Nation

THE STATES

Published

7 years ago

July 28, 2014

Adamawa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has
said that the commission is yet to decide on when to conduct the governorship election in Adamawa state following the recent impeachment of the governor and the resignation of his deputy.
Also, the commission said that it is yet to be formally informed of the impeachment of Muritala Nyako as governor and the resignation of James Ngilari as the deputy governor.
The constitution mandates that a governorship election should be conducted within 90 days of the impeachment of the governor.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this during a dialogue with Media Professionals in Abuja, where he justified the drafting of military to maintain peace in Ekiti state and advocated that military also be drafted to maintain peace in the August 9 governorship election in Osun state.
Borno
Eleven women have been delivered of babies at the two camps
established by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for people displaced from Damboa as a result of the capture of the town last weekend by the Boko Haram insurgents.
NEMA also revealed on Thursday that it has registered about 10000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the two camps established in Biu town, about 100 kilometres away from Damboa town.
In a statement by the Northeast zonal information officer of the agency, Mallam AbdulKadir Ibrahim, who revealed that the agency had deployed two truckloads of relief materials to Biu to take care of the IDPs, revealed that the ten of the women had normal deliveries at the camps while a lone woman had to be taken to the General Hospital, Biu where she was delivered after a Caesarean Session (CS).
Ibrahim said the newly delivered mothers were apart from the normal relief materials, also given some toys, feeding bottles and baby food for the needs of the newly delivered babies.
Ekiti
Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has criticised the House
of Assembly for passing the bill for creation of 19 additional local governments in the state.
The Assembly on Wednesday approved the creation of 19 additional councils following the adoption of the report of the ad-hoc committee set up to work on the bill seeking the creation of the new councils.
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti by the State Publicity Secretary, Kola Oluwawole, said the action was illegal because there is a suit seeking to stop the LCDAs and also wondered why the Assembly increased the number of the proposed LGs from 18 to 19 when referendum was conducted for 18 LGs.
Oluwawole said, “We are still in court challenging the legality of the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission and the body went ahead to organise an illegal referendum. The Assembly added more illegality to an illegal act by increasing the number of the councils. We are restating the fact that both State Independent Electoral Commission and Assembly are into illegal acts.
Jigawa
The Jigawa Government on Thursday said it earmarked N1.8
billion for the construction of senate building and Vice Chancellor’s lodge at the state university, Kafin-Hausa.
The Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the money was approved during the state executive council meeting on Wednesday.
He said N1.6 billion was set aside for the construction of the senate building, while N128 million would be used for the construction of of the vice chancellor’s residence.

Kaduna
A former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party and
Nigeria’s Ambassador-at-Large, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has described the recent bomb blasts in Kaduna State, which killed about 82 innocent Nigerians, as “most barbaric and unholy.”
Tukur, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said it was more painful that the perpetrators of such heinous crime against humanity could carry out such action during the month of Ramadan.
He said no right-thinking person would like to take the lives of innocent people away against the teaching and doctrines of Christianity and Islamic injunctions and called on those “behind these dangerous acts against humanity” to have a re-think and return to the path of religious and social rectitude.
Tukur said, “The perpetrators of these acts are not thinking of the consequences of their actions against God and humanity. The damage they have done to human race are irreparable and condemnable. The Boko-Haram sect do not belong to any religious organization since every religion in the world clearly condemn murder of fellow human being in any form, shape or ramification.”
Kano
A non governmental organization (NGO), under
the aegis of Health Initiative Forum (HIF), yesterday in Kano, commended Resident Doctors in Kano and Kaduna states who voluntarily went back to work following the bomb blasts that rocked the two ancient cities.
Chairman of the group, Alhaji Bala Danladi, during a chat with reporters, observed the human feeling in the hearts of the doctors that participated in the rescue operations and their leadership in the affected states.
“Despite their perennial disagreement with the Federal Government, these doctors believe that the strike action should not stop them from showing love to Nigerians under such emergency situations. We also believe that Nigerian doctors are not enemies of Nigerians as some elements were trying hard to make us believe,” he stated.
While commending the widely circulated statement of the President of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD), Dr Jibril Abdullahi, immediately after the happening of Kaduna blasts, the group urged federal government to make a second thought on her stand on the doctors’ demands.

