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 Borno
The Borno State Road Maintenance Agency (BORMA) has unveiled “Operation Zero Pothole” to repair roads in the state.
The Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Satomi Ahmad told newsmen in Maiduguri that the road repairs project was on major towns in the state.
Ahmad said the agency had completed arrangements to commence work on the roads in Maiduguri metropolis, adding that similar projects would be executed in Biu town.
He listed some of the roads to be fixed to include Post Office-Industrial Court, Jidari-Polo and Pompomari-Jidari.

Ekiti
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has sent letter of protest to the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu over the arrest and detention of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Toyin Ojo and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi.
In the letter, the Assembly described the arrests of Ojo and Owolabi as “premeditated, malicious, politically motivated, contemptuous and unconstitutional in all ramifications;” saying it smacked of “gangsterism by an agency that derives its power from the constitution but acts in clear contempt of the rule of law.”
The letter, which was dated October 2 and signed by the Speaker, Mr. Kolawole Oluwawole was delivered at the EFCC’s Abuja office last Tuesday.

FCT
Mrs. Patience Jonathan has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to treat her the way her husband, former President Goodluck Jonathan treated Aisha Buhari when he (President Buhari) lost the 2011 presidential election.
Patience, who is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said this in a statement by her Chief Press Secretary,  Belema Meshack-Hart  recently.
The former first lady said she was being probed because of the prominent role she played during the build-up to the 2015 elections.
Patience had described Buhari who was the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress as a brain-dead man.

Kaduna
Resident doctors in Kaduna State have begun an indefinite strike  over “ the sorry state” of healthcare facilities in state government hospitals.
President, Association of Resident Doctors in the state, Dr. Joseph Jokshan said at a press briefing  in Kaduna that the state government had not responded to any of the doctors’ demands issued 21 days ago.
He said that the doctors were pained to begin the strike, but “unfortunately, we cannot effectively carry out these tasks in the current sorry state of our healthcare facilities.”
Jokshan listed issues that prompted the strike to include poor funding, equipping and staffing of hospitals and non- provision of living environment for medical, health workers and patients.

Kano
The Kano State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Nigeria (IBFIN)  recently organised a sensitisation workshop for journalists in the state on the Fundamentals of Islamic Economy, Banking and Finance.
The Managing Director of the IBFIN, Alhaji Sani Aminu said the aim of the one-day workshop was to enhance the knowledge of the journalists on the importance of non-interest banking in the country.
He said the purpose of choosing journalists to benefit from the training was due to their importance and contributions towards the development of the nation’s economy.
“When you educate a journalist, you educate the entire people because they are enlightening and educating and informing the general public.

Kebbi
Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has promised to provide skills acquisition equipment and other materials to inmates of the two prisons in the state with a view to properly rehabilitating them.
Bagudu made the promise  in Birnin Kebbi while donating tailoring machines to the inmates of the two prison inmates in the state.
The governor urged the inmates to consider their incarceration as an act of God meant to reform them and not to abuse their personality.
He called on them to change their attitudes, before and after the expiration of their prison terms.

Kogi
Kogi State Government has solicited the co-operation of media organisations in the state to help in sensitising the people on the need to obey environmental sanitation laws.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya made the call in an interview with newsmen  in Lokoja.
According to Osikoya, the call is necessary because the media remains a critical stakeholder to the society and the ministry, adding that it also touches the life of everybody and affects people in several ways.

Kwara
Kwara State Government has received N3.5 billion as its share of the federal allocation for September.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu who disclosed this in a statement  in Ilorin said the amount was an increase over the N2.5 billion it got in August.
Banu gave the breakdown as N2.7 billion being statutory allocation and Value Added Tax (VAT) of N813 million, totaling N3.5 billion.
The commissioner said that the 16 local governments in the state received a combined allocation of N2.5 billion for September, against N1.8 billion they got in August.

Lagos
The Migrants Reintegration Centre in Ibeju-Lekki, near Lagos has rehabilitated no fewer than 100 Nigerians deported from various countries in the past four years.
The operator of the centre, Mrs Bose Aggrey told newsmen in Lagos  that the deportees were mostly people, who went abroad in search of greener pastures.
Aggrey, who is also the founder of the Web of Hearts Foundation said that she had been collaborating with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI) in looking after the returnees.

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government says it has sponsored 19 medical and engineering students who are indigenes of the state in United Kingdom  and Ukraine universities.
The Executive Secretary of Nasarawa State Scholarship Board,  Mr Suleiman Abdulwahib disclosed this in an interview with newsmen recently in Lafia.
Abdulwahib said that over N160 million was spent on foreign scholarship to 16 indigenes of the state who studied medicine and engineering courses in Ukraine from 2007 to 2012.
He added the government had also spent over N33 million on three indigenes who did their post graduate programmes in UK from to 2016.
He explained that although presently, the state did not have any foreign students, it was working out modalities to award scholarships to indigenes to study in foreign countries.

Oyo
Private hospitals, mission homes and traditional birth attendants in Ibadan are recording tremendous increase in patronage following the on-going nationwide strike by health workers.
Reports indicate that  the health workers’ strike which began September 20 had affected normal medical services in federal government-owned hospitals and the 54 teaching hospitals in Nigeria.
A survey of patronage in some private hospitals in Ibadan revealed that there was a high increase in the number of in- and out-patients at these hospitals.
At Ibadan Central Hospital, a senior nursing officer who pleaded for anonymity said that the hospital had been treating an average of 76 new patients daily since the strike began.

Plateau
The War Against Indiscipline (WAI) Brigade has trained 85 volunteers to fight indiscipline and corruption in Plateau State according to the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Bulus Dabit.
Dabit told newsmen last Monday in Jos that the volunteers went through three months of rigorous training that armed them to tackle the two vices and also inculcate values of patriotism into the society.
“The trainees are ready to serve Nigeria; they are ready to be engaged by the Police for community policing and intelligence gathering,” he said.
He said that the WAI volunteers also known as Community Support Brigade could also augment the efforts of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency  in the fight against drugs abuse.
“Some communities have become notorious for crimes as well as drugs sale and intake”.

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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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