Nation
THE STATES
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Binta Bello (right), presenting prizes to the best dancers, during the ministry’s party with children from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, as part of activities for the 2016 Children’s Day celebration at New Kichingoro in Abuja on Wednesday. With her is the Ministry’s Director of Child Development, Mrs Georgette Azogu (left).
Adamawa
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in
Damare, Adamawa State, is currently hosting no fewer than 152 lactating mothers, 97 pregnant women and 68 unaccompanied children, among other displaced persons.
Manager of the camp, Mr Nurudeen Musa, disclosed this when Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Abdul-Azeez Nyako, visited the camp recently.
He said that the camp was established in 2014 and had so far hosted about 14,000 displaced persons.
The manager said that of this number, only 2000 IDPs were now remaining in the camp as a result of the improvement in the security situation in the North East.
In his remarks, chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Nyako, assured the displaced persons of commitment of governments to their safe return home.
Nyako said government was concerned about their plight and would continue to equip its agencies to carter for their welfare.
Borno
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) has warned
people against indiscriminate felling of trees to protect the environment.
The National Coordinator, Sustainable Development Programme of Lake Chad Basin, Alhaji Bale Bura, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
Bura also urged people to respect environmental laws that sought to protect the environment or risk sanctions.
“Much has been done in past years to mitigate environmental degradation, but some individuals still continue with the evil practices,“ he said.
He said that the only panacea to desert encroachment was “to plant more trees and stop cutting them.
Ekiti
No fewer than 9,000 Nigerian students are currently
studying in Malaysian universities, the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lim Juay Jin, has said.
Jin disclosed this in Ado Ekiti at the Afe Babalola University during a visit.
He spoke at a programme tagged “Diplomatic Talk”, organised by the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy of the university.
Jin said that the affected Nigerians chose to study in Malaysia because they realised that his country was “one of the top tertiary education destinations in the world”.
He said that the students were studying at all levels of education including undergraduate, masters as well as doctorate levels.
The envoy attributed the development to availability of facilities, affordable fees, friendly learning environment, quality tutors, good governance and stable economy.
Gombe
Gombe State Police Command has confirmed the death
of one Baba Jigawa, aged 75, who was found hanging in a provision store at Gombe Timber market.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ahmed Usman, told newsmen in Gombe that the incident occurred on Monday.
“He was found hanging; photograph of his remains snapped and investigations are still ongoing”, he said.
Usman said the body was taken to the Specialists’ Hospital Gombe, where Doctors confirmed that he had passed on.
According to him, efforts have been intensified to get to the root of the matter.
Jigawa
Farmers in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa
State have commenced planting for this year’s farming season.
Our correspondent in Dutse observed that farmers yesterday went to their farms with different farm implements to till the land and plant crops.
The correspondent also visited many farming communities, and found that farmers were busy planting on their farms.
In Dundubus village, a farmer, Malam Ahmad Umar, was together with his children harrowing and planting at the same time.
Umar said that he was planting after he had earlier cleared and applied local manure on the farm.Kano
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, has
called on parents to ensure proper upbringing of their children to enable them become useful members of the society.
He gave the advice at a meeting of Northern Muslims Religious Leaders Forum on Primary Health Care, held in Kan recently.
The Forum had as its theme, “Strengthening the Capacity of Religious Leaders on Maternal and Child Health.”
He said there was urgent need for parents and guardians to take up the challenge in view of the prevailing moral decadence, especially among youths.
“Lack of proper upbringing of children is one of the challenges facing the society today.
“Parents and guardians have a herculean task because if children grow up without proper education and upbringing, they can engage in social vices”, he said.
Lagos
A philanthropist, Mr Dawodu Olatunji, says adequate
provision of healthcare remains the best dividend of democracy from governments.
Olatunji made the assertion in an interview with newsmen at a free malaria test and drugs outreach, tagged “Health is Wealth” at Solomon Hall, Mushin, Lagos State.
Olatunji, who sponsored the programme said that such dividends of democracy were exemplified by the government of the then Western Region led by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo.
He said that health should be one of the cardinal programmes of any people-oriented government.
“When I was growing up, I was one of the beneficiaries of the free health programme and education sponsored by the then old Western Region Government.
Nasarawa
Two motorcyclists, Musa Badamasi and Yusuf Ibrahim,
have appeared in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for allegedly belonging to a gang of robbers.
Badamasi, 28 and Ibrahim, 23, of Orange Market, Mararaba, were arraigned on a three-count charge of belonging to gang of robbers, public nuisance and making atmosphere noxious to health.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Adaji, told the court that on May 20, a team of police surveillance squad led by Sgt. Joseph Emeka, attached to ‘A’ Divisional Police Headquarters, Mararaba, arrested the defendants.
Adaji said that while the police were on patrol, the defendants were found at a hideout at Orange Market, Mararaba, often being used by armed robbers.
Niger
The Niger State Government said it would focus more
on developing the free trade zones in the state to attract more investors to the state.
Governor Abubakar Bello, who disclosed this when he declared open the 14th Niger National Trade Fair, said that the zones were those of Banana in Borgu Local Government Area and Minna Airport trade zones.
According to Sani, the free trade zones will woo investors to invest in agriculture and solid mineral development.
He said that his administration would embark on new partnership with the Federal Government and private sector to enhance economic development of the state.
“We are going to revisit every legal avenue for the diversification of revenue and resources; we will explore and strengthen all existing agencies.Osun
The Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA) has called
for the establishment of the Bureau of Statistics in Osun State to coordinate the collection of statistics in the state.
The President of the association, Dr Mohammed Tumala, said this in an interview with newsmen
“We recommended to the state to establish a State Bureau of Statistics so that the Bureau can be held responsible for coordination.
“We recommended to the state that it should motivate the staff responsible for the collection of statistics because over time, staff members of the department of Planning, Research and Statistics both at state, national and local government levels have seen their posting as very punitive”.
Oyo
The Oyo State Tertiary Institutions Staff Retirement
Age Bill 2016 scaled its second reading during the plenary session of the Oyo State House of Assembly
Our correspondent reports that the bill was initiated by the Speaker, Mr Michael Adeyemo and co-sponsored by Mr Afeez Adeleke (Iseyin/Itesiwaju/APC) and Mr Oyeleke Oyatokun (Afijio/APC).
The bill seeks to increase the retirement age of academic and non-academic staff of state-owned institutions, from 60 to 65 years.
Speaking in support of the bill, Mr Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba, APC) said that when passed into law, the bill would raise staff morale and improve the quality of academic work in the institutions.
“We do not have to belabour this issue; a federal law raising the retirement age of polytechnic and university workers was signed by former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, last year.
“Domesticating that law will serve the interest of the people of the state.
“The law will encourage research and motivate workers to aspire to the peak of their careers,” he said.
Plateau
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State says his
administration is determined to slash its N1.7 billion wage bill before the end of May, this year.
Lalong disclosed this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja recently.
He said that the reduction of the wage bill would be achieved through the removal of ghost workers already uncovered in the state’s payroll system.
The governor said that a lot of the ghost workers were uncovered after the introduction of the Biometric Verification Number.
He said that with the removal of the non-existent workers, the N1.7 billion state’s wage bill would be slashed to accommodate the genuine civil servants in the state.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3