Adamawa

The new Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru, has told groups and individuals kicking against the new change in the assembly to sheath their swords and respect the will of God and rule of law that brought the change.

“Leadership belongs to God and He gives it to whoever he wants at the chosen time. Those insisting that the assembly must return to status-quo are challenging the will of God,” Umaru told newsmen in an interview in Yola.

Umaru who described the change that led to his emergence in the PDP-dominated house as the popular wish of the lawmakers who had lost confidence in the former leadership, accused the groups and individuals agitating for the return of the former leadership of trying to blackmail the house by spreading rumours that the change was a plot against the executive.

Bauchi

Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 12, says with the right approach and tools, the police can tackle security challenges in the country.

Abubakar, who made the observation last Wednesday at a news conference in Bauchi, called on men of the force to exhibit professionalism in handling security problems.

Abubakar said the current state of criminality in the country, especially in Zone 12, was of great concern to the government and the force.

He warned his men not to abdicate their responsibilities, adding that any commissioner of police who allowed his command to be attacked “shall bear the consequences of his inaction’’.

FCT

The National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) on a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Speaking during the ceremony in Abuja last week the National President of NASSI, Mr Chuku Wachuku, said that the MoU would give credit to entrepreneurs to rapidly grow the economy through small scale businesses.

According to him, the relationship of NASSI and NERFUND is to transform talk into action, particularly, to create opportunities for the unemployed to set up businesses.

Commenting on the process of registration, Wachuku said that applicants should apply through their local and state governments to enable the body to get their details.

The Managing Director, NERFUND, Mr Baba Gimba, said that the relationship was to empower Nigerians and reduce poverty among the people.

Gombe

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has appointed Hajiya Fatima Shehu-Abubakar, daughter of the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, and 18 others as commissioners in the state.

Others are former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Hassan Adamu, and the chairmen of Billiri and Shongom local governments, Messrs. Rabenson Wasa and Samuel Bulus, respectively.

Mrs Aishatu Ahmed, Malam Shehu Hadi, Malam Babagoro Abdulkadir, Alhaji Ahmad Walama, Malam Jalo Bajoga, Malam Hamza Wuro-Bokki and Malam Mijinyawa Labaran also made the list.

Jigawa

Jigawa State has recorded two new cases of polio virus in Gwiwa Local Government Area of the state, bringng the number of cases reported this year to 11

UNICEF Representative in the state, Mrs Jane Nyanzi told a meeting in Dutse ahead of preparations for polio-free torch campaign scheduled for Friday, that other LGAs where cases had been reported are Ringim, Babura, Guri, Roni, Birnikudu, Dutse and Gwiwa.She called on residents to embrace immunisation, noting that non-compliance to the exercise and high number of missed children were the reasons for incessant outbreaks.

Nyanzi said that poor commitment by vaccinators also remained a big challenge to a successful eradication.

She called on all relevant stakeholders to intensify efforts in the fight against polio for its eradication by 2012.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State House of Assembly said last Wednesday that political and ethno-religious crises advsersely affected smooth implementation of the state’s 2011 budget.

The legislators made the declaration while debating the general principles of the 2012 budget presented by Gov. Patrick Yakowa on Dec. 15.

They noted that the spate of violence witnessed in the state posed serious threat to the execution of development projects in 2011.

The lawmakers said the 2012 fiscal policy must be religiously implemented to redeem electoral promises.

In his contribution, Mr Yohanna Jatau (PDP-Jaba) said that peace and harmony were essential for the development of the state, stressing that stability is imperative for faithful implementation of the budget.

Kebbi

Governor  Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi has approved the construction of a 12 Km road from Birnin Kebbi to Makera settlement at the cost of N3.4 billion.

The governor announced the approval during an inspection tour of the N270 million Danyeku Bridge in Bunza Local Government Area, a statement said.

The statement, issued by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Mua’azu, in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, said the road had five bridges covering 345m.

It, however, said the government might revoke the N4.8 billion contract for the construction of the 110km road linking Bunza and 23 other settlements.

Lagos

The West African Examination Council has withheld the results of 39, 066 of the 404,863 candidates that sat for the Nov/Dec. 2011 West African School Certificate Examination (WASC).

Dr Iyi Uwadiae, the Head of National Office of the Council, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos last Wednesday.

Uwadiae attributed the development to the various reports of alleged examination malpractices that characterised the exercise, pointing out that 179,840 females sat for the examination

He urged candidates who sat for the examination to check the details of their performance with their scratch cards on the council’s website within 24 hours.

Uwadiae expressed optimism that with more attention being given to the education sector by the various states governments, the country would soon witness a positive turnaround in examination results.

He lauded Ebonyi government for providing accommodation for the take- off of the council’s branch office in Abakiliki.

Niger

Traders in Niger State have attributed the low sales of goods for Christmas to the delay in the payment of workers’ salaries in the state.

A survey by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that most of the traders at the two main markets in Minna had low patronage.

They complained about poor sales as the usual rush associated with sales before Xmas was lacking.

Some traders said that the situation had left them with a lot of unsold goods.

Mr Moses John, a trader in Minna market said he spent thousands of Naira to buy goods specifically for sales during the period.

“The poultry we normally buy chicken from increased its price by 20 per cent and we have to increase our price in the market to enable us make profit as this is festive period.’”

Ondo

Irele local government in Ondo State has pledged continued support for the state chapter of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTAP) .

Mr  Oluwatobi Akinbiola, the chairman of the council, made the pledge on Wednesday during the inauguration of Irele chapter last the association.

Akinbiola, who received an award from the chapter, for being the “Best Ondo State Local Government Chairman”, commended its executive members for their contributions to the development of the state’s cultural heritage.

Plateau

Otunba Segun Runsewe, the Director-General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, has decried the lack of tourism investment in Plateau as a result of the recurring crises in the state.

Runsewe said at an interactive session with community leaders on Wednesday during the “National Peace Week ‘ in Jos that the state had lost a huge investment in the tourism sector.

He pleaded with the community leaders to put behind them whatever might have transpired in the past.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has approved the payment of more than N172.5 million as bursary for 34 indigenes of the state undergoing various medical programmes in the U.K.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Kalgo, the chairman of the state’s Scholarship Board, disclosed this in Sokoto on Wednesday in a statement signed by Malam Isa Abubakar, the board’s Information Officer.