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THE STATES

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Adamawa
Former APC National Vice Chairman, North-East, Alh.
Umaru Duhu, has alleged that the impeachment plan against Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako by the state House of Assembly was instigated by the Presidency.
Duhu stated that the political squabble was as a result of the memo written by the governor to the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and the international community wherein he expressed his concerns over the spate of insurgency in the country, especially in the North-East.
He counselled President Goodluck Jonathan to concentrate his attention on tackling the current security challenges in the country rather than sponsoring impeachment in the state. He equally described the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, as being over ambitious and selfish.
Duhu disclosed that efforts are being made by stakeholders in the state to broker the peace in the political logjam, adding that “the only problem we have in Adamawa State today is inflicted on us by the Presidency due to Nyako position on the insurgency in the country.

Ekiti
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti State
chapter, has condemned Federal Government’s plan to appoint nurses and pharmacists as consultants and Chief Medical Directors of public health institutions in the country.
The NMA, at a press conference to kick start the nationwide strike also called for the scrap of Joint Health Sector Union, which represents the amalgamation of all sectors in the country.
The body said each professional affiliate body should be allowed to operate through their parent organizations.
Speaking through their state chairman, Dr Obitade Obimakinde, the NMA at a press conference in Ado Ekiti,  argued that the new structure as being mooted by the federal government is capable of causing  internal confusion in health institutions.
Obimakinde said pharmacists and nurses must be allowed to play supportive roles and take directives from doctors, rather than “eroding the well entrenched clinical structures in the hospitals”.

FCT
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar,
last Thursday said continuous acquisition of knowledge by officers and men of the force was required for effective policing.
Abubakar said at the inauguration of the Police Special Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria at the Dei Die Police barracks in the FCT, that with the establishment of the centre, personnel of the force aspiring to acquire higher qualification could do so without necessarily leaving their place of primary responsibility.
He said, “Policing requires acquisition of knowledge and with this special study centre, university education has been brought very close to us. Our journey to the land of knowledge has begun as higher qualification can be pursued and obtained without going far from our place of primary responsibility.”
Abubakar charged officers and men of the force to take advantage of the centre and acquire additional qualifications.

Kaduna
A first class traditional ruler in the Southern part of Kaduna
State last Thursday shunned protesting youths who staged a peaceful protest to his palace over the persistent killings and destructions in the area.
The youths, under the aegis of Concerned Southern Kaduna Youths (CSKY) had marched peacefully to the palace of the paramount ruler of Kagoro in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State, Chief Ufuwai Bonet, to present a protest letter for onward delivery to other traditional rulers in the southern part of Kaduna State.
However, on arrival at the palace, the traditional ruler refused to grant them audience on the ground that the youths did not follow due process to see him.
Determined to present the letter, the youths vowed not to leave the palace until the chief gave them audience and decided to sit on the ground, singing gospel songs.
It was gathered that all efforts to convince the traditional ruler to grant audience to the youths was unsuccessful as he insisted that the group did not inform him that they were coming to see him.
Appeals by the protesting youths, including a former Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Jonathan Kish Adamu, who is from the area could not make the chief to change his mind.
Kwara
Exactly two weeks after the death of Aare Musulumi of
Yoruba land, Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, one of his widows, Jelilat, died in an auto-crash at Eyenkorin, near Ilorin, Kwara State last Tuesday evening. She was aged 62.
The late Jelilat was the eldest wife of the late billionaire, who died in his London home on the day he was due back in Nigeria. Her late husband had died of a heart-related disease in his sleep in London after taking his breakfast and drugs.
She had two children for the Muslim leader, Abdullahi and Fatimah. She was buried at her residence in Apata area of Ibadan last Wednesday.
Family, friend’s children and neighbours mourned the late Jelilat Arisekola-Alao, describing her as a devout Muslim and a generous neighbour.

Ogun
The Committee for Defence of Human Rights in Ogun State
recently called on the operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission to probe alleged diversion of fund allocated to some local governments in the state.
The state chairman of the CDHR in the state, Mr. Folarin Olayinka, stated this during a press conference held at NUJ Secretariat, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
The organisation also demanded a statement of appropriated Federal allocation, Internally Generated Revenue, statement of expenditure and a document of projects activities embarked upon by the local governments between July 2012 and April 2014.
Olayinka said the CDHR has written to some of the councils which include: Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Sagamu, Ifo, Ado-Odo-Ota, Ijebu-Ode and Odogbolu, to make available their accounts to them for scrutiny, exploring the Freedom of Information Act.
According to him, the petitioners had alleged that the projects many of them executed were not commensurate with allocation they received.

