Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Governor of Adamawa State has Murtala Nyako said that many lives have been lost in recent clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in five local government areas of the state.
Nyako, who stated this in Yola on Monday when the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Isa Abubakar, paid him Christmas homage, also said many people were reported injured in the clashes.
The clashes occurred in Mubi South, Maiha, Madagali, Gombi and Song local government areas.
He warned that the government would not fold it arms and watch some few elements destabilise the peaceful atmosphere in the state, adding:“Government is well prepared to deal with any group or individual found wanting”.
The governor expressed dismay on the activities of Fulani herdsmen who cling to the old habit of moving about with their herds, saying it was time for them to abandon the habit and stay in one place.
Bauchi
The Chairman, Bauchi State Revenue Board, Alhaji Muazu Usman, says civil servants will enjoy 50 per cent tax relief under the new Personal Income Tax Act assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Usman said this in an interview with newmen in Bauchi on Monday.
He explained that the act would reduce the burden on tax payers in the public and private sectors, saying it has provided a lot of tax reliefs for workers, especially on the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE).
“The effect of this amendment will greatly reduce Pay-As-You-Earn tax. The PAYE tax will come down from the current level.
“It also specifies stiffer penalties for non-compliance, so the idea is for it to reduce the tax burden and also to ensure that everybody participates in the tax payment, the drop in tax relief averagely, about 50 per cent will come down”, he added.
He also spoke on the state’s expected internal revenue in 2012, saying the N7.3 billion figure was realisable.
“And if you look at the average monthly collection, it comes to about N410 million, so I think we can achieve seven billion in the year ahead.
“We intend to take other measures, not necessarily taxing the non-taxable entities, but there are taxes that are not being collected, we really have to introduce them and collect them in the coming year.”
FCT
The Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) says it arrested, and arraigned 600 motorists before mobile courts between December 20 and December 23, for contravening various traffic rules and regulations.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Nseobong Akpabio, the organisation’s Public Education Officer, in Abuja.
The statement quoted the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Commission, Mr Osita Chidoka, as saying that the exercise was part of efforts to ensure free flow of traffic during the festivities.
“Chidoka, however, said that some road corridors including Abuja-Lokoja, Lagos-Ibadan-Ore, Asaba-Onitsha, Obollo–Affor- 9th Mile and the Enugu-Okigwe-Port Harcourt highways, experienced slight traffic hitches during the period.
“He attributed the hitches to lack of patience among road users and urged motorists to abide by traffic rules and regulations,’’ it said.
The statement also quoted Chidoka as saying that the ongoing aerial surveillance by the FRSC had provided it a platform to be acquainted with the traffic situation nationwide and in the deployment of operatives and logistics.
Gombe
The former Chairman of Billiri Local Government in Gombe State, Mr Rabenson Wasa , has urged people in the area to be security conscious, so as to avert further breach of the peace.
Wasa, who was recently appointed commissioner by Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Billiri on Monday.
The former chairman, who spoke against the backdrop of recent attack of some villages in the area, said the issue of security should be a collective responsibility and not that of the security agents alone.
He, therefore, urged the people to work closely with security agents to make the area safe, but warned against giving false information, saying such would mislead the security agents and create avoidable tension.
“I want to advise my people to report any case of insecurity to the appropriate channel; I believe it is by coming together to sincerely report security problems, that the security agents will act accordingly.
“People should avoid spreading rumours which will mislead the security agents.”
He appealed to the people of the area to support his successor in the council, so as to sustain the gains recorded in moving the area forward.
Wasa, who would take charge of the state Ministry for Works and Transport, pledged to ensure improvement in the transport sector in the state.
Kaduna
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has commenced intensive patrol of major highways in Kaduna State to curtail road accidents, the Ag. North West Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, has said.
Ilallah, told newsmen in Kaduna that the yuletide period was prone to accidents due the heavy traffic and fatigue on the part of motorists returning to their places of work from long distances.
He said it was part of the agency’s tradition to coordinate resources in response to road accidents during festivals, such as the Christmas.
The patrol tagged “Operation Eagle Eye” would compliment the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in tackling the menace, Illalah said.
He said that the patrols would cover the Kaduna-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highways and would continue until January, 2012.
