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THE STATES

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Adamawa

Former governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala
Nyako (rtd) has returned from abroad, Nyoko fled the country following his controversial impeachment by the Adamawa State House of Assembly. The returnee ex-governor, sources said decided to return to Nigerian following the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as President.
Nyako, who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission over allegation of financial crimes, according to sources, is planning to meet with President Buhari.

Bornu

A bomb exploded Saturday afternoon near Maiduguri’s
main market leaving at least 13 persons dead. The explosion, it was gathered occurred by the mosque near a market in the town.
The Saturday explosion came on the heels of another blast by Boko Haram insurgents in their attempt to invade Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital, Friday, which killed 16 persons.
In the Saturday explosion, correspondent learnt that one of the insurgents joined the worshippers pretend to be one of them, but the insurgent later detonated the bomb which killed some of the worshippers and injured others.

FCT

A female politician, Dr Olubunmi Usim-Wilson, has ad
vised the President, Retired Maj-Gen.  Muhammadu Buhari, to cut the high cost of governance in the country.
Usim-Wilson gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. The Abuja based female politician also urged Buhari to improve the welfare of citizens.  Usim-Wilson, a former Senatorial Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the FCT. appealed to incoming administration to explore areas like  tourism and agriculture as ways of augmenting dwindling revenue from crude oil.  She further called for youth unemployment as a priority for the government to reduce poverty .
The President should block all leakages and ensure that our common wealth is no longer stolen and frittered away by politicians. “About 80 per cent of Nigerian youths are unemployed and this should be addressed urgently; education, health and social security should be given
priority.

Gombe

The Defence Headquarters says a cordon and search
operation conducted by Nigerian troops in Gombe has led to the arrest of three bomb making experts.
Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade,  said the arrested persons were suspected to be members ot the terrorists’ group, Boko Haram, in search of soft targets for attack after being  dislodged from the stronghold in Sambisa forest and other enclaves.
He listed the Items recovered from those arrested to include a tricycle and materials for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
He said the suspects were currently undergoing interrogation.
“Cordon and search is continuing in certain localities and will be intensified along with mopping up operations in locations where offensive operations are  being conducted.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) last Monday said that it had rescued a commercial motorcyclist, after being attacked by robbers.
The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr Muhammad Gidado,told newsmen in Dutse that Danladi Ismai’l, 25, was rescued having sustained machete cuts.
Gidado said that Isma’il was picked from the pool of his blood, after the hoodlums stole his motorcycle and money in Kiyawa Local Government Area on Sunday.
He said that the victim was attacked while carrying one of the suspects who pretended to be a commuter going to Gwari village. He said the motorcyclist was attacked when another suspect appeared from nowhere and inflicted cuts on him.

Kwara

Kaiama Local Government Council of Kwara State has
pledged to finance the marriage of any serving female National Youth Service Corps member that marries a man from the council area.
The chairman of the council, Alhaji Alhassan Bagudu, made the pledge last Wednesday in Kaiama while receiving the 2015 Batch “A” corps members posted to the council.
Bagudu said the council would also pay 20 per cent of marriage expenses of any male NYSC member that marries a lady from the area.
The Council boss said the gesture is to foster unity in the country in line with the objective of the NYSC scheme.
He said the council would set up a farm for the corps members serving in the area to help the agrarian community boost food production.

Kaduna

A Zaria-based Non Governmental Organisation, Waje
District Development Association (WDDA) has tasked elected political leaders on executing projects that would touch the lives of the citizenry.
Malam Garba Mohammed, Chairman of the association, stated this at a town hall meeting held at Zaria Youth Centre, Tudun-Wada in Zaria.
He said the essence of the meeting was to provide a platform for dialogue between the community and political office holders representing the area.
Tracing the history of the non-political association to year 2000, Mohammed said it was established with a view to bringing unity and promoting socio-economic well-being of the people.

