Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Mr Terhemen Tarzoor, Speaker, Benue House of Assembly, has commended the Senate for re-electing Chief David Mark as its President.
Terzoor told newsmen in Makurdi that the unanimous election of Mark showed that he lived above board in the sixth National Assembly.
He declared: “For Mark to co-ordinate the activities of the Senate for four years without major challenges that could warrant any call for his impeachment showed that he displayed a high sense of maturity in handling issues”.
“It is quite challenging to co-ordinate people with divergent backgrounds without acrimony, Mark has conveniently done that and he deserves commendation”.
FCT
Mrs Mulikat Adeola-Akande has commended women for supporting her during her recent contest for speakership of the House of Representatives.
Speaking in Abuja during an event organised by the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Adeola-Akande said she was surprised at such support.
“I want to say a big thank-you to Nigerian women; they have shown that the 35 per cent affirmative action would be achieved if women support one another”.
“The development of this nation is the responsibility of all Nigerians; God has proved to us that men and women are partners in progress”, she remarked.
She explained that the event which unfolded on the day of the election showed to the world that it was not all about a gender issue but capability.
Kaduna
The newly constituted Kaduna State House of Assembly promised to enact “quality laws” that would improve the lives of the people.
Dr Mato Dogara, the Deputy Speaker, told newsmen in Kaduna that his colleagues had resolved to make a difference in legislation by writing their names in gold.
Dogara said: “We have resolved to pass quality people oriented laws and adopt motions that will fast-track development in the state and enhance the lives of our people.
“This is the covenant between us and the electorate and we pray to God to enable us succeed”.
Kogi
The Kogi State Chapter of the NLC has welcome the state government’s decision to pay the salary relativity of N14,100 to workers in the state.
The State Chairman of the NLC, Mr James Odaodu in a reaction to the government’s approval of the new salary in Lokoja, described the action as great, saying that “it portends a sign of good things to come for workers:
He said that the labour insistence on the payment of N16,000 as pay relativity was dropped when the labour leaders evaluated all options tabled before them for consideration which he said included option to sack some of the workers”.
Odaodu also stated that teachers in the state would also benefit from the new wage, which he said, had now raised the current minimum wage of N6,000 to N14,100.
He, however, called on government not to renege on its promise to commence the payment with effect from June 1.
Lagos
A 24 year man, Sunday Agboola, was in Lagos docked at an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly impersonating a naval officer.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Uche Kalu, told the court that Agboola was arrested on May 29 at about 9.30 p.m. at the railway line, Ijora-Badia, Lagos, impersonating a naval officer.
Kalu said that the accused had been parading himself as a naval officer and harassing residents.
He said that the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 109 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos 2003.
Our correspondent reports that the accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.
She adjourned further hearing in the case till June 20.
Ogun
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has set up a task force to devise measures on how to combat the impending flooding in the state.
Amosun said in a statement issued in Abeokuta by Mrs Funmi Wakaka, his Senior Special Assistant (Media and Communication), that the step was a proactive measure aimed at containing the expected flooding during the rainy season.
Our correspondent reports that the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority and meteorologists have predicted heavy rainfall as from June, resulting in widespread flooding.
They all warned that unless precautionary measures were taken, the resultant havoc might be greater than that of 2010.
The task force consists of permanent secretaries in the state Ministries of Works, Environment and Water Resources as well as the Bureau of Urban and Physical Planning.
Osun
Mr Opeyemi Adepoju, a stalwart of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun, said that the election of Malam Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker, House of Representatives was democratic.
Adepoju told newsmen in Osogbo that the emergence of Tambuwal had shown the workings of “a true democracy”.
Our correspondent reports that the Peoples Democratic Party’s zooning formula failed with the election of Tambuwal as Speaker on Monday.
It was further recalled that the election did not favour the party’s candidate as Tambuwal defeated Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola from the South West 252 to 90 votes.
According to him, the PDP zoning arrangement might not have produced the best person for the position.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, PDP National Publicity Secretary on Tuesday, said that the Party might revisit its zoning formula.
Oyo
Mr Gabriel Ibe, the Oyo State Co-ordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has announced that the management of the cops will no longer post corps members to crisis prone areas in the country.
He made the announcement in Ibadan when he led top members of his staff on a courtesy visit to the wife of the state governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi.
Ibe said each state coordinator had been directed by the management of the corps to post any corps member to any crisis prone area in the country, adding that the directive would make effect with the next deployment of corps members on July 7.
He noted that the security and safety of lives of corps members had been the major challenge of the scheme.
