Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
A total of 2,573 Pilgrims from Adamawa and Taraba states were transported to Saudi Arabia from Yola International Airport on Monday.
Malma Liman Muhammad, the National Coordinator of the National Hajj Commission, Yola Zone, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Yola.
He said that two Airline operators; Kabo and Max Air, were operating in the Yola zone.
Liman said that Kabo Air had so far transported 1,573 pilgrims from Adamawa in three trips while Max Air also transported 1,000 from Taraba in two trips.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has donated N10 million to the University of Maiduguri to boost learning in the institution.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Muhammad Daura, made the disclosure when he received Prof. Musa Maisamari in his office in Maiduguri.
Maisamari is the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Commission for Youth and Women Rehabilitation and Development (BACYWORD).
This is contained in a statement signed by Malam Chindo Waziri, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the commission.
Borno
Gov. Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State last Monday appealed for the deployment of more soldiers to contain the current spate of killings by suspected Boko Haram sect members.
“I want to appeal for the deployment of additional troops to the state for effective security coverage.
“The number is inadequate, especially when viewed against the fact that Borno is the only state in Nigeria that shared a common border with three countries,” Sheriff said.
Ekiti
Cocoa farmers in Ekiti, under the aegis of Cocoa Growers Association (CAN) are seeking the state government soft loans for them to rejuvenate their aging farms.
The Chairman of the association, Mr. Ibitoye Francis made the request in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.
He disclosed that over 10,000 cocoa farmers were in the state adding that experience also showed that they needed the loan to maintain the existing cocoa farms and cultivate more Cocoa farms in the state.
FCT
ActionAid Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said election riggers and manipulators should be made to face the wrath of the law.
The Country Director of ActionAid, Mr Hussaini Abdu, made the suggestion following the victory of Dr Kayode Fayemi as Governor of Ekiti State at the Court of Appeal last Friday.
Abdu told newsmen last Monday in Abuja that the judgment passed by the Court of Appeal showed the doggedness and commitment of the judiciary.
According to him, Ekiti people are now going to rip the dividends of democracy.
Katsina
Parents in Katsina State have appealed to the state government to re-consider its decision on de-boarding of secondary schools, which they said was inimical to the education of their children.
They made the appeal last Monday in separate interviews with newsmen in Katsina, Daura, Mani, Malumfashi, Dutsinma and Funtua towns.
Kogi
The Kogi Government has released N72 million to NAPEP to fight poverty in the state.
Dr Grace Gunwa, the state Coordinator of NAPEP, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lokoja that 295 households would benefit from the fund.
She said the money was approved in March by Gov. Ibrahim Idris when he saw the very good work the state chapter of the agency was doing in empowering the needy to alleviate poverty in the state.
Gunwa said the money would be used to reach out to more beneficiaries, especially in the 11 local government areas the agency had accessed.
Lagos
The police last Monday in Lagos arraigned four men before an Ebute Meta Magistrate‘s Court for allegedly stealing and receiving cosmetics valued at N4.2 million.
The accused Anibueze Ogbuka, 32, Ifeanyi Omenife, 22, Ebere Nwose, 30 and Edwin Ikeanyi, 45, were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, burglary, stealing and receiving stolen goods.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each granted N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate, Mr T. Abolarinwa, adjourned the case till October 27, for further hearing.
Ogun
A Physiotherapist, Mrs Toyin Olatunji, has attributed persistent low back pain among adults to their failure to maintain healthy weight.
Olatunji, who is of the Physiotherapy Department, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, told newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday that the only antidote was through weight control.
The physiotherapist who defined low back pain as “a feeling of tiredness, discomfort or pain in the lower back region”, said that 70 per cent to 85 per cent of the adult population would have back complaints during their lifetime.
Osun
Osun State government has commenced the implementation of Road Traffic Law to decongest vehicles on the roads.
The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Chief Soji Longe made this known in Osogbo last Monday.
Oyo
The appeal case filed by Mr Rauf Aregbesola, governorship candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against Gov Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun suffered yet another adjournment yesterday in Ibadan.
Aregbesola is challenging the election of Oyinlola as the governor of Osun in the April 12, 2007 governorship election.
Plateau
As the start of 2010 Jos Trade Fair draws near, the Plateau Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (PLACCIMA) has assured participants of adequate security and amenities.
The trade fair starts from October 20 to November 2.
Mr Jack Bot, the Executive Director of PLACCIMA, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Jos last Monday.
He said that the chamber had concluded arrangements with security agencies to ensure that “maximum protection” of all exhibitors was guaranteed.
Sokoto
Two intending female pilgrims from Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State have been barred from travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform the 2010 Hajj.
Authorities detected that the two women were seven-month pregnant during a screening exercise in Sokoto on Monday.
It also reported that the women were part of the 501 intending pilgrims from Gada Local Government Area, who were to be airlifted in the first batch from the state.
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government has dethroned the District Head of Bakura, Alhaji Bello Yusuf, for undisclosed reasons.
Until his removal, Yusuf was the most senior District Head in Bakura Emirate.
His dethronment was announced yesterday in Gusau in a statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Isyaka Zurmi.
It said that the deposition took immediate effect, and directed Yusuf to hand over all government property in his possession to the Secretary to the State Council of Chiefs.
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.
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