Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa Police Command has mobilised 4,000 personnel to ensure security for the two-day campaign visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Yola, scheduled for today and tomorrow.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Akelere Shinaba, disclosed this in Yola on Monday while addressing newsmen.
Shinaba said various units of the police, including Bomb Squad, Mounted troop, Police Dog and a detachment of Mobile Police from Enugu, had been mobilised for the presidential campaign visit.
“We are going to be civil, courteous but very firm in the discharge of our duty.
“We are not out to intimidate anybody but we will deal with anyone who tries to foment trouble,” Shinaba said.
He advised the public to cooperate with the police and other security operatives that would direct them on moving in and out of Ribadu Square, venue of the campaign rally, to avoid incidents such as stampede.
The Commissioner also assured journalists of unfettered access to cover Jonathan’s presidential campaign.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has approved the implementation of 27.5 per cent allowance for teachers in the state and local government employ, one year after some states had implemented.
Following agreement reached between the national body of the NUT and the 36 governors, the latter had agreed to pay the 27.5 per cent in the allowances of teachers as from January 2010.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Civil Service, Establishment and ServiCom Matters, Alhaji Hudu Yunusa, in Bauchi yesterday.
The statement said that government had approved the new allowances and incentives for teachers in secondary schools in addition to the already existing Teachers Salary Scale (TSS).
“The allowances include the 20 per cent Inducement, 10 per cent Rural, Examination/ Supervision, 10 per cent Learning Society and five per cent Responsibility.
Others are the five per cent Hazard, five per cent English, 10 per cent Mathematics and 10 per cent Science Courses Allowances,” it said.
Benue
Chief Obadiah Ando, the Minister of Water Resources, has laid the foundation stone of a N17 billion multi-purpose earth dam in Otobi, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue.
Ando said on the occasion that the dam, billed for completion in two and a half years, had the capacity to supply 30 million cubic metres of water.
He said the hydro-power component of the dam had the capacity to generate five megawatts of electricity for the people of Otukpo and its environs.
“The Otukpo multi-purpose dam is designed to supply water to several communities and irrigate 2,000 hectares of land downstream of the dam,” the minister said on Monday.
He said the Federal Government had committed a lot of resources to the development of dams and irrigation projects nationwide to boost economic activities ensure food security and enhance the wellbeing of the people.
FCT
Justice Hussein Baba of the FCT High Court yesterday in Abuja threatened to send out any lawyer who is “shabbily” dressed.
Baba, who expressed his disappointment at the way some lawyers appeared in court, said there was an urgent need for change in the dress code of lawyers in Abuja.
“I will not tolerate counsel who dress shabbily to court. You are supposed to wear your white stiff wing collar with bands hanging down the front of the neck.
“You are also supposed to wear either a black double-breasted suit or with a waist coat if single-breasted or a black coat and waist coat and grey pin striped trousers.
“These are the basic things you were taught in Law School. This is a High Court. Your appearance matters here,” Baba said.
Meanwhile, Baba has fixed May 8 for judgment in a murder case filed against an accused, Paul Owolo, by the State (Ministry of Justice).
Katsina
The Katsina State Transport Authority (KTSTA) has released N2.7 million to the families of 11 passengers who died in a recent accident involving one of its buses.
Presenting cheques totalling N1.7 million to the second batch of seven families in Katsina on Tuesday, the General Manager of the authority, Alhaji Sirajo Makera, said four families had earlier received N1 million.
He explained that each deceased passenger’s family received N250,000 being part of the insurance scheme entered between the authority and an insurance company for the safety of passengers.
The manager said the payment was not meant to compensate the families of the deceased, but was a palliative measure.
Kebbi
Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State has promised to provide more amenities to the people of Gwandu Local Government Area if re-elected.
The governor, who is the PDP flag bearer in the April election, made the pledge while addressing party supporters in Gwandu on Monday.
“The provision of 20 kilometres of roads in this area would be executed during my second tenure,” he said.
He said in the last four years, N820million was spent on the provision of a new General Hospital and township roads.
“The hospital was provided at N685million while N135million was spent on roads. “If you elect me in April 2011, my focus would be on improvement of amenities for better living conditions as well as youth empowerment.
“Job opportunities would be created to promote self reliance,” he added. He appealed to youths in the area to shun politics of violence and money.
Kogi
Workers in Kogi began an indefinite strike on Monday to protest alleged government refusal to fulfill agreements on the payment of allowances to them, labour said.
A statement, issued by Abdulsalami Ojanaun, on behalf of NLC and TUC in Lokoja yesterday, described the strike as a last resort by the workers.
Labour recalled that the issues in dispute were the same on which government and labour agreed last year but that the government had reneged its part of the bargain.
The statement recalled that the government issued a circular on February 17, stating that “Federal circulars not adopted or domesticated would not apply in the state.”
The workers are demanding the payment of salary relativity to core civil servants and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to health workers.