Sokoto
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has called for the establishment of District Council Fund for the traditional institutions to effectively supervise government infrastructure in their domains.
Receiving the traditional rulers in the 19 northern states, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, at Government House, he said such funds would address the pressing needs of the populace.
He explained that the rural dwellers had direct contact with the traditional institutions than local government chairmen and councilors.
Wamakko said the state government would continue to identify with the Sultanate Council, to uplift the welfare of the people.
“We have been operating like a family for the common good of our people.
“We have succeeded in being where we are today based on the support, co-operation and prayers from the royal fathers”, Wamakko said.
Yobe
The Deputy Governor of Yobe, Abubakar Ali, says the new 40-bed mother and child hospital complex will soon be ready, expected to decongest existing facilities at the Damaturu Specialist Hospital.
Ali, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Alhaji Yayaha Barde, explained that government was committed to boosting maternal and child health as well as to reduce mortality rate in the state.
“Government has sustained the free drug programme for expectant mothers, children and road accident victims across the state”, he said.
The deputy governor, who supervises the ministry, noted that “government has rehabilitated all hospitals and clinics and upgraded most facilities in the hospitals to meet the challenges and provide patients with psychological and medical needs”.
Zamfara
The Acting Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, Dr Tajudeen Aiyedun, urged aggrieved workers of the institution to put public health above personal grudges and call off their strike.
The workers on Wednesday embarked on an indefinite strike at the end of a two-week ultimatum calling for the immediate removal of Aiyedun.
Our correspondent reports that the strike had forced patients to relocate to other public health institutions inspite of the poor services.
The Joint Health Unions (JHU) of the centre had insisted that workers would not resume duties unless Aiyedun was removed.
Aiyedun, however, told newsmen that the on-going strike by the JHU was a threat to public health.
He said the leadership of the union acted in ignorance of due process concerning the vacation of the medical director at the expiration of a four-year tenure.
Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
This is just as she also hailed the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the federal government to the government and people of Enugu State.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, the lawmaker emphasized the need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression that their actions against former governor were meant to witch hunt him.
In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman had claimed Belloh told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
But Senator Natasha in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel and issued at the weekend in Abuja, reminded Yahaya Bello of the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.
“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.
“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.
Worried over the latest depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, the Senate through its Committee on Finance, has stated that the Legislature is exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of Naira depreciation and foster economic stability in the country.
These, according to the committee, in a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and released yesterday, includes robust oversight of fiscal policies, engagement with key stakeholders, and the formulation of targeted interventions to support key sectors of the economy.
Senator Musa said the statement became necessary “to address the current state of the economy and the need for concerted efforts at tackling the instability and continuous depreciation of the Naira.”
This is even as he hoped that the “economic managers will adhere strictly to the norms and standards set by this administration to ensure that we achieve the desired outcomes in taking Nigeria to its economic growth and prosperity”, pledging the support of the National Assembly to the executive arm of government to achieve the set goals.
He, however, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resilient as they navigate these uncertain times, saying “together, we can overcome the challenges facing our economy and chart a path towards prosperity for all.”
The statement titled: “State of the Nation Economy and Naira Depreciation’, reads “The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges, exacerbated by both internal and external factors.
“Despite efforts to stabilize and bolster economic growth, the numerous initiatives and bold but necessary steps and policy decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, the persistent depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies has become a pressing concern.
“The recent depreciation of the Naira underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard the stability and resilience of our currency.
“The Senate Committee on Finance is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to implement effective policies and strategies.
“It is imperative that we address the root causes of Naira depreciation, including but not limited to fluctuations in global oil prices, fiscal deficits, and structural imbalances in the economy.”
The Senator, representing Rivers West Senatorial District at National Assembly Sen.Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advocated for legislative backings to enforce immunisation as a pre-condition for admission into nursing, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Banigo made the assertion recently in a statement to commemorate this year’s week-long immunisation campaign in line with the World Health Organisation advocacy.
Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health personnel, explained that such legislation would strengthen the National Immunisation Policy in the administration of vaccines, saves lives, helps in the child normal growth, prevents serious illness and disabilities such as poliomyelitis .
The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), noted that Nigeria must attain at least, 90 percent vaccine coverage for all childhood and adolescence; stressing that a fully vaccinated child should have received BCG, Mussels and three doses of DTP and Polio .
She emphasised the need for collective efforts by stakeholders in the campaign against preventable diseases .
The theme for this year’s World Immunisation Week is “Humanly Possible: Saving Lives Through Immunisation” while the national theme is “Vaccine Works For All”.
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