“Our officers will be in strategic places on these roads to monitor and ensure that road users comply with traffic rules and are moderate on their speed limit.’’
Katsina
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Katsina State arrested 340 persons for different drug-related offences in the outgoing year, an official said.
The State Commander of the agency, Mr Ahmadu Garba, told newsmen in Katsina on Tuesday that 58 of those arrested were convicted by the courts and jailed.
He said 38 cases were pending at the Federal High Court, Katsina.
Garba said the agency seized 603 kg of drugs, comprising Indian hemp and other psychotropic substances during the year.
He said NDLEA counselled 188 drug users, rehabilitated and integrated them in society.
“Our aggressive enlightenment campaigns on the danger of drug abuse as well as our patrol on highways will continue with renewed vigour to check the menace,’’ he said.
Kebbi
Governor of Kebbi Saidu Dakingari, has approved the hosting of the 2012 Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival in the state.
A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Sani Kangiwa, in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, stated that the Argungu Emirate and other organisations would co-sponsor the festival.
It added that the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, would chair the 2012 festival, noting that the festival was last held in 2009.
The festival, the statement noted, would commence on March 19 and end on March 21.
It stated that events lined up for the festival included grand fishing, the Kabanji display, an agricultural and traditional trade fair, a durbar, cultural dances, traditional boxing and wrestling, as well as camel, horse and donkey races.
Lagos
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called on the Federal Government to ensure effective implementation of the 2012 budget to regain public confidence.
The Secretary General of the association, Mr Solomon Onaghinon, told newsmen in Lagos that only about 34 per cent of projects earmarked for implementation in annual budgets were usually carried out.
“What happens to others and their allocations?’’ Onaghinon asked.
He said that the inability of the government to live up to its words had made many Nigerians to lose confidence in it.
Niger
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Suleja Business District is set to collect its N1.1 billion debts from customers, the PHCN Business Manager, Alhaji Mohammed Shakur has said.
Shakur told newsmen in an interview in Suleja on Tuesday that the district was poised to collect the debts in order to complete on-going network upgrading.
“The present revenue generation is about N40 million as against energy worth N90 million and that is what has led to the present staggering debt portfolio of N1.1billion.’’
He appealed to customers to settle all their outstanding bills promptly to avoid the embarrassment of being disconnected from the network.
Osun
Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has disbursed N38 millon to 22 communities for implementation of development projects.
The governor said that the projects were being facilitated by the World Bank to enable the state achieve its six-point Integral Action Plan.
Aregbesola, represented by the General Manager, Osun Agency for Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), Mrs Funmi Abokede, said his administration intended to eliminate poverty, hunger and unemployment as well to restore communal peace and progress.
Oyo
Governor of Oyo State Abiola Ajimobi , has called for collaborative efforts among states in the South-West to build an Independent Power Project (IPP) to improve electricity supply in the zone.
Receiving the Chief Executive Officer of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Ibadan Zone, Mr Bolaji Oyesiku, who paid him a courtesy visit, Ajimobi said, states should be allowed to invest in PHCN.
In a statement, issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Festus Adedayo, in Ibadan on Sunday, the governor said the South-West would reap immense benefits if they jointly invested in the power sector.
He urged the states to work closely with Lagos State and tap from its economic advantage to make the project a reality.
Ajimobi said if states could be allowed to acquire shares in a privatised PHCN, it would create a pool of funds that would boost the operations of the company.
He also urged the company to exploit the potential of Ikere George Dam and the Dandaru Waterfall in Ibadan for power generation.
Plateau
The Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr John Dabwan, has said that any ministry or parastatal agency, which fails to perform in 2012, will be sanctioned.
Dabwan told newsmen in Jos on Tuesday that the assembly was dissatisfied with the performances of most government organisations.
“We have directed that each ministry, parastatal and department should submit a quarterly financial report to us beginning from next year to monitor the implementation of the budget.
“Anything that falls short of our expectation in terms of performance will attract serious sanction from the house.’’
He said that many of the agencies performed below 50 per cent, stressing that such a “dismal record should not be allowed to repeat itself in 2012’’.
Dabwan said the lawmakers believed that the submission of quarterly reports by the government agencies would assist them in assessing the progress in the implementation of the budget.
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.
