensure that the laptops reached students who genuinely needed them and would put them to productive use.

‘We are giving them, like I have said, based on selection. We wrote to the management of their schools, asking the management to send an outstanding student in Computer Engineering and Computer Science,’ he said.

He added that the Federal Government was deliberately linking the intervention to academic excellence and innovation rather than simply distributing computers without considering their impact.

‘We don’t want to just empower students who do not need that empowerment. We are celebrating academic excellence and supporting students who have distinguished themselves in the course of their study,’ he said.

The presidential aide said students who were leading their departments despite lacking laptops often depended on smartphones to carry out academic tasks.

‘Some of them who are best students, who are outstanding students in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, do not even have their own personal laptop. Most of the work they do, they do it on their phones,’ he said.

Asefon expressed confidence that the beneficiaries would appreciate the value of the laptops and use them to advance their education.

‘Having access to a laptop, I’m sure such students will not sell because they know the value of what we are giving to them. And I’m sure they will put it to use, 100 per cent,’ he said.

He linked the initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the administration was focused on creating an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop their potential.

‘The President has said he will make sure that he renews the hope of every common man. He said he will create an enabling environment for every young person in this country to grow,’ Asefon said.

He also said the Federal Government had introduced interventions aimed at reducing financial barriers to tertiary education, particularly through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

‘The Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has increased access to education through NELFUND. The Federal Government has taken a historic step toward removing financial barriers to tertiary education,’ he said.

He added that students who previously struggled to pay tuition and other approved institutional charges could now access government loans without interest, while eligible beneficiaries could also receive monthly upkeep.

‘The objective is clear. No Nigerian should be forced to abandon education simply because their family cannot afford the cost,’ Asefon stated.

The presidential aide also urged students to embrace Technical and Vocational Education and Training, digital skills, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship, saying education should prepare young people for economic independence.

‘Education is not only about certificates. It is also about skills, innovation, entrepreneurship and the ability to earn a decent livelihood,’ he said.

Asefon challenged students in the North-East to take advantage of technology to overcome geographical limitations and compete with their peers across the country and globally.

‘Your location must never determine your destiny. Being a student in the North-East should not limit your dreams,’ he said.

He urged them to use their smartphones and the internet to discover opportunities, learn digital skills, build businesses and develop solutions to problems in their communities.

The presidential aide also charged student leaders to serve as a bridge between the government and students, urging them to keep their colleagues informed about scholarships, NELFUND opportunities, skills programmes and other interventions.

‘Leadership is not about holding a position. Leadership is about service, responsibility and impact,’ he said.

Asefon assured the students that his office would continue to engage with them and ensure that their concerns formed part of government discussions.

‘What we are doing is bringing governance down to the level of the student. We are interacting with them with what we want them to know. So, if they have any issue, they can easily complain to us and we can also find a way of resolving their issues,’ he said.

Representatives of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, NELFUND and other government agencies delivered goodwill messages at the occasion.

Orange heavy rainfall warning up in Bataan, Zambales on Sept. 11 morning

Several areas in Bataan and Zambales were placed under the orange heavy rainfall warning on Friday morning, September 11, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The orange warning means that affected areas will experience rainfall between 15 millimeters (mm) and 30 mm within an hour, and this will continue in the next two hours.

In its heavy rainfall warning advisory at 5 a.m., the state weather bureau said the orange warning applied to Morong, Hermosa, Dinalupihan, Samal, Orani, Bagac and Abucay in Bataan; and Castillejos, San Antonio, Subic and Olongapo in Zambales.

