Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State on Tuesday expressed
sadness over a fresh outbreak of polio virus in the state.
Yuguda, who spoke at the launch of the May 2012 polio
immunisation, said that measures would be put in place to eradicate the disease
in the state.
He said that one
polio case was recently recorded after two years of sustained campaign.
“No single polio case was recorded in the last two or three
years in the state due to government’s commitment and sustained campaign.
“We have the required manpower, equipment and logistics to
eradicate polio and we should not allow diseases which we can control, to
continue killing our children,” Yuguda said.
He attributed the prevalence of the new case to cross-border
migration from neighbouring states
Yuguda urged women to sustain government efforts at
eradicating polio by sensitising their mates and sisters in rural communities
to the importance of immunisation, especially in eradicating polio.
Borno
The Borno Government is to distribute thermo stoves to
residents of the state to reduce dependence on firewood for cooking and
preserve the environment, an official said.
The commissioner for environment, Alhaji Hassan Mustapha
said in Maiduguri on Tuesday that the thermo stoves used ethanol as fuel, which
was environment-friendly.
“The ministry is working on plans to provide thermo stoves
using ethanol as fuel for residents of the state to reduce dependence on
firewood.
“The gesture is aimed at preserving the environment and
prevent desert encroachment,” he said. Mustapha said the ministry was also
raising some tree seedlings for planting to check desert encroachment.
“The ministry is engaged in the raising of over 20 million
assorted tree seedlings, including Acacia, Moringa Oleifera and Jatropha.
“We are also collaborating with some consultants to
establish the Jatropha value chain in the state,” he said.
Mustapha added that the ministry provided employment for
2,000 youths in the forestry sub-sector through various programmes.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers
(NUT), on Tuesday said the state government would reinstate the 435 teachers
recently disengaged from service.
The teachers were disengaged for non-participation in the
teachers’ verification exercise carried out by the government and
irregularities in their appointments.
Chairman of the union, Mr. Audu Amba, said in Kaduna that
efforts were on to recall the affected teachers.
He said already the teachers had submitted their complaints
to the state government as directed by the Head of Service.
“The Head of Service has assured the union and the affected
persons that the state government will soon release names of those cleared for
reinstatement.
Kano
The Kano State government has provided N350 million to Rural
Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) to execute water supply and sanitation
projects this year.
Alhaji Garba
Durbunde, the Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, said in Kano on
Monday that the government made provision for the N350 million in its 2012
budget.
“The agency presented a number of work plans to the state
government for approval.’’
According to him, the projects include the construction and
installation of 50 new model windmill water solution schemes.
Others are payment of counterpart funding for the
rehabilitation of hand pump-operated boreholes as well as construction of
numerous hand pump, motorised and solar-powered boreholes in the state.
Kano
Kano State Scholarship Board says it will computerise its
operations for efficient service delivery.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Usman Ririwai,
said in Kano recently that all necessary arrangements had been completed for
the take-off of the exercise.
Ririwai said that the measure was necessary to avoid cases
of lost of documents and misplacement of vital information being experienced in
the board and other organisations.
“The Board intends to establish a central data base and a
research unit to enable us have information on our finger tips at all times,”
he said.
On the non-payment of scholarship allowances to some
students in the state, Ririwai said that the present board had inherited “a
sieable amount of debt of unpaid students’ allowances”.
Katsina
The wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Shema, has
distributed 68 special-breed goats to 34 women to encourage them in animal
husbandry.
She said, “The
distribution of the goats was aimed at introducing animal husbandry among women
in the state with a view to improving their socio-economic well being.”
Shema, represented by Hajiya Indo Bilya Sanda, who
distributed the goats in Katsina on Tuesday, explained that the goats were
given free of charge to the women selected from the three senatorial districts
of the state.
The programme, she said, was a collaborative effort of her
NGO, Service to Humanity Foundation and the state’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Shema urged the beneficiaries to rear the goats so that they
could multiply rapidly.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has said that it will support the Power
Holding Company Nigeria (PHCN) improve power supply for social and economic
activities in the state.
The Kebbi Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural
Development, Alhaji Abdullahi Bunza, made the pledge recently
in Birnin Kebbi during his visit to the Business Department of the
company.
He said that the continued load shedding of electricity in
the state had retarded social and economic activities. According to him,
investors are not keen to invest in the state because of the problem while
costs of social services have gone up due to irregular power supply.
Responding, the PHCN Business Manager, Alhaji Umar Aliyu,
explained that load shedding was sequel to the population increase and
inability of the two available 7.5 MVA transformers to satisfy demands.
He called on the state government to provide an additional
transformer within the metropolis to improve power supply.
Nasaraw
The Nasarawa State Government will start the distribution of
affordable drugs to 18 general hospitals across the state, the Commissioner for
Health, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, has said.
Akabe said in an
interview, Tuesday in Lafia that the drugs would be distributed under the
government’s drug revolving scheme to be inaugurated soon by Gov. Umaru
Almakura.
He said the scheme was aimed at providing quality health
care to the people of the state, adding that the healthcare system needed
urgent intervention.
“The facilities are dilapidated, equipment and manpower are
not there; you can imagine in some of the general hospitals I visited, there
were no doctors. In some cases, you have only two or three nurses; most
hospitals cannot run routine test so you can see the situation we have,’’ he
said.
Akabe explained that the scheme would ensure the
availability of drugs to patients directly from the manufacturers or their
representatives.
Ondo
The Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ademola
Olorunfemi, recently said that the
government bought additional 72 tractors in the last three years to boost food
production.
Olorunfemi, who said that the number of tractors in the
state had increased to 129.
He appealed to farmers to avail themselves of the use of the
tractors to enable them embrace mechanised farming to boost food production in
the state.
He said that the provision of additional tractors would
increase the number of Tractor Hiring Units in some parts of the state to give
farmers’ access to the use of the machines
“With this development, every farmer in the state can now
rent the tractors regardless of his location because the units are spread all
over the state,’’ he said.
Ondo
In pursuit of its rural development programme, the Ondo
State Government has embarked on the execution of 345 rural development
projects at a cost of about N3 billion.
The state
Commissioner for Community Development and Co-operatives, Mr Clement Faboyede,
said in Akure on Tuesday that 260 of the projects had been completed and
delivered to the communities.
Faboyede, who said other projects were at various stages of
completion, pointed out that the projects tagged “Quick Win” were executed to
the tastes of the communities.
He said that the government did not just execute them, but
with the consent of each community and what they required after due negotiation
and consultations with the people.
The commissioner said that the ministry had just completed
another round of a need assessment survey for quick win projects in another 40
communities in preparation for award of the contracts.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi