Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Dr Mohammed Barau, the Rector of Federal Polytech
nic, Mubi in Adamawa, has been commended for his compliance with federal character principles in the recruitment of staff.
A community leader in Mubi, Alhaji Babangida Jibrilla, who gave the commendation in Mubi yesterday also lauded the rector for the rapid transformation recorded in areas of infrastructure and academic activities in the school.
Jibrilla said besides the compliance with federal character requirements in employment, the rector had in the last two years introduced various courses in the polytechnic that raised the school students population from 2,000 to 19,000.
“More than 20 courses run by the polytechnic were accredited within the last two years while series of physical development in terms of lecture theatres and office blocks were executed to make learning conducive.
Bauchi
No fewer than 100 youths have benefited from a skill
and vocational training programme initiated by the Bauchi State Furniture Company since 2009, as part of efforts to eradicate poverty in the state.
Alhaji Bakoji Badara, the Managing Director of the company, gave the information in an interview with The Tide’s source on Monday in Bauchi.
Badara said the youths were trained in carpentry, upholstery and metal works, under the skill acquisition scheme designed to enhance employment generation and encourage the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME).
He said the trainees were paid between N8,000 and N25,000, as monthly allowances, depending on the nature of their work.
FCT
The National Council on Education (NCE) has prom
ised to map out innovative strategies on policy options and best practices for the development of education through Public Private Partnership.
Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, said this at the opening ceremony of the technical session of the 56th Meeting of the Council in Abuja on Monday.
He assured stakeholders that at the meeting “we shall consider memoranda for council’s approval with a view to mapping out innovative strategies on policy options and best practices”.
The permanent secretary expressed the commitment of the ministry for total restoration of the country’s education system to its former glory.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government has pledged more sup
port to the National Youth Service scheme.
Governor Mohammed Goje stated this on Monday while inspecting the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Malamsidi Kwami in Gombe State.
He commended the contributions of corp members to education, health and other sectors in the state.
Goje, who described the scheme as the best platform for national unity and integration, said government would ensure that the scheme continued.
The first phase of the permanent orientation camp project includes, hostels, offices and a parade ground, which is to cost N600 million and is expected to be completed by the end of March this year.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government plans to establish small
hydro power projects to complement the proposed 30 megawatts generation station being built at Gurara Dam, an official said.
The Commissioner for Rural Development, Alhaji Abubakar Musa Abubakar, made the information known in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna on Monday.
He said 11 spots had been identified for the projects but added that only three had been found to be viable, while others were still being studied.
Abubakar said the government and the Energy Commission of Nigeria were working on renewable energy sources.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has uncovered 6,000
“ghost workers” and saved about N200 million since the introduction of e-payment in October 2009.
The Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Bello Tugga, told newsmen on Monday in Birnin Kebbi that government had achieved 95 per cent success in the bio-metrix system of e-payment of salary to its workers.
He said a committee, with members from all segments of the civil service, had been set up to verify any anomalies in the payment of workers salary.
Tugga said government had no intention of punishing anybody for the discovery of the ghost workers, stressing that the measure was purely aimed at sanitising its accounting system.
Kwara
Kwara Deputy Governor, Joel Ogundeji, yesterday in
Ilorin called on the private sector to assist the government in financing education as part of its social responsibility.
Ogundeji made the call when he inaugurated a building donated to ECWA Girls Secondary School, Omu-Aran, by the Deputy Governor of Anambra, Dame Virgy Etiaba, an old student.
He said that government alone could not fund education in the country.
The deputy governor called on other stakeholders and corporate organisations to contribute their quota in ensuring quality education.
“All of us are duty bound to contribute to the physical and academic development of our alma mater,” he said.
Lagos
An Ikeja High Court on Monday admitted in evidence
video tapes containing recordings of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) proceedings on the alleged attempted murder of Chief Alex Ibru.
Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer to late Gen. Sani Abacha, and three others are standing trial for the 1996 alleged attempted murder of Ibru in Lagos.
The others are: former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, James Danbaba; a former Military Administrator of Zamfara, Jubril Yakubu and a Chief Superintendent of Police, Rabo Lawal.