Pagasa also said the following areas were placed under the yellow heavy rainfall warning:

Metro Manila (Valenzuela, Navotas, Malabon, Caloocan, Quezon City and Manila)

Zambales (Botolan, San Marcelino, Cabangan, Candelaria, Iba, Masinloc, Palauig, Santa Cruz, San Felipe and San Narciso)

Bataan (Balanga, Limay, Mariveles, Orion, Pilar), Pampanga(Porac, Floridablanca, Lubao, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Candaba, San Luis, Apalit, San Simon, Minalin, Arayat, Santa Ana, Mexico, San Fernando, Bacolor, Santo Tomas, Santa Rita and Guagua)

Bulacan (Hagonoy, Paombong, Malolos, Obando, Bulakan, Meycauayan, Marilao, San Jose del Monte, San Miguel, Calumpit, Pulilan, San Ildefonso, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bocaue and Balagtas)

Tarlac (Bamban, Capas and San Jose); and

Nueva Ecija (Gapan, San Isidro, Cabiao and General Tinio)

The yellow heavy rainfall warning means that affected areas will experience rainfall between 7.5 mm and 15 mm within an hour, and this will continue in the next two hours.

Meanwhile, the following areas were forecast to experience light to moderate rains within the next three hours:

Metro Manila (Las Pinas, Paranaque, Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Marikina and Pasig)

Laguna

Batangas(Nasugbu, Lian, Tuy and Calatagan)

Cavite (Ternate, Maragondon, Naic, Tanza, Rosario, Noveleta, Cavite City, Kawit, Bacoor, Imus and General Trias)

Rizal (Rodriguez, San Mateo)

Bulacan (Norzagaray, Dona Remedios Trinidad, Angat, Baliuag, Bustos, Pandi, San Rafael and Santa Maria)

Pampanga (Magalang, Angeles and Mabalacat)

Tarlac (Concepcion, Anao, Tarlac City, Gerona, La Paz, Paniqui, Pura, Ramos, San Manuel, Victoria, Camiling, Mayantoc, Moncada, San Clemente and Santa Ignacia)

Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, Palayan, Penaranda, Santa Rosa, San Leonardo, Jaen, San Antonio, Laur, Cabanatuan and Zaragoza); and

Quezon (General Nakar and Infanta)

Defensible AI: The hidden cost of decisions you cannot explain

Almost every large company in a 2025 EY survey reported financial losses from AI-related risks. Sixty-four percent lost more than US$1 million, while the estimated average loss was US$4.4 million. These figures should unsettle boards not because every AI failure can be prevented, but because the cost of AI is increasingly determined by what happens after confidence is challenged.

The most consequential AI failure may not be an incorrect output. It may be the loss of the organisation’s ability to justify continued use of the system.

When an organisation cannot demonstrate why a consequential system was appropriate, which risks were accepted, what evidence supported its use, or why intervention came when it did, a technical problem becomes an enterprise problem. The immediate loss may come from an incorrect decision. The greater loss can include remediation, suspended deployment, regulatory restrictions, damaged reputation and a reluctance to pursue the next valuable innovation.

This is the AI Trust Gap: the distance between an organisation’s confidence in its AI and its ability to demonstrate that such confidence is justified.

The consequences are no longer theoretical. A national pharmacy chain deployed facial-recognition technology to identify people suspected of shoplifting. According to the US Federal Trade Commission, the system generated thousands of false matches, leading to customers being followed, searched, removed from stores or reported to the police. Women and some racial and ethnic groups were disproportionately affected. The company was subsequently prohibited from using facial recognition for surveillance for five years. The loss extended beyond a faulty system: the organisation lost permission to use the technology.

In Australia, an automated welfare-debt programme treated income estimates as evidence of money owed. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected before the system was dismantled. A Royal Commission later described it as unfair, unlawful and costly in both human and economic terms. Refunds, cancelled debts and settlements have run into billions of Australian dollars. Automation did not create the unsupported assumption, but it enabled that assumption to operate at scale.

A less visible failure emerged in the United States healthcare system. Researchers writing in Science found that a commercial algorithm used to identify patients needing additional care systematically underestimated the needs of patients from historically underserved communities. The system relied on previous healthcare spending as a proxy for illness, overlooking the reality that lower spending may reflect unequal access to care rather than better health. It accurately predicted the measure it was given while failing the decision it was intended to support. Correcting that assumption would have more than doubled the number of affected patients identified for additional care.

