Ekiti

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti last Thursday sentenced 17 men to two years’ imprisonment each for attempting to plant 18 kilogrammes of Indian hemp (Cannabis) without lawful authority.

The presiding judge, Mr Justice Emmanuel Obile, however, granted each of them an option of fine of N60,000.

Those convicted included David Luke (24), Friday Nwakana (26) Lucky Onyausuma (20), Olu Sounmi (28), Godwin Ogbu (19), Akpan Samuel (40), Bolaji Aluko (32), Bassey Akanima (22) and Anselem Urama (32).

The rest are Raymond Abenu (32), Amechi Akanu (42), Saturday Ileoben (25), Mathew Okah (27) Friday Ejeh (35), Taiye Echaruku (28), Okonye Chukudi (28) and Ezekiel David.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Iliya Waji, a Senior Legal Officer with the NDLEA, had told the court that the convicts were caught attempting to cultivate 60 acres in order to plant 18 kilogrammes of Indian hemp seeds. He said that they were caught on March 6, 2012 at the Ise-Ekiti forest of Ekiti State.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Benson Nduka, had earlier pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy, considering the ages of most of the convicts, who could still be useful to the society.

FCT

An Abuja Magistrates’ Court, has ordered that a 23-year-old commercial sex worker, Charity Achibong, be remanded in prison for biting off her lover’s tongue.

Achibong of Jabi village, Abuja, appeared in court on a one-count charge of causing hurt contrary to section 245 of the Penal code.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Clement Egwu, said that one Mr Ephraim Okoronkwo reported the accused on July 9, at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja.

He said that the complainant and the accused had a misunderstanding and heated argument in his room on the day of the incident.

Egwu said that the accused jumped on the complainant in the midst of the argument and bit off his tongue, adding that the accused tried to run away but was apprehended by a security man nearby.

The prosecutor said that the bite caused Okoronkwo serious injury, resulting in his being admitted at the Gwarimpa Hospital, where he is still receiving treatment. The accused pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs Jacinta Okeke, asked that the case be suspended and that the accused be remanded in prison, while the condition of the accused was being monitored.

Gombe

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has called on the Gombe State Government to implement the 2006 Local Government Scheme of Service.

National President of the Union, Mr. Ibrahim Khaleel, made the call at the official inauguration of the state NULGE Secretariat last Wednesday.

He said most workers in the local government service in other states were already enjoying the scheme.

Khaleel also urged the governor to provide a housing programme for local government workers in each council headquarters as applied to other state workers.

The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Gombe State, Mr. Ahmed Maisakala,  urged the governor to pay the arrears of N18, 000 Minimum Wage owed workers in the state.

In his remark, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo, represented by his Deputy, Mr. Tha’anda Rubainu, assured the workers that the government would look into their requests with a view to meeting them.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Government, has awarded N500 million contract for the construction of two ultra-modern mini-stadia in the state.

The Director of Sports, Alhaji Muhammad Yahaya, who disclosed this in an interview on Thursday in Dutse.

Yahaya said the projects would be executed in Dutse and Kazaure.

He said the contracts were awarded to Mandh and Lidiano construction companies, respectively, adding that the projects were designed to meet national standard.

The director said the gesture was part of the state government’s commitment toward encouraging sports development at the grassroots.

He said the state had concluded arrangements to enable its athletes to participate in the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos in November, tagged “EKO 2012’’.

According to him the athletes would compete in the male and female football, volleyball, basketball and athletics. “Our players are ready to participate and win trophies at the tournament”, he said.

Kebbi

The Kebbi World Bank-assisted Community and Social De

velopment Project will train 118 traditional rulers on ways to reduce environmental degradation, says the acting manager of the project, Mrs. Esther Jatau,.

Jatau said in Birnin Kebbi last Thursday that the project would support the government, corporate bodies and individuals to checkmate the menace of environment degradation.

She noted that open defecation, especially during the rainy season, had become rampant and posed a threat to human health.