Lagos

A nutritionist, Prof. Ngozi Nnam, recently said one out
of every two women of reproductive age in Nigeria was anaemic as a result of iron deficiency.
Nnam, who is the National President of Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
She said that anaemia in women, especially pregnant ones, was a serious global public health problem with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
According to her, pregnant women, other women and adolescent girls of reproductive age and children, are particularly vulnerable.
“Inadequate iron intake is dangerous to both baby and mother as it can result in severe morbidity and mortality during childbirth as well as negative pregnancy outcomes.
“This condition occurs when the concentration of haemoglobin falls below what is normal for a person’s age, gender and environment, resulting in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood being reduced.
Oyo

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals
(NUAHP) has threatened to resist attempts by the Federal Government to privatise any of its health institutions.
President of the union, Mr Obinna Ogbonna, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan.
“The National Delegates Conference, recently held in Akwa Ibom, was informed about the antics of some Chief Medical Officers of health institutions, hiding under the PPP to privatise health institutions.
“Privatisation would encourage plans to sell out core clinical and professional services to their lackeys who in turn would profiteer and share such profits with the chief executives.
“This would in turn make hospital services to be out of reach of commoners and staff would be retrenched to satisfy their whims and caprices.
“All legitimate actions would be taken to see that the ongoing PPP as being negatively implemented are resisted and prevented from seeing the light of day,” he said. Ogbonna, however, congratulated the President.  Muhammadu Buhari, advising him to cautiously constitute his cabinet; especially that of the health sector.
He advised him against appointing a medical doctor as a health minister, adding that this had always led to serious industrial crises in the past.
“The Federal Government in 1985 appointed Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti as the health minister and the practice had continued till 2014 when Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu was similarly appointed.
“Having made members of the Nigeria Medical Association ministers of health to date, we strongly canvass that members of the Allied Health Professionals be appointed into that post,” he said.

Plateau

Outgone Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang begged for
forgiveness from the people of the state that he might have offended during his eight-year tenure.
Making the appeal in a state broadcast mark the end of his administration as governor, Jang said that governance was about decision making.
“In the course of this, we might by commission or omission done wrong to some.
“I hereby on behalf of the outgoing government apologies to all and pray we continue to have favour in your hearts.
“As l look back too, there were painful and bitter moments, happy and sweet times, rough and tough points challenges and conquests, all these and more, we pulled through together.
“This administration is eternally grateful for support without which we would’t have made these modest strides,” he said. According to him, the administration came in with great ambition to change the history and face of the state, but was limited by lack of resources and other competing demands.

R-L: Director of Finance, Federal Radio Corpoaration of Nigeria (Frcn), Pastor Michael Oluwole; Executive Director, News Agency of Nigeria (Nan), Mr Isaac Ighure and Chaplain, Frcn, Pastor Emmanuel Zakari, at a Thanksgiving Service for peaceful conduct of 2015 General Elections by parastatals of the Ministry of Information Abuja recently.

R-L: Director of Finance, Federal Radio Corpoaration of Nigeria (Frcn), Pastor Michael Oluwole; Executive Director, News Agency of Nigeria (Nan), Mr Isaac Ighure and Chaplain, Frcn, Pastor Emmanuel Zakari, at a Thanksgiving Service for peaceful conduct of 2015 General Elections by parastatals of the Ministry of Information Abuja recently.

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Anglican Bishop Urges Politicians To Lead With Integrity

