Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Alhaji Babayo Gamawa, the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, says he will dedicate himself to the struggle for the creation of Katagum State if elected senator in 2011.
Gamawa, who wants to contest the seat for the Bauchi-North Senatorial District, made the pledge last Saturday in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
He said that if elected, he would devote 75 per cent of his time and energy in seeing to the creation of Katagum State.
Gamawa said that he made a lot of consultations on the issue with the speakers of state houses of assembly when he was speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
He said that he received encouraging words from the speakers and that many of them promised to support him in achieving the objective.
Borno
Borno State police command said on Sunday that it had arrested 13 suspects in connection to last week’s killings in Maiduguri.
Suspected Boko Haram militants had killed at least four individuals in separate attacks on Wednesday and Friday in Maiduguri.
But the command Police Public Relations’ Officer Mallam Lawal Abdullahi told newsmen in Maiduguri that 11 suspectswere arrested in connection with the Wednesday’s killing.
“I want to inform you that we have already made a number of arrests in connection with the killings.
Ekiti
A non-governmental organisation, WaterAid Nigeria has constructed 38 boreholes in Ekiti state as part of its efforts to ensure that people have access to safe water.
The Director of Justice Development Peace Initiative/WaterAid in the state, Rev. Fr. Raphael Aborisade said this at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti during a sensitization programme to mark the World Toilet Day.
Aborisade said the boreholes were constructed mostly in rural communities in Ikole, Ilejemeje and Ekiti South West local government areas.
FCT
Some applicants who did not meet the height requirement in the FRSC recruitment process were barred from taking part in the written test conducted by the corps in Abuja last Saturday.
Male applicants were required to be up to 1.7 metres while their female counterparts were expected to be up to 1.6 metres.
Those barred from the examination due to their height were seen in groups discussing their fate at the Mogadishu Cantonment, venue of the exercise.
However, reports that as at 11:30 a.m. some 1,800 out of the 5,400 cleared to write the test had done so with others on a long line waiting for their turn.
Kano
Most Food Vendors in Kano have yet to resume business, five days after the Eid-el-Kabir festival.
A survey conducted by our correspondent in the state capital revealed that the food sellers,many of whom hailed from other states of the federation, are still away,observing their Sallah break.
Our correspondents’ checks at Galadima Road, Audu Bako way,and the Sabon Gari market, found that most of the vendors’ stalls and other platforms remained desolate, due to the absence of the operators.
One of the operators, Hajiya Asiya Garba,told newsmen that she could not resume business now because she was still celebrating the Sallah.
Katsina
The Katsina Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Saturday matriculated 207 students admitted to study various courses at the centre.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Kabiru Galadanchi, Manager of the Centre, said that out of the over 1,000 candidates that applied to study at the Centre, only 207 were given admission.
He attributed the situation to the mistakes made by most of the applicants in filling their application forms.
Kogi
A total of 150 students on Saturday matriculated at the Lokoja Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for the 2009/2010 academic session.
The Centre Manager, Mr Theophilus Balogun, who made the disclosure to the newsmen in Lokoja at the 5th matriculation, said that similar ceremony took place simultaneously at the NOUN’s 40 study centres nationwide.
He identified the lack of physical structures and truancy by some facilitators as some of the challenges confronting the study centre.
Balogun urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the ongoing construction work in the centre, noting that lack of structures had forced them to use facilities at the Bishop Delise College.
Kwara
Kwara State Public Complaints Commission says a total of five hundred and seventy – nine (579)complaints werereceived between January and October 2010.
The Acting Durector of Investigation, Mr Caleb Bukoye disclosed this in an interview with newsmen last Sunday in Ilorin.
According to him, during the period the Commission has investigated and successfully resolved 324 complaints.
Bukoye urged members of the public to seize the opportunity provide by the federal government through the service of the Commission in getting their problems and complaints solved.
Niger
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) has said that a 58-year-old father, who allegedly impregnated his 14-year-old daughter is currently being detained.
The 58-year old farmer and the daughter were paraded before journalists on Nov. 15 by Deputy Police Spokesman, DSP Samuel Jinadu in his Ikeja office.
The police said that the man forcefully had canal knowledge of his daughter and has now delivered a baby girl from the relationship.
Ondo
The Ondo State Government on Saturday reiterated its commitment to sustain its zero tolerance for examination malpractice.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Pius Osunyikanmi, told newsmen in Akure that the state government had inaugurated an examination and ethics committee to monitor schools that engaged in malpractices.
He also said that disciplinary actions would be taken against any school involved in examination malpractice.
Osunyikanmi said that alreday, four schools had been banned from presenting candidates for public examinations for two years due to the high number of cheats recorded in that school.
Oyo
Some applicants, who turned up for the rescheduled test for recruitment into various positions in the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), on Saturday in Ibadan, have described the exercise as discouraging.
Some of the applicants, who would not want to be identified, alleged that they were made to sit on bare floor and write the test on their laps.
They condemned the inadequate arrangement made by the FRSC authorities for the test, saying that the shoddy arrangement for the test had dashed their hopes on the recruitment exercise.
