Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

October 17, 2012

Borno

The Borno State Government plans to import 1,000 heavy duty tractors from Pakistan to harness the agricultural potential of the state.

Governor Kashim Shettima who made this known while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri on Sunday explained that an agreement had already been signed by the Pakistani government and the Borno state government for the supply of the tractors.

“We are just coming back from a working visit to three countries – Pakistan, Turkey and India.

FCT

The Norsemen Club, a youth advocacy group, on Sunday in Abuja called on the Federal Government to protect Nigerian students against potential attacks.

President of the FCT chapter of the group, Mr Segun Fakehinde, made the call in an interview with our correspondent.

He stressed that Nigerian students ought to be given adequate protection by all levels of government to forestall probable attacks on them.

“We are not happy with the incidents that recently occurred in Mubi and Port Harcourt; we are appealing to the government at all levels to recognise the fact that the future of the country lies in the hands of the youths and the majority of these youths are students.

Jigawa

Dabi Community in Ringim Local government Area of Jigawa has begun reconstruction of its only access road recently washed away by flood.

The Chairman of the Dabi Community Development Association, Alhaji Ali Adamu, told The Tide last Saturday in Ringim that the road was their only link to the outside world.

He said the disaster had hindered transportation and exposed the community to difficulties, pointing out that the rehabilitation of the road was being executed through communal efforts at the cost of N2 million.

He added that the flood had also crippled social and economic activities in the area and appealed to Jigawa State Government to relocate the community to a new site and empower them in view of the losses they had suffered as a result of the disaster.

Kano

The Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) National President, Garba Mohammed, has called on the Kano State government to re-open the Triumph Newspapers Publishing Company it closed down recently for poor performance.

He made the call during the Annual Lecture/Role Model award ceremony organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ in Kano on Saturday.

“I want to appeal to the state government to immediately re-consider its decision and consider the general rehabilitation of the Triumph Newspapers.

Katsina

Katsina State government says it has constructed 832 kilometres of roads as part of its urban expansion programme aimed at laying a solid foundation for economic advancement of the state.

Governor Ibrahim Shema made this known on Sunday in Katsina when he spoke with The Tide expressed his administration’s commitment to build a legacy of quality infrastructural development to facilitate economic empowerment of the people

He stressed that road construction was an on-going and continuous exercise of the administration’s urbanisation programme.

Kebbi

A former Chief Judge of Kebbi State Justice Ibrahim Umar, has attributed the successes recorded in the state Judiciary in the last five years to the non-interference of the executive arm.

Umar made this known during a valedictory session organised by the state to mark his exit from the bench in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

He retired after 24 years on the bench, including serving as chief Judge in the former Sokoto State and the present Kebbi.

The outgone chief judge said the executive and legislative arms of the government worked closely to provide enabling environment to the Judiciary to function independently.

Kogi

A businessman, Alhaji Abdulrazak Kutepa, has donated N10 million cash to the victims of the recent flood disaster in Kogi State.

A statement signed by Mr Jacob Edi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, said that Kutepa handed over the money to Governor Idris Wada on Saturday evening at the Government House.

The statement, a copy of which was made available to The Tide on Sunday in Lokoja, said Kutepa also donated bags of rice, clothes and other materials to the victims.

Kutepa expressed sadness over the flood disaster which ravaged 457 communities in nine local government areas of the state.

Kwara

The Kwara State Government has so far committed the sum of N900 million into the energy sector, the state Commissioner for Energy, Alhaji Tajudeen Sulu-Oloje, has said.

He told The Tide last Sunday in Ilorin that an additional sum of N400 million was on the verge of being spent, adding that the sum had been earmarked for the construction of injection sub-station in Ilesa Baruba in Baruteen Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

“It is an electrification project and we are now in the rainy season. But once we enter the dry season, work will commence fully on providing electricity in these communities.

Lagos

President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Nasir Fagge, on Sunday described the incessant killings of students in some parts of the country as unfortunate and condemnable.

Fagge told our correspondent in a telephone interview in Lagos that the union was worried and sad by the development.

He said the union had directed affected institutions to investigate the incidents and that it was waiting for the outcome before taking appropriate steps.

“We have asked our members in the affected institutions to give us information but whatever it is, it is a condemnable act.

Nasarawa

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has assured the country that it would not be plunged into food crisis or famine.

He gave the assurance on Saturday at the 2012 National Agriculture Show in Tudun Wada, Nasarawa State following concerns of likely food shortage as a result of flooding in the country.

He stressed that the Federal Government had resolved to set up a Flood Recovery Food Production plan to support farmers in the flood affected areas.

“We have already put in place a Flood Recovery Food Production plan to support farmers in the flood affected areas.

Sokoto

The Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) has held a one-day interactive session in Sokoto on its 2012-2016 Strategic Plan meant to enhance the credibility of future elections.

The Tide reports that the session drew participants from the commission’s offices in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of the states Hajiya Amina Zakari, said the session was to gather inputs from the staff to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan.

“We want to draw from your rich store of knowledge and experience”, she said, adding that it was aimed at making the staff proud owners of the plan so as to elicit its implementation.

Ondo

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that there will be free, fair and violent free governorship election in Ondo on October 20.

Jonathan gave the assurance on Saturday in Akure at a rally for the presentation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag to its candidate, Chief Olusola Oke.

The President urged the people of the state to vote for the PDP to enable the party utilise the state’s abundant natural and mineral resources to enhance the well being of the people.

“We are working to make Ondo State very rich, if you vote for PDP, we will work with your governor to make you rich because you are richly blessed with agricultural and mineral resources.

