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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recommended the prosecution of Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew after an interim investigation found that he operated a fictitious government agency, forged official documents and falsely presented himself as a federal government appointee.

ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), disclosed the findings on Thursday during a press briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after submitting an interim report to President Bola Tinubu, exactly 30 days after the President directed the commission to investigate the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Aliyu said the investigation established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authorised government institution and that the PFIPC was never established by any law, executive order or other valid government instrument.

According to him, the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi, along with several other documents used to facilitate the operations of the fake agency, were completely forged.

The ICPC also found that the PFIPC unlawfully appropriated the identity, offices and operational instruments of the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) while engaging in widespread impersonation, false representation and other illegal activities.

The commission, however, said no Federal Government funds were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC or the PEAC, adding that investigators found no weaknesses in the operational systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Aliyu further disclosed that the fake appointment letter did not originate from the Presidency.

He also revealed that Adeyemi allegedly established two additional fictitious government agencies-the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP), using forged legislative instruments presented as enabling Acts to facilitate the opening of bank accounts.

While the investigation uncovered weaknesses in verification processes, inter-agency oversight and administrative procedures, the ICPC chairman said there were also acts of negligence and possible connivance that enabled the fraudulent operation.

Besides recommending Adeyemi’s prosecution, the commission called for administrative sanctions against public officers whose omissions facilitated the illegal operations and proposed far-reaching institutional reforms to prevent a recurrence.

Aliyu added that investigations are continuing into the activities, bank accounts and alleged collaborators linked to Adeyemi and the fake agencies.

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), charging members to drive reforms aimed at strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

ýThe Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the charge on Thursday during the inauguration of the Board in Abuja.

ýAlausa said the inauguration was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises education and human capital development as key drivers of economic transformation.

ýHe said the government was repositioning the education sector to focus on practical skills rather than paper qualifications.

ýAccording to him, the goal is to produce competent and innovative graduates capable of supporting industrialisation, entrepreneurship and national productivity.

ýThe minister described the appointment of the board members as a recognition of their professionalism, integrity and commitment to national service.

ýHe expressed confidence that they would provide the strategic leadership required to strengthen NBTE’s regulatory mandate and deepen reforms in technical education.

ýAlausa said TVET had become a strategic national priority, noting that no country could achieve meaningful industrialisation without skilled technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, machine operators and other professionals.

ýHe said the federal government had continued to invest in the sector to bridge the gap between education and industry while equipping learners with lifelong skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

ýThe minister outlined four priority areas for the board, including providing strategic leadership and effective oversight while allowing the NBTE management to handle day-to-day administration.

ýHe also directed the board to accelerate the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund and other stakeholders.

ýAccording to him, the framework will formally recognise and certify the competencies of skilled artisans under the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

ýHe said this would improve employability, expand access to finance, increase opportunities for government contracts and enhance labour mobility across the ECOWAS region.

ýAlausa also called for the modernisation of curricula through Outcome-Based Education to reflect the demands of Industry 4.0.

ýHe said programmes should integrate digital technologies, artificial intelligence, automation, green technologies and advanced manufacturing systems.

ýThe minister further urged institutions under NBTE’s regulatory oversight to strengthen programmes in applied sciences, engineering, technology and innovation while gradually phasing out non-technical programmes outside the statutory mandate of polytechnics.

ýHe also charged the board to uphold transparency and accountability in the management of public resources to ensure investments translated into improved skills acquisition, institutional performance, youth employment and national productivity.

ýResponding on behalf of the board, its Chairman, Prof. Babatunde Salako, thanked President Tinubu and the Minister of Education for the confidence reposed in the members.

ýSalako pledged the board’s commitment to supporting the federal government’s reforms aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire relevant technical skills and become entrepreneurs and job creators.

ýHe identified changing the public perception of technical education as a second-choice option as one of the board’s key responsibilities.

ýAccording to him, sustained public enlightenment is needed to encourage parents and students to embrace TVET as a pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national development.

ýAlso speaking, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, described the inauguration as a landmark achievement, noting that the board was being inaugurated after more than five years without one.

ýBugaje expressed appreciation to the minister and assured him of the board’s commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the federal government’s TVET transformation agenda.ý

Convener of the Mentor with Abidemi Initiative, Abidemi Adeyemi, has urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to embrace integrity, discipline, patience and personal responsibility as essential ingredients for rebuilding the nation’s economy and restoring its moral values.

Speaking at the third edition of the mentorship programme, themed ‘Developing Good Character, Integrity, Discipline and Responsibility,’ held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Adeyemi said Nigeria’s challenges cannot be solved through blame or excuses but by citizens taking responsibility for their actions.

The event attracted youths from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states, as well as stakeholders and sponsors from the event planning industry, including Elegants Events UK/Nigeria, LOMS and other organisations.

Adeyemi lamented what she described as the growing obsession with wealth at the expense of character, warning that integrity and moral values have steadily declined in homes, communities and even religious institutions.