Nasarawa
The Chief Judge of Nasarawa State Justice
Suleiman Dikko, last Friday inaugurated a seven-member panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Umaru Al-Makura by the state assembly.
The state lawmakers had on July 23, passed a resolution directing the Chief Judge to set up the probe panel within seven days in line with the provisions of the constitution.
Inaugurating the panel on Friday in Lafia, Dikko said that setting up of the committee was in line with the state assembly’s request to appoint a seven man panel to investigate the governor.
Those in the panel are MalamYusuf Usman (Chairman); Malam Mohammed Sabo Keana; Rev. Joel Galadima; Alhaji Abdul Usman; Mr Samuel Chaku; Malam Mohammed Sani Usman and Pastor Daniel Chaga as members.
The chief judge urged the members to discharge their duties in line with Section 188, Sub-section 1-11 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Ondo
The remains of the late Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Bamidele
Aturu, were buried in his hometown, Ogbagi Akoko, Ondo State, last Friday.
Scores of sympathisers, including human rights activists, legal practitioners, members of the organised labour , were in attendance to witness the burial service.
His corpse was moved into the venue of the burial programme around 10.25 by the casket bearers and followed by a song rendered by members of the Redeemed Christain of God (RCCG) who came to honour one of their own. Aturu was an Assistant Pastor in the church.
The officiating minister, in his sermon, said death is an inevitable end for every human, hence, the need for people to move closer to God
He described Aturu as a dogged fighter and a fearless lawyer who stood for justice and equity,urging the younger ones to emulate his virtues.
Osun
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has gone to
the courts to challenge the powers of President Goodluck Jonathan to deploy troops to Osun State for the August 9 governorship election.
The party said it was also seeking to oust the power of the Inspector-General of Police Mr. Muhammed Abubakar, to impose a curfew on any part of the state during the election.
In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the actions were aimed at avoiding a repeat of the massive harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition politicians witnessed during the Ekiti State governorship election, and to prevent any illegal lock down of Osun State, which turned out to be a ploy to pigeon-hole opposition politicians, while allowing PDP members to move around freely during the polls.
The party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take concrete actions to ensure that all the candidates in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State are provided with a level playing.

Plateau
The crisis rocking the Plateau State chapter of the
All Progressives Congress deepened last Thursday as some aggrieved members locked out some executives and other stalwarts of the party who were holding a meeting at the secretariat.
The party had been enmeshed in crisis over the outcome of its state congress, especially the chairmanship position, which a former aide of the former Governor, Joshua Dariye, Mr. Latep Dabang won.
The outcome of the exercise was hotly contested by the former interim state chairman, Senator John Shagaya and another member, Amos Gombi, who had earlier petitioned the national secretariat.
However, the new twist occurred following an attempt by the Dabang-led executive to hold a meeting at the party secretariat for the nomination, but was prevented from doing so by some aggrieved members of the party.

Governor Sule Lamido (left) of Jigawa State with the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sunusi, during Sallah in Dutse, yesterday.

Nation

Group Harps On Disaster, Environmental Management

Published

7 mins ago

August 2, 2021

The Tide

Nigerians have been called upon to be responsive to Disaster Management and proactive on environmental issues in order to reduce annual losses from environmental disasters.
The National President, the Society of Professional Risk Managers of Nigeria (SOPDRIMN), Mr Jerry Nwiyor, made the call in Enugu during the South-East Regional Conference of the society.
The conference was also used to inaugurate the new 9-man Enugu State executive of the society and the induction of 16 new members of the society in the state.
Nwiyor said that the society was collaborating with emergency response agencies and law enforcement organisations in its on-going nationwide sensitisation against harmful environmental practices.
He said that the society had sponsored a bill in the National Assembly stating the standard and best environmental practices which all Nigerians must abide with.
According to him, the bill, when passed as we are anticipating, will further reduce the impact of disasters, especially the man-made ones on the socio-economic life of the entire nation.
“The bill, which has passed first reading at the house, spelt out responsibility and sanctions if one does not abide by best environmental practices.
“Its operation-ability and enforcement will help to raise the consciousness of Nigerians on issues of environment especially in their immediate neighbourhoods”.
Nwiyor said that Nigerians must stop the intentional harm on the environment such as dumping of refuse in drains, blocking or building on waterways and indiscriminate bush burning.
Speaking, the Zonal Coordinator of the society, Ogoamaka Ndukwe, said that the society had been in the forefront of the campaign against tree cutting in the South-East to reduce erosion .
Ndukwe also said that the society tends to start massive tree planting in the zone very soon.
In an address, Enugu State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Chijioke Edoga, assured the society of the state government support and synergy to ensure that all its disaster reduction programmes were achieved.
“SOPDRIMN has come to put professionalism and commitment in the path of disaster management and the state government is fully backing all your programmes meant for the benefit of our people,” Edoga said.
In a message, Mr James Eze, the South-East Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said that “disaster response is a collective social responsibility”.
“NEMA will continue to support all the society’s programmes and to work in collaboration with it for disaster reduction especially on sensitisation in the hinterlands of the country”.
The Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps in Enugu State, Mr Joseph Udoabba, said that the corps would continue to support and partner with the society in various programmes meant to reduce disasters on the roads.
Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Enugu State Command, Mr Valentine Afrika, assured the society of a close working relationship to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.