Meanwhile, Mr Musa Umar, t the General Manager of the Kebbi State Environmental Protection Agency, who is also the Desk Officer on Environment in the project, said that a total 280 people would be trained.

According to him, the second category of those to be trained include Directors of agriculture in local government councils, vigilance groups, farmers’ associations, media practitioners and NGOs.

Lagos

Some residents in Lagos last Thursday said the new Lagos Tenancy Law had not made the required positive impact on tenants I8 months into the implementation of the law.

The law prohibited a landlord in the state from demanding or receiving rents in excess of six months from a sitting tenant paying monthly and one year rent from a tenant paying yearly.

Fashola signed the Tenancy Bill into law on Aug.24, 2011.

Mr Akeem Folarin, a resident in Yaba, said that he was made to pay two years rent with high commissions to secure his new apartment.

“Three of us were negotiating to rent the place; it would be stupid of me to offer to pay one year when two others were ready to pay two years.

“Some people were lucky to meet law abiding landlords that accepted one year rent, but not all the landlords are complying with the law and it is frustrating,” he said.

Mr Jolomi Ogunlana, a prospective tenant in Surulere area, said the tenancy law had not made the needed impact.

Nasarawa

Relatives of some patients last Wednesday attacked workers of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, for allegedly denying them access to patients.

A statement on Thursday by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr. Ahmed Ashuku, said the incident occurred at the maternity ward of the hospital.

Healleged that the relatives broke the burglary proof of the ward, threw food and other objects at the workers for asking them to keep to visiting hours two workers sustained injury during the fracas and had been treated.

Ashuku in the statement described the action as embarrassing and urged visitors to the hospital to respect official visiting hours.

“It should be noted that the hospital is not a social ground or a place for merriment, but a place for medical attention for the sick.”

Niger

The German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), says it has trained 86 communities in 17 local government areas of Niger State on shea butter processing and production to boost their earnings.

The GIZ Country Representative, Mr Christian Vidmann, said this on Thursday in Minna during the opening of the stakeholders workshop on pro-poor growth and promotion of employment.

Vidmann said that the community members were trained on group formation and how to increase the quantity and quality of shea butter produced in the state for sale in Nigeria and aboard.

According to him, the communities were provided with processing machines under a partnership arrangement between the state government, GIZ and some companies.

He said that the GIZ was ready to partner with the Niger government towards the attainment of its vision of becoming one of the top three most developed economies in the country by the year 2020.

Osun

The Osun Commissioner for Health, Mrs Temitope Ilori, says plans are underway to procure modern technological equipment for the use of physiotherapists in the state.

Ilori disclosed this in Osogbo on Thursday at a scientific conference organised by the Osun chapter of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy.

She noted that physiotherapy was a distinct professional practice with specialised functions in health care and medical rehabilitation services delivery.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Acting Director in the ministry, Mr Adeboye Adelowokan,said procurement of modern equipment would boost health care delivery.

Ilori charged physiotherapists to be more committed and dedicated to duty as part of their contributions toward the reformation of the state’s health sector.

Earlier, the state chairman of the association, Mr Segun Oluwafemi, called for the declaration of a state of emergency in the area of physiotherapy, stating that there was a gross shortage of professionals and equipment.

Oyo

The Managing Director, LNG Ship Manning Limited, Dr

Grant Akata, last Thursday in Ibadan said organisations must effectively deploy the mechanism to rate and reward employees.

Akata said this in a lecture he delivered at the 2012 Annual Branch Conference of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Oyo State Chapter.

In his lecture was entitled: “Managing Performance and Reward for Organisational Success,’’ Akata, a human resource expert, said organisations must plan, ensure continual monitoring and review of performance as well as develop capacity to rate and reward performance.

He said individual and team members constitute the driving force for the delivery of organisational goals, adding that their contributions must have linkage with the team’s objectives.

Mr Sunday Adeyemi, the Registrar of CIPM, urged members to always update their knowledge, adding that the human resource remained the cornerstone of every organisation.