THE STATES

Jigawa

Governor  Sule Lamido of Jigawa State said last Thursday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would present a credible candidate for presidential election in 2015.

Lamido gave the assurance in Dutse when he received members of Arewa Youths Forum who paid him a courtesy visit.

“From my political history, I don’t present myself for any position, I believe in my party and it will present a candidate that will be acceptable by all.

“PDP has modalities of doing things, we should wait and see the person that will be chosen to be the flag bearer of the party in 2015.

“PDP is built on justice and fairness and my party has sagacity to break religious dichotomy and it is a party that was formed to unite the country, “ he said.

 

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government said it would get N2.3 billion as grant from the Global Partnership to revive its ailing education sector.

The state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammad Usman, who made this known at a one-day education conference said the fund would enable the ministry work out strategies, implement policies and put it into action toward revamping the education sector.

The commissioner said no country would develop without investing in the education sector as it would improve the socio-economic structure and the literacy level of the country.

The chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Ishaya Akau, said there was the need for host communities to assist the government in safeguarding its properties.

 

Kano

The Kano State Film Censorship Board inaugurated a committee to organise a film award to outstanding Hausa movie and film practitioners in the country.

The Hausa film industry is popularly called Kannywood akin to the Nollywood in the southern part of the country.

Inaugurating the committee in Kano  the Chairman of the board, Sheikh Bazallahi Kabara, charged the members to fear God in carrying out their work.

While acknowledging the importance of the film industry in the lives of the people, Kabara, however, advised that the culture and religion of target audience must be respected.

The chairman warned the committee members, whom he described as “extremely competent”, to avoid partiality while selecting the film categories to be awarded.

 

Kebbi

The Secretary to Kebbi Government, Alhaji Nurudeen Kangiwa, has appealed to primary school teachers and local government workers in the state not to embark on strike due to delay in the payment of their January salary.

Kangiwa said in Birnin Kebbi that the delay was as a result of the ongoing verification exercise to determine the number of workers in the state..

He also said that the repeated verification exercise was necessitated by government’s decision to ensure probity and accountability.

Kangiwa urged the affected workers to present their relevant documents before the verification panel, adding that prompt payment of salaries and other benefits would resume after the exercise.

 

Kogi

The Kogi House of Assembly recently in Lokoja called for the establishment of model secondary schools to stem the falling standard of education in the state.

In a resolution following the adoption of a motion by Mr Henry Ojuola, the house expressed concern over the quality of education “from primary to tertiary institutions” in the state.

Ojuola, who stressed the need to replicate best practices from the federal and some state governments said model secondary schools were “usually established to encompass talented, intelligent and meritorious students.”

According to him, some existing secondary schools in the state should be upgraded to model status to serve the intended purpose.

 

Nasarawa

Workers of Nasarawa Express embarked on an indefinite strike over their demand for the payment of six months salary arrears.

The Chairman of Amalgamated Union, Nasarawa Transport Workers, Mr Timothy Marku,  said in Lafia that “we have been working for the past six months without being paid our salary.

Marku said the union called its members out on strike not to sabotage government’s efforts but to ensure the demands of the workers were paid.

He, however, commended the workers for performing their duties during the six months they were not paid.

 

Niger

The Northern States Governors Forum has urged Christian clergymen to educate their followers on the essence of the Lenten season to enable them to earn God’s blessings.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger, Dr Babangida Aliyu, who made the call in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Danladi Ndayebo, urged Christians to conduct themselves well during the Lenten season to maximise its spiritual and physical benefits.

It identified good intention, prayers and firmness of purpose in pursuing good deeds as some of the benefits inherent in the holy season.

The statement noted the need for the faithful to fast, pray and abstain from heavy meals and other bad habits as well as give alms during the Lenten period.

 

Ogun

The Director of Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Rev. Fr John Patrick,  Ijebu-Ode Catholic Diocese, has urged the Federal Government to intensify its fight against corruption in the country.

Patrick, who  made the call in an interview in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, state identified corruption as one of most serious challenges facing the country, said the government must redouble its effort in tackling the menace.

He urged the Federal Government to strengthen the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to fast-track the prosecution of corrupt individuals.

 

Osun

Armed robbers last Wednesday attacked a bank and a police post at Ode-Omu, near Gbongan in Osun.

The robbers operated about 1a.m. and caused panic among residents of the town by shooting sporadically, witnesses said.

The residents made efforts to contact the police, the hoodlums escaped before the police arrived. A  passer-by, identified as Tirimisiyu, was hit by a stray bullet and died before he could get medical attention.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Mrs Folashade Odoro, confirmed the incident and said that the bank manager claimed the robbers stole N10 million and $6,000 from the bank.

 

Oyo

A former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has advocated the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

Alao-Akala made the call in an interview in Ibadan recently.

According to him, the abolition of the SIEC will curtail the excesses of some state governments which fight shy of democratising the local government elections.

He likened the existence of SIECs to the creation of state police, which he said, was needless, adding: “as bad as the state police, so also is SIECs.

Alao-Akala criticised the call for local government autonomy, saying that the existing arrangement allowed the councils some level of autonomy except for the disbursement of funds.

 

Plateau

Director of Press Affairs to Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau, Mr James Mannok, has advised media houses against rumour-mongering and wild speculations while performing their duties.

Speaking in Jos when he received the Executive Council members of Faith Chapel, publishers of Christian newspapers and magazines, who paid him a courtesy call.

Mannok described the contributions of the Christian media during the period of crises on the Plateau as “very courageous“ and “encouraging.

He said that government was always ready to partner with them in their contributions to development, and urged them to always seek for clarification when in doubt.

“Our doors are always open, so don’t hesitate to seek for any information that will help you to tell the truth,’’ he said.

 

Zamfara

The Emir of Maradun in Zamfara, Alhaji Garba Tambari, has promised to mobilise farmers in his domain to participate in the renewed efforts of the state government to revive cotton production.

Tambari made the promise  in Maradun when Chairman, Zamfara Cotton Development Agency, Alhaji Hussaini Moriki, led a team of Chinese experts on agriculture on a courtesy visit to the palace.

The visit was part of the on-going awareness and mobilisation campaign being mounted by the government to accelerate cotton production in the state.

The emir said that it was obligatory for the people of the state to support the current efforts of government to rejuvenate agriculture and make the sector the mainstay of the economy.

He said that since Zamfara was mainly an agrarian state, the people should take advantage of government support to boost agriculture production.