Adamawa

The ongoing strike by civil servants in Adamawa has paralysed activities at the courts, schools, hospitals and other public institutions in the Mubi Local Government Area for the second day.

The Tide’s source, reports that the civil servants embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday following a disagreement with the state government over wages and improved working conditions.

The source who visited key government offices and schools reports that armed security personnel had been deployed to protect the property there.

At the Mubi North Local Government Secretariat, the main entrance was closed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)officials who were going round to enforce compliance with the strike directive.

Bauchi

Dr Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Catholic Diocese of Jos, has enjoined priests to serve as models and lead people to Christ.

He made the call in Bauchi during the ordination of five priests at St. John’s Cathedral Church, Bauchi at the weekend.

The cleric told the newly ordained priests that they were called to be like Jesus Christ, hence the need to emulate him in all spheres of life.

The Archbishop also told them to preach the word of God to the poor and those hungry for the word of God.

Kaigama said they were expected to offer sacrifice to God and forgiveness of sins as well as offer bread and wine to Christ.

“You are also to reconcile people who have gone far away from God and bring peace of Christ to the injured families and ethnic groups.

“As priests of God, you are to offer forgiveness of sins on behalf of Jesus Christ, you should be a bridge through which people will pass to God,’’ he said.

Kaigama told them that for them to be able to perform their duties effectively, they must be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Ekiti

Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State yesterday advised students to study courses which would make them to be self employed.

Oni, who gave the advice at an inaugural lecture at the Ekiti State University of Science and Technology, Ifaki-Ekiti, also admonished the students to shun cultism.

Represented by his deputy, Dr. Sikiru Lawal, the governor charged the students to be employers of labour rather than scramble for white collar jobs.

“The rate of unemployment in the country is a concern to all well-meaning Nigerians, especially those in leadership positions.

“Students should strive to go for courses that will make them self-reliant and employers of labour,” Oni said.

FCT

The NNPC and the PHCN yesterday in Abuja, signed a Gas Supply and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) for gas supply for improved power generation in Nigeria.

The pact is expected to deepen Federal Government’s commitment to rapidly reposition the domestic gas market for sustainability.

Egbin Generating Company Ltd. A subsidiary of the PHCN and NNPC/Pan Ocean Corporation Joint Venture, are joint executors of the gas-to-power agreement.

Speaking at the event, Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke said the agreement would underpin the supply of 65 million cubic feet of gas per day from Pan Ocean’s Ogharafe Gas Plant to Egbin.

She said the NNPC/SPDC JV and NNPC/Chevron JV would also supply gas to Egbin to boost generation.

Kaduna

The National Blood Transfusion Service NBTS) says it collected 2,989 units of blood from voluntary donors in the past one year.

Dr Abigail Bozegha, the North West Zonal Coo-rdinator of the centre, told newsmen on the occasion of this year’s World Blood Donor Day in Kaduna, that the blood was collected between June 2009 and June this year.

She said 2,516 units of the blood had been distributed to patients in various health institutions in the zone, adding that “the blood went through normal screening and test before being given out to needy people.’’

Bozegha added that the remaining units could not be released for various reasons.

The co-ordinator said the theme for this year’s world blood day campaign was “New Blood for the World’’.

She said blood pressure check, weighing and blood group test services wouldbe provided to walk-in donors free during the week-long event.

Kano

The Kano State Association of Community Pharmacists has urged the management of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to involve its members in the implementation of the programme.

The Chairman of the association, Dr Sadiq Inuwa, made the request in Kano at an interactive session involving NHIS officials, the operators and beneficiaries of the scheme.

“As qualified and registered pharmacists, we request that we be allowed to render our service to the scheme in order to contribute to its success,” Inuwa said.

He said the hospitals and clinics involved in the scheme should not be the only ones to implement it “because we too have a role to play as professionals”.

The chairman suggested that patients should be made to purchase the drugs prescribed for them by the clinics from pharmacists, especially where such hospitals did not have standard pharmacies.

He said the same gesture should be extended to the laboratories and X-ray centres outside the hospitals.

Inuwa explained that the measure would boost the patronage of pharmacies.

Katsina

In a bid to promote self reliance and encourage poultry farming, Kankara Local Government in Katsina State has distributed 1,000 chickens to less privileged persons.

Alhaji Ibrahim Kasko, the Council’s Supervisory Councillor of Education and Social Services Department, told on Saturday that the effort was part of its poverty alleviation programme.

Kasko explained that the beneficiaries, mostly women, were selected from the 11 political wards of the council, adding that each of them got four to five chickens.

He noted that 300 goats were also distributed to orphans and other vulnerable families to empower them economically.

The councillor commended Governor Ibrahim Shema and Kankara Local Government chairman, Alhaji Mamman Sani, for their policies aimed at uplifting peoples living condition.

He pointed out that construction and expansion of schools, roads, hospitals as well as provision of water and electricity across the state had proven their distinctive leadership styles.

Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday in Lagos said it arrested 2,883 suspected drug traffickers between January and May 2010.

A statement issued by Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, Head of Public Affairs of the NDLEA said that the suspects included 2,780 males and 103 females.

According to the statement, 77,796.12kg of narcotic drugs were seized from the suspects.

The statement said that cannabis, popularly called Indian hemp, formed the biggest chunk at 77,267.04 kg.

It said psychotropic substances accounted for 419.59 kg of the seizures, while cocaine and heroin of 82.281 kg and 27.21 kg respectfully, made up the balance.

The statement also disclosed that 674 offenders were convicted by the law courts within the period.    

Ogun

The Ijebu-Ode Local Government Council in Ogun has engaged the services of town criers to educate the people on the dangers of dumping of refuse in the drainage system.

Mr Rotimi Ojuyiingbo, Chief Environmental Officer of the council, said that the measure was part of the council’s public enlightenment campaign against dumping of refuse in public drains.

Ojuyiingbo told newsmen in Ijebu-Ode in Ogun yesterday that the dumping of refuse in drains had caused flooding in the town.

He said that the campaign would take the town criers to all the markets and houses in the town on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of each week.

Oyo

An Ibadan Grade ‘C’ Customary Court yesterday dissolved the five-year-old marriage between Azeez Musibau and Kafilat Musibau on the grounds of jealousy and stubbornness.

Musibau, an Islamic cleric, told the court that his wife was stubborn and had not given him peace of mind to carry out his duties in the mosque.

He also said that Kafilat did not trust him and was always accusing him of having extra-marital affairs with women during Islamic meetings.

The man added that he never understood why his wife thought he was unfaithful, as he had done his best not to let her down.

He told the court that before he became an Islamic cleric, he lost the two children he had from Kafilat.

But Kafilat accused her husband of infidelity by bringing different women into their matrimonial home.

Plateau

The Plateau Government says it has concluded arrangements to “flood” Jos and Bukuru towns with taxi cabs following the ban on commercial motorcycle operation in the two towns.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Gregory Yenlong, disclosed the plan in Jos yesterday.

Yenlong said that the state government was only waiting for the statistics of the commercial motorcyclists, popularly, especially in Jos, as they would be the prime beneficiaries of the cabs.

The commissioner also said that government would assist interested civil servants and some of the former commercial motorcyclists with loans to enable them buy their own cabs.

He, however, said that government was not considering the option of tricycles for now.