Some applicants also alleged that their names were removed from the list of those qualified to write the test after they had scaled through the physical exercise conducted for the recruitment.
Plateau
Dr Mohammed Ali Pati, the Executive Director of Primary Health Care and Development Agency (PHCDA), says polio has reduced from 356,000 cases earlier recorded to below 1,000 in Nigeria.
Pati disclosed this last Saturday at the Silver Jubilee Investiture of Rotarian Joseph Kigbu, as the new President of Naraguta Rotary Club, Jos.
“With the Government fight against the polio scourge in Nigeria, we have been able to reduce the over 356,000 cases to less than a thousand.
“Very soon, we shall totally eradicate polio in Nigeria more so that we have other non-governmental organisations such as Rotary and USAID behind us in the fight,” Pati said.
An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre is set to be established in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The initiative is being championed by the Omoku People’s Forum, a global association of Omoku elites, under the leadership of its President-General, Dr. George Ada Ubah.
As part of efforts to ensure the successful execution of the project, a prominent son of Omoku, Chief (Barr.) Dennis Masi, has been appointed by the Forum as the Chairman of the ICT Centre Project Committee, entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating and driving the initiative to fruition. Upon completion, the ICT Centre is expected to serve as a major hub for the training and empowerment of youths in digital and technological skills, equipping them to actively participate in the increasingly technology-driven global environment.
The project is also widely regarded as a significant step towards positioning Omoku as an emerging ICT hub within Rivers State, fostering innovation, digital literacy, and economic development in the region.
Concerned Rivers Chiefs For Peace And Development has said it formation was not politically motivated or has any links to political parties or candidates.
The group which said this at a media briefing at Abuloma in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area said it’s formation has nothing to do with politics.
According to the text for the briefing jointly signed by Chief Boma Kele Oyika it’s chairman and Chief Inemo T Ikama Deputy Secretary General said the organization is expected to focus on conflict Resolution, community engagement, collaboration with government and private sector actors
‘it mandate also includes promoting peace building initiative, supporting local economic empowerment programms and strengthening traditional institutions in our state and beyond as partners in governance ”
It said the body is led by a team of respected traditional leaders serving as trustees
“Their collective leadership reflects a blend of experience cultural authority and grassroots connection
“Key elements considered vital for addressing long standing,socio economic and security challenges in the region”
The release further says ” the formation of this organization comes at a time when communities in Rivers state continue to navigate between issues ranging from youth unemployment, environmental concerns and intermittent conflicts amongst the traditional rulers and beyond
“By bringing together influential traditional figures under a unified platform, the group aims at serving as stabilizing force while advocating for inclusive development policies ” it said
It also described its emergence as a new chapter in grass roots leadership and regional development
Earlier, chairman of the body, Chief Boma Kele Oyika said the organization will work with relevant authorities to promote peaceful coexistence in the state, reduce crime and promote economic development.
He said it is open to all Chiefs from the 23 local government areas.
The Chairman of The Nigeria Delta Chamber of Commerce, Trade, Mines and Agriculture NDCCTMA,Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) Dr Samuel Ogbuku have challenged Niger Delta entrepreneurs to close the gap in Gross Demostic Products (GDP) differences between the region and that of the South Western part of the country by coming home to invest.
The two leaders spoke at a business round table organized by NDDCTMA in Port Harcourt
Chairman of NDDCTMA Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan, said to close the gap between the south west region which he said has a GDP seize of about #59 trillion and that of the Niger Delta which is about #34 trillion was to massively invest in the region.
He said no other persons can do this except sons and daughters from the region.
“For me I believe in statistics,I believe in data and everyday I looked at the data concerning development in Nigeria and from the GDP point of view, the South West has #59 trillion, that is the seize of the south west region economy, the second region following them is the Niger Delta region with GDP seize of #34 trillion,so there is a yearning gap of #25 trillion that separates the south west and the Niger Delta region, that is why we are here”
Ogan said the region has the capacity to close the gap and even surpassed it but regretted that indigenes of the region have chosen to ignore it in terms of investment.
“We need to close that gap .If we close that gap and even surpassed it,all the negative problems of militancy and unemployment will automatically erase “he said
Ogan said the event was organized to remind the people that past efforts of militancy and agitations have not led the region to any where
“That is why we are gathered here in this room “he said.
Also speaking Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission( NDDC) Dr Samuel Ogbuku urged indigenes of the region not to use the problem of insecurity as an excuse to continue to deny the region of investment as every part of the country have in one time or the other experienced crisis.
Ogbuku said most indigenes have displayed high level of unpatriotism towards the region by taking investments that would have benefited the people to either Lagos or Abuja.
“With little threat we have left the city,we have gone to Lagos,we have moved our families to Abuja and Lagos
“If you go round GRA all the property, you will see,”to let to let”most of them are now empty “he said.
The NDDC MD said despite the fact that people from the region are doing well in the oil and gas, banking and other sectors, its impact are not being felt at home because they are stationed outside the region.
He said time has come for potential investors from the region to have a change of heart by coming home to invest.
John Bibor