Nation

THE STATES

Published

12 years ago

October 24, 2011

Adamawa

Hundreds of youths in Mubi, Adamawa, State are now going into commercial motorcycling to beat the unemployment scourge.

The trade, locally called “achaba”, is increasingly becoming popular among the jobless youngsters in the area in spite of the high rate of accident and other risks associated with it.

According to a survey in Mubi, most of the motorcyclists are graduates and high school dropouts who took to the business after being idle for many years.

The investigation showed that the motorcyclists are making brisk business due to the absence of taxis and city bus services in the area.

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested 17 suspected criminals in the past two months, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Abdul-Majid Ali, has said. Ali made the announcement in Bauchi while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command between September and this month. He named culpable homicide, conspiracy, mischief and theft as some of the offences allegedly committed by the suspects who are currently in police custody.

FCT

The University of Abuja on Thursday said the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) accreditation for clinical stage was being awaited to promote its 500 level students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Prof Olatunde Ajagbonna, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the university stated this in Gwagwalada in an interview with newsmen.

He said the delay in advancing 500 level students to clinical stage of their course followed challenges in getting the National Universities Commission (NUC) and VCN accreditation for the stage.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Police Command has beefed up security in the state, following threats by the dreaded Islamic group, Boko Haram.

Mobile policemen were seen in large numbers at various check points in Dutse confiscating motorcycles without registered number plates.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP. Abdu Jinjiri, told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that officers and men of the police were at the checkpoints for their normal routine duty.

Jinjiri said the command had earlier warned motorcyclists without registered number plates not to ply any of the roads in the state.

Kaduna

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has called on pilgrims to pray for peace, development and growth of the nation while in the Holy land.

More than 1,400 the pilgrims had been flown to Saudi Arabia.

Yakowa, who paid a visit to the temporary Hajj camp at the International Trade Fair and Investment Centre, Rigachukwu, Kaduna, also urged them to be good ambassadors of the country.

“Pray for Kaduna State so that the unfortunate and unnecessary post-election crisis that we witnessed in the state would never occur again. Pray for peace and pray for the government”, the governor urged the pilgrims.

Kogi

The Kogi State government has approved the expulsion

of 56 students of the state College of Education, Ankpa, for their involvement in the Aug.16, bloody violence in the institution.

The Ministry of Information, in a release in Lokoja said that the council also approved the immediate dissolution of the college’s governing council.

Dr Tom Ohikere, the commissioner for information was quoted in the release as saying that the council’s decisions followed the critical consideration of the report of a seven-man panel of enquiry set up on the incident.

Lagos

The Lagos State Government is to commence the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) of individual homes in the Badagry-Central Local Government Area on Thursday, to rid the area of mosquitoes.

Dr Adeyanju Oyetoyan, the council’s Medical Officer, told newsmen in an interview that the objective of the exercise was to control malaria in the area.

Last month, the local government distributed 112,000 Long Lasting Insect-Treated Nets to residents of the area.

Oyetoyan said that the objective of the programme was to stem malaria attacks in four local government areas of Badagry-Central, Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin and Ikorodu.

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State says it will collaborate with the Federal Capital Territory Administration on its High Capacity Bus project, aimed at de-congesting the heavy traffic on the Keffi-Abuja road.

The Deputy Governor, Mr Dameshi Barau, disclosed the plan on Thursday in Lafia when a team of the Task force on Traffic Management and officials of the African Development Bank (ADB) paid him a visit.

Barau said the state government was planning a rail line project, which would link the state with the FCT as part of the efforts aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the route.

Ondo

Former deputy to ex-Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Chief Abiodun Aluko, has commended the latter for his decision to return to the PDP. Aluko told the newsmen in Akure that the return of Fayose to his former party was a welcome development to the party in the state.

He also lauded the former governor for toeing the path of reason and truth by retracing his steps back to the PDP which he said was the party to beat in the state come 2014.

Plateau

Constable Nelson Eric, a soldier serving with the military Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau, is to be tried for allegedly shooting and injuring one Alfred Adams, a pastor. The STF said in a statement last Thursday in Jos that Eric would be tried for “misapplication of firearms’’.

The statement signed by its media officer, Capt. Charles Ekeocha, said that the “ugly“ incident, which took place in the premises of the University of Jos, was “regrettable’’. “We thank the students of the University for listening to the voice of reasoning by not taking the law into their hands.

Sokoto

Supporters of Sen. Abubakar Gada have said the former lawmaker had remained a bona fide member of the party since 2003.

Gada represented Sokoto East Senatorial Zone in the Senate from 2007 to 2011.

He had since indicated his intention to contest the March 10, 2012 gubernatorial poll after failing to clinch a second term ticket with his defeat by the incumbent, Sen. Ibrahim Gobir (PDP-Sokoto).

Addressing a news conference, Alhaji Umar Sadik , the Special Assistant to Gada, said the former lawmaker had contributed immensely to the growth of the party at all levels.

“As a senator, he distributed thousands of motorcycles, bicycles and vehicles free as well as 3,000 water pumping machines while he dug over 3,000 tube wells among others.

