THE STATES

Adamawa

The Adamawa government has requested for the permission of the state House of Assembly to source for about 24 million dollars loan from Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

Gov. Murtala Nyako, in a letter to the House in Yola on Wednesday, said he wanted 24.1 million dollars from IDB to finance the construction of three new science secondary schools.

Nyako said the schools would be sited in the three senatorial zones of the state.

“One will be in Madagali town to carter for 360 male students. The one in Southern Zone, also for 360 male students, is to be located in Mayo-Belwa while the one for Central Zone is to be located in Song for 600 female students.’’

Ekiti

The  NDLEA Commander  in Ekiti,  Mr Bamidele Akingbade, says about 424 acres  of  land planted with Indian  hemp  has  been destroyed in the state within the last one year.

Akingbade  said  this  on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti at a lecture to commemorate the 2011 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The event was  organised by the Psychiatry Department of  the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.

The NDLEA boss  listed  Ise-Orun, Ilejemeje, Ido-Osi, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere as local government areas  notorious for the cultivation of  Indian hemp in the state.

He described  Ekiti as one of  leading states in the cultivation  of   Indian hemp, saying the notorious trade had become  highly profitable.

FCT

Mr Stephen Frahm, Consular Chief of  the U.S Embassy on Wednesday in Abuja  advised Nigerians wishing to travel to that country to apply  for visas at least a year ahead  of  time.

He said this at the  embassy’s monthly briefing  which had consular operations  as the focus.

Frahm said the number of   applicants  outnumber those that can be accommodated daily, noting that  this  contributes to delays.

“ In Nigeria, there are a greater number of  applicants than we have the ability to process. The number of people that can be processed in a given day is finite and that’s why it takes a long time in many instances to get an appointment.

Gombe

Twelve farmers were killed and nine others critically injured when thunder struck in Gelengu village in Balanga Local Government of Gombe State during a heavy downpour.

Malam Umar Ahmed, the Nigeria Red Cross Disaster Coordinator in charge of Gelengu, near Gombe, said.

Our correspondent on Wednesday in Gombe report that the incident occurred on Tuesday at around 1 p.m.

Ahmed said that the victims were on their farms when the rain started.

He said that the rains started with a storm, the victims scampered for shelter when the thunder struck.

Kaduna

As part of its efforts to protect its forest and prevent desert encroachment, the Kaduna State Government plans to plant one million tree seedlings this year.

Mr Anthony Kachiro, the Director of Forestry, state Ministry of Environment, said this on Wednesday in Kaduna in an interview with the newsmen.

He said the tree seedlings would be distributed to the 23 local government areas of the state after the launch of this year’s Tree Planting Campaign.

The campaign, he said, would be launched on Thursday in Kajuru Local Government Area.

Lagos

Mrs Amina AZ-Zubair, a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), says MDGs represent essential steps in tackling climate change challenges.

Az-Zubair said this in Lagos on Wednesday at the 6th Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB)/ Dr Newton Jibunoh Lecture on “Sustainable Buildings as Tool for Driving Investment”.

She was represented by Mr Oluwole Edun, a Director in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGS.

Nasarawa

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says no fewer than 11 persons were rescued when an uncompleted three-storey building  collapsed on Wednesday in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

NEMA Public Relations Officer,  Malam Yushau Shuaib , told newsmen  that  rescue operation was continuing to determine the  actual number of  casualties in the incident.

He said NEMA had been holding series of meetings  on to move the victims and  residents  around the site  to a safe environment.

Officials of the  NSCDC, NEMA, FRSC, civil society groups as well as  members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) were  said to be involved in the rescue operation.

Ogun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun on Wednesday vowed to take back all the assets allegedly sold or given out on concession by the immediate past administration of Chief Gbenga Daniel.

Besides, he indicated his readiness to revoke all the state lands allegedly sold to some individuals and corporate organisations by the Daniel administration.

Amosun gave this indication while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Abeokuta to mark one month of his administration.

Ondo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has urged the State Executive Council to take proactive measures to

prevent flooding in the area.

The speaker, Mr Samuel Adesina, made the call in Akure while commenting on the Elegbin River flooding of some areas of the state capital due to a heavy rainfall last week.

The Majority Leader, Mr Dayo Akinnsoyinu, also called on the state government to take some preventive measures to avoid natural disasters such as flooding.

Oyo

The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) has appealed to Gov Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State to employ more  Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to rejuvenate sanitary inspection in the state.

Mr Joseph Ayoola, the council’s representative in the state made the appeal while speaking with the newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan.

Sokoto

Alhaji Muktari Mapia,  Deputy Treasurer PDP, Sokoto State, has appealed to members of the National Assembly (NASS), to introduce legislation that will reduce poverty in the country.

Mapia told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that poverty and unemployment posed a serious threat to the nation.

He said time had come for the National Assembly to encourage governments to provide modern farming input to farmers at controlled prices.

Mapia explained that such equipment would enable youths to engage in farming, thereby creating job opportunities.

Taraba

Taraba House of Assembly has approved the nomination of Mr. Augustine Katakata as a commissioner and member of the State’s Executive Council.

The Tide reports that Katakata, who hails from Yorro Local Government Area, could not be screened together with his 12 colleagues due to poor health.

The Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Charles Maijankai, moved a motion that the commissioner  should be allowed to take a bow and leave the chamber without answering questions, being a former member of the Assembly.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State House of Assembly has promised to  tackle the high rate of maternal mortality in the state through increased funding of the primary healthcare system.

Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, the Speaker of the assembly, made the promise on Wednesday when officials of the Development

Research and Projects Centre (DPRC) visited him.

He expressed the state government’s concern over the increasing rate of maternal mortality in spite of efforts being made to control it.

The speaker said  the legislature would ensure that funds allocated to the health sector were judiciously used.

He also said the assembly would ensure that funds were sufficient for quick intervention in the health needs of women and children, particularly for primary healthcare services.