Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd.), has commended Enugu State Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his infrastructural development efforts across the state.

Ihejirika gave the commendation in a special message to Governor Mbah during the inauguration of the Governing Council of Coal City University, Enugu, held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

The former Army Chief’s commendation came as the university formally inaugurated its new Governing Council, with its chairman pledging to provide strategic leadership aimed at strengthening academic excellence, good governance and sustainable growth.

In his inaugural address, the Chairman of the Governing Council described his appointment as both an honour and a major responsibility, saying the council had been entrusted with the future of an institution impacting thousands of young people.

He commended the Chancellor and Proprietor of the university, Sir Chinedu Ani, for his vision, determination and personal commitment to establishing and developing Coal City University.

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According to him, building a university requires enormous resources, infrastructure, courage and perseverance, stressing that universities remain critical to nation-building because they prepare young people for employment, responsible citizenship and leadership.

The council chairman said the new Governing Council would work closely with the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and management to ensure that the university remained faithful to its founding vision.

He identified five major principles that would guide the council: academic excellence; good governance and accountability; student development; institutional growth and sustainability; and preservation of institutional values and integrity.

He said the university would support initiatives aimed at strengthening teaching, research, innovation and scholarship, while promoting transparency, prudent management of resources and adherence to regulatory standards.

On student development, he stressed the need to produce graduates who combine intellectual excellence with discipline, integrity, entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership and respect for human dignity.

The chairman also noted that the higher education sector was changing rapidly due to technology, artificial intelligence, evolving workplace demands, research and innovation.

He therefore called for stronger partnerships, international outlook, research capacity, infrastructure development and financial sustainability to enable Coal City University to anticipate and respond effectively to emerging challenges.

He further warned that the reputation of the university would depend not only on its physical infrastructure but also on the integrity, professionalism, fairness and accountability of members of its community.

The council chairman assured the university’s management of the council’s support while emphasising that the governing body would respect the distinction between governance and administration.

He charged the Vice-Chancellor and principal officers to maintain high standards of excellence, transparency and accountability, while commending members of staff for their contributions to the development of the institution.

He also urged students to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the university, pursue knowledge with seriousness and cultivate discipline and integrity.

He said the long-term ambition should be for Coal City University to gain recognition for the quality of its graduates, relevance of its research, integrity of its leadership and positive contribution to society.

The chairman expressed appreciation to the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor for the confidence reposed in the newly inaugurated council and prayed for wisdom and courage for its members.

The event was attended by the Chancellor and Proprietor of Coal City University, Sir Chinedu Ani; the Vice-Chancellor; members of the Board of Trustees; principal officers; members of the newly inaugurated Governing Council; university staff and other distinguished guests.

The event ended with prayers for the continued growth of Coal City University, the development of Enugu State and the progress of Nigeria.

The Federal Government is planning to negotiate a ceiling of N1,350 per litre on the ex-gantry cost of petrol in a move aimed at shielding pump prices from fluctuations in global crude oil prices and exchange rates.

Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while addressing a press conference on fuel prices and subsidy-related questions.

However, Oyedele acknowledged that the measures being proposed by the Federal Government would not completely ease the pressure on households.

He then outlined the proposed measures, including the N1,350 ceiling on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol, which he said was designed to reduce volatility in pump prices.

“We are introducing price modulation. Pump prices should not have to follow every swing in global crude or exchange rate. The government is negotiating a ceiling of N1,350 a litre on the ex-gantry cost of petrol to keep pump prices stable,” he said.

According to him, where the actual cost rises above the ceiling, refiners and importers would bear the shortfall and recover it later when crude prices or exchange rates become favourable, without breaching the ceiling.

“This is neither a subsidy nor a price control; it is designed to smooth prices over time, rather than suppressing them,” Oyedele said.

He explained that the objective was to prevent sharp swings in pump prices, saying, “The reason is simple: N1,400 a litre today and tomorrow is better than N1,500 today and N1,300 tomorrow, because volatility itself adds to uncertainty and fuels go up sharply; they rarely come down as fast.”

Oyedele said the ceiling would be reviewed monthly, with adjustments made where necessary and the figures published for transparency.

He also announced a 30-day discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited, with priority given to public transporters nationwide, while insisting that the measure was not a subsidy.

The NNPC limited had announced a ₦66 fuel discount for customers using the NNPC Fuel App at its stations nationwide.

“We are offering a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited for the next 30 days in the first instance with priority for public transporters nationwide. It’s not a subsidy; the government is saying we sell to you at a cost,” he said.

The minister said the government was also working on forward crude sales to domestic refiners, adding that rising production would help shield pump prices from volatility in the international market.

“We’re working with the states across the federation under the new tax laws. We are reigning in the taxes and levies that inflate fuel and logistics costs,” he added.

Oyedele said the government was also increasing funding for cash transfers to vulnerable households and subsidising credit for small businesses and consumers, while working with state governments to accelerate the rollout of compressed natural gas.

The proposed measures come amid a renewed political debate over fuel subsidies, with African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi promising to restore the subsidy if elected in 2027.