Nation
THE STATES
FCT
The Executive Director of Conscience Nigeria (CN), Mr Tosin Adeyanju, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to reposition itself to fight corruption as the integrity of the judiciary is waning.
Adeyanju said in Abuja that the council’s role in restoring the integrity of the judiciary could not be overemphasised.
He explained that this was because of the composition of the council with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, as its head.
The executive director said that the menace of corruption had assumed an unimaginable proportion in Nigeria that even the judiciary widely regarded as the citadel of justice was in it.
“Unfortunately, the present reality of deep-rooted corruption or the perception of it, appears to undermine the credibility of judiciary in the eye of Nigerians.
Gombe
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last Monday said it would execute a project in one of the schools at Dukku Emirate in Gombe State as part of the bank’s intervention programmes in education.
The CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido, disclosed this during a visit to the Emir of Dukku, Alhaji Haruna Rasheed in Dukku. Lamido told the Emir to identify the school where the bank would execute the project.
“We have good news. The Central Bank of Nigeria is embarking on projects in schools this year. “We will like the emir to name a school in Dukku so that we will embark on the project,” he said.
Sanusi commiserated with the new emir over the death of his father, Alhaji Abdulrasheed and congratulated him on his appointment.
Jigawa
Chairmen of the 27 local governments in Jigawa on Tuesday donated 54 motorcycles to the policemen posted to their respective domains.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Salisu Ndarawa, made the presentation in Dutse on behalf of the chairmen.
Ndarawa said that the gesture was to assist the policemen to carry out their duties effectively at the grassroots.
He said the chairmen contributed money to purchase the motorcycles in order to ease the operation of the policemen deployed to their areas.
“From our calculation, each of the 27 local government areas will get two motorcycles,” he added.
Katsina
About 50 youths participated in a cycling competition organised by the Ingawa Local Government Council in Katsina State on Tuesday.
The race which covered a distance of 24 kilometres from the roundabout at Ingawa town, attracted many spectators from within and outside of the area.
Presenting prizes to the winners of the competition, caretaker chairman of the local government, Alhaji Hussaini Dambo said that the aim of the competition was to enhance unity among the youths of the area.
Dambo, who was represented by a councillor, Alhaji Lawal Murtala, also said the cycling race would enhance the physical fitness of the participants.
He called on the youth to engage in sporting activities, assuring that the council was ready to assist them in that direction.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has released N90 million for the payment of registration fees for indigent students studying at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
The Executive Secretary of the state Scholarship Board, Alhaji Murtala Yauri, in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday that the amount would be remitted to the university.
He said that the board would also ensure payment of fees for students in other institutions to ensure their studies were not disrupted.
He said that education was free in the state “and we expect beneficiaries to justify the resources invested in them.’’
Yauri said the board would not delay the payment, stressing that each beneficiary would be paid through the banks.
He said the board had also purchased the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) forms worth N2.5million for free distribution to qualified indigent candidates.
“Only those with minimum requirement would be considered,” he said.
Lagos
A 20-year-old man, Seyi Martins, who allegedly stole a laptop and some personal effects, was on Tuesday charged before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Martins allegedly broke into a house and stole the items worth N197, 000 according to the prosecution. The accused, who lives at Maza Maza area in Ojo on the Lagos-Badagry expressway, is facing a two-count charge of unlawfully breaking into a premises and stealing.
The prosecutor, Cpl. John Iberedem, told the court that the accused scaled the fence of Mrs Kate Ukabia’s house in her absence and gained entry into her room, where he stole a plasma TV, a laptop and a mobile phone valued at N197, 000.
Iberedem said the offences which were committed on January 22 at 1.00p.m. at No. 15, Church St. Dansa Village, Tedi-Ojo, contravended Sections 285 and 409 ofthe Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State said on Tuesday that a stakeholders’ meeting would be convened to proffer solution to the lingering crisis in the state.
He stated this when he visited Barkin Abdullahi to sympathise with the people and to ascertain the level of destruction in the area.
The governor condemned senseless killings among the different ethnic groups of Agatu, Eggon and Fulani over issues which dialogue could resolve.
Al-Makura stressed the need for people to live in peace with one another, in spite of their differences.
“We strongly need this unity if we are to continue to forge ahead as an indivisble entity”, he said.
Niger
The Niger/Kwara/Kogi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated N451.7 million as revenue last year, the Area Controller, Alhaji Aminu Dangaladima, has said.
Dangaladima who said that the amount was about 25 per cent higher than the command’s set target of N360 million, attributed the feat to the support and co-operation of motor dealers in the states during a stakeholders meeting held in Minna.
The controller urged the dealers to impress on their customers to pay the correct customs duty for their imported vehicles before plying the roads to avoid embarrassment.
He said the command had been adjudged as the most improved command by the customs high command and was given an award for their achievement last year on its revenue collection efforts and enforcement.
Ogun
The Justice, Development and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, disbursed N14 million micro-credit loans to farmers in the state in the last one year, an official said.