These cases differ in sector and consequence, but each exposes the same governance weakness: organisations trusted an output without preserving sufficient discipline around the decision.

Boards cannot eliminate AI uncertainty, nor should they assume management’s responsibility for selecting, testing and operating individual systems. Their role is to ensure that the organisation is equipped to take intelligent risks and remain accountable for the consequences. Three disciplines matter.

First, connect AI oversight to material decisions. The board does not need an inventory of every productivity tool. It needs confidence that management can identify where AI materially influences customers, employees, capital, rights, safety, or reputation-and apply scrutiny proportionate to the consequence.

Second, ask for evidence, not reassurance. A policy, committee or statement that a human remains involved demonstrates activity, not effectiveness. Directors should expect a credible basis for confidence: the purpose of the system, the assumptions and limitations accepted, the outcomes monitored and evidence that challenge can alter a decision.

Third, preserve the capacity to intervene. Defensibility is not proof that the original decision was perfect. It is the organisational capability to detect when assumptions no longer hold, escalate emerging harm and change course before a correctable weakness becomes a crisis.

This is the discipline of Defensible AI. It does not ask boards to slow innovation until uncertainty disappears. It enables them to steward the organisation through uncertainty without surrendering judgement, accountability or strategic ambition.

The question for directors is therefore not simply, ‘Could this AI fail?’ It is: ‘If confidence in this system were challenged tomorrow, could management show why its use remains justified and could the organisation act before trust, capital and strategic freedom are lost?’

Wale Adenuga Productions hails Binta International School, Ibadan

Wale Adenuga Productions, producers of some of Nigerian’s most beloved TV series including, ‘Superstory,’ ‘Papa Ajasco and Company,’ ‘Akpan and Oduma,’ and ‘Nnenna and Friends,’ as well as the creative powerhouse behind PEFTI Film Institute has congratulated Binta International School on the successful launch of its ultramodern campus in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Under the proprietorship of Pastor Mrs. Ehimwenma Adenuga, the new Ibadan Campus marks a significant expansion to Binta, which previously had campuses in Ejigbo, Mushin, and Ajao Estate, Lagos.

This is in a bid to bring premium education closer to the doorsteps of parents who value the professional nurturing and development of their children and wards.

The Chairman of Wale Adenuga Productions, Wale Adenuga, MFR, was full of congratulatory messages to Binta International School as he said: ‘Wale Adenuga Productions and Binta International School have always had a special history together. Aside from the fact that Binta’s Proprietress is my beautiful wife of more than fifty years, WAP has always played a big role, especially in the area of nurturing the talents of Binta students. Binta and Friends TV series was created and featured talented students from Binta.

‘A lot of Binta students feature in WAPTV programs. The relationship between both organizations has therefore played an important role in exposing young talents to opportunities within the creative industry.’

GDP growth projection lifted to 2.5%

The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has upgraded its projection for Thai GDP growth this year from 2% to 2.5%, attributed to exports and the artificial intelligence cycle.

The centre predicts exports measured in US dollar terms to grow by 17.8%, up from its previous projection of 8.8% in May.

Imports are expected to expand by 28.7%, rising from a prior estimate of 15.3%, while household debt is projected at 84.2% of GDP in 2026.

The global technology cycle is in an expansionary phase according to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook for July, and Thailand is benefiting from growth in global electronics exports, cushioning the impact of the energy crisis.

K-SHAPED GROWTH

The think tank anticipates Thailand’s economic recovery will follow a K-shaped model, with growth concentrated in high-tech industries and large companies.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), households and traditional industries are expected to continue contracting.

Traditional industries such as automotive, petroleum and construction materials are facing pressure from imported products and weak purchasing power in domestic markets.

