Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Fadama III Office in Mubi South Local Government Council Area of Adamawa has registered 2,740 farmers, says the Desk Officer, Ms Lydia Solomon.
Solomon told Tide source in Mubi on Monday that the programme had also registered 137 Fadama User Groups (FUGs) since its inception in the area.
She said that the programme had embarked on sensitisation campaign to educate communities and promote participation in the programme.
“We embarked on grassroots mobilisation to create awareness and educate communities on how to participate in the programme.
“The campaign focuses on training the benefitting communities on how to draw up proposal for projects and ensure effective utilisation of funds,” Lydia said.
The desk officer urged communities in the area to form associations to enable them to benefit from various facilities under the programme.
Bauchi
Bauchi State Government plans to distribute 20 ambulances and 20 tri-cycles, popularly called “Keke NAPEP,” to some maternity centres, through the MDGs.
The Special Adviser to Gov. Isa Yuguda on MDGs, Hajiya Hajara Yakubu-Wanka, made the announcement on Monday while inspecting some projects in Alkaleri, Kirfi and Bauchi Local Government Areas.
She said the distribution of the items would reduce the hardship being faced by women, especially pregnant women and children while receiving anti-natal and other health care services.
Yakubu-Wanka said the items to be distributed would meet the needs of the health centres, especially the maternity centres.
FCT
Nigeria has called on member nations to support the programmes of the UNESCO to ensure lasting peace and sustainable development in the world.
A statement issued in Abuja by Mr Aliyu Othmn, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’l, noted that Vice President Namadi Shambo made the call at the ongoing 36th session of UNESCO holding in Paris, France.
Sambo, who was represented by the minister, also urged member nations to go beyond how UNESCO contributes to peace and sustainable development programme to how it could improve its performance.
He stated that the conference was an opportunity for member-states to propose and recommend appropriate guidelines on how the body could fulfill its objectives on international peace as well as the common welfare of mankind.
Gombe
Gombe State Ministry of Water Resources, Town Planning and Environment has cleared more than 2,000 hectares of land for this year’s irrigation farming.
Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry told newsmen in Gombe on Monday that the actual activities for the dry farming would begin next month.
The permanent secretary said that rice, vegetables, onions, tomatoes and pepper would be cultivated at the site.
He said that in 2010 only 250 hectares were cultivated because the irrigation canal was not properly in place.
He said that Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo had released funds to the ministry to put the irrigation canal in place and that the ministry was working tirelessly to mobilise people to engage in dry season farming.
Jigawa
Chairman of Taraba Planning Commission, Mr David Elisha has urged the Federal Government to educate Nigerians on Vision 20:2020 to enable them participate in its implementation.
Elisha spoke to newsmen in Dutse, Jigawa, on the sidelines of a meeting of the National Council on Development Planning and Joint Planning Board.
“Nigeria’s Vision 20:20:20 should be brought down to a level where an ordinary Nigerian on the street will understand what we are talking about.
“ I believe an average Nigerian doesn’t understand it and that’s why there is the need for more enlightenment,’’ he said.
Kaduna
Kaduna chapter of NLC says it will soon dialogue with the state government on the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage.
The NLC Chairman, Malam Adamu Ango, told newsmen in Kaduna that the meeting was aimed at sorting out some grey areas in the agreement on the contents of the new table for the implementation of the new wage which now included grade levels 9 to 17.
He said the meeting would take place when Gov. Patrick Yakowa and the Finance Commissioner, Mr John Ayuba, returned from their foreign trip.
Kebbi
The World Bank-assisted Kebbi Social and Community Development Project embedded environmental protection measures in 151 projects executed in the past two years at the cost of N277.1 million.
The General Manager of the project, Mr Usman Abubakar, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that the construction of toilets and incinerators was compulsory for all the micro-projects executed.
He said that benefitting communities provided 10 per cent of the cost of the projects in their localities while 90 per cent comprised World Bank grant for projects in health, education and water supply.
He said that as a pre-condition for approval, benefitting communities were required to plant trees, build toilets and incinerators around their projects to protect the environment.
Lagos
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has urged smallholder farmers to form cooperatives to tackle global food security challenges.
In a statement in Lagos on Monday, FAO said that the development would boost poverty reduction globally, improve farmers’ income, bargaining power and resource sharing.
According to the statement, the decision was taken at the launching of the International Year of Cooperatives in New York.
It said that the role of agricultural cooperatives was imperative in improving the living standard of smallholder farmers and their families.
Oyo
The University of Ibadan (U.I) has dismissed six officials from two departments of the institution for various offences.
According to a statement in Ibadan on Monday, three of the affected persons were in the Security Department, while the others were from the Works Department.
The statement, which was signed by the Registrar of the university, Mrs Omotayo Ikotun, stated that the officers were disengaged in various offences, including “gross misconduct, theft and negligence”.
Ikotun said the Governing Council of the university had approved their dismissal.
Sokoto
A female politician, Hajiya Luba Hassan, says women will vote for Governor Aliyu Wamakko in the March 2012 gubernatorial election because of the many programmes executed to uplift them.
Hasan, the Secretary of the PDP in Gagi Ward, Sokoto South Local Government Area, spoke to newsmen on Monday.
She said for the first time in the history of the state, women were given the opportunity to contribute toward the political growth of the state.
According to her, the skills acquisition centres set up by the state government have enabled women and youths to be self-reliant.
“We will forever remain grateful to the Wamakko administration for giving us the opportunity to learn various grades and for giving us incentives to start our business.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
