#BBB NEWS| New York Becomes First State To Offer Free Tuition At Public Universities

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced a plan to make public college tuition free for potential students back in January 2017.

Late Sunday night (April 9), his proposition was approved by the Senate. Incoming students starting school in the fall who meet the specific economic threshold may score a free ride to a in-state public college or university.

For the fall of 2017 if a student attends a New York State university and has a family income below $100,000 he or she will be eligible to receive the Excelsior Scholarship. The income cap rises to $110,000 in 2018 and will reach $125,000 for 2019. There is a catch for part-time students to enroll, as only those who take on 30 credits an academic year will be able to use the financial aid.

Senate Rejects Buhari’s Request To Borrow $30 billion

The Senate has rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for authorisation to borrow about $30 billion. (pictured above) Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu.

The president, last Tuesday, forwarded a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.

He made the requests in two separate letters to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

Mr. Buhari said the external loan, the biggest in Nigeria’s history, will fund targeted projects cuts across all sectors with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation.

#BBB NEWS| Senate Withdraws Anti-Social Media Bill

The senate has withdrawn the controversial frivolous petition bill, known as anti- social media bill.

The red chamber announced the decision at plenary on Tuesday after David Umar, chairman of the senate committee on human rights and legal matters presented his committee’s report at plenary.

Umar, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator from Niger state, said his committee recommended the withdrawal of the bill based on the strong opposition to it across the country.

The bill was sponsored by Bala Ibn Na’Allah, an APC lawmaker from Kebbi state.

The anti-social media bill imposed harsh penalties for tweets or text messages that conveyed statements considered untrue from a group of persons to an institution of government.