Nation
THE STATES
Jigawa
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State said last Thursday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would present a credible candidate for presidential election in 2015.
Lamido gave the assurance in Dutse when he received members of Arewa Youths Forum who paid him a courtesy visit.
“From my political history, I don’t present myself for any position, I believe in my party and it will present a candidate that will be acceptable by all.
“PDP has modalities of doing things, we should wait and see the person that will be chosen to be the flag bearer of the party in 2015.
“PDP is built on justice and fairness and my party has sagacity to break religious dichotomy and it is a party that was formed to unite the country, “ he said.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government said it would get N2.3 billion as grant from the Global Partnership to revive its ailing education sector.
The state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammad Usman, who made this known at a one-day education conference said the fund would enable the ministry work out strategies, implement policies and put it into action toward revamping the education sector.
The commissioner said no country would develop without investing in the education sector as it would improve the socio-economic structure and the literacy level of the country.
The chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Ishaya Akau, said there was the need for host communities to assist the government in safeguarding its properties.
Kano
The Kano State Film Censorship Board inaugurated a committee to organise a film award to outstanding Hausa movie and film practitioners in the country.
The Hausa film industry is popularly called Kannywood akin to the Nollywood in the southern part of the country.
Inaugurating the committee in Kano the Chairman of the board, Sheikh Bazallahi Kabara, charged the members to fear God in carrying out their work.
While acknowledging the importance of the film industry in the lives of the people, Kabara, however, advised that the culture and religion of target audience must be respected.
The chairman warned the committee members, whom he described as “extremely competent”, to avoid partiality while selecting the film categories to be awarded.
Kebbi
The Secretary to Kebbi Government, Alhaji Nurudeen Kangiwa, has appealed to primary school teachers and local government workers in the state not to embark on strike due to delay in the payment of their January salary.
Kangiwa said in Birnin Kebbi that the delay was as a result of the ongoing verification exercise to determine the number of workers in the state..
He also said that the repeated verification exercise was necessitated by government’s decision to ensure probity and accountability.
Kangiwa urged the affected workers to present their relevant documents before the verification panel, adding that prompt payment of salaries and other benefits would resume after the exercise.
Kogi
The Kogi House of Assembly recently in Lokoja called for the establishment of model secondary schools to stem the falling standard of education in the state.
In a resolution following the adoption of a motion by Mr Henry Ojuola, the house expressed concern over the quality of education “from primary to tertiary institutions” in the state.
Ojuola, who stressed the need to replicate best practices from the federal and some state governments said model secondary schools were “usually established to encompass talented, intelligent and meritorious students.”
According to him, some existing secondary schools in the state should be upgraded to model status to serve the intended purpose.
Nasarawa
Workers of Nasarawa Express embarked on an indefinite strike over their demand for the payment of six months salary arrears.
The Chairman of Amalgamated Union, Nasarawa Transport Workers, Mr Timothy Marku, said in Lafia that “we have been working for the past six months without being paid our salary.
Marku said the union called its members out on strike not to sabotage government’s efforts but to ensure the demands of the workers were paid.
He, however, commended the workers for performing their duties during the six months they were not paid.
Niger
The Northern States Governors Forum has urged Christian clergymen to educate their followers on the essence of the Lenten season to enable them to earn God’s blessings.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger, Dr Babangida Aliyu, who made the call in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Danladi Ndayebo, urged Christians to conduct themselves well during the Lenten season to maximise its spiritual and physical benefits.
It identified good intention, prayers and firmness of purpose in pursuing good deeds as some of the benefits inherent in the holy season.
The statement noted the need for the faithful to fast, pray and abstain from heavy meals and other bad habits as well as give alms during the Lenten period.
Ogun
The Director of Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Rev. Fr John Patrick, Ijebu-Ode Catholic Diocese, has urged the Federal Government to intensify its fight against corruption in the country.
Patrick, who made the call in an interview in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, state identified corruption as one of most serious challenges facing the country, said the government must redouble its effort in tackling the menace.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to fast-track the prosecution of corrupt individuals.
Osun
Armed robbers last Wednesday attacked a bank and a police post at Ode-Omu, near Gbongan in Osun.
The robbers operated about 1a.m. and caused panic among residents of the town by shooting sporadically, witnesses said.
The residents made efforts to contact the police, the hoodlums escaped before the police arrived. A passer-by, identified as Tirimisiyu, was hit by a stray bullet and died before he could get medical attention.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Mrs Folashade Odoro, confirmed the incident and said that the bank manager claimed the robbers stole N10 million and $6,000 from the bank.
Oyo
A former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has advocated the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
Alao-Akala made the call in an interview in Ibadan recently.
According to him, the abolition of the SIEC will curtail the excesses of some state governments which fight shy of democratising the local government elections.
He likened the existence of SIECs to the creation of state police, which he said, was needless, adding: “as bad as the state police, so also is SIECs.
Alao-Akala criticised the call for local government autonomy, saying that the existing arrangement allowed the councils some level of autonomy except for the disbursement of funds.
Plateau
Director of Press Affairs to Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau, Mr James Mannok, has advised media houses against rumour-mongering and wild speculations while performing their duties.
Speaking in Jos when he received the Executive Council members of Faith Chapel, publishers of Christian newspapers and magazines, who paid him a courtesy call.
Mannok described the contributions of the Christian media during the period of crises on the Plateau as “very courageous“ and “encouraging.
He said that government was always ready to partner with them in their contributions to development, and urged them to always seek for clarification when in doubt.
“Our doors are always open, so don’t hesitate to seek for any information that will help you to tell the truth,’’ he said.