“ We are strongly behind his candidature come March 10, 2012 to contest as governor in the state,’’ he said.

Taraba

The Chairman of Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Bubajoda Mafindi, has expressed surprise at Monday’s protest by primary school teachers in Jalingo. Mafindi told newsmen in Jalingo that the board was in constant touch with representatives of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over the issue of salary. The chairman said the state government agreed to pay the new minimum wage to all workers, pointing out that the delay in its implementation for teachers was due to the decision to use the bio-metric system.

He said the money for the September salary of teachers based on the old rate was intact, adding that this was rejected for the new wage.

“The protest took me by surprise because we have been in constant touch with the NUT representatives.

Nation

Anglican Bishop Urges Politicians To Lead With Integrity

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Niger Delta, Dr Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, has called on Nigerians, especially those in positions of authority to uphold moral standard and integrity.
Oko-Jaja said this at a thanksgiving service to mark the 90th birthday of Prof. Sylvanus Cookey at Saint Paul Anglican Church in Opobo Town, Rivers yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that Cookey was the second Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in 1982.
Oko-Jaja advised political leaders to always be self-aware and avoid actions that could damage their reputation.
“In today’s Nigeria, hardship has changed how the people behave, as lies have become more popular than the truth.
“We now live in a country where injustice is now celebrated and lowering moral and social standard have become the new normal.
“Leaders must follow the exemplary legacies set by our forebears by becoming upright and live a life that would not bring shame to their family and community,” he said.
He attributed the country’s current economic challenges and declining living standards to leaders failing to prioritise the well-being of citizens.
“The younger generation should emulate the virtues of our predecessors like Prof. Cookey, who prioritised integrity over material gain.
“Good reputation was the norm back then, and I hope that God will restore it to Nigeria, where leaders’ goal will be to have good names.
“If anyone wants to commit evil, they should remember that their actions can bring a bad name to their family and community,” he cautioned.
Addressing the celebrant, the King of Opobo Kingdom, HRM Dandason Jaja, praised Cookey for his impact on society and described him as a mentor and philanthropist.
He said that the celebrant was a distinguished academic, who had impacted numerous youths through vocational training, leading to their successful employment in different sectors.
Speaking earlier, Cookey expressed gratitude to God for attaining 90 years and acknowledged the support of his family and friends.
Reflecting on his contributions to the country, he encouraged leaders to leave behind positive legacies for future generations to celebrate.

Nation

Senators, Reps To Resume Plenary In Remodelled Main Chambers

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

Nineteen months after federal lawmakers movement to temporary chambers, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives would finally resume sittings in their newly remodelled main hallowed chambers tomorrow
Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jnr, and the Clerk to the Senate, Barrister Chinedu Akubueze confirmed the planned movement to the main chambers in separate written announcements made penultimate week on the change in resumption date by lawmakers from their ongoing recess.
Hon. Rotimi, who is the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in the official announcement dated April 4, 2024 to the honourable members, cited the need to resume plenary at the renovated and reconfigured main chamber, as reason for the postponement in line with the general wish of the lawmakers.
“The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess, originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
“This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth,” he stated.
Two days after, the Clerk to the Senate also issued a statement, postponing resumption of plenary by the Senate from April 16 to 23, 2024.
Akubueze ‘s statement reads in part: “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April, 2024, has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April, 2024”
It would be recalled that ahead of the projects delivery, the Site Engineer of Visible Construction, Tajudeen Olanipekun, had early last month informed journalists covering the Senate, that the two main chambers, would be ready for use by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in April this year.
Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed and reconfigured hallowed chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with call by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives, want to move to their main chambers as soon as possible after close to two years of using temporary ones.
In carrying out the subtle marching order, the construction firm in the last five weeks has carried out the required finishings on
the upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers fixed with state-of-the-art chairs, parliamentary equipments, appliances and extended sitting terraces.
Physically, the entire ambience of the space in and around the hallowed chambers have been transformed, just as barricades used to restrict movements at the foyer have been removed.
The Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, had in March 2021 awarded a N30billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex.
The law makers had in September 2022 vacated the main chambers to enable the Contractors; handle the renovation work of both chambers
Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the senators and honourable members, watertightness of the roof of the complex, the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing among others.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja

Nation

Police Commence Recruitment Process In Anambra, Enugu

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

The Zone 13 of the Nige- rian Police Force, comprising Anambra and Enugu States, has announced the venue and time for both General Duty and Specialist Constable recruitment medical screening in the two States.
This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Ihunwo, yesterday in Enugu.
Ihunwo said that prospective candidates from Zone 13 should note that the exercise would take place at Police Hospital, Awka.
She said that the medical screening would commence simultaneously nationwide on Tuesday, April 16, and end on April 30, 2024.
“Candidates are advised to visit the recruitment portal: https://apply.policerecruitment.gov.ng to know their status, specific time, date and other mandatory requirements.
“So also, qualified applicants are to appear in clean white T-shirt and short with the following requirements;
“National Identity Card/Slip; Print Out of Medical Examination Slip and all necessary documents.
“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Command, AIG Godwin Aghaulor, wishes all prospective candidates success as they embark on this exercise,” he said.