FCT
The World Health Organisation (WHO) last Tuesday in Abuja urged employers globally to treat mental health illnesses with the same urgency and seriousness as physical illnesses.
WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti gave the advice in a message to mark the 2017 World Mental Health Day celebrated annually on October10.
Moeti said that mental health was often neglected as a key aspect of employees’ health, adding that an estimated 10 per cent of the employed population globally had taken time off work because of depression.
She urged employers to be change agents by modifying risk factors for stress in the workplace, create an organisational climate that promotes wellbeing, creativity and facilitate care for those who need it.

Kaduna
The Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Aminu Shagali, has urged members of the House to sponsor private bills that would add value to ongoing reforms in the state and lives of their constituents.
Shagali said in an address on the floor of the assembly, which resumed after a long recess that the assembly would support any member who presents bills that would have meaningful impact on the lives of the citizenry.
He noted that though the assembly had deliberated on a total of 55 bills since inception, they were largely sponsored by the executive.
The speaker, however, commended the lawmakers for conducting oversight visits and public hearings in spite of the recess.

Kano
Kano State Government has reiterated commitment to initiate more youth and women empowerment programmes to fight unemployment and poverty in the state.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said this when participants of Course 26 of the National Defence College, Abuja on Geo-Strategic Study tour of Kano State paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Kano.
Speaking on the theme of the Geo-Strategic Tour, “Youth Empowerment and National Security’’, Ganduje said, “most of our programmes are geared toward youths and women empowerment.”
The governor said the state government would continue to initiate more youth empowerment programmes in order to train more youths in different skills to also reduce social vices.
“Government has done this in the past and is still doing its best to reduce the rate of unemployment, youths’ restiveness, poverty.

Katsina
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Katsina State has commenced a state-wide campaign to sensitise women on protective measures against rape.
The NAWOJ Chairperson in the state, Hajiya Hauwa Yalladan,  said at a town hall meeting with women in Kaita Local Government Area of the state last Wednesday, that the campaign was part of the association’s efforts to highlight the dangers of rape in the society.
She said that NAWOJ decided to spearhead the campaign in view of rising cases of rape across the state.
“Rape cases in the state are becoming more rampant, no parent will want his daughter to become a victim.
“It has now reached an extent that even boys are not safe from rapists, so, we want all stakeholders to join hands to put an end to the menace,’’ the NAWOJ chairperson said.

Kogi
The Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole says  the House will enact laws that will promote the education and emancipation of the girl-child in the state.
Kolawole gave the assurance in a goodwill message to mark the 2017 International Day of the Girl-Child last Wednesday in Lokoja.
The message was signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Femi Olugbemi.
He said the House would support and promote every cause that would enable women and girls to take their rightful positions in society.

Kwara
Members of the llorin Muslim Community in Kwara State say they would exhume the corpse of a civil servant killed by lightening on September 20, in Oro,  lrepodun Local Government Area.
The Coordinator of the llorin Muslim cemetery and a lecturer in the University of llorin, Dr Abubakar Aliagan made this known in an interview with newsmen in llorin.
Aliagan said that the llorin Muslim Community had perfected arrangement to exhume the corpse to give him proper lslamic burial.
A correspondent reports that the victim, a 47-year old Salami Adekunle who was a staff of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro was buried at a Christian cemetery Okeose on September  21.
Adekunle was buried after his body was rejected at the Muslim cemetery in llorin.

Lagos
A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Vincent Ezezue has urged the three tiers of government and wealthy Nigerians to empower the less-privileged to make them productive in the society.
Ezezue, also the Parish Priest of St. Michael, Raphael and Gabriel’s Catholic Church (Archangel Parish), Satellite Town, Lagos made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He spoke on the sidelines of the feast of Saint Vincent the Paul organised by the church.
Ezezue said, “It is necessary to always consider the needy and bring them closer to God by extending hands of fellowship to them.
“When we are marking the feast of Saint Vincent the Paul, our usual tradition is to gather the poor and the less privileged around us to share food items, clothes and other relief materials which they need.”

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service last Wednesday said that 25 inmates were undergoing degree courses at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in the state.
The State Controller of Prisons, Ekwere Ekaneem, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen last Wednesday in Lafia.
According to him, 20 inmates of Keffi Prisons and five inmates of Lafia Prisons are currently studying various courses at the NOUN study centre in Lafia.

Niger
The Niger State Government has signed N1.2 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to improve healthcare delivery in the state.
Reports indicate that Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State signed on behalf of the state while Dr Chris Elias, President of Global Development, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signed for the foundation.
Bello who decried the neglect of the health sector in the past years said that the MoU would help strengthen the primary healthcare and reduce pressure on the secondary health sector.

Osun
The Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr Kola Omotunde-Young has advised  members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) serving in public schools in the state to be dedicated to their duties.
He also urged the Federal Government Youth Empowerment Programme (N-Power), serving in such institutions to do same.
The commissioner gave the advice during an inspection visit to the Africa Church Middle School in Osogbo last Tuesday.
Omotunde-Young said by being passionately dedicated to their duties, the corps members and the r volunteers would be seen to be contributing their quota to the development of education in the state.

Oyo
A Consultant Dermatologist at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Adebola Ogunbiyi has that hair problems among Nigerian women have become worrisome, stressing the need for hair management and hygiene.
Ogunbiyi who made this assertion while speaking with newsmen on health issues in Ibadan said Nigerians do not have adequate knowledge on how best to manage their hair.

Plateau
A Jos High Court has found  Etisalat Nigeria (9 Mobile)  guilty of trespassing into a personal property and ordered it to pay N15 million damages.
The judge, Mr Justice R.K. Sha  ordered that the plaintiff be given the  property.
The judgment was based on a suit filed by Christ Best West Africa Limited, Plaintiff versus Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (Etisalat Nigeria).
Sha said that the act of running and maintaining the mast on the property amounted to trespass and constituted a nuisance to the rights of the plaintiff to exclusively use and enjoy the property.