Bauchi

The Bauchi State House of Assembly last Wednesday began amendment of the law establishing the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic to facilitate the establishment of an autonomous college of agriculture.

The amendment followed the adoption of a report by the House Special Committee on the de-merger of the School of Agriculture Bauchi from the polytechnic.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the committee, Baba Abubakar, said the School of Agriculture could not work effectively due to inadequate funding, neglect and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He added that it was imperative to amend the existing laws of the polytechnic to fast-track successful take-off of the proposed college.

Abubakar decried the “serious neglect” of the school by the polytechnic management, adding that upgrading the institution to a college would encourage agricultural activity and reduce poverty.

Borno

The Borno government said last Wednesday that it had secured a N1 billion credit facility for farmers in the state under the agriculture loan guarantee scheme.

Alhaji Usman Zanna, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, said this in Maiduguri at a ministerial briefing.

Zanna said that the loan was sourced through the Fidelity Bank Plc after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties.

“Government has signed a MoU with the Fidelity Bank Plc to access N1 billion loan for distribution to farmers this cropping season,’’ he said.

Zanna said that the loan was sourced at 7.5 per cent interest rate, adding: “this is the first time farmers in the state will be benefiting from this kind of loan facility. “The loan is going to be interest-free to the farmers as government has decided to take care of the interest,” he said.

Ekiti

Governor  Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has donated a jeep to the outgoing Anglican Archbishop of Ondo and Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Rev. Samuel Abe.

The gesture, according to Fayemi, is one of the ways the government and the people could show their appreciation to the cleric.

Abe, who is retiring from office on the attainment of 70 years of age, was at the governor’s office on a farewell visit.

He was accompanied by his wife and scores of other clerics.

The Bishop urged governors in the South West Zone to lay good examples through good governance and positive impact on the lives of their people.

He commended Fayemi for initiating a social security scheme for the aged people.

Abe said the scheme was an example of how governors in the south west could lead the way for their counterparts in other parts of the country.

FCT

The Executive Director, National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Mwajim Maidugu, last Thursday in Abuja described President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed museum for past leaders as an inspiration to Nigerians.

Maidugu said  that building a museum for past leaders was a great innovation in the history of the country.

According to him, this pronouncement will go a long way to give our past and present heroes a proper place for reference purposes and to project into the future.

“These leaders need to be celebrated in a hall of fame for students at all levels to emulate these good leadership qualities of tolerance, patience and patriotism. “Thinking more of what to do for the country and not what to get out of the country. Reading about great leaders will inculcate good leadership qualities in the youth,’’ he said.

Maidugu said that in developed countries, museum for past leaders was a good tourist site to behold, adding that reading through the lifestyle of past leaders would give a mental picture of a good leader.

Jigawa

A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, serving in Birnin-kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa, Malam Aminu Muhammad, has donated 150 poultry birds to 10 Almajirai in Birnin-kudu.

Muhammad, who made the donation last Thursday in Birnin-kudu in Jigawa, said the gesture was aimed at teaching the Almajirai poultry farming to make them self-reliant.

“As a graduate of agriculture from the Bayero University Kano with specialisation in animal production, I will train the Qur’anic scholars in order to empower them to learn and be on their own.”

He explained that the gesture would go along way to discourage the Almajiri from parading the motor parks and streets, begging

Kaduna

Governor  Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has urged the people to promote peace at all times to pave the way for more democratic dividends in their respective areas.

Yakowa made the appeal in Kaduna last Wednesday during the commissioning and inspection tour of projects in Sabon-Gari, Kudan and Makarfi Local Government Areas of the state.

He observed that peace was the cardinal pillar for development, adding that the projects executed in the state would not have been possible without peace.

The governor assured the people of the readiness of his administration to work tirelessly for the good of the state.

Lagos

A pastor and a tailor, who allegedly snatched a Honda City Saloon car at gunpoint, were on Wednesday docked at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for armed robbery.

Sekou Kareem (38), a pastor, and Adekanbi Mathew (45), a tailor, were charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of dangerous weapons. The court, however, did not take their plea as Magistrate F.O Aigbokhaevbo said the court had no jurisdiction to try armed robbery cases.  Aigbokhaevbo ordered them to be remanded in prison custody pending the advice of the state’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Ondo

The Baale of Oke-Odo in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Chief Samuel Falade, has pleaded with residents of the state to shun violence in the gubernatorial election billed for October.

Falade said last Wednesday at Oke-Odo, Ondo State, that the people of the state should learn to live together peacefully irrespective of their political differences. “ We cannot afford to have a repeat of political violence in this state like it happened during the time of Papa Ajasin and Omoboriowo; it was a bad experience for us all,’’ Falade said.

Osun

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Osun has threatened to embark on a sympathy strike should the Lagos State Government fail to recall its sacked colleagues.

The state government had sacked 788 striking doctors after negotiation on their demands collapsed.

Dr Olukayode Ajewole, the state Chairman, said at a press conference in Osogbo last Wednesday that the decision was in consonance with the position of the NMA National Executive Council (NEC).

Ajewole said the NMA NEC had called an emergency meeting to address the matter on Saturday. “ Doctors in Osun, who are about 800, may be forced to join forces with our colleagues in Lagos State if the Lagos State Government fails to reinstate them,” he said.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, has called on Nigerians to support the government at all levels to ensure political growth of the country.

Tureta made the call in an interview last Wednesday in Sokoto.

He said that meaningful development could only be achieved if Nigerians irrespective of political party differences join hands with government to ensure smooth implementation of its programmes.

The commissioner explained that the success of any government policy depended largely on the mutual support and cooperation between the government and the governed.

Taraba

The chairman of Jalingo Local Government Area, LGA, Taraba State, Hon Hassan Bappa says his blue print for the development of the LGA  will be people-oriented.

Speaking to Journalists in Jalingo, the state capital early in the week he said he will concerntrate on projects as a way of impacting on the lives of his people.

Such projects he said would include regular salaries for workers of the LGA, empowerment of the populace, enhanced agricultural methods to fed the people and maximum security to enhance peace in the area.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Command of Nigeria Immigration Service has repatriated more than 80 illegal Aliens to their home countries between January and May, an official said.

The Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Mr Muhammad Argungu,  said in Gusau last Wednesday.

He said many of the aliens were arrested following tip-offs from the areas where they stayed, adding that  most of them were from the neighboring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon, adding that they usually entered the country on market days and refused to return home.

Argungu said the command usually deployed its personnel in plain clothes to markets, motor parks and other public places to monitor, arrest and deport illegal aliens to their countries after investigations.