Borno

Farmers in Maiduguri metropolis have appealed to the Joint Task Force (JTF) to review the curfew imposed in some parts of the state to enable them perform their farming activities.

A cross section of those, who spoke to newsmen in Maiduguri and Jere local government areas on Tuesday said that the curfew had negatively affected farming activities.

The JTF on Operation Restore Order (ORO) had on January 12, imposed a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in five of the 27 local government areas of the state to curtail the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

Malam Ibrahim Audu, a farmer in Zabarmari, said that the curfew had made it difficult for farmers to operate optimally in the farm.

FCT

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to inter-religious harmony for peace and development in the country.

Vice President Namadi Sambo said this in Abuja when he received the Prefect, Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue (PCID), His Eminence, Jean Louis Card Tauran, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, the government supports every synergy among religious organisations as this will enhance peaceful co-existence of the diverse groups in the country.

He assured the Pontifical Prefect of the government’s support, saying: “I want to assure you that we will give you all the support you need in the achievement of all your noble objectives in ensuring that there is peace and harmony in Nigeria and the world in general.”

Gombe

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has assured corps members deployed to the state that their security and welfare would be taken care of by the government.

He gave the assurance at the close of the 2012 Batch ‘A’ NYSC orientation course at Malam-sidi Permanent Orientation Camp in Kwami Local Government Area of the State in which 446 corps members passed out.

Dankwambo, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Tha’anda Rubainu, however, advised corps members to identify with the people in the state and their aspirations for the service to be successful.

In his remarks, Mr Eli Akeme, the Head of the Civil Service in the state and Chairman of the Governing Council of NYSC, said the corps members were fully ready and eager to contribute their quarter to the development of their host communities.

Jigawa

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has charged batch “A” of the NYSC members posted to the state to rededicate their energies towards the unity of the nation.

Lamido was speaking at the parade/official closing ceremony of the orientation course for the members in Dutse.

He described “ youths as the vanguard of peace, unity and development of any society. “

He enjoined them to be committed, resilient and dedicated to their work in the various places of their primary assignments.

“As you are set out to begin your primary assignment, it is pertinent for you to reflect on the basic fundamental rudiments in which the orientation course was predicated. “

He explained that, the NYSC programme was designed to give members exposure and make them exhibit leadership qualities in their various communities after they finished the service.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State chapter of NULGE has urged the Kaduna State Government to reverse recent redeployment of working mothers in Kaduna North and Kaduna South local Government Areas.

About 350 workers in the affected areas were transferred to 21 other local government areas in the state due to the inability of the councils to pay workers’ salary.

The state President of NULGE, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, told newsmen in Kaduna that, the call became necessary as married women could not work in places far away from their families.

He said that such transfers would reduce the affected workers’ performance as their attention would be divided.

Abubakar said that although the exercise was legal, it should consider issues of health and marriage.

Kebbi

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has directed producers of packaged water in Kebbi to re-register their companies in line with new strategies to improve quality.

The directive was issued on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi by Dr. Eric Iful, the agency’s North-West zonal coordinator at a sensitisation workshop for packaged water producers in the state

He told participants that the compulsory re-registration was to enable NAFDAC to capture the bio-metric data of all clients for monitoring and evaluation towards good manufacturing practices.

Iful observed that 8,679 water packaging factories had failed to register with NAFDAC, adding, “the exercise will assist to overcome myriad of problems in the production of healthy packaged water”.

Lagos

A property consultant, Chief Kola Akomolede, has said that the worsening security situation in Nigeria might cripple the hospitality and leisure industry if not checked.

He told newsmen in Lagos that the spate of bombing and shooting could discourage tourists from coming to Nigeria.

“Even Nigerians are being discouraged from visiting certain parts of the country other than their own community,’’ he said.

Akomolede said that the hospitality and leisure industry were very important to national development because of the potentials as good source of foreign exchange earnings.

He said that opportunities abound in hospitality industries in Nigeria due to shortage of hotels and places of leisure.

The consultant said that very few cities in Nigeria could host major international events due to shortage of good hotels.

Akomolede urged the Federal Government to address the security challenges promptly.

“Besides the security issues, Nigeria is a potential tourist attraction, it’s just that we are not developing them,’’ he said.