Lagos
Doctors in federal hospitals in Lagos on Monday embarked on strike in sympathy with their striking colleagues in Lagos State Government-owned health institutions.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) last Friday directed doctors in all federal hospitals, apart from those in the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), to join the strike.
The NMA said the strike, beginning from Monday, was in support of their colleagues in Lagos State hospitals, following the refusal of the state government to meet their demands.
Doctors in the state hospitals on October 4, 2010 began a strike to press for the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), a reduction of tax and the re-instatement of a dismissed colleague. Our correspondent, who visited the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, and the Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, on Monday reports that there were no doctors to attend to patients in the two institutions, and only nurses were available at the psychiatric hospital.
A nurse at the psychiatric hospital, who elected to remain anonymous, said that the doctors were not around, adding, “we have only nurses and nurse assistants working in the hospital today and we are doing the work of the doctors,” she said.
It was discovered that resident doctors also abandoned their duty posts at the LUTH, leaving only nurses and consultants to attend to patients.
Plateau
Eight residents of the Tin Mines Quarters, Jos, have appeared before a Kabong Upper Area Court for alleged conspiracy and unauthorised entry into some houses without the manager’s consent.
The accused persons are Musa Silas, Pam Chuwang, Chuwang Silas, Yohanna Davou, Challom Sho, Mrs Kachallom Silas, Gyang Pam and Rwang Chollom.
The manager of the quarters, Mr Charles Abeh, told the court that the accused persons broke into the houses without his knowledge.
He claimed that the accused persons conspired and broke into two houses which were locked after the tenants who lived there had left. Abeh said that since 1980, he had been managing the quarters which were given to him by the Amalgamated Tin Mines of Nigeria to handle.
He told the court that the accused persons claimed they had been given the right to move into the houses by the Consolidated Tin Mines Association which, he said, lacked the right to do so.
“I have every document to show that I am still the manager of the houses. “My Lord, I am here to move the motion for the suit; the motion is supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit.
Sokoto
Ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s scheduled campaign visit to Sokoto State today, about 5,000 police personnel have been deployed to provide security in the state.
Alhaji Adeola Adeniji, the state Commissioner of Police, told newsmen in Sokoto on Monday that an operational order had been issued to the officers and men, to provide effective security network during the presidential visit.
He said the command had evolved a system that would enhance the security situation during and after the visit.
He said the command expected reinforcement from Kebbi, Zamfara and katsina states to effectively cover the state.
The Commissioner called on politicians to eschew violence, warning that any one caught in the act would be prosecuted.
“Sokoto state is one of the peaceful states in the federation and a formidable security mechanism has been put in place to sustain the tempo,” he said.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government is to disburse a N178 million as grants to women associations in 17 local government areas to empower them.
Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam announced this yesterday at Yusufari town in Yobe while inspecting some projects.
He said the amount would be released next week to the local government councils through their Committee of Trustees set up by the chairmen of the councils.
According to him, the objective of the grant is to improve the income of rural women, especially in agriculture and livestock farming as well as encourage them to participate in politics.
Gaidam added that “we all know how our mothers suffer to keep the family, especially in this difficult time.”
The governor said that the money would be disbursed in accordance with the committees’ recommendations, which must be based on peculiarity needs and job description.
“Under the arrangement, each group from a ward will receive N1 million as grant,” Gaidam said.
He said that last year, the government bought and distributed sewing, tailoring and baking machines as well as computer sets to 500 youths in the state.
With significant achievements recorded across thematic areas of the Ogoni cleanup programme being executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Project Coordinator of the Project, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that all these are enabling pathways to the development of Ogoniland.
This is coming on the heels of milestone achievements in the following areas and their impact on Ogoni communities. They are mangrove restoration which is 94 percent complete; shoreline remediation which stands at 67.1 percent; and the phase 2 land remediation progressing to 36.55 percent.
Moreso, HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities. With the commissioning of the water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities, the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water will be 45. The process of operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which is at 92 percent complete, is ongoing. The same for the Ogoni Power Project which is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations ongoing
Similarly, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital are at 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent respectively.
This is alongside other public health interventions and the Human BioMonitoring Survey also in progress.
Under the livelihood
programme, over 7,000 direct jobs have been created for Ogoni women and youths, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up kits, workshops, education grants, scholarships and other empowerment programmes. This quarter, training will commence in other demand-driven skill areas, such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, commercial diving, and underwater welding.
Zabbey had reeled out these achievements, during the third quarter interactive session between the Project Coordination Office engagement with Ogoni youths in Port Harcourt on Friday, in line with HYPREP’s strategic stakeholders policy to provide an interface opportunity to abreast Ogoni youths on the Project’s activities, while garnering their feedback.
Zabbey noted that, “This
quarterly engagement was,therefore, designed as an inclusive strategy to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. Also, it reflects our firm belief that a project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory”.
” I am delighted to inform you that the Project remains on course to achieve its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on the Ogoni environment and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. HYPREP is committed to transparency and accountability in the implementation of the cleanup projects and activities”, he said.