According to her, many young people have developed an unhealthy sense of entitlement, expecting rewards without making meaningful contributions to society.

‘We are used to blaming people whenever things go wrong. We blame the economy, the government and other people instead of taking responsibility. I want people to leave here knowing they can become better people. When we do better things, we can build a better country for ourselves,’ she said.

She urged participants to remain committed to honesty and good character, stressing that it is better to belong to the minority of upright people than to gain popularity through dishonest means.

Adeyemi also encouraged youths to cultivate patience, accountability and discipline while trusting God for success, noting that lasting achievements are built on consistency rather than shortcuts.

Drawing lessons from previous editions of the mentorship programme, she advised participants to learn to say ‘no’ when necessary instead of seeking to please everyone, warning them against allowing negative influences to shape their lives.

‘Don’t become muddy water that absorbs every form of corruption,’ she cautioned.

Expressing optimism about the future of the initiative, Adeyemi said the annual programme was designed to raise responsible citizens capable of transforming their families, communities and the nation.

‘I want Mentor with Abidemi to become an annual platform that keeps making people better every year. As we continue learning and growing together, we will become better spouses, better professionals and better citizens. When individuals improve, Ogun State and Nigeria will also become better,’ she said.

She further appealed to Nigerian youths to remain resilient despite the country’s economic challenges, revealing plans to support committed young entrepreneurs with start-up opportunities.

However, she decried the growing trend of beneficiaries of empowerment programmes diverting business support funds to luxury purchases instead of investing in sustainable ventures.

‘It is discouraging when some youths use empowerment funds to buy cars because they believe they have arrived. We want to identify and support young people who are willing to invest, build businesses and create lasting value,’ she said.

Adeyemi maintained that character, integrity and responsible leadership remain the bedrock of national development, urging young Nigerians to become agents of positive change capable of restoring hope for a better future.

The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi, has said criticisms of the ongoing 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are driven by envy of President Bola Ahmed.

Those criticising the project were ‘motivated by envy because they never believed the President could deliver it,’ Umahi said late Wednesday while inspecting the level of work at the Ondo section of the coastal highway in Ilaje Local Government area of the state.

The minister was responding to recent criticisms of the project by former Cross River governor, Donald Duke on a television programme.

Duke had during the programme argued that the project will not extend beyond Lagos.

But Umahi insisted that Tinubu will deliver the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as scheduled.

According to him, section one has already been completed, which is 7.47km from Victoria Island to Elepe village, while section two, about 50km stretching from Lagos to Ogun border, is about 70 per cent completed.

Umahi added that sections 3A and 3B, covering about 67 kilometres, are progressing, with approximately 30 per cent completed.

The minister stated that section 4 covers about 82 kilometres, extending through Ogun into Ondo State, saying that the President was determined to ensure its completion.

He explained that section 5, which is about 180 kilometres in Akwa Ibom, is likely the longest section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and work is ongoing there.

‘We have another 100-kilometre section beginning at the end of the Ondo section, which is currently at the design stage. What will remain afterwards are the sections through Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States.

‘I also want to respond to some of the comments made by one of those who worked with the President when he was governor. I watched the interview of His Excellency Donald Duke.

‘He is a very brilliant man. What impressed me most was that he avoided insults. He was a perfect gentleman, and I am proud of him.

‘However, some of the issues he raised require clarification. When he said the Coastal Highway would never go beyond the Epe, I respectfully disagree.

‘He also said the project was not a priority. Yet, this Coastal Highway was conceived years ago, but it could not be implemented because of funding constraints and other challenges.

‘Those attacking the Coastal Highway are, in my view, motivated by envy because they never believed this President could deliver it.

‘The man who tamed the Atlantic Ocean is capable of delivering this project. I call him a divine President,’ he said.

The minister urged stakeholders and leaders to continue to watch President Tinubu’s administration delivering the Coastal Highway.

‘I also saw where the secretary of Afenifere was accusing Ministry of Works of diverting the Coastal Highway. Of note was when he said it was diverted upland because of people who own estates there, that is far from the truth.

‘The Coastal Highway was originally planned to follow the coastline because that was our preference. However, engineering is very dynamic.

‘When we designed this section of the Coastal Highway, it was intended to pass about two kilometres from the shoreline, but then the soil tests, which form the basis of engineering design, revealed a major challenge.

‘Along that route, we encountered very poor soil known in engineering as peat, extending more than 40 to 50 metres deep.

‘We encountered peat in Sections 1 and 2 within Lagos, but fortunately it was only about 20 metres deep there, making it manageable.

‘It is extremely difficult to manage peat deposits that are 50 metres deep because they have to be removed and replaced before construction can proceed. We also discovered that the sand we expected from the sea was not suitable,’ he stated.

Umahi praised the construction company for what he described as a ‘diligent work’ that was also impacting the community with confidence of delivering a good job.