Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government, has assured residents of the metropolis that the planned review of the city’s master plan is in their interest.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, gave the assurance in an interview last Monday in Bauchi.
He said the government would implement the review with minimal removal of unapproved structures built in various locations in the city.
He added that the exercise would accommodate some of the existing structures that did not go well with the master plan.
According to Hammayo, at the end of the review, the lives and property of the residents will be better protected.
He added that at the end of the review, adequate measures would be put in place to ensure that the public did not distort the master plan in future.
The planned review will be the first since 1976 when a British firm was contracted by the Bauchi government to carry out a review of the master plan.
Benue
The Benue Commissioner for Education, Dr Elizabeth Ugo, has challenged proprietors of schools to refrain from aiding and abetting examination malpractice.
Ugo made the call at Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue, while addressing newsmen after monitoring the conduct of NECO examination.
The commissioner said that majority of school owners established their schools with the sole aim of making quick money without considering the effect of such action on the society.
She expressed worry over the dimension of examination malpractice in the state, stressing that drastic action would be taken against the perpetrators to stem the tide.
Ugo said that the idea of paying surprise visits to schools during the NECO examination was to enable the ministry to have first hand information of schools that were “miracle centres”.
FCT
The Commandant-General, National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ade Abolurin, has advised private security guards companies to be wary of fraudulent persons issuing fake biometric cards.
He gave the advice in a statement signed by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr Okeh Emmanuel, in Abuja following a report on the activities of some fraudulent persons.
He said that some organisations and persons had been found to be issuing biometric cards to private security guards company with the intent to defraud them.
The statement said that in line with the amended NSCDC Act of 2007, only the corps had the responsibility of monitoring, supervising and licensing private guards companies and the issuance of biometric cards.
He advised private guards companies to verify from the nearest state command of the corps any information that was contrary to the laid-down rules guiding their operations.
Kaduna
Twenty six police recruits undergoing training at the Police College, Kaduna, have been arraigned at a Chief Magistrates’ Court, charged with forging certificates.
The recruits, arrested during screening, are Habila Ayuba, Shuaibu Simon, Salisu Haruna, Augustine Akwe, Nura Iro, Yusuf Ezekiel and Daniel Yakubu.
Others are Ibrahim Bello, Saratu Oguba, Idris Muhammed, Isah Ibrahim, Sabo Abubakar, John Emmanuel, Tanimu Danwawo, Musbahu Garba, Musa Sani, Isyaku Ayuba and Yakubu Sani.
The rest are Kata Ibrahim, Alfa Gabriel, Ubangida Adamu, Abdulkareem Bala, Amah Yarima, Muktar Ado and Ibrahim Salihu.
The police prosecutor, Usman Simeon, told the court that they were accused of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
He said the Inspector General of Police had on February 13, set up a Special Task force led by DSP Maji Michael to screen the recruits.
Kano
Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State says he will transform the state civil service to become more dynamic and result-oriented through the recruitment of qualified personnel.
He made the pledge in Kano while presenting appointment letters to 1,002 fresh graduates recruited into the state civil service.
He said that recruiting qualified persons into the service was necessary to ensure efficiency in service delivery.
“The government is injecting new blood into the system by recruiting fresh graduates. “This will also give youth the opportunity to contribute positively to nation building,’’ he said.
According to the governor, the new officers were employed on merit from across the 44 local government areas of the State.
Kwara
The Kwara Government is committed to ensuring availability of skilled manpower through the provision of quality education, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Mallam Raji Mohammed, has said.
Mohammed, who was reacting to the incessant increase in school fees by private school operators in the state, spoke to newsmen in Ilorin.
He said that the state’s education reform programme would ensure that children access free and quality education.
He also said that since the state government had no authority to fix fees in private schools, its role was to ensure that public schools provided quality education to meet the yearnings of the people.
Mohammed noted that the “Every Child Counts” policy of the previous administration was still in place among other programmes put in place to ensure that pupils accessed quality education.
Lagos
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), announced its plan to hold national interactive sessions on the need to promote workplace safety in Nigeria.
According to Ms Ijeoma Iheme, a NECA spokesperson, the forum, which would be jointly organised with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), would be held in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
“No employee wants to live with disability or worse still, death, whenever at work. Employees look forward to retiring well with able bodies,’’ the statement said.
The statement said it was regrettable that many workers were yet to fully benefit from the provision of the 2010 Employees’ Compensation Act
According to Iheme, the interactive sessions would enlighten employees and employers on the procedure for making claims during work place accident.
Niger
The Chairman Niger Assembly House Committee on Information, Mr Bello Ahmad, called for improved media coverage of the legislature to keep the people informed at all times.
Ahmad made the call during the inauguration of the Information and Public Relations Committee of the House in Minna.
He said that an effective and efficient reportage of the House would encourage its members to improve on delivery of its mandate.
He said that the committee would address newsmen on quarterly basis to keep abreast of information on activities of the House, particularly its bills and motions.
Speaker of the House, Adamu Usman, stressed the importance of repositioning the assembly’s information management through collaboration with the media.
Ogun
The Ogun State Government on Monday said the abandoned Gateway International Market in Owode in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state would be re-opened in September.
Business activities in the market were suspended following disagreement between two communities over the location and name.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, said the reopening would boost economic activities and impact positively on the living standard of the people.
Oladipo, who spoke at a stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, said that the reactivation would be to the benefit of the people in the area in particular, and the state in general.
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry also said that the market would be renamed Yewa International Market to douse the tension between Ajilete and Owode communities, and advised the market leaders to cooperate with government in the overall growth of commerce in the area.
Plateau
Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Sen Gyang Dantong, has said that the Bill to establish a national grazing routes and reserves commission before the National Assembly was unconstitutional.
“The Federalz Government and National Assembly have no business with cattle routes because the constitution placed such routes solely in the hands of state governments,’’ Dantong told newsmen in Jos.
Our correspondent reports that the bill seeks to establish a commission to manage grazing routes so as to resolve the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Albert Tsokwa, said recently that the proposed commission would be empowered to control, manage, acquire and establish grazing reserves and stock routes in Nigeria.
Public hearing had been conducted on the bill which had passed second reading in the Senate and House of Representatives, with the later referring it to the House Committee on Agriculture for further legislative action.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
