Nation
THE STATES
FCT
Hajia Zainab Ahmed, the Executive Secretary,
Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (NEITI) has called on Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to fight corruption for nation building.
Ahmed gave the advice in Abuja at a public presentation of a book, titled: “President‘s Diary: Nigeria‘s Ethical Revolution” organised by the Office of Ethics and Moral Values.
Our correspondent reports that the 410-page book was written by 18 authors.
She said that many Nigerians had lost ethics and moral values right from homes, adding that their weak foundation must be corrected by making them adhere to ethics and moral values in their daily activities.
Kogi
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi said on Wednesday that
the state would establish Public Private Partnership (PPP) Bureau to facilitate infrastructure development in the state
Wada said this in Abuja at a World Bank sponsored training on PPP on Wednesday in Abuja.
“We are working steadily on the institutionalising framework for Public Private Partnership in Kogi State and in a matter of months a PPP bureau will be in place.
“The Kogi PPP bureau, when established, will be a one- stop business center for PPP devoid of frustrating bureaucratic delays of any kind,” he said.
According to him, this will facilitate coordination between projects initiating ministries, agencies of government and private investors.
He said that Kogi with its location and largest deposit of solid minerals in the country, offered a great opportunity for infrastructure Investments.
Wada said that unique opportunities for investment in the state were in various sectors, including transport, power, road, health, tourism.
He commended the World Bank and Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for the training and urged participants
Kwara
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof.
AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has pleaded with health workers to stop their incessant industrial actions that often paralyse the nation’s hospitals.
He made the plea last Tuesday in Ilorin when he received members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN).
Our correspondent reports that members of the association were in Ilorin for the 46th Annual Conference and Scientific Workshop organised by the association.
Ambali said: “It is important for all professionals in the health sector to work together to put an end to strike.
“We are inspired by your comments that appreciate the fact that our (UNILORIN) academic calendar has been stable over several years.
Lagos
National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Party
(APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has advocated gender equality in policy making in the country.
Mohammed made the observation in Lagos at a summit organised by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) in partnership with United Kingdom Aid and Voices Change.
Our correspondent reports that the aim of the summit was to promote gender equality as a principle of human rights and a developmental goal.
WARDC is also advocating the rebalancing between men and women in terms of resources, legal rights, participation, decision making and equal relations.
Nasarawa
Governor Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa State has
approved an upward review of the allowances of NYSC members posted to the state.
Al-makura announced this at the end of a three-week orientation for Batch C corps members held at the Majaji Dan –Yamusa NYSC orientation camp in Keffi.
In an address to the 1,782 corps members, Al-makura said the allowance would be increased from N2,000 to N5, 000 because of current economic situation in the country..
The governor urged the corps members to use the lessons gained during the orientation period to improve themselves, their host communities and the country at large.
He enjoined them to use the potential in the state to gain more experience for themselves, adding that his administration attached high premium to youth development and the NYSC scheme.
Ogun
An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court in Ogun has remanded
a 33-year-old man, Olayinka Ogundairo, in prison custody for allegedly defrauding a pastor of N400,000.
According to the prosecutor, Cpl. Moshood Hammed, the accused committed the offence sometime in February at the Saraki Adigbe area in Abeokuta.
Hammed said that the accused defrauded one Pastor Jacob Oyedokun of N400,000.00, after tendering false certificates.
“The accused entered the church of Pastor Oyedokun and claimed that he is studying abroad but his benefactor had died.
“He tendered a forged NYSC discharge certificate, a certificate of a Master of Science degree in Anatomy and Physiology from the Council of the Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, U.K., and a Kebbi State University of Science and Technology statement of results.
Oyo
The National Headquarters of Action Alliance (AA) said
that it had not been able to pick anybody as its candidate for any of the elective offices across the country.
Mr Kenneth Udeze, the National Secretary of the party, told newsmen in Ibadan that candidates of the party would be determined at a properly conducted primaries.
“As much as the party will fully participate in all the elections, candidates for all elective offices from states, national legislatures, governors and the presidency will be determined at a properly conducted party primaries,’’ he said.
