Nation
THE STATES
FCT
The Census Tribunal on Tuesday in Abuja validated the 2006 enumeration figure of Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State as declared by the National Population Commission (NPC).
The council had earlier dragged the commission before the Census Tribunal ‘A’ alleging that some of its localities were not captured by the enumeration officials during the 2006 National Population and Household Census.
It also alleged that the population figure of 136,989 declared for the area was grossly inaccurate and urged the tribunal to void the figure.
The council further submitted that the commission’s witness, Mr Simon Gonley, was not competent and that his testimonies were based on ‘hearsay’, adding that he was not physically present in Katsina State during the census.
The tribunal validated the figure in its judgment based on the failure of the council to tender evidence with regards to the localities it alleged were not enumerated.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government last Tuesday said it would upgrade facilities at the Gombe airport to international standard.
Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure Alhaji Shehu Ahmed, said in Gombe that the government would key into the current efforts of the Federal Ministry of Aviation to access funds for the project.
He said that the funds would be utilised to remodel the airport’s terminal building, provide an operational cargo terminal and cold stores for preservation of perishable goods for export.
“We want what will give Gombe the status of being truly an international airport, not a mixture of arrival and departure but things you see in an international airports in terms of character and design.
“Our aim is to make the state a real commercial and tourist destination, considering its central location in the North East sub region. “ he said.
Ahmed said the focus on air transport was because of its safety and reliability, as well as timely movement of people and goods for enhanced economic services.
Jigawa
Chairman, Nigeria Association of Pensioners, Jigawa chapter, Alhaji Abdullahi Tsoho, on Tuesday commended the state government for its support to the pension fund scheme.
Tsoho said in Dutse that the gesture had facilitated effective implementation of the pension fund in the state.
He said that government had demonstrated commitment to ensuring prompt payment of its contribution to the scheme.
“In the last six years; the state government has been paying its contribution as at when due with more than N16 billion in its coffers.
“It also adopted proactive measures to improve the wellbeing of pensioners in the state,” he said.
The chairman said that the association was working in collaboration with the state government to sensitise its members to enhance effective pension administration.
Tsoho urged workers to ensure proper documentation in line with the civil service rules to avoid encountering problems in the payment of their benefits after retirement.
Kaduna
A legal practitioner, Mr Christopher Danjuma, on Tuesday said children who were abused by their parents, government, individuals or institutions have a right to sue for compensation.
Danjuma, of Noble Crest Solicitors, Kaduna said in an interview that the rights of children were clearly enshrined in the Child Rights Act and were enforceable.
He noted that a lot of children were being trafficked, abused and denied certain basic rights, saying that such children have the legal mandate to seek for compensation.
Danjuma commended the activities of some non governmental organisations championing the cause of children and advised children being abused to seek the assistance of such organisations. He urged parents to believe in their children and guide them to attain their full potentials in life, adding that excessive control and denial of rights would only affect the children negatively.
Katsina
Faskari Local Government of Katsina State has distributed hand washing facilities to primary school pupils to encourage personal hygiene among residents.
The Chairman of the council’s Transition Committee, Alhaji Isiyaku Ahmad, handed over the items on Tuesday in Faskari as part of the ongoing Maternal and Child Health Week.
He said personal hygiene was necessary to the promotion of community health and urged parents and teachers to inculcate the habit in children.
In a related development, wife of the Chairman, Musawa Local Government of the state, Hajia Rabi Kira, has embarked on a tour of the area to sensitise rural women on nutrition and hygiene.
She said that the tour, followed the success of a similar one on immunisation. According to her, rural women deserve to be educated, especially on diet and nutrition as well as environmental sanitation.
Kebbi
The National Association of Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Owners in Kebbi, has secured a N15.7 million loan for disbursement to its members, the state Chairman, Alhaji Bagudu Mohammed, has said.
Mohammed said in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday that the loan was obtained from a commercial bank and was meant to assist the association members to boost their business.
The chairman said no fewer than 100 registered members who fulfilled the bank’s conditions would benefit from the loan.
“The association obtained the money from a commercial bank, so we must ensure that the bank’s conditions are all met so that we will not be seen as defaulters in case we seek for more assistance,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that the association had in the last two years provided financial assistance amounting to N650,000 to the families of some of their deceased members.
Kogi
Kogi State Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi, has said that the state would exploit the opportunities offered by the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Project in Niger State.
In statement issued in Lokoja on Tuesday by his Press Secretary, Mr Michael Abu, the deputy governor said, power supply in the state will be boosted when the project is eventually inaugurated.
He said that the 700MW Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Project was good for the transformation of the power sector.
Awoniyi said that the state was in partnership with the Federal Government and Niger State Government to ensure that Kogi benefitted immensely from the project.
“The completion of work on the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant will help boost power generation in Kogi.
