Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Some primary school teachers in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa have been made to forfeit part of their salaries for being perpetually absent in school.The Education Secretary, Malam Danrimi Ahmed, told the newsmen in Mubi on Friday that the teachers were found wanting by a disciplinary committee.Ahmed said the committee, which found seven of the teachers guilty of absenteeism, made them forfeit certain percentage of their salaries based on the number of days each of them was not in class.He added that the amount deducted from the affected teachers salaries was used to purchase exercise books to be distributed free to pupils as compensation.“We have purchased exercise books to be distributed free to pupils as compensation for the lessons they missed because of the teachers absence,” he added.The education secretary noted that the state government and universal basic education board had provided teaching facilities and effected teachers promotion.
FCT
The Head of Agriculture, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, Dr Godwin Abah, says the council plans to boost cassava production in the area.
Abah said in an interview with newsmen in Bwari recently that the council had received improved cassava stems from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture toward realising the goal.
“The samples of the improved stems were planted in our farm, it was harvested and what we got has been very good which encouraged us to look for more for our farmers,” he said.
According to him, the improved stems reduce cultivation time.
“When old stock took about three to four years before harvesting, the improved one was only for six months to one year to ripe for harvest.’’
He called on the farmers to visit the agriculture department of the council to get improved stem for trial and to increased cassava production.
Abah said that extension workers of the council were always on hand to advise farmers on ways of improving their productivity.
Kebbi
The Kebbi House of Assembly has closed deliberations for one week to enable members to verify and solve difficulties faced by civil servants over the e-payment system.
The Chairman, Committee on Information and Culture, Alhaji Rabiu Sallah, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi last Thursday that the e-payment consultants would be invited to explain difficulties in the payment of workers’ salary.
He explained that committees of the House had been mandated to embark on fact-finding visits to ministries and parastatal agencies on the e-payment and proffer solutions.
He urged civil servants to be patient while efforts were made to resolve the problem.
Lagos
Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry on Friday called on the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently find a lasting solution to the problem
in the power sector.
They told newsmen on Friday in separate interviews in Lagos, that the acting president should find lasting solution to the epileptic power to boost the nation’s socio-economic growth.
Mr Tokunbo Korodo, the Chairman of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas NUPENG , Lagos Zone, said there was the need to enforce total and radical changes in the sector to meet the vision 20-2020.
Korodo said the only way to address the problem of gas supply to the power sector is for the acting president to give a standing warning and instruction to all those concerned in the sector.
He said the epileptic power supply had damaged the growth of the nation’s economy.
Mr lssac Arowolo, the President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), said the only way to effectively address the issue of gas supply was for everybody to be committed to the set target.
He said apart from gas, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) should also develop another source of power generation and called for proper utilisation of the gas supply.
Arowolo urged the government to urgently work toward the reform to save the sector from total collapse.
Ondo
Mrs Oluremi Oyo, on Thursday in Akure urged women journalists to embrace capacity building to enable them to cope with the challenges of the profession.
She said that training and re-training were the only way to ensure continuous self-improvement and that “without training, no media woman can meet the challenges of professional demands.”
Oyo spoke at a lecture entitled, “The Media Woman: Challenges, Pains and Gains,” at the 2010 Week of the Nigeria Association of Women journalists (NAWOJ), Ondo State.
“I wish to advise that as a body, you should take the issue of training your members seriously by exploring and exploiting every available opportunity to build their capacity.
“The Internet offers unlimited opportunity for aspiring journalists to develop themselves in various necessary skills for the advancement of their profession.
“I see no reason why journalists should not acquire skills in photography and usage of computer,” she said.
The NAN managing director, who said that the media world would soon experience drastic changes, held that only hard work and tenacity of purpose would see the media woman through.
Osun
Mr Sunday Akere, the Director of Publicity and Strategy of the Action Congress (AC) in Osun, on Thursday commended Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on his choice of ministers.
Akere made the commendation in a telephone interview with newsmen in Osogbo.
“Although, I am still watching the trend of events and I am waiting for the screening of the nominees by the Senate but the ministerial list is okay,” he said.
Akere lauded Jonathan for selecting those who were “versatile and competent in politics’’ as members of the Federal Executive Council.
“I am talking of persons like Prof. Dora Akunyili, the immediate-past Minister of Information and Communications,” he added.
Akere said that although he never supported the idea of recycling ministers, the need for experience could not be compromised in a fledging democracy.
He commended Jonathan for being objective and for not playing politics with issues of national interest.
“This is not a matter of pro- or anti-Yar’Adua; it is a matter of those who can effectively manage the country’s affairs. Therefore, there is no room for sentiments,” he said.