Nasarawa

The Police in Nasarawa State has confirmed the killing of a suspected motorcycle snatcher by irate youths on Monday at Ajaga village in Nasarawa Local Government Area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Cornelius Ocholi, told newsmen in Lafia that the suspect, Bala Bawa, from Arah village allegedly snatched a motorcycle from one Ibrahim Hassan.

Ocholi said that Bawa snatched the motorcycle after beating Hassan to a state of coma.

He noted that villagers got wind of the incident and reported to the police in the area, which led to the arrest and detention of the suspect.

He said that youths in the area mobilised themselves and stormed the police post where the suspect was being detained, over powered the men on duty, dragged out the suspect and beat him to death.

The spokesman noted that the officers on duty contacted the Nasarawa Divisional Headquarters, which is about 30 kilometres away but that before the reinforcement could reach the police post, the mob had already killed the suspect and fled.

Ondo

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has appealed to security agencies in the country to always uphold their constitutional role of supporting free, fair and credible elections at all times.

The governor stated this in Akure while playing host to the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda.

According to him, security agencies have crucial roles to play in sustaining the existing unity and stability of the country.

Mimiko also advised security agencies against being used by unscrupulous politicians “who are selfish and anti-people in their inordinate ambition to govern at all cost. ’’

“The role of security agencies is crucial to peace, unity and stability of our great country. Therefore, I want to plead with you to make sure that elections are free and fair in this country,” he said.

Mimiko further said his administration had implemented programmes and policies aimed at tackling poverty in the state.

He said the state’s healthcare programme, construction of mega schools and rural transformation initiatives were all targeted at the downtrodden in the society.

Plateau

Eggs mopped up following a glut in Plateau are being hurriedly distributed to some categories of people as some of them have rotten away.

Source said that the state government set up a committee, and released N30 million to buy off the eggs following farmers’ inability to dispose of them on time, especially in Chad Republic, as a result of recent border closure.

However, the eggs are being distributed by the committee after the bad ones have been removed.

Mrs Olivia Dazyam, Women Affairs Commissioner, who is  in charge of the distribution of the eggs, however, confirmed that the eggs were already being hurriedly shared out.

“We are sharing 500 crates to patients and nursing mothers at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos. We shall thereafter move to orphanage homes and special schools,’’ she told newsmen.

She regretted the undue delay and attributed it to efforts to ensure that only the targeted groups benefited.

Some eggs were purchased two weeks ago with farmers who said that they were three weeks old at the time of purchase.

Information Commissioner Abraham Yiljab, had blamed the poor demand on the closure of borders with Chad that had always purchased the commodity in bulk.

According to Barko, the committee is expected to purchase 50,000 crates for distribution to students, expectant mothers, the sick and the elderly.

Yobe

The Yobe Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS (YOSACA) has observed that regular clinic attendance by expectant mothers and the voluntary HIV testing have reduced mother and child deaths in the state.

“The agency has enlightened, mobilised and encouraged pregnant women across the state to access the free ante-natal services and HIV tests provided in government hospitals,” the Executive Secretary of the agency, Hajiya Farida Mamudo told newsmen in Damaturu.

“YOSACA has trained 40 Traditional Birth Attendants in seven Local Government Areas specifically on referring pregnant women to ante-natal clinics and on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Mamudo commended the role played by traditional rulers, religious leaders and other organisations in combating HIV and AIDS as well as stigmatisation in communities.

“This collaborative effort combined with government’s determination is yielding positive results in healthcare delivery in the state,” she said.

Zamfara

The Zamfara Government has promised to provide adequate security for youth corps members posted to the state.

Governor Abdulaziz Yari made the promise during the graduation ceremony of the three-week orientation of Batch ‘A‘ youth corps members at the Tsafe NYSC camp, where he was represented by the Head of Service, Alhaji Bello Umar.

The governor said government was doing “everything possible” to ensure that the corps members were given adequate protection to enable them discharge their assignment without hindrance.

He noted that insecurity in the country had posed a major challenge not only to government but all peace-loving Nigerians.

He asked them to conduct themselves, and be dedicated in their places of primary assignment.

He said that efforts were on to rejuvenate the Sharia legal system although enforcement of its law would be applied to Muslims only.

He also pledged to complete the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Tsafe which was started five years ago by the previous administration.