SME production is contracting, while farm incomes remain at risk of declining due to high agricultural input costs, particularly fertiliser prices.

Moreover, rainfall is forecast to be lower than usual as a result of the El Niño phenomenon. The centre identified these challenges as structural problems rather than short-term cyclical weakness.

High household debt and concerns over loan quality are prompting financial institutions to remain cautious about lending.

An ageing society and geopolitical tensions also remain key factors weighing on Thailand’s economic outlook.

Thanavath Phonvichai, president of the UTCC, said the 2.5% GDP growth forecast is based on several assumptions: ongoing investment by cloud and data centre providers, 32.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026, the resolution of Middle East conflicts by October this year, and the US Section 301 trade probe not reaching a conclusion this year.

In another scenario, GDP growth could decrease by 0.12 percentage points if foreign tourist arrivals reached only 32 million this year.

If the conflict in the Middle East persists throughout the year, GDP growth may decline by a further 0.2 percentage points.

The preliminary forecast puts Thai GDP growth in a range of 2-3%, with headline inflation at 0.8-1.4%.

The centre plans to issue an updated economic forecast in December.

Galamsey Kids In Viral Video

Children, some of them as young as six or so, active in an illegal mining site in a viral video has had people expressing concern about how far the subject has degenerated.

While the video was shared on social media, some television stations played it and triggered expressions of disgust, as some said the parents should not have subtly introduced the kids to the practice.

It is difficult to tell whether the kids knew what they were doing as showed on the video.

It could show that they were only mimicking what their parents were doing nearby. Be it as it may, their exposure to the chemicals used by the illegal miners should be a matter of worry to community watchers.

The kids, as the video captured it, were performing the standard drill of fetching the gold-bearing grains of the sand and putting same on a sieve where it would be rid of gold grains as part of the process.

Adults were busy nearby as the kids performed on a small scale what their parents were doing.

The kids will grow up mastering the art of destroying the environment, which is what illegal mining does to the communities’ river bodies and forests.

FG pays N18bn severance to 2,700 ex-Nigeria Airways workers

The Federal Government has concluded the payment of ?18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,700 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, more than two decades after the national carrier was liquidated.

The Federal Ministry of Finance, in a statement on Friday, said 2,100 beneficiaries covered by Batches 1 to 7 had received their entitlements, while payments to another 600 beneficiaries in Batches 8 and 9 were being finalised.

The ministry said the beneficiaries in the last two batches were expected to receive their payments within days, bringing the total number of former Nigeria Airways workers covered by the exercise to 2,700.

The settlement follows an approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government to clear the long-standing severance obligations owed to the former employees.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the payment reflected the government’s determination to address legitimate outstanding obligations and prioritise the welfare of Nigerians.

‘Behind these figures are people and families who have waited for years to receive what is legitimately due to them,’ Oyedele said.

He added that the government’s responsibility was to confront outstanding obligations, complete the necessary processes and, once resources were secured, ensure that affected beneficiaries felt the positive impact of government.

According to the ministry, the payment exercise involved extensive verification of beneficiary records, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information, to ensure that funds were paid to rightful beneficiaries.

The ministry said the process was undertaken under Oyedele’s direction, with relevant agencies identifying eligible beneficiaries, validating records and establishing the financial obligations before payments commenced.

It also acknowledged the collaboration of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, whose engagement with the Finance Ministry helped sustain efforts to resolve the matter.

The National Assembly Joint Committees on Aviation also played a role through their oversight of the outstanding benefits. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and his House counterpart, Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, were said to have been actively involved in efforts to settle the claims.

Meanwhile, the government is preparing a second-phase mop-up exercise to capture eligible beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the first phase.

The Director in charge of the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit (PICA) Department, Seldam Dangin, said the exercise would address inaccurate or outdated information, additional biometric verification and corrections to banking details.