The tapes, tendered in evidence, contained the proceedings of interrogation by the SIP of several suspects including Al-Mustapha and other accused in 1999.
Niger
Alhaji Hassan Nuhu, the Director-General, Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) in Niger, has announced the award of N1.8 billion contracts that would impact positively on the lives of the citizenry.
Nuhu announced the contract awards in Minna recently, during the presentation of the contract documents to some contractors handling the various projects.
He said the contracts included the construction of 12 comprehensive health care centres, each capable of catering for 20 admitted patients, at the cost of N600 million.
The DG said four health centres would be built in each of the three senatorial districts in the state.
According to him, the centres would be equipped and provided with medical consumables and drugs to increase the access of pregnant women and children to medical services.
Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau has said that the state
would no longer allow unauthorised buildings in the greater Jos master plan.
Receiving the report of the plan in Jos on Friday, Jang said the government intended to pursue its actualisation very soon.
“Let me warn those who are fund of erecting buildings just anywhere that they will be bulldozed without any apology.
‘’We have told the task force on illegal structures to remove all illegal structures in the city.
“We are not joking about the matter. People will want to carry it into religion, they will term it tribal and all kinds of things but I am determined to do it, no matter what happens,” he said.
Sokoto
Sokoto State is to build a 30-megawatts Independent Power Project (IPP) at the cost of N3.8 billion.
Mr Ford Graham, Managing Director of the U.S.-based Vulcan Capital Energy Management, which won the contract for the project, disclosed this recently at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the state government in Sokoto.
Graham said that the state government had already paid 30 per cent of the total contract sum to his firm for the execution of the project, which was awarded in November 2008.
He said that his firm had commenced work on the project following the arrival in December 2009 of some of the equipment it ordered.
Graham blamed the delay in commencing work on the project to the delay in the acquisition of the site and in opening letters of credit.
Nation
Gombe Opens Bid For Construction Of Three-Arm Zone Project
Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation has opened bids for the construction of three arms zone complexes within the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which held at the Ministry’s conference hall.
Speaking while presiding over the bid opening proceedings, the Commissioner, Engr. . Usman Maijama’a Kallamu assured the bidders that the bid opening would be carried out using procurement process which is based on specific regulations that are credible, fair, and transparent.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Idris Yambiu Buba said that the Ministry will continue to align itself for optimal results in the implementation of government policies and projects in line with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to bringing development to the State.
While assuring the bidders of a transparent process, the SSA to the Governor on Special Project, Arch. Yakubu Mamman thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight in infrastructural development of the State, adding that government is committed to ensuring that all bidders had an equal chance to participate and compete based on merit to maintain standards and specifications.
Nation
Gov Mbah Signs Bill To Establish Teaching Hospital In Enugu
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital Bill 2024 into Law, promising to expedite action to actualise the teaching hospital immediately to provide quality training and healthcare services in the Enugu North part of the State and the State in general.
Mbah, while commending the Enugu State House of Assembly for accelerating action on the processing and passage of the Executive Bill, said that establishing SUMAS Teaching Hospital was in line with his manifesto.
He said, “What we have done by signing into law the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital Bill is that we now have in place a legal framework to immediately begin to put in place all that is required to upgrade SUMAS to a teaching hospital. This is part of our campaign promises and we are committed to delivering on that expeditiously.
“We believe that the importance and significance of siting a teaching hospital in our Enugu North zone can never be lost on us. So, we are not going to spend any time in making sure that everything that is necessary and required to upgrade and get the teaching hospital operational is put in place. With this Law, we are going to redouble our commitment and our efforts to achieve that.”
He assured the Governing Council and the Management of SUMAS of his continued support, adding that his administration would equally be counting on their pedigree and contacts to bring the teaching hospital to fruition in record time.
“We are going to continue to support you and we are also going to continue to count on your experience, network, and profile in raising resources to actualize the project.
“This year alone, we are going to spend 33 per cent of our budget on education. This underscores the importance of education to this administration. So, be sure to come to us whenever there is a need. We are going to support you because we are interested in education and we are investing heavily in it,” he said.
