Adamawa

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State last Monday commissioned Women Education and Empowerment Initiative Multi-purpose centre in Yola.

Speaking at the occasion, Nyako said the state government would continue to fight poverty through women empowerment progrmmes.

He commended the effort of his wife, Hajia Zainab Nyako, for her focus in establishing the centre, stating that the development would go a long way in empowering women in the state.

In her remarks, Hajia Zainab Nyako, said about N50 million was spent in building the centre.

She said the centre had trained more than 7,000 women in the state on various skills, adding that the centre, which could accommodate 800 people, would also serve as a source of revenue generation.

According to her, the construction of the centre was achieved through the collective activities of philanthropists, donor organisations and other well-meaning individuals.

Benue

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Jibril Okutepa, has suggested that the powers of the National Industrial Court (NIC) be reduced to allow efficiency in the discharge of its duties.

Okutepa, who stated this at the inauguration of the NIC on Monday in Makurdi, said the jurisdiction of the court was too wide at the moment.

He said that section 254 (C) of the 1999 constitution, which vested the powers of exclusive jurisdiction on labour matters on the court, should be reviewed to enable it perform more efficiently.

He regretted that the lawyers, who disregarded court orders and denigrated Judges in the media, were never punished in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Okutepa said the indiscipline in the bar was encouraged by the bench and called on Judges to enforce discipline against erring lawyers to restore sanity in the judiciary.

In his remarks, the President of the Court, Justice A.B Adejumo, said the court was a specialised one, whose duties could not be shelved owing to its peculiar nature.

He assured that cases before it would be dispensed expeditiously for the purpose of stabilising the polity.

Borno

The wife of Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, last Monday flagged off a training programme for 40 unemployed youths in Maiduguri to fight youth restiveness and poverty.

Shettima said that the beneficiaries would be trained in three trade skills, including tailoring, knitting and computer operation.

She explained that the programme was facilitated by her organisation known as Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya Children (SWOT) Foundation, adding that the major objective was to eradicate poverty by empowering youths in various trades.

Shettima said that the training was packaged in partnership with the agency for mass literacy to ensure maximum result.

She said that the foundation had procured equipment for distribution to the trainees at the end of their training, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously because of its importance for their future.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government last  Monday in Dutse said no fewer than 100 less-privileged people living with HIV/AIDS would be empowered in 2013.

The Executive Secretary, State Agency for the Control of AIDS (JISACA), Dr Bashir Ahmed, made this known during a meeting with the state chapter of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN).

Ahmed explained that JISACA would collaborate with the state Ministry of Economic Development to empower the people.

According to him, the empowerment programme for those with the disease will keep them busy and provide them with job to carter for their daily needs.

“Apart from this effort, every month we give N20, 000 each to nine HIV/AIDS Facility-Based Support Groups in the state as a standing order to enable them to carry out their activities effectively,” he added.

The state Chairman of NEPWHAN, Alhaji Ahmed Sarki-Nopa, thanked the State Government for the support, and pledged to continue to embark on more awareness campaign against the spread of the disease in the state.

Kaduna

A husband, Mohammed Gardi of Hayin Danmani, Kaduna on Monday forfeited a N15, 000 dowry to get divorce from his wife.

Gardi’s wife, Yasira Isa had gone to the Shari’a Court II, Kaduna on Jan. 26 asking it to dissolve the marriage. She told the court that she was ready to return the dowry paid by the husband, as she was no longer in love with him.

The presiding officer, Khadi Ibrahim Inuwa had told the woman that her prayers would be granted if she return back the dowry. The pronouncement by the judge prompted Gardi of Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna to decline the offer.

He said he would forfeit the dowry in recognition of the “two children we had’’, and said prayed the court to restrict her from visiting his house so as not to create any problem with other members of his family, especially his aged mother and wife.

Inuwa granted the request and barred Isa from the house but directed that the children be allowed to visit their mother once a month and to attend any event by her family “to enable them get fully acquainted with their mother’s relatives”.

Kebbi

The Nigeria  Union of Teachers (NUT) has suspended its plan to embark on indefinite strike in Kebbi, over delay in the payment of salary to primary school teachers.

The state Chairman of the union, Malam Aliyu Dallami,  said on Monday in Birnin Kebbi that the strike was suspended pending the outcome of an exercise being conducted by local government councils.

He urged teachers to be patient and cooperate fully to ensure success of the exercise, adding that officials of the union would be involved in the exercise to ensure that none of its members was victimised.

Dallami advised teachers whose names were not included in the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage to participate in the exercise, and said the union was expecting the state government to inform the union what it was doing to rectify the anomalies.

He expressed concern over the decision of the local government chairmen to reduce the number of teachers on their pay roll.

Kogi

The General Manager, Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency (KGCSDA), Mr James Odiba, says  the agency spent N445.8 million on the execution of community projects in the past four years.