It will also cover cases involving deceased beneficiaries, with next of kin or estates required to complete the necessary verification and legal processes before payment.

The mop-up exercise is expected to commence by the end of September or early October, subject to final arrangements.

The liquidation of Nigeria Airways in 2003 left thousands of former employees with unresolved severance and other entitlement claims, making the latest payment a major step towards closing one of the Federal Government’s long-running obligations to former public-sector workers.

Former New York mayor Giuliani designated as an anti-Muslim extremist

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has designated former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as an ‘anti-Muslim extremist’ following remarks the Muslim advocacy organization described as ‘bigoted.’

CAIR announced the designation on Wednesday, citing comments Giuliani made during a Newsmax interview earlier this week in which he criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and questioned his attendance at a September 11 memorial ceremony.

‘It offends me that he’s coming,’ Giuliani said of Mamdani’s planned participation in Friday’s 9/11 memorial service.

During the interview, Giuliani also claimed that Muslims were taking over parts of the United States and Europe.

‘They (Muslims) want to dominate us. That’s what they’re taught the day they begin their extremist religious education. Mamdani is a clear supporter of that. All of the Muslims he supports are murderers,’ Giuliani said.

CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor said the organization’s designation was based on what it described as Giuliani’s long-standing criticism of Muslims.

‘Mr Giuliani has a decades-long record of targeting our community simply because of our faith, and we are designating him an anti-Muslim extremist as a result of his hateful views,’ Saylor said in a statement.

Giuliani, who previously served as an adviser to US President Donald Trump during his first administration, has been among the critics of Mamdani’s attendance at the 9/11 memorial.

Asked about Giuliani’s comments on Monday, Mamdani declined to directly respond to the former mayor’s criticism. Instead, he said the week should remain focused on those affected by the September 11 attacks.

‘I want this week to be focused on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11, and a focus also on the first responders who did everything they could,’ Mamdani said.

Meanwhile, a petition calling for Mamdani not to attend the memorial has attracted more than 100,000 signatures. Organizers argue that his past statements, political associations and political views are incompatible with what they regard as the solemn purpose of the ceremony.

New York City Councilwoman Vicky Paladino, who is promoting the petition alongside Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday.

Paladino said she was demanding that Mamdani stay away from the memorial, arguing that ‘he does not belong there.’

Metrobank Foundation recognizes Filipinos transforming communities

Four teachers, three soldiers and three police officers are the recipients of this year’s Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos award.

The award shows that excellence is measured not only by achievement, but by the lives changed through a lifetime of service.

The Metrobank Foundation (MBFI) conferred the distinction during a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Manila on Sept.4, as the highlight of Metrobank’s 64th anniversary celebration.

The awardees were chosen from hundreds of nominations nationwide. They were recognized for demonstrating how dedication, integrity, courage, and compassion can create meaningful change beyond the usual demands of their professions.

Each awardee received P1 million net of tax, a golden medallion, and ‘The Flame’ trophy.

In his opening remarks, Metrobank president Fabian S. Dee highlighted the values behind the recognition. ‘Their achievements remind us that success is built on accountability, discipline, and a commitment to serving others well. These are principles that have guided Metrobank throughout its history and continue to shape how we create value for our clients, support businesses, and contribute to our country’s growth,’ he said

Medvedev: Lithuania will disappear if it clashes with Russia

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev warned on Friday that Lithuania could be wiped off the map if it enters into a military confrontation with Russia.

Medvedev stressed that NATO would not defend Lithuania if Russia retaliated against its deployment of nuclear weapons, warning that invoking NATO’s Article 5 would result in a “global catastrophe.” “They’re not fools,” he added.

Russia previously warned that Lithuania’s potential move to lift its ban on nuclear weapons would constitute a “very serious escalation of tensions,” after a Lithuanian parliamentary committee voted in favor of a constitutional amendment allowing weapons of mass destruction to be stored on its territory.