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The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is partnering with the Albino Foundation to provide succour to those living with albinism.
The SSAP on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol, said this when she received members of The Albino Foundation (TAF) in Abuja last Thursday.
She said the office was partnering with the foundation under the MDGs Albinos Support Programme Initiative (MASPRO).
Gbeneol explained that MASPRO was a special focus empowerment project designed for the vulnerable section of Nigeria’s populace with principal consideration for people living with albinism.
“The initiative is an effective channel to reach a hitherto unreached group of Nigerians.’’
She said her office would address awareness progammes, economic empowerment and social inclusion of albinos.
Gbeneol said that some albinos had been given protective gadgets to prevent their exposure to the rays of the sun which make them prone to developing skin cancer.
She said the office was also planning skills acquisition and how to reduce poverty among the albinos.
Kano
Kano State Hisbah Command has started training prospective couples who qualified for its match-making project, our correspondent reports.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Musa Tanko, said that the training, which would be held in batches, was aimed at preparing them for wedlock.
The speakers, drawn from various fields, made presentations on topics such as the importance of marriage and reasons for staying in wedlock.
One of the speakers, Dr Yakubu Katchako, who spoke on the rights of couples, said that women had the rights to decision-making in their matrimonial homes.
Dr Sani Shu’aibu whose presentation was on the processes of divorce in Islam, said that divorce was more prevalent in the Hausa speaking communities.
He said that research had revealed that the Hausa community was rated number two in terms of high rate of divorce in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
A participant at the training, Malam Sulaiman Muhammad, expressed optimism that the lessons learnt would guide him through his new marriage.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has awarded a N600. 8 million contract for the purchase of 5, 000 tonnes of fertiliser for farmers, the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Gide Sani, said.
The contract is in addition to an earlier one in which the government ordered 20, 000 tonnes for the farming season, Sani told newsmen in Katsina on Thursday.
He said the decision was taken at the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, adding that the state still had 17,000 tonnes of fertiliser remaining from the stock of 2011.
The commissioner said the contractors had six weeks to supply the commodity for distribution to farmers at subsidised rates.
The state government last week approved the inauguration of Songhai-Katsina Agricultural and Agro-allied projects worth more than N3.4 billion.
Lagos
A gang of armed robbers has shot dead two residents of Ibereko, Badagry during an attack on a family house in the area.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Dankoli Mohammed, in Badagry, who confirmed the incident, told newsmen on Thursday that one of the victims died on the spot, while the other died in the hospital the following day.
“It is true that some robbers attacked a private home at Ibereko on Tuesday morning and shot two people during the operation,” he said.
The DPO said that no arrest has been made adding added that the remains of the two victims, Bello Isah and Akeem Oluwarotimi, have been deposited at the mortuary, while police investigation continued into the matter.
Nasarawa
Nasarawa State Government has revoked the contract for the state’s Aerial Geographic Information system (NAGIS) awarded by the past administration in 2010 at a cost of N499 million.
The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr Sonny Agassi, disclosed this on Thursday in Lafia while briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting.
Agassi said that the contractor (JM Technologies) violated the contractual terms and lacked the capacity to deliver on the job.
He said the state government decided to revoke the contract and re-award it to another company (Suraj Engineering Consortium) at a cost of N2.7 billion.
The commissioner said that the new contract had three major components.
“These are digital aerial mapping of the state with the aim of giving appropriate titles, aerial geographic information services as well as detailed district planning of Lafia, Karu and Keffi.’’
Ondo
The Ese-Odo Local Government Chairman, Akinwunmi Sowore, has described politics as an instrument for tackling development challenges in the area.
Speaking with newsmen in Ese-Odo, Ondo, Sowore said politics could be used to influence decisions to favour communities, local government and states
“Politics is worth doing as it involves our day to day activities; my entry into politics has given me a lot of insight into the affairs of Nigeria.
“Since we came on board, we have been trying to impact on the lives of the people through our numerous empowerment programmes and about 500 youths have benefited.
“About 1000 of them are in the pipeline for the oncoming empowerment scheme; we have also been able to set the women up in small scale businesses,” he said.
Osun
The Radio Television Theatre Arts Worker’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Osun chapter, has appealed to the state government to commence the implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.
The state chairman of the union, Mr Layi Odekunle, made the appeal on Thursday in Osogbo in an interview.
He observed that the implementation of the wage would improve the purchasing power of workers in the state and make life more conducive for them.
The labour criticised the high salary being paid to political office holders, saying that the monthly salary of a special adviser was more than the salary of three directors in the state civil service.
Odekunle urged Gov. Rauf Aregbesola to ensure that payment of the new minimum wage was across the board, adding that it should not be restricted to officers on grade levels 1 to 7.
Oyo
The Oyo State Government says it has paid N396.7 million as WAEC fees for 67,786 students in the state’s secondary schools.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs Adetokunbo Fayokun,made this known during a media briefing in Ibadan on Thursday.
Fayokun also said N21.9million was paid as bursary award for 219 law students from the state in the 2010/2011 academic session.
She said the bursary was restricted to law students alone because the budget inherited by the present government did not take care of other disciplines.
He, however, added that as from the next academic session, the bursary would cover all students in other disciplines.
The commissioner said 250 pairs of furniture was purchased for Igbo Elerin Grammar school under the Education Trust Fund (ETF) while rehabilitation of 35 schools damaged by storm was carried out at cost of N269 million.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Jabbi Kilgori, says the state government is set to procure 296,000 bags of assorted fertilisers from the Federal Government for the 2012 farming season.
Kilgori told newsmen in Sokoto on Thursday that the fertilisers would be bought under the newly introduced electronically enabled system called “e-wallet voucher system using GSM.’’
According to Kilgori , the consignments will comprise 148,000 bags each of NPK and Urea brands of the commodity.
“We will buy each bag of the commodity at N5,500 while both the Federal and Sokoto State Governments will provide a 25 per cent subsidy each, on any bag of the commodity.
“Only genuine farmers will get the commodity while private fertiliser companies and agro-dealers will be used in transporting the fertilisers to the 23 local governments of the state.’’
Taraba
The Taraba State Government has awarded two separate contracts worth N10 billion for the construction of 4km roads in the headquarters of each of its 16 Local Government Areas.
The contracts were awarded under the State Joint Account Project to PW Nigeria Ltd and Taraba Road Construction and Management Agency (TARCMA).
Mr Timothy Kataps, the Commissioner for Justice, who signed on behalf of the government, said the roads would be constructed in the headquarters of each of the local government.
“PW will execute the project in 10 local governments in southern and central Taraba, while TARCMA will handle the roads in six local governments in the northern zone of the state,” he said.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
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