Adamawa

As the rainy season sets in, the Adamawa State Government has commenced the training of rural farmers’ groups and extension officers on commercial farming.

Malam Usman Pallam, the Director, Planning, in the state Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed this to newsmen in Mubi, one of the five training centres in the state.

Pallam said the training was part of measures to transform agricultural practice in the state.

“The present administration initiated this programme to change the present system of agriculture in the state which is subsistence to commercial.

“We are trying to do that by building the capacity of our farmers by imparting knowledge and skills in farming.

Bauchi

The Senate President, David Mark, has said that the internal crisis rocking the PDP would be amicably resolved.

Mark who was speaking on Sunday in Gamawa, Bauchi State, while receiving Sen. Nazif Gamawa, who defected to the PDP, said the current crisis would make the party stronger.

He said that efforts were going on to resolve the crisis amicably, adding that all the contending parties had demonstrated their interest in the well-being of the party.

According to him, most of those who left the party at local government, state and national levels are making efforts to return.

The Senate President also solicited support for a second term for Governor Isa Yuguda to enable him complete his developmental programmes.

Ekiti

The Ekiti State Government plans to establish an international market for plantain/banana at Ilawe-Ekiti, in Ekiti South West Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Segun Oni, who made this known at Ilawe-Ekiti, said the project is aimed at boosting the revenue base of the area.

Oni spoke during the handing-over ceremony of a Toyota bus to St. Peter’s, Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, Ilawe-Ekiti, and a Toyota Corolla car to Mr.Dayo Olugbade, the youth leader of the community.

The vehicles were donated by a philanthropist, Mr. Sina Awelewa, who also awarded a N60,000 scholarship to Mr. Gbenga Arisoyin, a law student from the community.

FCT

Mrs Justina Okoror, Chairperson of the Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT), the female body of the Chartered Institute of Taxation in Nigeria (CITN), has said that women are mostly affected by tax policies.

Okoror said this at a press briefing in Abuja to announce the forthcoming inauguration of SWIT and the investiture ceremony of its chairperson and other members.

“In the Nigerian society, those affected mostly by tax policies are women who are mostly at the lowest point of the economic ladder,’’ Okoror said.

“Indeed tax governance in Nigeria must be made to be friendlier towards the female gender. It is therefore important that they must have voice and be heard on issues that affect them in this sector.’’

She said some of the taxes affecting rural women included multiple taxation and extortion, among others.

Kaduna

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has solicited the support of the Methodist Church of Nigeria in curbing preventable communicable diseases.

The Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr Mohammed Pate, made the call in Kaduna on Monday during an advocacy visit to the Methodist Bishops’ Council of Nigeria.

Pate urged the Church to complement government efforts in addressing health issues, including the prevention and treatment of diseases.

He specifically appealed to the Church to offer special prayers for the eradication of diseases in the country.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government said it spent N587.1 million between 2007 and 2008 on the provision of electricity to 72 rural communities.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Muazu, and made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.

The statement said the government spent the money on power projects because “it is one sector that could not be ignored for economic development.”

“Completed rural electrification projects have since been energised and linked to the national grid and only a few are yet to be commissioned,” it said.

Kwara

Ten residential buildings obstructing water mains in Ilorin metropolis would be demolished, the Kwara State Commissioner for Works, Dr Abubakar Kannike, said on Monday.

Kannike, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee set up to fast track the delivery of water infrastructure in the state capital, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.

He said the location of the buildings had hindered the speedy construction of the water mains.

He gave assurance that compensation would be paid to owners of property that might be affected by the ongoing construction work.

He, therefore, urged them to cooperate with the contractor as exercise was in the interest of all.

The commissioner advised property owners to adhere to the specified rules when building along the highways.

Lagos

Governor  Sule Lamido of Jigawa State said he is not interested in the 2011 Presidential race.

“Honestly before God Almighty I am not interested. I am too old for that kind of thing. It should be left for the next generation,’’ Lamido told newsmen at  the Murtala Muhammed Airport before his departure for Jigawa.

On the zoning of the presidency to the Northern part of the country by the ruling PDP, Lamido said that although the zoning of the presidency is in the party’s constitution, the nation’s constitution is superior to that of any party.

Nasarawa

A new book entitled “Leadership Issues” has been launched in Mararaba near Abuja.

Making the presentation on Monday, Pastor Dan Asukwo of Deeper Life Bible Church, called on Nigerians to imbibe the habit of reading intellectual publications to enhance their knowledge in various areas.

He lauded the ingenuity of the author, Pastor Charles Nelson, for his courage in writing the book, and urged the audience to purchase the book as he was “proud to present it to the public”.

The chairperson at the event, Mrs Constance Udeh, Head, Department of Languages, G.D.S.S. Karu, Abuja, stressed the importance of leadership.

Leadership, accrding to her, starts from home, in the church, places of work, in government, and all other organised places in the society.

Ondo

More than 25,000 PDP  members in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Akure announced their defection to the ruling Labour Party (LP).

The defection comes barely one week after thousands of PDP, Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress (AC) supporters in Akoko SouthWest/NorthEast Federal constituency joined the party.

Addressing a news conference, the spokesman of  the group, Mr Gbenga Edema, hinged their decision to quit PDP on activities of some “hawks who have hijacked the affairs and soul of the party”.

Osun

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun Council, has called on media owners in the country to embark on upward review of welfare package for journalists.

This was contained in a statement in commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, signed by the assistant secretary of the council, Goke Butika and made available to newsmen in Osogbo.

The council advised media organisations to institute insurance scheme that would indemnify journalists against the hazards of the profession.

It further stated that nothing short of a good remuneration would further enhance the practice of journalism in the country.

Oyo

 The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, has said that Oke-Ogun Community in Oyo State would give total support to Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in the 2011 general elections.

Ojerinde, who is a native of the community, made the statement at Okaka in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of the state while speaking in an interview with newsmen.

“Our support is based on physical development of the area, because the governor has constructed roads which no other administrations has done in the history of Oyo State,” Ojerinde said.

The Registrar called on the National Assembly to quicken the process of amending the constitution for the creation of new states for the socio-economic development of the country.

                                    Sokoto

Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Muktar  Shagari has charged politicians to learn to deliver on their campaign promises.

Shagari, who gave the charge recently in Sokoto when the Peer Review team of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Secretariat visited him, said that was the only way they could secure re-election.

The team was in the state in continuation of its project inspection and peer review exercise, an initiative of the 36 governors and National Economic Council.  

                                    Zamfara

The Federal Government has urged states and local government councils in the country to intensify effort toward environmental conservation to safeguard lives.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suleman Bello, made the call on Sunday in Dangaladima in the Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara, where the second wild polio-virus was reported in the country.

Bello said that the call had become necessary because “the greatest challenge of our time, is the issue of climate change that has direct bearing on human life.

“I therefore call on you to assist the government in the area of environmental conservation, by taking measures that would curb indiscriminate felling of trees, pollution and improve environmental sanitation,” Bello said.