Sokoto
Nigeria Customs officials in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States now use camels to chase smugglers, according to Mr Bitrus Kuyli.
Kuyli, the Comptroller of Customs for the three states, told newsmen on Friday in Sokoto that the animals had made it easier to penetrate the bush parts.
He said that donkeys were also being used as a means of transport in the remotest areas of Kebbi.
“The borders are very long and generally in the bushes hence the need to use the animals.
“The borders are porous and smugglers use all kinds of routes, but the customs officials can penetrate all corners with the use of the animals,” Kuyli said.
The customs chief said that the command was working with traditional rulers in the border communities to check smuggling activities.
“The traditional rulers are expected to assist with information needed to check the activities of smugglers,” he said.
Taraba
Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba has said that the peer review initiative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will aid national development.
The governor said this on Thursday in Jalingo when he received the peer review team of the NGF.
Our correspondent reports that the team was in Taraba to inspect development projects undertaken by the state government and assess their impact on the people.
‘‘The project monitoring exercise, being carried out by the team, will speed up development in the country and it should be encouraged by all,’’ Suntai said.
The governor expressed optimism that the outcome of the exercise would help in shaping government policies and the governors’ desire to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
NGF Director-General Asishana Okauru, who is the leader of the team, told Suntai that the focus of the exercise was on health, education, agriculture, water and other development issues that would enhance the people’s wellbeing.
He said that the peer review exercise was an initiative which the 36 states governors adopted in 2009 to review themselves with a view of encouraging healthy competition in development programming.
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government has expressed concern over the activities of land speculators using fake documents to defraud the public in some parts of the state.
Alhaji Bashir Madaro, the Commissioner of Land and Survey, expressed the worry in a statement issued in Gusau on Friday Gusau.
It quoted Madaro as advising the public to desist from land speculation and developing reserved areas meant for public use or face the wrath of the law.
The statement quoted him as urging the public to always transact land businesses with government to avoid being involved in shady deals.
“Appropriate documents relating to land transactions must be obtained from the ministry directly without any mediation, because the ministry will no longer entertain complaints on such issues,’’ it warned.
Nation
Party Chieftain Hails LG Boss’ Dev Strides
Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwuche has extolled the sterling leadership being provided by the Chairman of the council, Hon Iyeko Okporo, describing it as unprecedented.
Hon Chukwuemeka described the council chairman as God-sent, considering his achievements in just 100 days in office.
The PDP chieftain said the chairman has rekindled the hope and trust of the people in grassroots governance.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for enabling his people to have his replica at Akinima.
He explained that the solar water project, the Late Eze Ekpeye Logbo 11 palace fencing, generator house rebuilding and town hall, all in Odiereke Ubie Community can best be described as the hallmark of true leadership.
He said the projects have direct bearing on the basic needs of the people who have suffered untold hardship and bad governance until the saviour came into office.
“ It is thunderous, as you can see the organic support and show of love to the performing chairman. Our people are overwhelmed seeing one of their own touching lives in a special way. As a community ,we have been in the past years without drinking water, but just two months in office, the chairman has provided not just drinking water, but a well-treated solar water project. Okporo is God-sent, no wonder he is nicknamed such. We have compared notes with other chairmen in the past and came to the conclusion that what he is doing in 100 days is overwhelming. Governor Fubara has made us proud by allowing a level playing field that necessitated the emergency of the chairman. You can see the women, men, youths and traditional rulers all saying one thing. God bless Governor Fubara for giving us our own. We owe him prayers and unwavering support,” he said.
In her welcome address, the Ward 9 councillor, Hon Catherine Uriah showered encomiums on the chairman for addressing the basic needs of the people in just 100 days in office.
Hon Uriah also thanked the Governor for allowing the will of the people to prevail in the just concluded local government elections which produced the God fearing chairman.
She said the people of Ward 9 as well as Ahoada West are pleased with the chairman because he is doing well.
She said the people will go to length to show support to him in his determination to redefine governance at the grassroots.
Nation
Group Plans Pilot Farm Programme For 50 Schools
A community-based non-governmental organisation, The Peoples Encouragers Initiative, is planning a pilot farm project for 50 schools in both Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Executive Director of the organisation, Chukwuma Abraham disclosed this at the recent International Human Rights Day celebration at Ahoada, headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area.
Abraham said the proposed programme which gulps the sum of N45million was intended to bring the youths back to the land and make them self-reliant.
“We hope to mobilise the factors of production inherent in all the schools through this programme to achieve two basic objectives of building self reliant youths and to create a viable and sustainable stream of income for our schools,” he said.
He said the programmme will also keep the youth busy and impact farming skills, stressing that each of the participating schools is expected to nominate at least two members of staff to coordinate and supervise the programme while10 students will be elected as executive members to administer the programmme on a day to day basis in their various schools.
