Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Bauchi State has called on wives of the local government chairmen in the state to educate rural women on government policies and gender mainstreaming issues.
Director of the agency, Hajiya Jummai Liman-Bello made the call in an interview last Friday in Bauchi.
She said that the measure would foster better understanding of gender mainstreaming issues by women at the grassroots, and commended the state’s Ministry for Women Affairs for enlightening the wives of top government functionaries in the state on gender issues.
FCT
A former Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), Mr Anthony Ubani, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for showing courage and good judgement in slamming state of emergency on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.
In a statement in Abuja last Thursday, Ubani described the president’s state of emergency declaration as a bold and constitutional move, designed to arrest the mindless bloodletting in some parts of the north.
He expressed his optimism that the president’s action would restore peace, law and order in the three states that had been under siege because of the activities of the Islamist Boko Haram sect.
Jigawa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Jigawa last Thursday appealed to the state assembly to enact laws to prohibit the sales of illicit drugs and substances.
The Commandant of the NDLEA, Malam Ibrahim Abdu, who made the appeal in an interview in Dutse said this had become necessary in view of the proliferation and abuse of drugs, including cough syrup, forte-win injection, rubber solution, tramol, and local gin (ogogoro), among others.
He said that the trade had persisted in the state because there were no laws banning the sales and consumption of these substances.
Lagos
One person is suspected to have died in a collapsed building located at Godo Blocks Estate, Ibereko in Badagry last Saturday.
The victim, Kehinde Williams (28), a carpenter, was working in the building when it collapsed.
An eyewitness, who visited the scene, learnt that the building collapsed about 10a.m. but the rescue work did not begin till 12.24p.m.
An eyewitness said that the deceased was trying to remove the planks from the deck of the building when it collapsed.
“At about 10a.m., Kehinde came to the building to remove the planks from the deck recently constructed.
“From our observations, it appeared that the blocks used for the construction were not of high quality and the cement was not yet dry before he started removing the planks from the deck.
“It was while removing the planks that the building collapsed,” the witness said.
The source said if attention was immediately rendered to the victim, he might still be alive.
Kaduna
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), last Thursday said it would constitute a team that would monitor the conduct of the military in enforcing the state of emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The decision was contained in a statement issued by the ACF Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Fati Ibrahim after its National Executive Council meeting chaired by Alhaji Aliko Mohammed in Kaduna.
Sani-Sidi made the call last Thursday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), on a tour of the agency.
The director-general said that the collaboration among government institutions, individuals and critical stakeholders would safeguard lives, property and vital infrastructure, as well as sustain the development of the country.
Kano
Bayero University Kano (BUK), has indicated interest to partner with universities in Saudi Arabia in the area of science, technology and staff exchange.
This is contained in the official bulletin of the university issued by its Publications and Documentation Unit and made available to newsmen in Kano recently.
According to the bulletin, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, made the proposal to the Consul-General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Majid Muhammad Al-khatani when he visited him.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has begun the disbursement of N35.8 million under its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme to 6, 966 primary school girls in the state.
The Special Adviser to Gov. Ibrahim Shema on Girl-child Education and Development, Hajiya Bilkisu Kaikai, said the amount was being disbursed to selected pupils under the fifth round of the programme.
She said while issuing out the grant to some of the beneficiaries at Unguwar Tsamiya village in Kaita Local Government Area of the state recently, that each of the girls would receive N5,000.
She added that the money was to support pupils from very poor homes in the pursuit of primary school education and urged parents in the state to enrol their wards especially girls into schools.
Kogi
The Kogi State Government is to partner with a U.S. firm, Carghil, to establish a starch company at Agbadu in the Kogi West Senatorial District.
Gov. Idris Wada, who made the announcement in Lokoja recently, said that the company would also produce sucrose and other sweeteners to be used in the manufacturing of other products. He said that the company would source its raw materials from a special variety of cassava which it intended to introduce to Nigeria through the Kogi Government, adding that 15, 000 hectares of land has been allocated to the company.
Oyo
The Chairman, National Certification Committee for Guinea Worm Eradication, Prof. Kayode Oyediran, has expressed optimism that Nigeria would be certified free of guinea worm by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“I believe we will be certified fully in June when the International Certification Team of the WHO comes to Nigeria for the final assessment,’’ he told newsmen in Ibadan last Saturday.
Oyediran spoke on the sideline of the sensitisation meeting organised by the Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (NIGEP).
The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan said the WHO certification team would be concerned about the number of the disease’s “rumoured cases and actual cases’’ during the period.
