Adamawa

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa.

More than 5, 000 people were on Sunday displaced in 12 villages in the area following what community described in a statement as retaliatory attack by mercenary herdsmen.

Presenting the items in a ceremony in Lamurde, headquarters of the local government , on Saturday, the North East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, sympathised with the victims over the unfortunate incident.

Kanar said the Federal Government intervention through NEMA had come with the necessary requirements that would ameliorate the sufferings of the victims in the camps and promised that the agency along with other stakeholders would make sure that adequate facilities, such as toilets and drinking water, were provided to ensure good hygiene in the camps.

Benue

No fewer than 30 PHCN wooden and concrete poles were destroyed by windstorm in Makurdi last Friday night.

The  PHCN poles were destroyed by the windstorm that was preceded by rain, which only lasted 30 minutes.

Some of the worst hit areas were Gboko Road, Wurukum Roundabout, Ahmadu Bello Way in old GRA, North Bank and Highlevel Areas.

Both wooden and concrete poles were damaged by the storm, while some of the cars parked under trees were damaged as the trees fell on them. However, no roof was destroyed by the storm.

Borno

The Borno State Government said on Saturday that it has set aside N3. 9 billion for the renovation of eight secondary schools in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Malam Inwa Kubo, who made the disclosure in an interview in Maiduguri said that the rehabilitation had reached advanced stage in most of the schools.

He named the schools as Government College Maiduguri, Government Girls Secondary School Yarwa and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Gajiganna. Others are GGSS Baga, Government Secondary School(GSS) Kumshe, GGSS Lassa and GGSS Miringa.

He said that the project also include the conversion of Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Marama in Hawul Local Government Area to a boarding school.

FCT

A health advocacy group, the Norsemen Club, says it will begin an awareness campaign in schools in Abuja to sensitise the students on tips for healthy living.

The President of the group in the FCT, Mr Shegun Fakehinde, announced the plan last Saturday during a “Walk for a Healthy Nigeria’’.

According to him, there is the need to carry awareness campaigns in school, where younger ones will also have knowledge on how to live healthy.

“Most of our dear ones have fallen victims of HIV and AIDS and other dangerous diseases because adequate knowledge and education on their prevention were in short supply.

“We will propagate this massage in all nooks and crannies in the FCT to ensure that most people do not only exist but live,’’ he said.

The Grand Patron of the group, Dr Samuel Gambo, said the group would continue to create awareness and unite the youth.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, said in Dutse on Sunday that government disbursed about N86 million to women groups in the state to improve members’ living standards.

She said that catering to the needs of vulnerable groups was one of the cardinal principles of Gov. Sule Lamido’s administration.

The commissioner explained that it was based on the governor’s principles that the government released the money.

Abdulwahab said since the inception of the administration in the past five years, the welfare of women and children had “tremendously improved”.

She announced that the government had established 335 safe motherhood initiatives from the 36 it inherited from the previous government.

Kaduna

Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has appointed a former Secretary to the State Government, Me Waje Yayock and 10 others as special advisers.

This is contained in a statement, signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Ruben Buhari, it named the others as follows Musa Kali, Simon Gwaza, B.D. Galadima, Ibrahim Doka, Ali Waziri, Abdulkadir Kapaka, Mohammed Kampa, Edward Masha, Hajia Zulai Bello and Bala Sani.

The governor also appointed Alhaji Maisukuni Jema’a as the Chairman of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board with 29 others as members while the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero is the Chairman, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency.

Kano

The Chairman of Shanono Local Government Council of Kano State, Malam Sagir Abdullahi, has lauded the tireless efforts of traditional rulers in polio eradication in the state.

Abdullahi stated this last Saturday during the flag off ceremony of the polio immunisation for the month of May in Shanono Local Government Area of the state.

He said that if not for the full involvement of the traditional rulers, the resistance level for polio immunisation would still be high.