Udeze said that those claiming to have picked anybody as the party’s flag-bearer must be out of tune with the national directive of the party.
He said that the Senate/House of Representatives primaries would be held on December 8; Governorship/State House of Assembly on December 9 and the National Convention on December 11.
Plateau
Sixty-one politicians, including Senator Joshua Dariye and
former Deputy Governor, Mrs Pauline Tallen, have formally returned to PDP in Plateau State.
Our correpondent reports that the returnees, who were received in style by Governor Jonah Jang, spoke through Mr Pam Gyang, Tallen’s running mate in 2011 governorship election, while in Labour Party.
Although Dariye and Tallen were not mentioned in the list of the few defectors called out, they were seated at the Nenfor Arena, Pankshin, in Plateau, where they were formally received by Jang and other party leaders.
“We are back in PDP and we have come to stay and not to leave again; PDP has been a progressive party and we have come to support it move forward.
“Most of us, the returnees, are founding members of PDP but defected due to one reason or the other but today, we are back home; there is no place like home, “ Gyang said.
Sokoto
Former Vice President and an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has donated N 8.5 million to the party in Sokoto State.
Abubakar made the donation during his visit to the state as part of a nationwide campaign to woo the delegates to the party’s forthcoming presidential primaries.
Abubakar said that N5 million was given to the party to facilitate its activities; N1 million for the party’s elders while N2.5 million was for the 50 delegates from the state.
“My aspiration is never a do-or-die affair, but to stabilise the affairs and alleviate the suffering of the people in the country.”
Abubakar also said that the party’s presidential aspirants had already reached an agreement that whoever emerged after the primary elections will be given total support from all other members of the party.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Government, says it spends N400 million
monthly to feed the 192 secondary school students in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the state’s School Feeding Board, Alhaji Atiku Maradun, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Gusau.
Maradun said the state government gave priority to secondary schools’ feeding as part of its efforts to improve secondary education in the state.
He added that the secondary school feeding programme had reduced the difficulties faced by parents in sponsoring their children in boarding schools and consequently increased the enrolment of students into secondary schools across the 147 wards in the state.
L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba, wife of former Lagos State Governor, Mrs Abimbola Jakande and Chairman, Premier Lotto Ltd, Chief Keshington Adebutu, at the 2,600 days in office of Gov. Fashola, recently
The UAE carrier, Emirates Airlines, would start carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India from June 23, the UAE Embassy said as it announced revised rules on Covid-19.
“We look forward to facilitating travel from these countries and supporting various travellers’ categories,” the airline said in a separate statement, yesterday.
“Residence visa holders from India and travellers from South Africa should’ve taken two doses of a vaccine approved by UAE authorities and carry RT-PCR tests reports from labs approved by the federal governments of these countries.
“But for Nigerians vaccination is not made mandatory but all other conditions apply.
“In addition to the above, Indians have to take a rapid PCR test four hours prior to their travel.
“While there are four vaccines in the UAE for use on eligible individuals against the Covid-19 infection – Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V and Oxford-AstraZeneca, it is unclear if the UAE has approved vaccines administered on Indian, South African and Nigerian citizens in their countries,” it stated.
“All travellers are also required to present a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 48 hours before departure.
“UAE citizens are exempted.
“Only QR coded PCR test result certificates are accepted.
“All passengers must take a rapid PCR test four hours prior to flight departure.
“All passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival at Dubai Airport.
“Passengers should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours.
“Passengers should produce a negative PCR test certificate with a QR Code from labs approved by the Nigerian government.
“All passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival to Dubai Airport.
“Transit passengers should comply with entry protocols of final destinations.
“Entry will now be permitted to residents who have received two doses of UAE-approved vaccines,” the state said.
The revised procedures for travellers coming from the Republic of India, South Africa and Nigeria were issued by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai.
They are effective from June 23, the Dubai Media Office said.
It said the updates are part of the committee’s keenness to protect passengers and ease hassles for them without compromising on Covid-19 preventive measures, said the Chairman of the Supreme Committee, Sheikh Mansoor Al-Maktoum.
