Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government has approved N30 million as counterpart fund to boost water supply and sanitation in the state.

Alhaji Yusuf Yerima, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry for Water Resources, disclosed this in Bauchi at a one-day workshop organised by Sustainable Water and Environmental Sanitation (SWANSA), a donor Agency,

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Management of Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi.

Yerima said that the fund was approved for SWANSA to improve water supply and environmental sanitation in both urban and rural centres of the state.

Borno

No fewer than 15 members of Borno chapter of the National Association of Patent Medicine Dealers have been killed in their shops by unidentified gunmen at different locations in Maiduguri in the past two months.

The President of the Borno chapter, Alhaji Abubakar Villah, made this known in Maiduguri in an interview with newsmen .

He said the association was seriously concerned by the killings, noting that its members were not known to be trouble makers, but had lived in peace in their communities and contributed to the development of the state.

FCT

A PDP chieftain, Sen. Mohammed Ohiare, in Abuja called for the rotation of the governorship position among the ethnic groups in Kogi.

Ohiare, who made the call while addressing news men, said rotating the governorship position would give a sense of belonging to all stakeholders in the state.

“I strongly advocate that power should be rotated among the Igalas, Okuns and the Ebiras as well as the minority tribes to showcase their leadership talents,’’ Ohiare said.

He said since the creation of the state in 1992, “both the Okuns and the Ebiras have not tested the executive seat.’’

Jos

Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau has appointed Prof. Shedrach Best as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

A statement by Mr James Mannok, Director of Press Affairs, in Jos said the appointment was with immediate effect.

Until his appointment, Best was Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Management.

He was a former Director, Centre for Conflict Management and Peace Studies, University of Jos.

The ANPP Gubernatorial candidate, Malam Salihu Takai, has petitioned against the election of Dr Rabi’u Kwankwaso of PDP in the April general elections.

The petition, No. KN/EPT/ Gov/03/11, filed at the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, urged the panel to set aside the election of Kwankwaso as governor- elect.

The petitioner also prayed that he, Takai, be declared the winner of the election or in the alternative, a fresh election be conducted in 23 local government areas, where there were suspected irregularities.

Kogi

The ongoing upgrading of the Ajaokuta Transmission Station in Kogi, from 30 MVA to 60 MVA, has reached 95 per cent completion.

Mr Abednego Akabuko, the Lokoja Business District Manager of the PHCN, made the disclosure on Wednesday.

Akabuko told newsmen that the project which was started last year to improve the quality of power supply to the state would be completed within the next couple of months.

Lagos

The Federal High Court in Lagos upheld the fundamental human rights case filed by the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, against the EFCC.

The EFCC had through its counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu, filed the stay of proceeding to enable the commission to appeal an order of the court made on May 6.

The court had directed EFCC to immediately release Akingbola and one of his aides, Bayo Dada, from its custody.

Justice Charles Archibong had also ordered the EFCC to stay off all actions against Akingbola pending the determination of the suit before it.

Nasarawa

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Ministry of Defence Chapter, laid the foundation for a housing estate for its members.

Speaking at the ceremony, the chapter’s coordinator, Mrs Omolola Okunnu, said the funding for the estate would be sourced from the Federal Housing Loans Board.

She said the association had been working on the land for the estate since July 2010.

Osun

The police in Osun have arrested five robbery suspects and recovered four stolen vehicles.

Mr Olusegun Solomon, Commissioner of Police in the state, told newsmen in Osogbo that the suspects were arrested in connection with theft of cars.

“At Testing Ground in Osogbo at about 7 p.m., a man was reportedly attacked on his way from Oyen village when his BMW car marked GY 605 GNN had a flat tyre,’’ he said.

He said as the victim was trying to fix the flat tyre, some hoodlums emerged from the bush and ordered him and his wife to surrender their belongings.

Ondo

The Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Chief Omolebi Adepiti, has enjoined landlords in the state to provide toilet facilities in their houses to avoid arrest and prosecution.

The directive is contained in a statement, issued by the Press Officer, Ministry of Environment, Mr Tony Adetoye, in Akure.

The statement said a landlord had been arraigned for failure to provide toilet facilities in his house, while 18 others were given 30 days to comply or be prosecuted.

Adepiti said the state government had put in place various facilities and measures for proper disposal of waste and would not allow anybody to cause an outbreak of epidemic or deface the environment.

Oyo

The Association of Cocoyam Processors and Exporters in Oyo State has decried the apparent neglect of the crop.

The Chairman of the association, Chief Amusat Olamuyegun, made the assertion while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan.

According to Olamuyegun, cocoyam is not being given the desired attention as is the case with other root and tuber crops.

He said that unknown to a lot of Nigerians, cocoyam is one of the most nutritious tuber crops in the country and worldwide.

Olamuyegun said that if governments at all levels could develop cocoyam processing, it would also be a veritable source of employment to the unemployed youths in the country.

Sokoto

Senator-elect, Alhaji Ibrahim Gobir (PDP-Sokoto East), has called on Nigerians to always be security conscious by reporting suspected characters to the nearest security outfits.

“Security matters should not be left in the hands of security officers alone, hence the need for active participation of all and sundry becomes a task that must be accomplished,” he said.

Gobir told newsmen in Sokoto that Nigerians also needed to pray for God’s guidance to enable the elected leaders succeed.

He said seeking God’s intervention in the task of ensuring good governance would ensure rapid development.

“When you involve God in your daily affairs, certainly success will be on your way,” he said.