Nation
THE STATES
Gombe
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo has, announced N58 million
as donation to enable Christians in four Local Governments of Gombe South in Gombe State to celebrate Christmas. The areas make up the Gombe South Senatorial District of the State.
Dankwambo who announced the donation in Kattungo during his tour of senatorial districts in the state said party officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the area had also been given money to assist them during the Yuletide.
He said the recent North East Economic Summit, which the state hosted, had started yielding dividends as the Federal Government had declared intention to assist in implementing some of the summit’s recommendations.
Dankwambo said some foreign investors had declared interest in investing in the state, adding that when that was done; many job opportunities would be created in the state.
Jigawa
Partnership for the Transformation of Health Sector
(PATHS), an NGO, last Saturday, donated equipment worth N60 million to some health facilities in Jigawa State.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer in the State Ministry of Health Mallam Ali Mati, in Dutse said the equipment were distributed to 136 health facilities across the state.
The statement which quoted Dr Tafida Abubakar, the state Commissioner for Health, as saying that the gesture of the NGO was appreciated, said the items included midwifery kits and laboratory apparatuses.
According to the statement, the Department for International Development (DFID) had recently supported health facilities in the state with similar equipment worth N500 million stating that the donations had so far complemented the state government’s efforts at boosting the health sector.
Kaduna
The Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Kaduna State has
impounded 150 unpainted commercial vehicles in three local government areas in the last two weeks, its spokesman, Malam Buhari Aliyu, has said.
He said that the arrests were made in Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Igabi Local Government Areas from December 9 to date adding that the exercise would continue in the remaining 20 local government areas in the state.
Aliyu disclosed that the offenders would be made to pay fine and paint the vehicles in the approved colours before release and urged commuters to help the agency in its job by refusing to board all unpainted buses and taxi cabs.
The spokesman appealed to other stakeholders to support the initiative meant to ensure compliance with existing laws and rid the sector of bad eggs.
Kano
The Kano State University of Science and Technology
(KUST), Wudil, will commence academic activities on January 6, 2014.
A statement signed by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations of the university, Alhaji Sabo Nayaya, in Kano on Saturday, indicates that the decision to commence lectures on January 6 was taken after its Senate reviewed the school’s academic calendar.
“The management of KUST, Wudil, wishes to inform its students that lectures will commence as from Monday, January 6, 2014,’’ it stated.
The statement urged all students of the institution to ensure strict compliance with the resumption date because lectures would commence as announced unfailingly.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government last Monday said it spent
N13.9 billion on capital projects at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), Katsina, from 2007 to date.
The Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Shema on Higher Education, Alhaji Aliyu Haruna, made the disclosure at a news briefing in Katsina State.
He said some of the facilities constructed included lecture theatres, hostels, library, senate building and laboratories, aimed at enhancing teaching and learning in the institution.
Haruna added that the state government released N107.5 million quarterly to the university for overheads and Staff Development and Training, pointing out that N110 million was also released monthly for staff salaries.
The Director-General, Scholarship Trust Fund, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad, said N2.3 billion was spent by the government to support 181,984 students in the past seven years.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State School of Nursing and Midwifery has set
up a committee to verify certificates presented by applicants seeking admission into its 2013/2014 session.
The Principal of the school, Hajiya Saratu Makera, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday that only 50 vacant positions were advertised while more than 500 applications were received.
She said the school would prosecute any applicant found to have presented fake result adding that applicants who passed the screening will undergo oral interview.
“This is part of our quests to determine those academically and psychologically qualified. In previous admissions, some applicants presented fake results and this time, anyone who presented fake results would be handed over to the police’’, Makera stressed.
She said the National Council of Nursing and Midwifery had pegged the number of students to be admitted at 50 and said the school would appeal for permission to admit 70 students due to the high number of applications we have received.’’
Lagos
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG) yesterday appealed to petroleum marketers to avoid hoarding of the products during the Yuletide.
The NUPENG Chairman, South-West chapter, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, who made the plea in an interview in Lagos said “we will play our own parts by ensuring that the products get to the filling stations’’.
Korodo also advised motorists against panic buying, saying that there would be adequate supply of the products for sale to the general public.
“We have been assured by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that the products will be available in all the depots. “We have instructed our members to ensure 24 hours product distribution to customers,” the NUPENG chairman said.
He said that the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) had been directed to supply all filling stations with the products during the festive period.
Niger
The police in Niger State says three men of the Nigeria Air
Force had been arrested in connection with fracas at Tudun Wada Police Station in Minna.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State, Mr Richard Oguche, who disclosed this in Minna on Saturday said, “the air force men stormed and attacked officers and men on duty injuring one of them on the head with jack-knife.
“This afternoon, six air force men went to Tudun Wada Police Station and attacked officers and men on duty with jack knives and belts. “The air force men were mobilised from the Minna Air Force Base by a serving officer in Kano”, he added.
Ogudu said trouble started on Friday night when police men on duty at Tudun Wada area apprehended the brother to the air force officer in question.
He said the brother was arrested and his motorcycle impounded for violating the law banning the use of motorcycles in Minna from 7p.m. to 7a.m.stating that the attack was checkmated by police officers and men on duty and three out of the six air force men arrested.
Ogun
The Ogun State House of Assembly last Monday passed the
State’s 2014 Appropriation Bill of N210.2 billion. The bill was passed after the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Olusola Bankole, read the committee’s report.
Bankole said the budget was increased by N81 million to enhance the revenue generation drive of some of the ministries that had the capacity to generate more than what was proposed in the budget.