He stressed that HYPREP’s achievements are pathways to a better Ogoniland, assuring that the Project’s goals are aimed at benefiting all categories of Ogoni youths, whether in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship or community development.
”This Project belongs to all of you, and its success depends mainly on your participation, unity and constructive engagement. And with your support, we are confident that all challenges will be addressed in the overall public interest,” Zabbey said.
The Project Coordinator urged Ogoni youths to continue to support the Project by promoting peace, discouraging misinformation, and collaborating with project teams working in the communities, and address challenges through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Prof Dinebari Badey, a Professor of Development Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, delivered the keynote address, linking the nexus between HYPREP and youths in the development of Ogoniland through unity of purpose while Engr Solomon Akere, gave a talk on Ogoni youths in business.
Participants raised questions concerning the maintenance of the water projects, remediation efforts, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW), among others.
In attendance were management staff of HYPREP who provided responses to the interventions.
Members of the Association of Community Health practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN),Rivers state Chapter have marked the 2025 Community Health week with a call for the state government to employ more community health practitioners to mann the various health centres across the 23 local government areas of the state .
The theme of one week event “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of community health practitioners in reducing maternal and under _five mortality in line with sustainable development goals”attracted community health practitioners across the state.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event held at the conference hall of the state primary healthcare office in port Harcourt, the state chairman of the Association,Dr Justina Onuwa appeal to the state governor,Sir Siminalayi Fubara to approve the employment of more community health practitioners in other to effectively mann the primary health centres in the state.
Onuwa stated that the call become imperative following the decline in community health practitioners in the civil service and the need to ensure that the people in rural communities have more access to primary healthcare services in their localities.
The state chairman of ACHPN averred members of the association were not captured in the employment scheme during last employment of medical health workers by the state government.”our people need to be employed like other health care service providers”
She appeal to the state government to provide vehicles and office secretariat for its association and as well ensure that their members are promoted as at when due.
Also speaking,the state Health Educator,Dr Babbo Diana who represented the commissioner for health and Executive secretary RSPHCMB while congratulating them on their celebrations called them to partner with the state government to build more efficient healthcare services in the state.
She urge them to be passionate with their work, stressing that all hands must be on deck and everyone must play their roles in other to ensure the success of government primary healthcare services in the state.
In his good will message,the representative of the state Director of Health planning Research and statistics, Dietician Buduzhi Gift Oguzor described members of the association as foot soldiers of health services care providers in the state.
He called on them to be more dedicated in their responsibilities especially in the areas of infrastructure development, noting that the state of infrastructure under their custody are in a detoriating conditions despite the huge of resources released to them by the state government.
Earlier in her lecture on the theme “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of the community practitioners in reducing the under _five mortality in line with the sustainable development goals”prof Alice Nte urge them to review their association curriculum in other to upgrade their profile and become more relevant and attend to the optimum value in the profession.
She opined that the WHO according to the Nigerian Demography survey didn’t included members of the association as stillbirth attendant, adding that they should restrategise and look into their curriculum and see where it can be updated.
The climax of the week long celebrations ended with road work,free medical care services and church thanks service.
Akujobi Amadi
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Bldr. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, has called on Nigerian builders to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for addressing the nation’s housing deficit.
Speaking at the inaugural council meeting of the Institute held at its National Secretariat in Abuja in his speech themed, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Key Driver to Housing Delivery,” the NIOB President said the Institute is poised to lead transformative change in the nation’s housing delivery system.
Bldr. Kolade described the meeting as a strategic platform for redefining NIOB’s policy direction for the next two years, stressing that the housing challenge presents both a national problem and a professional opportunity.
“We, as custodians of building production management, must reposition ourselves not only as technical experts but as innovators, entrepreneurs, and national solution providers,” he stated.
He emphasized that innovation must now be embedded in the professional DNA of builders, urging practitioners to embrace sustainable technologies, research-based construction methods, and digital project management tools.
According to him, the Institute will promote innovation through research collaborations, innovation labs, and pilot projects that showcase emerging construction techniques.
On entrepreneurship, Bldr. Kolade noted that competence alone was no longer sufficient, and that builders must evolve into enterprise creators capable of driving employment and economic growth through construction-based ventures.
He further outlined the Institute’s five key policy pillars for the next two years, to include innovation
and research; entrepreneurial
development; professional regulation and ethics; advocacy
and policy influence;
capacity building and youth empowerment.
The NIOB President also paid tribute to past leaders of the Institute for laying the foundation upon which the current administration will build, saying leadership must go beyond preservation to purposeful expansion.
“If we can harness innovation, embrace entrepreneurship, and strengthen our professional unity, we will not only close the housing gap — we will redefine the standards of housing delivery in Africa,” he affirmed.
He called on builders nationwide to view themselves as not only craftsmen but nation builders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs committed to delivering sustainable housing and national development.
The NIOB President earlier led the National Council members to a site visit to the NIOB construction site at Idu, Abuja.