“Every school has a sizeable portion of arable land to carry out the programme of establishing a functional farm in their chosen area of interest. We are hoping to mobilise an estimated N45 million to enable us set up the pilot farms across the 50 schools within Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas,” he said.
He said the celebration was to draw attention of both the Nigerian government and the international community to the issue of human rights violation, adding that findings by the organisation has shown that insecurity and youth unemployment worsened over the past few years as a result of the insecurity that engulfed the Orashi region of the State. We also found out that the high level of cultism and social unrest within our environment is mostly fuelled by the high use of illicit drugs among the youths. This programme will afford us the opportunity to take a tour through the universal declaration of human rights and reinforce on our youths the understanding that substance abuse can lead to crime, crime can lead to jail term and criminal record can blight their future dreams and life for ever,”he said.
Also speaking, the representative of the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ikporo Freedom urged the students to shun all forms of anti-social behaviours especially during the holiday season.
He also warned them against joining bad groups and stressed the need for the organisation to include private schools in the programme.
The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Council, Hon Ezu R .C . Hezekiah represented by his Deputy, Hon Ununuma Odoi pledged the support of the council to the programme.
He also urged other groups in the area to emulate The Peoples Encouragers Initiative by organizing programms that will impact on the lives of the people.
John Bibor
Nation
NCSU Flays Police Take Over Of Rivers PDP Secretariat
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has condemned the take over of the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State by the police, saying the action is against the tenets and principles of the rule of law.
This is even as the union has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call to order the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike for allegedly orchestrating and instigating the crisis rocking the PDP in the State.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who made the condemnation in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the police have no right to take over the PDP secretariat, as a ploy to provide cover and protection for members of the state executive of the party loyal to Wike, who were recently sacked by a court of competent jurisdiction in the State.
According to him, the action of the police is in clear defiance of a court ruling sacking the party executives at all levels in the State, instead of taking steps to enforce same.
He regretted that the police have consistently been showing that they are not appreciative of the logistic support Governor SiminalayiFubara has been extending to them, by openly demonstrating their bias, loyalty and allegiance to Wike and his supporters, contrary to their rules of engagement, which uphold and recognise absolute neutrality.
He said the Minister is wasting his time if he thinks that he could destroy the State by orchestrating and instigating needless crisis that is capable of making the State ungovernable, and appealed to President Tinubu to call him and his supporters to order.
Commenting on the fate of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the State, who defected from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress(APC), Osumah said their fate is apparently sealed, as the Supreme Court had already given judgment in a similar case, saying, Wike is merely wasting his time by using the lawmakers against Governor Fubara, and causing unnecessary problem in the State.
He said if the Minister and his supporters do not retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the NCSU would have no choice than to mobilise all civil servants in the State, to troop out to the streets and protest against them.
The labour leader stressed the need for the police to vacate the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, and respect the High Court ruling which declared the congresses of the party in the State null and void.
While reiterating the need for President Tinubu to call Wike to order, Osumah said the President cannot continue to fold his arms and watch the Minister continuously make frantic efforts to destroy his State.
He also carpeted those blaming Governor Fubara administration for the recent gruesome murder of a Chief Security Officer(CSO) and his son in Igwuruta Ali community, saying those making such insinuations and attributing the sad incident to security lapses on the part of the state government, are missing the point.
He noted that by empowering the police in the State with several operational vehicles and other logistics, it was expected that the police would reciprocate the gesture, by living up to their constitutional obligation of protecting lives and property in the State, contending that Governor Fubara has been playing his part of guaranteeing security in the State.
He said the State is generally peaceful and safe, and challenged those criticising the Governor to cast their minds and attention to what is happening in other parts of the country, where killings and other social vices have become the order of the day.
Osumah cited as an example the recent killings in Ebonyi State by Fulani herdsmen as well as incidences of kidnapping and banditry in several other States of the federation, and wondered if Governor Fubara could be held responsible for such anomalies.
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
Oborevwori Tasks Public Officers On Selflessness
-
Maritime2 days ago
Nigerian Customs Personnel And Smuggling Curtailment
-
Business2 days ago
Bayelsa Begins EIA On 60MW Power Plant
-
Rivers1 day ago
Ogonis Endorse Dialogue On Oil Extraction Resumption
-
Sports5 days ago
Kano Pillars Signs two Europe returnees, four others
-
Sports2 days ago
FA Cup: Minnows Stun Liverpool, End Dream
-
News2 days ago
Jail Break: NSCDC Deploys More Armed Officers To Custodial Centres
-
News5 days ago
Shake-ups At Federal Varsities As Tinubu Sacks UniAbuja, UNN VCs, Appoints New Leaders