Osun

Wife of the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mrs Muibat Salaam, was on Saturday rescued from her abductors at Ogunmakin area, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, in Ogun.

The Tide recalled that Muibat, who is the first wife of the speaker, Mr Najeem Salaam was kidnapped on October 9 in Ejigbo area of Osun State.

The Tide reliably gathered that the rescue operation was carried out by officers of the Vigilante Service of Ogun.

The source said that the organisation acted on a tip-off and arrested three of the hoodlums who were handed over to the officers of Ogun State Police Command in Abeokuta.

Nation

JAMB Decries Use Of Fake Results For Admission

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has decried the high level of forgery of A Level certificates used for the registration.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, who raised the alarm, recalled that the Board had commenced the 2023 Direct Entry registration on Monday, 20th February but immediately suspended it following the discovery of the plethora of devices and machinations to circumvent and compromise the standard of A ‘level qualifications required from DE candidates.
He disclosed that out of 148 candidates verified by Bayero University Kano (BUK), only 6 were found to be genuine.
“By implication 142 of the results were forged. Oloyede said. Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has also consistently brought to the fore the high rate of forgery of A’Level qualifications for DE.
“It was discovered that in previous years, some candidates used unacceptable and forged A’ level certificates/ qualifications to register for Direct Entry and eventually got admitted. For example out of 148 candidates verified by BUK, only 6 were found to be genuine. By implication 142 of the results were forged.
“The Board, concerned stakeholders and institutions are working assiduously to detect such and the ones already found are being dealt with according to the provisions of the law.
“In order to further checkmate the anomaly and to also prevent recurrence of such irregularity, the Board has decided that the 2023 DE registrations will not only be restricted to JAMB (Professional Test Centres (PTCs) but will also be done under strict supervision,” Oloyode said.
“The Board has provided additional guidelines to all DE registration outlets (JAMB-owned centres), Officers of the Board and candidates on the 2023 Direct Entry registration exercise:
“At the point of registration, all candidates must fill in Registration/Matriculation Number of the previous school attended where the qualification was obtained; Subject(s) of qualification; Awarding Institution; Institution actually attended”, he said.

Nation

‘Nigerians Have Lost Confidence, Trust In INEC’

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

As post-election crisis gathers momentum, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria’s 2023 general elections has declared that Nigerians have lost confidence and trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owing to lack of transparency and operational failures.
The EU EOM Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, made the assertion at a Media Briefing to present the Mission’s second preliminary reports, in Abuja, Monday.
Andrews noted that although Nigerians had great appetite for democracy and keen to engage in various civic activities, their expectations were dashed.
According to him, the apathy recorded at the governorship and states House of Assembly elections conducted last Saturday was a clear consequence of failures by political elites and “unfortunately, INEC.”
Andrews said: “Obstruction and organised violence limited the free expression of the will of the voters, despite efforts by civil society to promote democratic standards.
“Throughout the Mission, we saw that Nigerians have a great appetite for democracy and are keen to engage in various civic activities. However, in many parts of the country, their expectations were not met.
“Many were disappointed and we witnessed voter apathy that is in part, a clear consequence of failures by political elites, and unfortunately, also by INEC.
“Positively, INEC introduced some corrective measures ahead of Saturday’s polls, allowing a timely delivery of sensitive materials and improved use of election technologies, yet, the institution continued to lack transparency.”
The Mission also observed that voting started early with INEC ad-hoc officials present and ready to serve voters, but the exercise was unfortunately, disrupted by “multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers, and journalists”.
The Mission noted that Lagos, Kano, and other States in the Southern, Northern and Central parts of the country were mostly affected, adding that the election was equally characterised by casualties, fatalities, as well as vote-buying, which according to the observers, further detracted from an appropriate conduct of elections.
“EU EOM observers also saw misuse of administrative resources, including through various financial and in-kind inducements to voters, giving an undue advantage to the party in power.
“Furthermore, the protracted deadlines for candidacy disputes created uncertainty for voters and electoral contestants alike, while clear underrepresentation of women as candidates demonstrated a stark lack of internal party policies to support constitutionally prescribed inclusion

Nation

‘Youths To Benefit From Climate Change Innovation Hub’

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

The Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Sani Tambuwal, has expressed optimism that the recently established National Climate Change Innovation Hub would help in harnessing the potential among Nigerian youths towards addressing climate issues.
The CNA stated this during the commemoration of the 2023 Commonwealth Day with the theme ‘Forging A Sustainable And Peaceful Common Future’ held at the instance of National Assembly management, in Abuja, Monday.
Represented by the Deputy Clerk, National Assembly (DCNA), Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana, Tambuwal observed that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and other climate issues in the world if not properly managed, would posed great danger to world peace and a sustainable future.
He assured that Federal Government had put measures in place to address some issues on climate change through the establishment of youth climate change hub to harness their ideas and include them in decision-making process as well as develop long-term vision for zero gas emissions.
In her presentation, Mrs. Rabi Audu stressed the need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders towards forging a sustainable and peaceful environment.
Audu also urged the youths to engage in activities and programmes that would promoter innovations and inclusivity for all.
According to her, governments and parliaments have to increase opportunities for schools across the Commonwealth countries, adopt higher education partnerships and development programmes that would lead to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental conservation.
While noting that the establishment of more programmes like the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) would aid the attainment of these, Audu further stressed the need for Commonwealth member countries to establish technical and vocational education that would help in gainfully equipping the youths with skills to further tackle high rate of youth unemployment.
Some of the students who participated in the programme tasked parliaments across Commonwealth member States on the need to hold their governments to account particularly on the areas of public spending, international crisis, investment sustainability and promotion of the benefits of inclusive and diverse representation in truly open societies.