The chairman charged parents to ensure that all their children were immunised to guard against further spread of the virus in the area and to other parts of the country.

Kebbi

Delegates to the forthcoming Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) conference have been admonished to shun sentiments and elect people of proven integrity.

Mr Rotimi Obamuwagun, Deputy National President of the NUJ,who is also seeking re-election, gave the advice last Saturday in Birnin Kebbi while on campaign tour.

He said his role in the past three years had been guided by the spirit of cordial relationship and mutual respect, which enabled the incumbent NUJ President, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, to reposition the union.

“The support you gave us three years ago enabled us to restore dignity, respect and peace within the various state councils of the NUJ as such we plead for another chance to enable the present leadership improve on welfare and professional rating of members,” he said.

Lagos

The police in Lagos last Saturday arrested one Asiribo Baba, 40, for allegedly shooting a bricklayer who attempted to rape his daughter.

Insp. Femi Martins said that Baba shot Ifeanyi Arinze, 29, who was making blocks at a building site in Agbara, Lagos.

He said investigations revealed that Arinze climbed the fence of Baba’s residence in Agbara to pluck oranges in the compound when he saw Baba’s 14-year-old daughter, who was sleeping outside.

“After he plucked the oranges, he went to the girl, who slept on the mat, and touched her breast but the girl screamed.

“Arinze covered the girl’s mouth with his hand but her younger sister, who had been playing outside, came and called people,’’ he said.

He said Baba, who had been listening to the screaming of her daughter, came out with a gun, ran after Arinze and shot him in the leg when he was about to jump the fence.

Osun

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has inaugurated the 3rd Children’s Parliament in the state with a call on children to shun all forms of immoral behaviors.

Aregbesola was represented by Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare,  Hon. Olusegun Adeyeni,at the ceremony in Osogbo last Friday.

He described the new lawmakers as “special children”, advising them to be focused and responsible in handling the affairs of the parliament and urged them to leave a legacy of service to not only the children but the entire residents of the state and the nation.

Earlier, Mrs Mofolake Adegboyega, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, said the “children are being exposed to parliamentary duties with a view to enabling them know more about law-making and to be involved directly in decision making in matters that really affect them.”

The commissioner urged the parliamentarians to be law-abiding and shun malpractice, thuggery and all forms of negative activities.

Deborah Popoola, was sworn-in as the Speaker, Abiola Agboola, Deputy Speaker, Islamiat Kolawole, House Leader, Bukola Adepoju, Chief Whip and Seyi Afolabi as the Mace bearer.

Oyo

The Oyo State Government has rewarded medalists and officials in its contingent to the 2011 Garden City Games with monetary gifts for their heroic performances.

Mr Dapo Lam-Adeshina, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, said the state had earlier promised to reward the athletes.

He described the occasion as a milestone, as it was the first that athletes were rewarded in the state, and expressed the hope that they would win more medals at the 2012 festival in Lagos.

Gold, silver and bronze medalists among the athletes went home with N500,000, N300,000 and N200,000 each respectively, while Coaches with gold, silver and bronze medalists were rewarded with N300, 000, N200,000 and N100,000 each respectively. Also among those rewarded were the officials who went home with N250, 000 each.

Yakub Adesokan, who sets a two world record in Power Lifting, was also awarded a cheque of N250, 000.

Sokoto

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has called on parents to ensure the immunisation of their children during the on-going polio vaccination in the state.

Speaking on the occasion of the start of 2012 Immunisation Plus Days at Rumbukawa Primary Health Centre in Sokoto North Local Government., Wamakko said government had already taken proactive measures to ensure that all under-five children were immunised.

He explained that government had partnered with the Sultanate Council, religious leaders and development associations to enhance the success of the exercise.

The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu said that a workable formula had been put in place to mobilise parents to participate in the exercise.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Malam Ibrahim Jibril, said that the involvement of eminent stakeholders would ensure full participation of children in the exercise.