Adamawa

The Community-Based Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (CBARDP) has distributed N15.6 million agricultural inputs to farmers in Adamawa, the State Project Coordinator, Mr Musatafa Raji, has disclosed.

Raji, who disclosed this during the inauguration of the agriculture exhibition in Mubi last Thursday said that the project had also initiated a N200 million project for the  procurement of 30 hand pumps.

According to him, 135 knapsack sprayers and 81 hand pumps were distributed to dry season farmers in the last three months.

He further said that 54 hybrid cattle, 100 rams, 32 goats, 28 pigs, 12 oil milling and four grinding machines were also distributed to farmers cooperative societies to encourage agricultural activity, reduce poverty and enhance wealth creation among the rural farmers.

“Under irrigation programme, 40 hectares of land have been put to use for cultivation of  perishables such as onions, pepper, tomato, lettuce and cabbage.

Bauchi

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Bauchi State has appealed to passengers to assist in the fight against overloading by commercial vehicle drivers.

Making the plea in Bauchi while speaking to newsmen, the Public Enlightenment Officer of the commission in the state, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam, noted that overloading was a problem not only to the passengers and vehicles, but also contributes to the deplorable road conditions.

According to him, overloading means excess weight on the roads, and damage of the highways.

He said passengers could assist by ensuring that only the stipulated number of passengers per vehicle was carried for safety and well-being of passengers.

“Vehicles are constructed to carry particular weight and overloading them can cause accidents, damage to the vehicles, as well as the road itself.

“One can see that a vehicle carrying stipulated number of passengers lasts longer than the one that carries heavy goods,” he said.

Borno

The Deputy-Governor of Borno State, Mr Zanna Mustapha, says the state will collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Environment to actualise and achieve renewable energy.

Mustapha said this in Abuja on Thursday in an interview with newsmen after a meeting with the National Coordinator, Renewable Energy, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Bahijahtu Abubakar.

However, the National Coordinator, Renewable Energy noted that all the comments at the meeting were encouraging, adding that she was excited at the new phase of the development in Borno.

Abubakar listed the frontline states in renewable energy development in the country, including Kaduna and Cross River.

A stockebroker, Mr Emma Ndidi, explained that the unimpressive dividend announced by some companies contributed to the lull experienced in the market.

FCT

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has signed a N363 million contract with two indigenous firms for the 2009 to 2011 Oil and Gas and the 2007 to 2010 Solid Minerals audit.

Sada, Idris & Co, was hired to audit Oil and Gas sector while Haruna Yahaya & Co would audit Solid Minerals sector.

At the signing ceremony of the contract, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, charged the firms to ensure integrity and professionalism on the project.

She explained that the signing of the contract was part of plans to make NEITI’s audit regular and comprehensive in order to fast track the transparency process in the sector.

Ahmed said the agency would soon begin to automate its audit process and data gathering methods in line with its development plan.

Kaduna

North West zonal office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun the campaign against Lassa fever which has claimed at least 40 lives in 12 states.

A statement issued in Kaduna and signed by NEMA’s zonal coordinator, Musa Ilallah said the campaign was aimed at curtailing the spread of the disease.

“A survey by NEMA showed that 12 states have recorded cases of Lassa fever and this prompted our quest to sensitise the populace to the danger and likelihood of the disease spreading to other parts of the country.”

NEMA said that researches conducted by experts had revealed that people were infected by consuming food or drinks contaminated with rat excreta or urine.

Katsina

The Katsina State Senior Magistrates’ Court III has fixed March 26 for mentioning of a charge of rape levelled against a former police corporal.

Abutu Joseph is alleged to have raped a cripple and her daughter inside the Katsina Central Market Police Post on December 16, 2011 while on night duty.

The prosecution said the woman and her daughter, who came from a nearby village, were lured by Joseph to spend the night at the station to avoid being harassed, while searching for accommodation in the town.

The accused person allegedly raped the duo in the night and appealed to them not to reveal the matter.

Kwara

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday inaugurated Disaster Risk Reduction clubs in some schools in Kwara.

The NEMA Zonal Coordinator, Mr Ishaya Chonoko, explained that the Federal Government inaugurated the clubs to prepare youths for Disaster Risk Reduction programme.

He told newsmen on the sidelines of the inauguration that the exercise would be carried out throughout the federation in both primary and secondary schools.

Members of the club, he said, would become agents in the manaement of basic emergency situations occasioned by fire, flood, epidemic and windstorm disasters.

Lagos

Chief Executive Officer of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Lagos,  Mr Oladele Amoda, says the company has invested more than N1 billion in new projects.

Amoda, who spoke at an interactive session with newsmen  in Lagos, said that the company had embarked on several projects to boost electricity supply to its customers.

He said that the company had constructed a new 15 KV injector sub-station in Yaba to reinforce supply to numerous customers in that area.

Ogun

A former Commonwealth champion in long jump, Yusuf Ali, has called for a four-year budget plan for sports in Nigeria, to enhance its development.

Ali told newsmen  that inadequate funding had continued to slow down the development of sports generally, and athletics in particular.

“Until we have a special budget for sports in Nigeria, we will continue singing the old song,” said the former Olympian.

According to him, other countries have continued to be ahead of Nigeria because of the peculiar manner they fund sports.

Ondo

The Police in Akure has  arraigned a 28-year-old woman, Folashade Babatunde before an Akure Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly pouring faeces on a female banker.

The accused, a trade and HND student at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo in Ondo State was docked before Mrs Rabi Abdulahi on a two-count charge of act likely to cause breach of the peace and unlawful assault.

Babatunde was accused of pouring faeces on one Agnes Olasehinde, a 27-year-old banker with the First Bank Plc, Alagbaka branch, Akure.

The offence, according to the Police Prosecutor, ASP Ayodele Atandeyi, was allegedly committed on Feb. 24, at about 12.30 p.m. at the First Bank Plc, Alagbaka branch, Akure.

Osun

The Osun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Temitope Ilori, has expressed optimism that the Lassa fever epidemic would not spread to the state due to the premium placed on hygiene.

The commissioner spoke to newsmen in Osogbo while reacting to the prevalence of the epidemic in some parts of the country.

The state conducts an environmental sanitation exercise twice in a month.

Ilori, who explained that Lassa fever is a rat-borne disease due to dirty environment, lamented that the infection had already recorded casualties in some states.

Sokoto

Chairman Ansaruddeen Society of Nigeria, Sokoto State chapter,  Sheik Bilyamu Ajani, has called on Christians to use the current lent period to pray for the political stability of the nation.

Ajani, who made the call in an interview with newsmen  in Sokoto on Tuesday, said prayers would also help to guarantee God’s protection for the citizens.

He said that lent was a time for the Christians to be close to their creator just as the Muslims usually observed the Ramadan fast.

He explained that the country was in dire need of prayers for God’s guidance, peace, progress and political stability.

Ajani also called on Nigerians to physically demonstrate the teachings of the two major religions in their day-to-day activities.