Ondo
As part of the ongoing revolution in the agriculture sector,
Ondo State Government will soon present a bill on Cocoa Revolution to the state House of Assembly.
The state Commissioner for Information, Kayode  Akinmade, who disclosed this recently explained that the bill when passed into law would enable government to actualise its decision to make cocoa farmers to begin to reap the fruits of their labour.
He said government would not allow cocoa farmers in the state to be ripped off any longer, adding that “by the time the bill becomes law, the cocoa business would naturally receive a boost and the farmers would be encouraged to do more.”
Akinmade said the initiative of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to revamp cocoa production through the Cocoa Revolution Project was a good vision and another landmark in boosting the revenue of the state and declared that the project and all matters connected therewith would be encompassed in the bill for the sustainability of the project.
Oyo
The Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, says the state
workers salary had grown from N2 billion to N4.6 billion in the last three years. The governor lamented that developmental projects in the state had suffered because the state’s share from federal allocation had not been enough to prosecute the projects in the state.
Ajimobi spoke at the 2014 Adegoke Adelabu Memorial Lecture in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently, where he condemned the type of politics witnessed today as compared to what obtained in the days of the late prominent Ibadan politician.
He said, “In the last three years, this administration has increased workers salary from a total of N2bn that we met to N4.6bn every month. We receive allocation from the Federal Government but if we have to do everything needed to be done in the state at a time, the money can never be enough because our people need lots of assistance from us.”
The governor added that Adedibu’s name would be immortalised by the state government with an edifice, promising the same in honour of the late Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, AbdulAzeez Arisekola-Alao, who died on June 18.
Guest speaker at the forum, Prof. Isiaka Aransi, who delivered a lecture titled ‘Local Government and its Impact on the People’, called for the creation of more local government as the only solution to the social challenges in the country.

Plateau
The University of Jos said it would spend over N40 million
to establish three new faculties for the study of Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture and Engineering.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Hayward Babale Mafuyai, who spoke with newsmen recently, said plans have reached advanced stage to establish the new faculties and have them take off by October this year.
Mafuyai said the programmes would require a lot of financial and material support to meet the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the various professional bodies in the country.
He said when fully established, the faculties would address the problem of numerous candidates seeking university education and appealed to federal and state governments as well as public-spirited individuals to provide the university with critical support materials for infrastructural development.

Taraba
Taraba State acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, has flagged
off the distribution of farm inputs to farmers in the state.
Speaking during the exercise, Umar said the procurement of free farm inputs for farmers was part of government’s efforts aimed at boosting production and guarantee food security in the state.
“This year’s rains have given the indication of a good wet season. We are very hopeful that the Almighty God and nature will bless us with the right amount of rain that will lead to bumper harvest. I therefore urge our hardworking and dedicated farmers to take advantage of this combination of factors created by the Almighty, nature and the government to step up production level this year”, he said.

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Olusola Eleka, Director-General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Chief Dipo Anisulowo and  Ekiti State Chief Imam, Alhaji Jamiu Kewulere, during the presentation of bags of rice to Ekiti Muslim faithful for Ramadan at Ado-Ekiti Central Mosque, recently.

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Olusola Eleka, Director-General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Chief Dipo Anisulowo and Ekiti State Chief Imam, Alhaji Jamiu Kewulere, during the presentation of bags of rice to Ekiti Muslim faithful for Ramadan at Ado-Ekiti Central Mosque, recently.

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Monarch Hails Fubara Over Road Project

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Ogene of Asa Asi Asaga Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Andrew Enemuwa, has expressed gratitude to the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the award of the contract for construction of Igiri- Ubimini-Egbeda-Elele road project.
Eze Enemuwa said the people of the local government are proud associating with a visionary leader like Governor Fubara whose interest in the development of his people knows no bounds.
The monarch, also the Secretary of Ogba Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Council said the unprecedented crowd of ONELGA people that attended the event shows that Governor Fubara is greatly loved and cherished by the people.
The Eze Dike Di Nu Obi of Ogbaland said the presence of the traditional rulers at the event speaks volumes.
The Okene Asa Kaka urged the people of the area to support Governor Fubara to attract more development to the local government area.