On his part, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, who also spoke at the Bill signing witnessed by the Chairman of SUMAS Governing Council, Msgr. Obiora Ike, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ogbonna, and top hierarchies of the institution, commended Governor Mbah’s speed and faithfulness in delivering on his campaign promises. He assured that the House of Assembly was ever ready to fast-track every executive bill that would impact positively on the state and its people.
“We promised we are going to support this administration by doing our job expeditiously to ensure that there is no delay in your delivery of democracy dividends to our people. Therefore, the SUMAS Teaching Hospital Bill received expedited hearing and today you have the signing of the bill into law,” he stated.
Nation
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has applauded security agencies in the State for their efforts in the rescue of 43 bus passengers.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the governor welcomed the news of the release of the abducted bus passengers in Okehi Local Government Area of the State and called for sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering and prevent crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
Ododo commended the caretaker chairman of Okehi LGA, Mr Amoka Eneji, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Professional Hunters, Ebira Local Hunters Group and other security agencies for their intervention, which led to the rescue of the passengers who were abducted outside the state.
“Governor Ododo also commends the response of security agencies to the robbery incidence in Felele area of Lokoja and called for more urgency in addressing cases of insecurity in any part of the state.
“The Governor reassured the people of the state that his administration will not relent in its efforts in deploying maximum resources to ensure that all communities in the state remain unsafe for criminal elements.”
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The European Union (EU) says it will end its five-year Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria, on April 14. Mr Damilare Babalola, the National Programme Manager, ACT, said this on Tuesday at a brief event in Port Harcourt. Babalola said that the conclusion of the programme would automatically mean an end for the 21 CSOs based in Rivers. He stated that the EU-funded programme, valued at 13.1 million euros, was executed by the British Council across 10 states, with a presence in the 36 states of the federation. “The programmes’ goals are to assist CSOs in becoming more credible, accountable and effective agents of change, for sustainable development in Nigeria. “The implementation focussed on providing capacity-building skills, referred to as capacity development support to CSOs, to enhance their effectiveness. “Additionally, it aimed to evaluate the regulatory environment for CSOs and promote strategic coordination among them and other key stakeholders in terms of collaboration and advocate, for appropriate legislation and regulations,” he explained. Babalola identified the benefitting states as Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “The ACT programme commenced in 2019 and will officially conclude on April 14, marking the end of five-years of active implementation in the country. “Rivers was among the states where we initiated the programme during our phase two launch in 2020, and we are here to formally close the ACT programme in the state. “ACT has addressed significant challenges affecting the effectiveness and impact of civil societies, especially in creating an enabling regulatory environment,” he added. He expressed confidence that in spite of ACT’s departure from the country, civil society groups have gained sufficient capacity to effectively carry out their responsibilities in their respective focus areas within the communities. The programme manager noted that 273 CSOs benefitted from the programme across the country, with 233 CSOs receiving capacity-building training and 40 others trained to enhance regulatory conditions. In his remark, ACT Rivers Focal Person, Mr Temple Oraeki, emphasised the importance of CSOs collaborating with the state government and international donor agencies to advance their programmes and projects within the communities. “The 21 CSOs, comprising of eight community-based organisations and three network coalitions in Rivers, now serve as our ambassadors, equipped to make positive impact in society. “Therefore, we are leaving behind organisations that are credible partners for the government and international donor agencies to execute their programmes in communities,” he said. Gov. Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers, expressed the state’s readiness to engage with CSOs to implement government policies and programmes in the various communities where they operate. Represented by Diokuma Ismael, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Fubara lauded the EU and British Council for their interventions in the state. “The success of the ACT programme has undoubtedly enhanced the value of civil society organisations in the state and nationwide. “We are prepared to partner with the CSOs that have impacted communities, once all necessary documentations are concluded. “However, it is crucial for CSOs to adhere to proper regulations, to enable the government to identify with them for sustainable development,” he said. Fubara urged the civil society groups to align with the state government’s policy to drive positive change in the communities.
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