Bauchi

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday inaugurated
its North – East Zonal office in Bauchi.

Inaugurating the building, Governor Isa Yuguda, represented
by his deputy, Alhaji Sagir Saleh, described Bauchi “as the birth place of
PDP.”

“PDP was born in Bauchi State. The party has no ethnic,
religious or sectoral coloration,” he said.

According to him, the state government has very good
relationship with members of the executive council of the party in the zone and
added that the occasion marked the fulfilment of his promise to provide a
befitting office for the party in the zone.

Benue

The Special Assistant to Benue State Governor on Millennium
Development Goals (MDGS), Timothy Aikor, recently expressed satisfaction over the
completion of N1.8 billion MDGs projects in the state.

Aikor made this known when he addressed participants at a
one-day capacity building workshop for state and local government officials in
Makurdi recently.

He said that the funds were used to renovate and upgrade 49
primary healthcare centres in 23 local government areas of the state, pointing
out that eight bore holes were constructed in each of the local governments and
some public institutions in the state.

FCT

President Goodluck Jonathan has described the late Dr.
Abdul-Lateef Adegbite as a bridge-builder who reached across ethnic and
religious divides to promote peace and unity.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati,

The President said that Adegbite’s tenure as the
Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA),
would forever be remembered for fostering peace and unity among religious
groups in the country.

The President said the late Adegbite would also be
remembered for his moderating influence and
observed that Adegbite’s wealth of experience in government, private
practice and especially in handling inter-religious matters , would no doubt,
be missed.

Jigawa

The Birnin kudu Local Government area of Jigawa State has
said it would buy variety of improved seeds for distribution to farmers in the
area.

Alhaji Khalid Ibrahim, the council chairman, disclosed this
in Birnin kudu in an interview with The Tide.

Ibrahim, who said this shortly after launching 12 hectares
of new maize variety demonstration farm in Birnin Kudu, said the improved seeds
to be bought were maize, ground nuts, millets, sesame and rice.

He pledged that his administration would continue to give
priority to agriculture as contained in President Goodluck Jonathan’s
transformation agenda to make things better for the citizenry.

Kaduna

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has threatened to
sack contractors handling the evacuation of solid waste in the state over poor
performance.

Yakowa told newsmen in Kaduna after going round the city to
assess the conduct of the state monthly sanitation exercise that the government
would review the performance of the contractors and sack those found wanting.

The governor noted the heaps of refuse dumped on major high
ways of the city, saying, “erring solid waste contractors will be sacked
irrespective of their connection because they are not fulfilling their part of
the contract agreement”.

Kano

An environmentalist, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu, has called on
residents of Kano to ensure that collection and disposal of refuse generated
are properly disposed off into designated sites.

Shehu, who gave the advice in Kano on Sunday in an interview
with The Tide said dirty environment could lead to preventable diseases.

He stressed the need for people to imbibe the culture of
cleanliness to guarantee good health.

“Cleanliness is part of our culture and the government
require the full support of the public to transform our environment,” Shehu
said.

Katsina

Head of the Immunisation Unit of the National Primary Health
Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Mustapha Mahmud, says Katsina State has
the highest cases of polio infection in Nigeria.

Mahmud, who said this in Katsina while speaking with
journalists on Saturday stressed that Katsina State recorded the highest number
of polio cases out of the 88 confirmed cases in the country.

Mahmud, however, said that the state government had shown
some seriousness in tackling the menace of polio once and for all.

“The governor emphasised that funds have been released not
once or twice; he has directed the state Primary Health Care Development Agency
to release funds for polio immunisation.

Kebbi

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu
Tambuwal, on Saturday gave an assurance that the dispute with Saudi Arabia over
repatriation of some female pilgrims would be resolved amicably.

Tambuwal, the Head of the Federal Government’s delegation
appointed to resolve the matter, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that concerted
efforts were being made for Nigerians to perform the pilgrimage.

He expressed optimism that the matter would be resolved,
considering the cordial relations between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

He appealed to the prospective pilgrims to exercise patience
as the matter would be resolved to enable them to attend the religious
function.

Kogi

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has advised the people of
the state to be at alert as the flood will continue for a long time.

Wada who  gave the
advice in Lokoja while receiving relief materials donated to the state by
Partners for Development and Baby Hanatu Foundation said that the brief he just
received from experts on the flood disaster was categorical that the state
would witness more floods.

Wada said that the government would do its best to mitigate
the effects of the disaster on the people living in the affected 332
communities spread across the nine local government areas of the state.

The governor, who had earlier met with officials of NEMA to
get a situation report on the flooding, thanked the donors for their support
and assistance, assuring them that the materials would reach the victims.

Lagos

Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited (BCHS), the contractor
handling the reconstruction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway, says it will
re-introduce weigh bridges to regulate the weight of the cargo of haulage
trucks.

Mr Dipo Kehinde, the Head of Communications and Media
Relations in BCHS, said this while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, adding that
the measure would prevent the abuse of the highway.

Kehinde said that trucks, whose cargo exceeded the required
capacity, would be made to shed load before using the highway.

“It is because there has been some indiscipline in the past;
you cannot have a road like this without weighing what is transported on it.

Ogun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has urged Nigerians
to continue to live in peace and harmony to bring about development in the
country.

Amosun made the call at a special Jumat service held at the
Central Mosque, Abeokuta, to mark the nation’s 52nd independence.

He said that the country had come of age and that activities
that would continue to bring development should be the priority of any
government.

“As we celebrate, we should give priority to policies and
programmes that will better the lives of our people.

“I believe that with the cooperation of our people, Ogun
State will move from strength to strength.

Taraba

The Taraba Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar, has
challenged the competence of the panel investigating allegations of gross
misconduct against him.

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry was set up by the state Acting
Chief Judge, Justice Josephine Tuktur, to investigate the allegations by the
state House of Assembly which was seeking to impeach the deputy governor.

His counsel, Barr. Yunusa Usman (SAN), said the panel was
not properly constituted and was therefore not competent to investigate the
allegations against his client.

He said the acting Chief Judge, who constituted the panel,
had over stayed the statutory three months provided by law to hold the office
in acting capacity.

The counsel also alleged that a member of the panel, Hajiya
Aisha Mohammed, had been indicted by a judicial commission set up by the
present state administration.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Government last Friday received 137 female
pilgrims who were deported from Saudi Arabia.

The deportees, who arrived at the state capital Gusau, were
received by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala, at the Presidential
Lodge.

Addressing the pilgrims, the deputy governor, who is also
the state Amirul Hajj, sympathised with the women.

Wakkala assured that the Federal Government had entered into
diplomatic discussions with the Saudi Arabian Government over the matter,
adding that the matter would be amicably resolved and that the pilgrims would
be taken back so that they could perform the Hajj.