Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Torrential rainfall which resulted to flooding have submerged several houses and bridges in some parts of Yola, the capital of Adamawa.
The rainfall, which lasted for seven hours, damaged houses and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Our correspondent reports that the worst hit areas of the town includes Yolde-Pate, timber market, Damare, Shagari quarters, Wuro Hausa, Jambutu and Unguwan Tana.
At Yolde-Pate, some big culverts that linked the area with other parts of Yola town were submerged.
As a result of this, residents in flooded areas were stranded as they were unable to relocate to safer areas.
Bauchi
The Conditional Cash Transfer Programme of the Bauchi State Government for girl-child education has gulped N50 million within the last five years.
The Chief Coordinator of the Programme, Alhaji Karijo Buba made this known on Tuesday in Giade.
The programme is being undertaken in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) .
Buba made the disclosure while distributing letters of invitation to participate in the programme to some selected girls in Darazo, Dambam, Giade, Kirfi, Zaki and Dass local government areas of the state.
Buba said that the programme commenced in 2007 with 260 schools in the six local government areas as a pilot programme.
According to him, 9,880 girls between the ages of eight and 15 years in 245 schools have so far benefited from the programme.
The coordinator said that each of the beneficiaries was being paid N5,000 per term to enable them finance their education within the five year period stipulated by the programme.
Borno
The Borno State Government will soon embark on the spraying of farmlands with chemicals to prevent their invasion by Quela birds and grasshoppers.
Alhaji Usman Zannah, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, made this known on Thursday when he visited the state’s chemical store in Dalori, Maiduguri.
He said that the government had already mobilised the technical staff and other workers of the ministry for the programme.
“We have already begun the mobilisation of the technical staff and others needed for the smooth take-off of the programme.
“The essence is to protect farmlands from the yearly attacks by the invading birds and grasshoppers,’’ he said.
Zannah said that the government was according priority attention to the development of the agriculture sector because of its enormous potential.
“Government believes the sector has great potential of ensuring food security and providing employment for the teeming unemployed youths in the state,” he said.
FCT
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said in Abuja on Monday that it was set to carry out a major restructuring of political boundaries for the 2015 general elections.
Mr Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, made this known in an interview with newsmen.
Idowu said that consensus building and legislative work were crucial considering the intricacies surrounding the delineation exercise.
He noted that the exercise was expected to come with some major proposals and alignments that might shape the politics of the country.
Our correspondent recalls that INEC’s inability to carry out the delineation before April’s general elections was due to limited time available to the new leadership of the commission to prepare for the elections.
“If you understand the intricacies of delineation, it takes a lot of consensus building and legislative actions.
Kaduna
Mr Musa Tete, the Coordinator of World Bank’s N1.4 billion contract, awarded for the construction of 132 bridges in Kaduna State, says that the project is 80 per cent completed.
Tete, who oversees the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) in Kaduna State, made this known on Thursday, while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna.
He said that 112 river crossing bridges across the 23 local government areas of the state had been completed.
Tete said that 30 projects, including the construction of culverts and bridges, were still ongoing.
Lagos
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has urged estate management companies to immediately transfer all electricity distribution services to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) distribution companies.
Mr Chijioke Obi, Manager, Legal Licencing and Enforcement of NERC, made the plea on Monday at an enlightenment campaign held for estate developers and Lagos residents.
Obi also urged the distribution companies to seek the commission’s approval for the regularisation of the power supply arrangement in the estates.
Ibrahim said that the commission would embark on enlightenment campaign for Nigerians and estate developers in the six geo-political zones to ensure prompt payment of their electricity bills.
The commission, he said, would also address all the issues and complaints from both the estate developers and residents on the newly introduced Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
Nasarawa
No fewer than 845 ‘ghost’ workers have been discovered in the Nasarawa Civil Service, with 325 other staff found to have overstayed.
This is contained in a report of a screening, verification and computerisation of payroll and personnel records of ministries, departments and agencies conducted in the month of August.
Presenting the report to Gov. Umaru Al-makura on Thursday in Lafia, the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji. Shuaibu Ahmed, said that 21,405 staff were on the payroll of the state government with a wage bill of N1.93 billion before the exercise was conducted.
He said the 845 perceived ‘ghost’ workers were those who did not turn up for the screening or had no files and were collecting N62.9 million as salaries monthly.
Niger
The Niger State Government needs about N50 billion to boost its water supply in the next five years, the “Committee on Lasting Solution to Water Supply Problem’’ has declared.
The committee made this known in a statement issued in Minna by its spokesman, Mr Ilya Garba.
It said that the amount would be used for the development of the infrastructure, as well as for the operation and maintenance of water facilities.
It, however, said that due attention ought to be paid to the management of the water facilities across the state so as to achieve regular water supply to the citizens.
The committee said that the adoption of short, medium and long term measures to tackle the people’s water supply problems would reduce the hardship which the people faced in having access to potable water.
It also stressed the need to grant the water board greater autonomy to enable it discharge its responsibilities to the people without any hitches.
Sokoto
Alhaji Muktari Mapia, the Deputy Treasurer of PDP in Sokoto State, has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Plateau to stop the cycle of killings going on there.
He made the call on Thursday, while speaking with newsmen in Sokoto.
He stressed that the declaration of a state of emergency was considered imperative because the state government had failed to find a lasting solution to the protracted ethno-religious crises in the state.
Mapia said that intensified security activity was needed to tackle the chaotic situation in Plateau, adding that it had the tendency of threatening the peace of the entire country.
He called on the government to make concerted efforts to restore order in Plateau, while bringing the perpetrators of the killings in the state to justice.
Zamfara
The new Chairman of the Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Murtala Jangebe, has ordered the suspension of all bank loans negotiated for teachers by the board.
Jangebe gave the directive in Gusau during a meeting with the education secretaries of the 14 local government councils in the state shortly after assuming duty.
He directed the board’s director of finance to write all commercials banks to stop any further action on the release of loans to the teachers.
The chairman warned that any bank which granted any loan in the name of the board as a guarantor would be doing so at its own risk.
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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