By: Canice Amadi, Enugu

Nation

Ex- Defence Minister Tasks FG On Community Policing

Published

8 mins ago

August 2, 2021

The Tide

Former Minister of Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode, has advised the Federal Government to adopt community policing in handling security challenges facing the country, for optimal result.
Kayode said this at his country home yesterday in Ikaram Akoko when he spoke with newsmen.
He traced the causes of the challenges facing the country to a number of factors, citing a report by U.S intelligence team in 2011, which predicted that the country might face numerous challenges by 2030, if certain measures were not taken.
Kayode, also a former Minister of Justice, said the idea of community policing, which had been floated since the return to civil rule in 1999, must be adopted by the government in tackling the current security challenge in the country.
“Let’s change the template, take a decision we must have this community policing and we can call it any name and take for instance all the police officers I have met who have been very nice, very kind, who have provided security for us are all from the North.
“Luckily for me I’m a northerner too. I speak Hausa, I lived in the North all my life, there’s no big deal about it but imagine when we have officers for instance in this village who cannot speak the local language, they don’t know anybody, they are strangers, how will they communicate?
“The same thing when you have the bulk of the officers serving in the North who are from the South West and South East, they can’t speak the local language, they don’t know anybody,
“And you see the first law of intelligence is information is being able to hear, to understand. That has to be changed,” he said.
Kayode added:”All state Commissioners of Police should be posted to their regions for starters.
“Policemen are being killed in some parts of the country; let me assure you, if those policemen are from those areas, they will be reluctant to attack them. So let’s start with that first, but community policing is a done deal. It will happen.”
He also advised the government to recruit more personnel into the armed forces, as the military had been overstretched by the challenges facing the country.
“The military is already over tasked and they are short staffed. We know this and government knows this. I knew this when I was there and I tried in my own way to suggest how this should be done. Let us democratise recruitment into Nigerian military service.
“Stop taking money to allow people to join our services. It is wrong. It was there when I was there, I tried everything within my power but again when you spend one year in a place you aren’t going to do much. I’m not giving an excuse what I’m saying is this is one of the ways forward.
“Right now, I don’t know maybe we have up to 100,000 military personnel what is that? A country of 200 million and we have our youths roaming the street and devil is finding work for them, because devil finds work for idle hands,” Kayode Said.

Nation

FCTA Spends N8bn On Waste Management Annually – Minister

Published

9 mins ago

August 2, 2021

The Tide

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu has said that the FCT administration spent about N8billion annually on waste management in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the satellite towns.
The Minister stated this in a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr Austine Elemue, yesterday in Abuja.
The statemen said the Minister said this at the maiden edition of the Annual General Meeting and Induction of Waste Management Association of Nigeria (WAMASON), FCT Council, in Abuja.
The Minister was quoted as saying that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) spent an average of N6 billion, while the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) expended N2 billion on waste management annually.
Aliyu said that this brought the total sum of N8 billion to pay over 64 cleaning contractors, engaged in the management of waste in the territory.
She called on communities to adopt sustainable waste management practices, “which include sorting at source, composting of organic waste for horticultural/ agricultural purposes amongst others.”
Speaking on the theme: “Waste management in a circular economy, financing stakeholders engagement and enforcement,” Aliyu also called for transition to circular economy for sustainable growth and development in Nigeria.
She said that in circular economy virtually nothing was discarded, stressing that products and materials were kept in circulation.
“For as long as possible by designing them to be more durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable.
“It is clear that waste management is a cross-cutting environmental issue, impacting many aspects of our society and the economy.
“It has strong linkages to a range of other global challenges such as health, food and resource security, sustainable consumption and production, climate change and poverty reduction,” Aliyu was quoted as saying in the statement.
She said the FCT Administration had been working assiduously in ensuring that new opportunities for sustainable growth were provided through increased budgetary provisions on waste management related services.
“Presently, we have a total number of 64 waste management contractors in the FCC and Satellite Towns.
“This has provided employment opportunities and improved environmental sanitation through resource recovery, sorting and collection of recyclable for the informal waste pickers.
“As well as providing platform for generation of empirical data for proper planning and projection of waste amount in the FCT,” she said.
Aliyu, therefore, called for synergy and understanding between the government and the private sector in ensuring effective and profitable waste management.
She pledged the FCT administration’s commitment in providing the necessary legal framework that guaranteed return on investment for effective service delivery.
The statement also quoted, the Councillor, Waste Management Association of Nigeria, Mrs Kitan Oluwagbuyi, as saying that the workshop was organised in collaboration between the association and tertiary institutions across the country.
She said that the collaboration was also designed to organise mentorship and provide opportunities in waste management and sustainable development.
The association, she said, had set up recycling centres in 20 schools across the FCT in 2020.
“Also five collection hub centres established in collaboration with a member recycler-chanjadatti under a UNDP assisted fund,’’ she added.