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1,680 Children Abducted In Nigeria -UNICEF

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As Nigeria marks 10 years anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls, the United Nations Children Fund( UNICEF) has  put the number of abducted children at different schools within the last 10 years in Nigeria at 1,680.
The organisation said this at an event it organised in conjunction with the Faculty of Media and Communications Studies in the University of Port Harcourt to mark the 10 years anniversary of Chibok girls abductions.
According to UNICEF release read by Communication officer, UNICEF Nigeria Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, 180 children were killed within the period under review due to attacks on schools, while an estimated 60 school Staff were kidnapped,14 killed and more than 70 attacks on schools.
It urged the Nigerian Government and security agencies to intensify effort towards the rescue of the 90 remaining Chibok girls.
UNICEF described the Chibok girls saga as a wakeup call to the severe risks children face in their pursuit of education
‘Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s future must be amplified
“Given this alarming statistics, we must address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of this crisis,” it said.
UNICEF also said that the threat of abduction of students is severely affecting children’s learning.
“As at 2021, over one million children were afraid to return to school and in 2020, around 11,500 schools were closed due to attacks”, it said.
It called on the government and the international community to ensure that all schools have the resources and tools to fully implement the minimum standards for safe schools, focus on the most vulnerable regions and address critical gaps in safe schools infrastructure.
UNICEF also called for preparedness for natural disasters, conflicts and comprehensive approaches to violence against children.
Others include, strengthening law enforcement and security measures to protect educational institutions and communities from attacks and abduction, prioritising education and child protection in national policies and budget allocations to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all Nigerian children and ensure the continuity of education and learning when schools are shut through multiple learning pathways such as radio and TV programme and through digital platforms the Nigerian learning Passport.
Ogwe said UNICEF is working with the Nigerian Government to ensure that every child can access safe learning environment.
“The agency has supported the inauguration of state safe school steering committees and the drafting of state costed implementation plans for safe schools in 13 States.
“It also provides school grants, safety kits training and awareness raising to accelerate the implementation of the minimum standards for safe schools.
“As we remember the Chibok girls and all children whose rights to education have been compromised, let this somber anniversary serves as a catalyst for change”, UNICEF said.
Speaking with The Tide, Dr Nwachukwu Ginikanwa said the anniversary should serve as a wakeup call to the authorities to take the issue of security seriously.

John Bibor

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Fubara Has Rekindled Rivers Hope-Former Envoy

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As the one year anniversary of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration in Rivers State draws closer, a former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Amb.Oji Ngofa, says the Governor has rekindled the hope of Rivers people.
Amb. Ngofa said within the one year of the administration, the Governor has shown a sense of connecting the people and the government unlike the immediate past administration led by Chief Nyesom Wike.
The former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) explained that within one year, Rivers people are seeing a visionary leadership whose imagination is essentially focused on the desire to improve the lives of the people, with the sole aim of creating an economy where everyone can participate.
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, the forrmer Ambassador said Governor Fubara has been able to engage relevant stakeholders and sectors of the State which, according to him, remains the hallmark of leadership.
He emphasised that with Governor Fubara, no doubt, Rivers State is in safe hands, saying with Governor Fubara, there is the likelihood that the State would be greater than other States.
He noted that the Governor’s vision to develop and give capacity to the people in order to participate in the economy as well as creating the enabling environment for business to flourish in the State, coupled with his peaceful nature, have all combined to endear him to the people.
Amb Ngofa said real power comes from how well one is connected with the people through good leadership, and the people on their own voluntarily surrender to you just as Governor Fubara has demonstrated within the past one year, stressing that that has informed his decision as an astute politician just like all well-meaning Rivers people to align with the Governor in order to move the State forward .
He described Governor Fubara’s milestones in infrastructure, human capital development, health and agriculture as monumental.
Amb Ngofa urged the Governor to ensure his revitalisa- tion programme on Songhai Farms extends to Buguma and Andoni fish farms and Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), and expand on the initiative, as it is critical in job creation for the teeming youths of the State.
“ In his one year in office as governor, Rivers people have seen the difference in terms of governance and total departure from self. Now Rivers people are having easy access to their governor. His focus is on policies and programmes that are capable of revitalising the economy aimed at improving the wellbeing of Rivers people, not just one man. Projects are springing up in all parts of the State, not necessarily in Port Harcourt and Obio,/ Akpor. All in just one year despite the distractions”, he said.

The Port Harcourt ring road loan to small skill medium businesses are one of the biggest achievements of his administration
Aleto- Woji road abandoned by the last administration had been carried on by a government that has interest of the people at heart
Despite the destruction ,he had demonstrated sense of focus on his primary duties as a governor
We are not just seeing monumental projects ,Rivers people are seeing total commitment to create an economy that will enable Rivers people to have a hold on there lives especially with projects like revitalizing Shonghai ,plaintain farms .
It is critical focusing on human capital development .I am aware of his programme of revitalising the economy ,state owned industries through public private partnership
Rivers people hope had been rekindled and those of us who are critic to the governor Wike led administration had been vindicated
Urging Eleme people to support the administration of governor Fubara to achieve their common dream which is development.

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