Zamfara
The Emir of Maradun in Zamfara, Alhaji Garba Tambari, has promised to mobilise farmers in his domain to participate in the renewed efforts of the state government to revive cotton production.
Tambari made the promise in Maradun when Chairman, Zamfara Cotton Development Agency, Alhaji Hussaini Moriki, led a team of Chinese experts on agriculture on a courtesy visit to the palace.
The visit was part of the on-going awareness and mobilisation campaign being mounted by the government to accelerate cotton production in the state.
The emir said that it was obligatory for the people of the state to support the current efforts of government to rejuvenate agriculture and make the sector the mainstay of the economy.
He said that since Zamfara was mainly an agrarian state, the people should take advantage of government support to boost agriculture production.
The Senate yesterday in Abuja urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete the installation of a transmission power sub-station in Okitipupa council of Ondo State.
According to the Senate, completing the installation of the transmission power sub-station is urgent in order to restore electricity to Ondo South Senatorial District comprising Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele and Odigbo Local Government Areas (LGAs).
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Olumide Akinrinlola, the media aide of Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, representing Ondo South at the senate.
He said that the senate acted on the motion filed by Tofowomo on, the urgent need to restore power back to the affected area before the end of the year.
The Senator, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lamented that the Southern Senatorial District was hosting the Omotosho Power Plant in Okitipupa LGA with a capacity of 512.8MW and 451MW Net since 2005 without residents benefitting from power supply.
“The situation is embarrassing because I continue to wonder if Ondo South is part of Nigeria because suffering from electricity blackout for about 14 years has grounded many economic activities.
“Almost 90 per cent of my people have been deprived of electricity since 2007 and since put them uninterrupted darkness.
“The district is hosting the Omotosho Power Plant in Okitipupa LGA with a capacity of 512.8MW and 451MW Net since 2005 without the people benefiting from the distribution of electricity.
“The intervention came in 2012 by NDDC in a contract; 132KV transmission and 132KV/33KV sub-station and line were awarded in Okitipupa LGA.
“As at today, 85 per cent of the job has been completed and all the 145 Transmission Line Towers from Omotosho Power Station to the Sub Station has been completed.
“The sub-station’s outstanding works remain 15 per cent of which can be accomplished without delay if all the necessary machinery are put in place.
“The substation can be ready for transmission to the federal feeders in Irele, Odigbo, Ilaje, Ese-Odo and Okitipupa LGA within the shortest possible time,” Tofowomo told the senate.
The Delta State House of Assembly yesterday passed a Bill for a Law Prohibiting Open Grazing, Indiscriminate Breeding, Rearing and Marketing of Livestock in Delta also known as “Anti Grazing Bill”.
The passage of the bill followed a motion for the third reading moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Ferguson Onwo, during the plenary of the Assembly in Asaba.
The motion which was unanimously adopted by the house, was seconded by the Minority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Innocent Anidi.
Earlier, the Chairman of House Committee on Special Bills, Mrs Pat Ajudua, had presented the report on the bill on the floor of the House, which was received and adopted.
Ajudua, while presenting the bill, said that inputs of stakeholders formed part of the proposed law.
She noted that the bill when signed into law would prohibit the carrying of firearms, either licensed or otherwise, by residents or individuals in the state, just as it seeks to address the arbitrary rearing and movement of livestock.
In his reaction, the Speaker, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, expressed happiness over the development, saying that the people and residents of the state would be very happy that the bill was passed.
“Dear colleagues, I congratulate all of us on the passage of this very important bill.
“Today, the house has fulfilled the commitment of our dear state to the agreement reached at the South-South Governors’ meeting held here in our state capital, Asaba.
“By virtue of this bill, this house has demonstrated its resolve to protect the people of the state from the menace of clashes between herders and farmers.
“I must therefore, commend all the sponsors of this bill, for recognising that the security of lives and property of the people of the state as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) are sacrosanct,” Oborevwori said.
Oborevwori said that with the passage of the bill, well-meaning persons who seek to carry on the business of breeding, rearing and marketing of livestock should do so within the boundaries of the law.
“Also, farmers can now go about their businesses without fear of anyone grazing on their crops.
“This for sure will boost food production in the state; dear colleagues, this Bill is a right step in the right direction as our women can now go to their farmlands without fear of molestation.
“Once again, I thank you all for your untiring support as always and for your resolute commitment in the passage of people oriented bills, such as this.”
The Federal Government has urged the media to complement the government’s efforts in the fight against fake news and misinformation in the country.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha gave the advice yesterday at a training of “Communication Managers on Fake News and Hate Speech’’ in Abuja.
The training was organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms.
Mustapha, represented by Mrs Veronica Agugu, the Director, Public Affairs Department in the office of SGF, described fake news as false and misleading information presented as news.
He urged media practitioners and managers to assist in bridging the divide between governments and citizens in terms of implementation of government reform policies and programmes.
“Strengthening transparency in governance will require public sector to public communication as a tool to systematically raise citizens awareness which in turn would reduce the potency of hate speech in the country,’’ Mustapha said.
Dr Bala Muhammad, a lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano State, described media managers as media literates.
He urged them to unite against fake news and misinformation to promote peaceful co-existence in the country.
Muhammad said that most of the users of social media were not media literate, hence they easily fall for fake news and misinformation in the country.
Mr Yushau Shuaib, one of the resource persons, expressed concern over the huge number of social media users who were not media literate.
Shuaib stressed the need for relevant stakeholders to redouble their efforts in regulating the activities of social media in the country.
Mr Dasuki Arabi, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, said the training was to tackle the growing incidences of fake news, and hate speech occasioned by internet technology in the country.
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