He said the committee recommended that state commissioners for Finance and Budget should ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) adhered strictly to the execution of their projects.
The Majority Leader, Mr Isreal Jolaoso, moved the motion for its third reading and was seconded by Mrs Elizabeth Anifowoshe.
The Speaker, Mr Suraj Adekunbi, after the passage of the bill, ordered that a clean copy be sent to Governor Ibikunle Amosun for assent.
Oyo
The General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army
Ibadan, Major.-General Ahmed Jibrin, says the Federal Government is working tirelessly to maintain peace in the country.
Jibrin who said this last Saturday while addressing participants at the division’s 2013 end of year West African Social Activities (WASA) in Ibadan State, said government was doing everything possible to support the security forces in the country to sustain peace.
“The situation in the country is tensed with kidnapping and other social vices but a lot of successes are as well attained. The fight is still on and we are working hard to win,” he said.
He said that WASA entailed setting aside a day, usually towards the end of the year, for officers and men with their families to engage in social cultural activities noting that the culture is part of the legacy the colonial masters left behind for the Nigerian Army.
Plateau
The Special Task Force (STF) on Security in Plateau State has
said it would deploy its personnel to search visitors at recreation centres in the state during Christmas and New Year festivities.
According to a press by the Media Coordinator, Capt Salisu Mustapha, in Jos on Saturday, the STF would carry out the task jointly with local security operatives.
It stated that the search was to ensure that firearms were not smuggled into the recreation centres.
According to the statement, vehicles are banned from entering the premises of recreation centres during the celebrations and called on religious bodies to also put security measures in place during the period.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Police Command has said it would mount 24-
hour surveillance of churches, banks, highways and other public places during the forthcoming Yuletide celebrations.
The Commissioner of Police, Shua’ibu Gambo, said in Sokoto on Sunday.
“For the forthcoming Christmas and New Year, we are working round the clock in this direction. “We have put all the officers and men in the 23 local governments and Area Commands on red alert,’’ he said.
“Additional personnel have been drafted to Sokoto State city and its environs from the various area commands and divisions to the various Churches, intra-city, inter-city routes and other public places. “Additional patrol vehicles and plain-clothes security personnel have also been drafted across the state,’’ he added.
Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Sidi, representative of Minister of FCT, Mr Ahmed Inuwa, representative of Director, Development Control, Mr Adamu Garba and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Rep. Abegunde Ifedayo, at the inauguration of NEMA’s Emergency Response/Ambulance Bay on Airport Road in Abuja, last Monday.
Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.
The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_
The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.
The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.
Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.
Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.
On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.
In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.
Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.
Amadi Akujobi
The Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, in partnership with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, has reaffirmed support for efforts to expand gas distribution infrastructure in Rivers State as part of initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable, cleaner and more reliable energy for industries across the South-South region.
The commitment was highlighted during the SNG–MAN Business Forum held in Port Harcourt, where stakeholders from the industrial and public sectors examined the role of natural gas in driving industrialisation, boosting local production and strengthening energy security.
Speaking at the forum on behalf of the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, the company’s Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos Ejesi, described natural gas as a critical component of Nigeria’s energy mix and a key driver of sustainable industrial growth.
According to him, Nigeria’s gas development agenda has reached a stage where policy direction must be matched with practical implementation capable of addressing the energy challenges confronting manufacturers.
He noted that pipeline gas offers industries a cleaner, more dependable and cost-effective energy alternative capable of supporting uninterrupted operations, reducing emissions and improving production efficiency.
“Gas is the backbone of manufacturing, and we are encouraged by the growing recognition among stakeholders of the need for cleaner and more reliable energy solutions,” he said.
Ejesi stressed the need for sustained collaboration among energy providers, government institutions and industrial stakeholders to maximise the country’s gas resources for economic development.
He added that improved gas infrastructure would strengthen manufacturing value chains, enhance productivity and promote more competitive industrial operations across Rivers State and the wider South-South region.
Participants at the forum also emphasised the importance of expanding energy infrastructure as a pathway to unlocking industrial capacity, reducing operating costs and promoting sustainable industrial development.
Representing Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Director-General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to partnering with private sector investors to revitalise industrial activities in the state.
He identified key projects targeted under the initiative to include the revival of the Ahoada Industrial Park, the New Port City project and the proposed Bonny Industrial Park, all aimed at stimulating economic growth and expanding industrial opportunities along the Bonny corridor.
According to the governor, the long-term vision is to position Rivers State as a leading manufacturing hub in Southern Nigeria through strategic public-private partnerships.
Governor Fubara also commended Shell Nigeria Gas and MAN for sustaining engagements geared towards improving industrial energy access, noting that gas infrastructure development remains central to the state’s economic recovery plans.
He further observed that the gas sector presents enormous opportunities for economic growth, especially as global energy systems continue to shift towards cleaner energy sources.
The governor called on stakeholders to work collectively towards developing a practical and sustainable gas framework capable of supporting the state’s industrial and energy development objectives.
Chairman of MAN, Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okuku, described gas as indispensable to industrial operations, noting that many manufacturers continue to struggle with the high cost of alternative energy sources.
Similarly, President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga, said the transition to natural gas had become increasingly necessary for businesses seeking stable and cost-efficient operations.
“Pipeline natural gas provides a more cost-effective and reliable source of energy for industries,” she stated.
Also speaking, former Chairman of MAN in Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs. Emilia Akpan, stressed the need to align energy infrastructure development with investment in human capacity.
She maintained that rebuilding the state’s economy would require not only reliable energy supply but also the development of technical skills needed to support long-term industrial growth.
By Kevin Nengia
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