Odiba who made the disclosure in an interview  in Lokoja.said the money was spent on 232 micro projects in various communities.

He said 126 of the projects were completed last year, adding that 44 projects were ongoing while 62 would be flagged off soon.

The projects, according to him, centre on Education, Rural Electrification, Environment and Natural Resources, Gender and Vulnerable groups, Health, Socio-economic, Transport and Water.

Kwara

The Federal Government will commence the dredging of Asa River in Ilorin, the Kwara capital, within the next three weeks.

Mr Tunji Morounfoye, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, who disclosed this in an interview in Ilorin said the contractor for the project has already been mobilised to begin the work.

Morounfoye assured the people of the state that the contractor would execute the job on time in line with specifications. He said the project, when completed, would further enhance the economic activities of the state.

The commissioner stated that the”  expansion of the Asa River will put an end to annual flood being experienced in some parts of the state capital”.

The commissioner praised the effort of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr Bukola Saraki, for ensuring the award of the contract, and reiterated the determination of the state government to continue providing amenities that will make life more meaningful for the people.

Ogun

No fewer than six persons, including three children, were confirmed dead in a lone accident near Sagamu interchange in Ogun on Monday.

The Sagamu Unit Commander of the FRSC, Mr Lanrewaju Ogundele, told newsmen that the Toyota Hiace bus marked Sokoto GWD 20 XA was heading to Lagos from Sokoto.

He said the visibility of the driver was impaired by the early morning foggy weather, forcing him to run into a stationary empty container parked off the road.

“Nineteen persons were involved but six died while others are in very critical conditions as we speak and receiving treatments at Idera Hospital in Sagamu.

“The corpses of the three children as well as that of the two male and one female adult had been deposited at Fakoya Hospital Mortuary in Sagamu, he said.

“It is very important for drivers to be very careful when they drive in a foggy weather condition, especially when visibility is impaired.

Ondo

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Monday in Akure passed a budget of N152.5 bilion for 2013 fiscal year, increasing the initial sum of N151 billion presented by Gov. Olusegun Mimiko, by N1.5 billion.

The House Majority Leader, Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, moved the motion for the passage of the bill, lauding the effort of the committee, headed by Chief Fidelis Akinwolemiwa.

Akinwolemiwa had also appealed to the government to adhere to the provisions of the budget in line with the needs identified.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Samuel Adesina, called on the executive to implement the budget to the fullest.

The committee chairman also advised the government to take steps necessary to ensure that the anticipated internally generated revenue target of N12 billion was exceeded.

Akinwolemiwa explained that the committee approved the additional N1.5 billion, having discovered the need for the added sum.

Osun

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has inaugurated a special ambulance service scheme for emergency cases.

Flagging off the “Osun Special Ambulance Service Scheme (OSASSA)” scheme in Osogbo, Monday, Aregbesola said the ambulances would provide first aid at the scene of accidents before taking victims to hospital.

He said the programme with 31 ambulances would promote quality health care delivery service and reduce deaths in the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Temitope Ilori, said the scheme was part of the six integral action plans enunciated by Aregbesola in which the health sector was crucial.

Ilori said many victims die from preventive deaths at the scene of accidents due to multiple reasons such as distance, traffic jams and poor public cooperation, adding that ambulance service would totally eradicate these.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has signed the state’s 2013 appropriation bill of N115.8 billion. The State House of Assembly passed the bill last week.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Sokoto, the governor urged workers in the state to work with the fear of God.

“With the assenting of the 2013 appropriation bill, respective MDAs are now responsible for ensuring effective implementation of the 2013 budget. “I must categorically state without mincing words that we, on our part, have discharged our responsibility. “As such, the onus lies with all the public functionaries in their respective duty posts to ensure that the overall interest of the good people of Sokoto state is protected,’’ he said.

Alhaji Lawalli Zayyana, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, said that the Assembly was modestly blessed with working tools and logistics to carry out its activities.

“Only a month back, about N220 million was expended on the procurement of committees’ vehicles to further strengthen oversight activities. “Happily enough, about N1 billion has been voted in the 2013 budget for the comprehensive rehabilitation and repairs of the assembly complex,’’ Zayyana said.

Zamfara

Zamfara State Primary Education Board on Monday began a two-week training for supervisors of English Language in primary schools toward reducing the rate of failure in the subject among pupils.

A member of the board, Alhaji Mahe Rini, said at the opening of the conference that the training was aimed at enhancing the participants’ proficiency in teaching the subject.

Rini said pupils in both private and public schools lacked enough understanding of the subject and as such the participants were selected from both segments of the school system.

He gave an assurance that the board would work toward removing all bottlenecks to the improvement of standards in the subject.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Director of Primary Education in the board, Alhaji Na-Allah Gummi, urged the participants to work hard to achieve the objectives of the training.