The Assistant Coordinator, the Diocesan Agricultural Development Programme of the commission, Mrs Cordelia Obi, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday in Ijebu-Ode.
Obi said that the loan was given to the farmers to promote sustainable and improved agricultural development in the area.
She said that the loan was disbursed to 35 farmer groups in Ogun East senatorial district, adding that the department had 60 farmer groups.
Osun
The Osun State Government said it would assist pig farmers as part of efforts to promote agriculture activities.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in the state, Mr Wale Adedoyin, made the pledge at a meeting with members of the Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria in Osogbo.
Adedoyin urged the farmers to form cooperative societies to enable them access government interventions, and said the government would provide high breed pigs to farmers as well as construct modern abattoir where the farmers would process and package pig meat.
According to the commissioner, the State Government is ready to assist pig farmers through stocking and feeding.
He directed them to present their proposals within two weeks to his office for appropriate action.
Taraba
The Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, has pledged to overhaul the state-owned media houses for effective coverage of the state.
He made the pledge when he met with Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, the Chairman of state’s Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday in Jalingo.
Our correspondent reports that the two state-owned broadcast media outfits, Taraba Television and Taraba Broadcasting Service go on air for less than two hours a day.
The Acting governor also announced donation of two 18 seater buses to the union to ease movements of journalists in the state.
He explained that the first bus would be provided by the end of February while the second would be given by the end of March.
Earlier, the NUJ Chairman appealed to the acting governor to intervene in the problem plaguing the state-owned media houses.
Nation
Gombe Opens Bid For Construction Of Three-Arm Zone Project
Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation has opened bids for the construction of three arms zone complexes within the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which held at the Ministry’s conference hall.
Speaking while presiding over the bid opening proceedings, the Commissioner, Engr. . Usman Maijama’a Kallamu assured the bidders that the bid opening would be carried out using procurement process which is based on specific regulations that are credible, fair, and transparent.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Idris Yambiu Buba said that the Ministry will continue to align itself for optimal results in the implementation of government policies and projects in line with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to bringing development to the State.
While assuring the bidders of a transparent process, the SSA to the Governor on Special Project, Arch. Yakubu Mamman thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight in infrastructural development of the State, adding that government is committed to ensuring that all bidders had an equal chance to participate and compete based on merit to maintain standards and specifications.
Nation
Gov Mbah Signs Bill To Establish Teaching Hospital In Enugu
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital Bill 2024 into Law, promising to expedite action to actualise the teaching hospital immediately to provide quality training and healthcare services in the Enugu North part of the State and the State in general.
Mbah, while commending the Enugu State House of Assembly for accelerating action on the processing and passage of the Executive Bill, said that establishing SUMAS Teaching Hospital was in line with his manifesto.
He said, “What we have done by signing into law the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital Bill is that we now have in place a legal framework to immediately begin to put in place all that is required to upgrade SUMAS to a teaching hospital. This is part of our campaign promises and we are committed to delivering on that expeditiously.
“We believe that the importance and significance of siting a teaching hospital in our Enugu North zone can never be lost on us. So, we are not going to spend any time in making sure that everything that is necessary and required to upgrade and get the teaching hospital operational is put in place. With this Law, we are going to redouble our commitment and our efforts to achieve that.”
He assured the Governing Council and the Management of SUMAS of his continued support, adding that his administration would equally be counting on their pedigree and contacts to bring the teaching hospital to fruition in record time.
“We are going to continue to support you and we are also going to continue to count on your experience, network, and profile in raising resources to actualize the project.
“This year alone, we are going to spend 33 per cent of our budget on education. This underscores the importance of education to this administration. So, be sure to come to us whenever there is a need. We are going to support you because we are interested in education and we are investing heavily in it,” he said.
On his part, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, who also spoke at the Bill signing witnessed by the Chairman of SUMAS Governing Council, Msgr. Obiora Ike, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ogbonna, and top hierarchies of the institution, commended Governor Mbah’s speed and faithfulness in delivering on his campaign promises. He assured that the House of Assembly was ever ready to fast-track every executive bill that would impact positively on the state and its people.
“We promised we are going to support this administration by doing our job expeditiously to ensure that there is no delay in your delivery of democracy dividends to our people. Therefore, the SUMAS Teaching Hospital Bill received expedited hearing and today you have the signing of the bill into law,” he stated.
Nation
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has applauded security agencies in the State for their efforts in the rescue of 43 bus passengers.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the governor welcomed the news of the release of the abducted bus passengers in Okehi Local Government Area of the State and called for sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering and prevent crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
Ododo commended the caretaker chairman of Okehi LGA, Mr Amoka Eneji, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Professional Hunters, Ebira Local Hunters Group and other security agencies for their intervention, which led to the rescue of the passengers who were abducted outside the state.
“Governor Ododo also commends the response of security agencies to the robbery incidence in Felele area of Lokoja and called for more urgency in addressing cases of insecurity in any part of the state.
“The Governor reassured the people of the state that his administration will not relent in its efforts in deploying maximum resources to ensure that all communities in the state remain unsafe for criminal elements.”
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