FCT

An estimated 400 children have died from the inhalation of lead poison in six communities in Zamfara due to improper mining practices.

The National Coordinator, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC), Nigeria chapter, Mr Hamzat Bala Lawal, disclosed this while speaking with our correspondent in Abuja.

Lawal, who is also the advisor, Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network (NYCAN) and member, Steering Committee, told our correspondent that the root cause of the lead poisoning crisis was unsafe mining and ore processing.

He stressed the need to provide access to facilities and programmes to people engaged in mining and ore processing, to enable them safely mine and process ore without exposing themselves or others to toxic lead.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government has earmarked N71 million for the rehabilitation of three agricultural skills acquisition centres, an official said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, made this known in Kazaure while inspecting wet season farming project sites in the area.

Idris said that the project would be executed at Kila Danzomo and Malam-Madori and would be upgraded and equipped with modern facilities.

He said the centres would provide training on crop, livestock, poultry and fishery production as well as agro-processing.

“The trainees are to be exposed to various fields of agriculture during their six-month training programme at each of the centres.

Kano

Kano State Film-makers’ Association, Kannywood, says that it has initiated new policies to ensure enforcement of morality in the industry.

The Public Relations Officer of the Association, Malam Nura Hussain, noted in an interview in Kano that the industry had operated for over a decade without being properly guided or regulated morally.

He said the new policies would ensure registration of all those working in the industry who should be members of various guilds.

Hussain said the guilds would be answerable to the Motion Pictures Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria, the mother organisation guiding the industry.

“To enforce the new policies, we have to seek collaboration with the national and state censorship boards.

Kogi

A member of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Mr Henry Ojuola, (ACN-Yagba East) has warned that current agitation for a change in the leadership of the house was unnecessary.

Speaking to newsmen in Lokoja, Ojuola noted that the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, and other principal officers had discharged their duties well and expressed worry over “the rush to change the leadership of the house,” after barely one year in office, blaming the move on external forces.

He called on his colleagues to borrow a leaf from the House of Representatives, which he said, had been enjoying stability after choosing its leaders.

The ACN member noted that the house was able to pass several bills into law because of the support the speaker was enjoying and urged Bello to remain focused in providing good leadership for the house.

Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested two members of a vigilance group for alleged murder of three persons in Patigi Local Government area in Kwara State.

The Commissioner of Police in Kwara, Mr Chinwike Asadu, made the disclosure  in an interview  in Ilorin.

Asadu said the killing of the three persons whose identity had yet to be ascertained occurred on August 31 in Patigi.

He said that two members of the vigilance group in Patigi who allegedly committed the offence and threw the corpses into a river were being detained at the State Police Headquarters in Ilorin.

The commissioner said that police detectives were in Patigi for full investigation to unravel the cause of the killing.

Lagos

The Executive Secretary, Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farms Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON), Mr Enoch Kanawa,  has urged the Federal Government to publish payments of oil subsidy allowances regularly.

He told newsmen in Lagos that most of the marketers were not aware of government’s activities on subsidy payments.

He alleged that the issue of payment of subsidy allowances to petroleum products marketers was at the root cause of the scarcity of the products in some parts of the country.

“Acclaimed payment of subsidy to marketers by the government should be published.

“Many major importers of petroleum products have not received any money as far as I know.

“And this lack of openness poses a serious threat to the socio-economic growth of the country,”  he said.

Nasarawa

Executive Director, Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nasarawa State, Mr William Ebuga,  has called for a massive increase in the number of people enrolling for adult and non-formal education in the state.

Ebuga made the call in Lafia at a meeting of the agency with non-governmental association of Literacy Support Services in collaboration with Nasarawa State Network for Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

He said the government, through the agency, was ready to create an enabling environment for NGOs and other development partners interested in embarking on adult and non-formal education in the state.

The executive director said, “the agency is highly delighted to begin a partnership discussion, particularly on how to add value to the effort we are making towards the education for all in the state by 2015.”