Lagos
British Council Nigeria on Monday restated its commitment to protection of Nigeria’s children from abuse, exploitation and negligence. The council said in statement to mark 2013 Children Day that it was important to create “child-safe environment” in Nigeria communities.
According to the statement, child protection involves taking steps to safeguard children from all forms of abuse. It also expressed the council’s preparedness to safeguard and promote children’s welfare in Nigerian communities
“Many children experience abuse every day from people they know and trust. The situation threatens their survival, development and participation in society. “We at British Council Nigeria are therefore, campaigning for lasting change to ensure that children are safe and protected.
Ondo
Five men on Monday died in a motor accident along Akure- Ogbese road. Head of Operations, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr Sunday Ajayi who, confirmed the accident on Tuesday in Akure, said that the accident was caused by dangerous over-taking .
Ajayi said that the accident involved a trailer with the registration number Abuja XA 397 GWL and a Volkswagen Jetta marked Lagos AV 800 KSF.
He said that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at the state Specialist Hospital, Akure while the two occupants of the trailer survived the accident.
Ajayi advised motorists to exercise patience on the road, adding that over-taking was not a quick and safe way of driving.
Plateau
The President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, on Monday urged the Federal Government to increase the level of attention given to the Nigerian child.
Kaigama said in Jos at the Children’s Day Anniversary that the level of attention given to the welfare of the Nigerian child left much room for improvement.
He said that he had always insisted that the family, school and places of worship were strategic areas for the formation of children.
Kaigama said the institutions were better-placed for moulding the character of children while government should provide the environment by meeting the needs of schools.
Zamfara
A Gusau Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday remanded one Rabo Muhammad, 36 of Daki Takwas area of Anka Local Government in Zamfara, for alleged conspiracy and culpable homicide.
The prosecutor, Mr Tiokulus Danjuma told the court that on May 12, this year, one Muhammad Kirwa of the same address reported the case at Jangebe police outstation.
Danjuma said that about two months ago, the accused person with two others now at large, entered the complainant’s apartment and shot his younger brother, Manu Kirwa, to death.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the mangrove wetlands in Ogoniland have been officially designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The designation, according to HYPREP, underscores the global ecological significance of Ogoniland’s mangrove wetlands and highlights ongoing restoration efforts aimed at addressing environmental degradation in the area.
In a press statement issued by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, the recognition was described as a major milestone for the agency, the people of Ogoni and other stakeholders working towards environmental restoration in the region.
Zabbey explained that the mangrove wetlands, which cover more than 31,700 hectares, consist of islands, tidal creeks, mudflats and mangrove forests that support a wide range of biodiversity. The ecosystem provides habitat for several species including fin fish, shellfish, crustaceans, crocodiles, turtles and the endangered grey parrot.
He noted that beyond biodiversity conservation, the wetland also provides essential ecosystem services such as fisheries production, flood control, water purification and carbon storage. According to him, the international recognition will further support local livelihoods, promote ecotourism and bring global attention to the region.
The HYPREP coordinator disclosed that the designation followed a meticulous process that began in 2024 when the project submitted a memorandum to the National Council on Environment seeking support for the recognition of the Ogoni wetlands as a Ramsar site.
Following the council’s review and approval, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, formally wrote to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat requesting international recognition of the wetlands.
After a comprehensive ecological assessment, the Ramsar Secretariat granted the designation, officially recognising the Ogoniland wetlands as one of the world’s sites of international importance.
Zabbey said the recognition would strengthen ongoing environmental restoration efforts in the area and encourage stronger conservation measures and sustainable management of the wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
He added that the designation also fulfils a key recommendation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, marking another significant step in the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
The HYPREP project coordinator reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to restoring the Ogoni environment through the remediation of oil-polluted land, shorelines and mangrove ecosystems.
He also called for collective responsibility and stakeholder support to sustain the progress of the Ogoni cleanup programme and facilitate the development of a comprehensive and sustainable management plan for the Ogoni mangrove wetlands.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, has attributed the successes of the 12-day programme organised for adolescent girls aimed at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in some parts of the State to the ability of the respective stakeholders to take ownership of the programme.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa, who dropped the hint in an interview at the end of the programme in Elele-Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area on Saturday, said the event had a buy-in component, an ownership mentality, whereby facilitators, staff, and everyone involved took ownership of the project.
She explained that the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had packaged a series of training sessions for adolescent girls aimed at ending the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in some communities across the State.
According to her, the initiative was designed to educate young girls on the harmful effects of the practice and empower them to become advocates against it within their communities.
She noted that the programme, which lasted for several weeks, targeted adolescent girls from different local government areas where the practice is still prevalent, stressing that
data collected by UNICEF and the Ministry revealed that Female Genital Mutilation is still practised in some parts of the State, prompting the need for intensified sensitisation and community engagement.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa explained that the programme adopted a “train-the-trainer” approach where adolescent girls were educated on the dangers of the practice and encouraged to share the knowledge with their peers, families and communities.