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The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Niger Delta, Dr Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, has called on Nigerians, especially those in positions of authority to uphold moral standard and integrity.
Oko-Jaja said this at a thanksgiving service to mark the 90th birthday of Prof. Sylvanus Cookey at Saint Paul Anglican Church in Opobo Town, Rivers yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that Cookey was the second Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in 1982.
Oko-Jaja advised political leaders to always be self-aware and avoid actions that could damage their reputation.
“In today’s Nigeria, hardship has changed how the people behave, as lies have become more popular than the truth.
“We now live in a country where injustice is now celebrated and lowering moral and social standard have become the new normal.
“Leaders must follow the exemplary legacies set by our forebears by becoming upright and live a life that would not bring shame to their family and community,” he said.
He attributed the country’s current economic challenges and declining living standards to leaders failing to prioritise the well-being of citizens.
“The younger generation should emulate the virtues of our predecessors like Prof. Cookey, who prioritised integrity over material gain.
“Good reputation was the norm back then, and I hope that God will restore it to Nigeria, where leaders’ goal will be to have good names.
“If anyone wants to commit evil, they should remember that their actions can bring a bad name to their family and community,” he cautioned.
Addressing the celebrant, the King of Opobo Kingdom, HRM Dandason Jaja, praised Cookey for his impact on society and described him as a mentor and philanthropist.
He said that the celebrant was a distinguished academic, who had impacted numerous youths through vocational training, leading to their successful employment in different sectors.
Speaking earlier, Cookey expressed gratitude to God for attaining 90 years and acknowledged the support of his family and friends.
Reflecting on his contributions to the country, he encouraged leaders to leave behind positive legacies for future generations to celebrate.

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Senators, Reps To Resume Plenary In Remodelled Main Chambers

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Nineteen months after federal lawmakers movement to  temporary chambers,  the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives would finally resume sittings in  their  newly remodelled main hallowed chambers tomorrow
Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jnr, and the Clerk to the Senate, Barrister Chinedu Akubueze confirmed the planned movement to the main chambers in separate written announcements made penultimate week on the change in resumption date by lawmakers from their ongoing recess.
Hon. Rotimi, who is the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in the official announcement dated April 4, 2024 to the honourable members, cited the need to resume plenary at the renovated and reconfigured main chamber, as reason for the postponement in line with the general wish of the lawmakers.
“The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess, originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to  Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
“This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth,” he stated.
Two days after, the Clerk to the Senate also issued a statement, postponing resumption of plenary by the Senate from April 16 to 23, 2024.
Akubueze ‘s statement reads in part: “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April, 2024, has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April, 2024”
It would be recalled that ahead of the projects delivery, the Site Engineer of Visible Construction, Tajudeen Olanipekun, had early last month informed journalists covering the Senate, that the two main chambers, would be ready for use by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in April this year.
Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed and reconfigured hallowed chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with call by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives, want to move to their main chambers as soon as possible after close to two years of using temporary ones.
In carrying out the subtle marching order, the construction firm in the last five weeks has carried out the required finishings on
the upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers fixed with state-of-the-art chairs, parliamentary equipments,  appliances and extended sitting terraces.
Physically, the entire ambience of the space in and around the hallowed chambers have been transformed, just as barricades used to restrict movements at the foyer have been removed.
The  Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, had in March 2021 awarded a N30billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex.
The law makers had in September  2022 vacated the main chambers to enable the Contractors;   handle the renovation work of both chambers
Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the senators and honourable members, watertightness of the roof of the complex, the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing among others.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja

 

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Police Commence Recruitment Process In Anambra, Enugu

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The Zone 13 of the Nige- rian Police Force, comprising Anambra and Enugu States, has announced the venue and time for both General Duty and Specialist Constable recruitment medical screening in the two States.
This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Ihunwo, yesterday in Enugu.
Ihunwo said that prospective candidates from Zone 13 should note that the exercise would take place at Police Hospital, Awka.
She said that the medical screening would commence simultaneously nationwide on Tuesday, April 16, and end on April 30, 2024.
“Candidates are advised to visit the recruitment portal: https://apply.policerecruitment.gov.ng to know their status, specific time, date and other mandatory requirements.
“So also, qualified applicants are to appear in clean white T-shirt and short with the following requirements;
“National Identity Card/Slip; Print Out of Medical Examination Slip and all necessary documents.
“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Command, AIG Godwin Aghaulor, wishes all prospective candidates success as they embark on this exercise,” he said.

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