The Media Office announcement said the updated travel protocols are part of a normal process of revising and optimising preventive measures based on the latest local, regional and international developments.
Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State last Saturday vowed to lead the rescue operation of teachers and students abducted from the Federal Government College (FGC), Birnin Yauri, in Ngaski Local Government Area of the State.
Bagudu, who is also Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum, spoke when local hunters visited him.
Reports had that the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and his Jigawa State counterpart, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, also paid a solidarity and sympathy visit on Gov. Bagudu.
Bagudu assured that some other governors and stakeholders will join him in the ongoing search operations for the abducted students and staff of the school.
According to him, he will discuss with his colleagues and security agencies in this direction, so as not to jeorpardise the ongoing commendable operations to rescue the abducted students and staff.
He said: “But, we will go out there and like I promised, the day we will move out, I will not be in the office because we will join you in the field.”
The Kebbi State Governor said that this would be done barring all consequences in a bid to rescue the abductees.
Bagudu argued: “It is not weapons that win wars, but it is the will that bad people cannot triumph and we will show that, we have enough will power .
“President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies have been doing the best they could with limited resources.
“But, we also need to mobilize, kit ourselves and take on these bandits. Our various scriptures as Muslims and Christians allow us to put our lives at risk in defence of our honour, property and our faiths.
“In what the bandits are doing, they have challenged all of us, so, we can’t let them.”
Bagudu asked the hunters to go back and fully mobilise, pending when he gets the necessary clearance from the security agencies, adding, “we will meet in the field.”
The governor maintained that governors were not sworn in only to sit down in the office and work.
He stated that they are aware that one day they would be required to lead in the field, even though they are not military or police personnel.
He said that if hundreds of thousands of people can be mobilised during campaigns, same should be done now to join the search party.
He said: “What happened in Birnin Yauri should be the last straw. We should follow these bandits wherever they are and take them on.”
Bagudu also described the abduction as very callous, even as he lauded the security agencies, management of the school, ‘Yan Sakai and vigilantes for their heroic efforts since the bandits struck at the college.
South-East governors and leaders have requested security agencies in the zone to respect the rights and privileges of all those living in the zone.
They made the call on Saturday in Enugu after a meeting attended by political leaders, socio-cultural organisations, clerics and the traditional leaders.
The Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, who addressed reporters after the meeting, condemned the killing of civilians in the zone by security agencies.
Umahi urged them to discharge their duties within the law and in accordance with their rules of engagement.
The Ebonyi governor reaffirmed the commitment of the region to the corporate existence of the country.
Umahi, however, said that such union must be based on love, mutual respect and equality of rights irrespective of one’s religion, ethnic group, political inclination and creed.
The governor said the various secessionist groups from the region were not speaking for the people of the area.
He said the leaders from the zone had set up a committee to engage the agitators to allow elders of the region to address their fears.
“We have come out publicly on many occasions to speak against such agitations,” he said.
Umahi said the meeting was in fulfilment of the June 11 agreement they had with a federal government delegation led by the Minister of Defense, Bashir Magashi, a retired major-general.
“Consequent upon that, we scheduled our own meeting today to discuss and articulate our positions.
“This is to enable us not only engage the presidential team but also engage our people over all burning issues,” he said.
The governor said leaders from the region had noted with concern threats against the Igbo people by some groups in other regions.
“The meeting pleaded with leaders of other regions to note such threats to our people, address it and protect our people,” he said.
He said that governors from the South-East had assured people from other ethnic nationalities of their safety in the region in spite of the prevailing circumstances.
The leaders condemned the killing of security personnel and burning of government infrastructure in the region.
He called on National Assembly members from the region to support the creation of state police in the ongoing efforts to amend the constitution.
The governor said the meeting endorsed the South-East joint security unit called EbubeAgu, and requested the personnel to work with statutory security agencies.
Those present at the meeting included Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
Anambra and Imo states were represented by the deputy governors, Nkem Okeke and Placid Njoku respectively.
Others were the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, and President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, George Obiozo.
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