“This is a programme by the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation with support from UNICEF and UNFPA to train adolescent girls towards ending Female Genital Mutilation, which is still practised in some local government areas,” she said.
She further explained that each participating local government area had a three-day training session, with the exercise running for a total of 12 days.
The local government areas, where the programme took place, she noted, included Ahoada West, Abua-Odual, and Emohua, adding that the initiative is part of broader efforts by the state government and development partners to eliminate harmful traditional practices and protect the rights and wellbeing of girls.
She revealed that prior to the training of the adolescent girls, the Ministry and its partners had also engaged community facilitators, including older women and men, to sensitise them on the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
According to her, the involvement of community leaders and adults is essential in addressing the cultural and social factors that sustain the practice.
Speaking on the response of the participants, the permanent secretary expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement and enthusiasm shown by the girls throughout the training sessions.
She noted that many of the participants said they were learning about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation for the first time.
“The girls are between the ages of 12 and 17 and from the interactions we had with them, they were very excited. Some of them are hearing these things for the first time and never knew that the practice is harmful,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the training would enable the girls to serve as advocates for change within their communities.
She added that the Rivers State Government, alongside its partners, would continue to intensify efforts and expand community-based interventions aimed at ending the practice across the State.
Meanwhile, the participants for Emohua Local Government Area were drawn from Elele-Alimini, Egbeda, Rumuji, Ibaa, Rumuekpe, Rumuakunde, Eligbarada, and Ogbakiri Communities.
The participants,who spoke in separate interviews described the training as eye-opening, noting that it helped them better understand issues surrounding adolescent health, personal hygiene, reproductive health, and the harmful consequences of Female Genital Mutilation.
Favour Azukwu from Rumuekpe community, said the programme provided a deeper understanding of the dangers associated with the practice, particularly its impact on the health and wellbeing of girls and women.
She explained that the training sessions exposed participants to the medical, social and psychological effects of Female Genital Mutilation, including severe bleeding, infections and complications during childbirth.
She revealed that she personally experienced the practice at the age of 12 and suffered heavy bleeding afterwards, an experience that has strengthened her determination to advocate for its eradication.
According to her, many communities still practise Female Genital Mutilation because it is perceived as a cultural tradition, despite the dangers associated with it.
“I do not support Female Genital Mutilation because there are many dangers involved. I experienced severe bleeding when it was done to me as a child.
Another participant, Glory Ken, a 16-year-old secondary school student from Rumuji community, said the programme broadened her understanding of several important topics affecting adolescents.
She explained that beyond the discussion on Female Genital Mutilation, the training also focused on issues such as personal hygiene, reproductive health, peer education, and self-care.
According to her, the sessions helped participants understand the importance of making informed health decisions and supporting one another as peer educators.
“I learned about many things that affect young people in society and how to take care of myself. I also learned that Female Genital Mutilation is harmful to our health. The message I am taking back to my community is that this practice should stop,” she said.
Also speaking, Goodness Kenjika Nyeche described the programme as very impactful.
She noted that the training equipped participants with the skills and confidence to educate others about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation.
She said she plans to organise sensitisation among adolescents in her community, particularly girls between the ages of 10 and 19, to ensure they understand the dangers associated with the practice.
“I learned many things from this programme and I feel very good about it. I will educate other young girls in my community and help them understand why Female Genital Mutilation should not continue,” she said.
For Queen Dike from Ibaa community, the programme helped clarify misconceptions surrounding the practice.
She explained that in some communities, the practice is still referred to as circumcision and is viewed as part of cultural identity.
She said the training helped participants understand that Female Genital Mutilation involves the cutting or removal of parts of the female genital organs and that it has serious health consequences.
She stressed that awareness and education are key to ending the practice, especially among communities that continue to uphold it as tradition.
“I think the programme is very helpful because many people still believe it is part of culture. More awareness is needed so people can understand why it should stop,” she said.
Another participant, MyJoy Echika Amadi, said the programme provided critical information about adolescent health and the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
She described the initiative as enlightening and said it encouraged young people to become advocates for change in their communities.
According to her, participants were encouraged to use various platforms such as churches, peer groups, schools and community gatherings to spread awareness about the harmful effects of the practice.
“This programme has enlightened us about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation. I will do my best to create awareness in my community and encourage people to stop the practice,” she said.
Many of the participants emphasised that the knowledge gained during the programme has empowered them to challenge harmful traditions and promote healthier practices among young people.
They also called on the Rivers State Government, development partners and civil society organisations to sustain the sensitisation campaigns and extend the training to more communities across the State.
According to them, empowering young people with the right information will play a critical role in eliminating Female Genital Mutilation and protecting the rights, health and dignity of girls in Rivers State.
The participants expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, UNICEF and UNFPA for organising the programme and for investing in the wellbeing and future of adolescent girls in the State.