He called on other development partners to cooperate with the government to meet the target, adding that government alone could not undertake the programme.

Responding, the care-taker Chairman of Non-Governmental Association of Literacy Support Services, Mr Charse Olule expressed gratitude to the agency for taking the step.

Ogun

The expectation that Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s ad ministration would recover the N70 billion owed the state by the Federal Government before the end of its tenure informed the taking of a N18.38 billion loan from UBA in 2010.

The Director-General of Due Process Office, Mr Gbenga Abiola, made this known while giving evidence on the circumstance that led to the former governor taking the loan.

Abiola said that during the period, the state government was expecting that the Federal Government would pay the N70 billion it was owing the state.

“Government at that time decided to seek for the loan hoping to pay off immediately the N70 billion entered the purse of the state, and in addition, it was the state legislature that brought the idea of borrowing to finance the budget.

“But when it became obvious that the money was not forthcoming after the loan had been drawn, government decided to refund the balance of about N8 billion to the bank,’’ Abiola explained.

Osun

The Osun State House of Assembly has dissolved the 30 local government caretaker management committees in the state.

Speaker of the House, Mr Najeem Salam, announced the dissolution during plenary following the expiration of the six- month tenure of the committees.

Our correspondent  reports that the tenure of the caretaker chairmen took effect from March 2 and lapsed on September 2.

Salam ordered the chairmen to hand over all government property in their possession to the heads of administration.

He said the House had yet to receive the list of fresh nominees to replace the outgoing chairmen, adding that the account of the local government councils had now been frozen.

Oyo

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has described the death of former CBN governor, Mr Ola Vincent, as a great loss to the country.

The governor, in a statement issued in Ibadan by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said the news of the demise came as a rude shock.

“It was with rude shock that I received the news of the passing away of Pa Ola Vincent in a Lagos hospital.

“ Even though he died at the ripe age of 87, nevertheless his death is very unfortunate and a great loss to Nigeria.

“He was a world-class economist, distinguished banker and public servant. He was an illustrious son of Nigeria,’’ Ajimobi said.

Ajimobi said Vincent’s tenure as CBN governor witnessed rapid economic growth owing to his sound economic policies and administrative dexterity.

“It is particularly painful that Pa Vincent passed away at such an auspicious time when his wealth of experience is most needed to salvage the country from its present economic doldrums.

Sokoto

Chairman of Ansaruddeen Society of Nigeria, Sokoto State branch, Sheikh Bilyaminu Ajani, has called on Nigerians to continue praying for peace, progress and political stability of the nation .

Ajani told our correspondent in Sokoto that the country needed contant prayers for God’s intervention in all its affairs.

He said fervent prayers would enable Nigerians to overcome the present challenges threatening the nation’s corporate existence, stressing: “All hands should be on deck to promote peace and ensure smooth implementation of ongoing reforms.

“It is only through prayers that the current insecurity challenges will be a thing of the past for the country to move forward.’’

Taraba

Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State has appointed Alhaji Ibrahim Maishanu, the Commissioner of Police in the state, as the state Amirul Hajj for this year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

A press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa, and made available to our correspondent in Jalingo, said Maishanu and three other members would lead the pilgrims during the exercise.

According to the statement, the Permanent Secretary, Teaching Service Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Imam is to serve as the secretary of the team.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr Yusha’u Ahmed and the Village Head of Chachangi, Alhaji Tanimu Hamisu would serve as members, it added.

It stated that the governor called on the team to guide the pilgrims to ensure that they serve as good ambassadors of the country.

Zamfara

The on-going verification of staff in government establishments in Zamfara State is not aimed at dismissing any worker from the state workforce, an official of the workers union, has said.

Alhaji Abdullahi Madomawa, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), gave the assurance on Friday in Gusau in an interview with our correspondent.

He said the exercise was meant to screen out workers who were employed through “unofficial channels”.