Plateau
Rep Godfrey Gaiya (PDP-Kaduna) has suggested the return of mobile police check points to deter criminals, especially in flash points around the country.
The lawmaker said in Jos that “their mere presence is enough to scare many criminals”.
Gaiya said that such complaints were nothing compared to the usefulness of the road blocks to the Nigerian society.
He blamed the massive insecurity on the absence of the police on the roads and decried a situation where criminals could travel very long distances without being accosted with their loots or illegal arms.
Sokoto
The Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, has restated the commitment of the Federal Government to maximise the desired impact of the NYSC programme on national unity.
Abdulkadir said this in Sokoto Wednesday at the opening of the 2013 Annual Management Conference of the NYSC scheme, recently.
He noted that the NYSC Programme was in tandem with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The theme of the conference is “The Relevance of NYSC to National Development: Achievements, Challenges, Prospects and the Way Forward.’’
Abdulkadir, however, said that the scheme would have recorded greater successes but for the current security challenges.
Zamfara
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, says police will now strengthen partnership with communities to identify potential national security threats.
The IG said this on Saturday in Gusau at the opening of a one-day Intelligence Sensitisation and Community Partnership Workshop.
Abubakar, who was represented on the occasion by the AIG North West Zone, Suleiman Fakai, said partnership with communities would now take “central role in preventing and responding to terrorism and reducing citizens’ security concerns”.
The measure, according to him, will also enhance national security, protection of lives and property and stabilise democracy.
He said through community vigilance, an effective policing of the society would be ensured as more useful information on criminals and their activities would be forthcoming.
He said the workshop, which also involved the participation of media practitioners, would encourage newsmen to assist in reducing tension.
He said through feedback methods, “the media can also help to monitor and evaluate government performances to meet the minimum expectations of the people”.
Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
This is just as she also hailed the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the federal government to the government and people of Enugu State.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, the lawmaker emphasized the need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression that their actions against former governor were meant to witch hunt him.
In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman had claimed Belloh told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
But Senator Natasha in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel and issued at the weekend in Abuja, reminded Yahaya Bello of the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.
“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.
“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.
Worried over the latest depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, the Senate through its Committee on Finance, has stated that the Legislature is exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of Naira depreciation and foster economic stability in the country.
These, according to the committee, in a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and released yesterday, includes robust oversight of fiscal policies, engagement with key stakeholders, and the formulation of targeted interventions to support key sectors of the economy.
Senator Musa said the statement became necessary “to address the current state of the economy and the need for concerted efforts at tackling the instability and continuous depreciation of the Naira.”
This is even as he hoped that the “economic managers will adhere strictly to the norms and standards set by this administration to ensure that we achieve the desired outcomes in taking Nigeria to its economic growth and prosperity”, pledging the support of the National Assembly to the executive arm of government to achieve the set goals.
He, however, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resilient as they navigate these uncertain times, saying “together, we can overcome the challenges facing our economy and chart a path towards prosperity for all.”
The statement titled: “State of the Nation Economy and Naira Depreciation’, reads “The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges, exacerbated by both internal and external factors.
“Despite efforts to stabilize and bolster economic growth, the numerous initiatives and bold but necessary steps and policy decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, the persistent depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies has become a pressing concern.
“The recent depreciation of the Naira underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard the stability and resilience of our currency.
“The Senate Committee on Finance is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to implement effective policies and strategies.
“It is imperative that we address the root causes of Naira depreciation, including but not limited to fluctuations in global oil prices, fiscal deficits, and structural imbalances in the economy.”
The Senator, representing Rivers West Senatorial District at National Assembly Sen.Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advocated for legislative backings to enforce immunisation as a pre-condition for admission into nursing, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Banigo made the assertion recently in a statement to commemorate this year’s week-long immunisation campaign in line with the World Health Organisation advocacy.
Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health personnel, explained that such legislation would strengthen the National Immunisation Policy in the administration of vaccines, saves lives, helps in the child normal growth, prevents serious illness and disabilities such as poliomyelitis .
The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), noted that Nigeria must attain at least, 90 percent vaccine coverage for all childhood and adolescence; stressing that a fully vaccinated child should have received BCG, Mussels and three doses of DTP and Polio .
She emphasised the need for collective efforts by stakeholders in the campaign against preventable diseases .
The theme for this year’s World Immunisation Week is “Humanly Possible: Saving Lives Through Immunisation” while the national theme is “Vaccine Works For All”.
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