THE STATES

Borno

The Borno State Government last Sunday said it spent
more than N600 million on logistics to ensure that its pilgrims have a hitch-free 2013 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.
Governor  Kashim Shettima who made the disclosure when he spoke to newsmen on preparations for the 2013 Hajj in Maiduguri, said the state government spent over N148 million on the construction of a new office complex for the state Pilgrims Welfare Board in Maiduguri.
He said we have secured a befitting accommodation, near the Haram for our pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to prepare ground for a hitch-free hajj operation. “We have also constructed an office complex for the Borno pilgrims’ welfare board in Maiduguri to motivate the staff conducting the hajj exercise.
“The office complex also provides an accommodation for officials of the zonal office of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The objective was to ensure that officials of the welfare board work in conjunction with those of NAHCON for successful hajj operations”, he added.

FCT

The first and second batch of FCT pilgrims for the 2013
Hajj will depart to the Holy land, Saudi Arabia, on September 19, the FCT Pilgrims Board, has said.
A statement by Malam Muhammad Lawal, the board’s Public Relations Officer, in Abuja last Sunday, indicates that  the screening will commence on Sept.18, at the permanent Hajj Camp in Bassan Jiwa, FCT.
“Pilgrims for the third batch will report for camping on September 19, while those for fourth and fifth batches will hold on Friday, September 20. The board has made adequate security arrangements to safeguard the lives and property of the intending pilgrims at the camp.Pilgrims are advised to wear their uniform and display their identity card to get access to the camp,’’ he said.
He said the transportation of pilgrims from the FCT would end on September 21 and appealed to the pilgrims to adhere to the flight schedules as those who miss their flight should blame themselves.

Jigawa

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
last Sunday presented relief materials to flood victims in four local government areas of  Jigawa  State.
The NEMA North-West Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, presented the items to the Special Assistant to the Governor  on Emergency Management, Alhaji Sani Kangire,  in Birninkudu said the materials should be distributed to flood victims in Babura, Taura, Gagarawa and Sule-Tankarkar Local Government Areas.
The top NEMA official, who was represented by Hajiya Amina Ahman, NEMA’s  Head of Administration in Jigawa, said the items included 150 bags of rice as well as 100 bags each of maize, millet and guinea-corn.
Others are 30 bags of sugar, 100 cartons of detergent, 100 bags of bathing soap, 200 pieces of mattresses, 200 pieces of blankets, 100 pieces of mosquito nets and  500 nylon mats. The  rest are 300 bags of cement, 300 bundles of roofing sheets, 300 packets of zinc nails and 100 bags of nails.

Kano

The Kano State Health Management Board has warned
Coca Cola Bottling Company Plc. in Kano against allowing contaminated products into the market, the Public Relations Officer of the board, Alhaji Adamu Abdullahi said in Kano, last Friday.
According to a statement by the boards PRO,  the board’s Executive Secretary, Dr Shehu Abdullahi, gave the warning when he met with the management of the company last Thursday. The meeting followed complaints from members of the public of cases of contaminated Coca cola.
The statement said that it was the responsibility of the board to protect and prevent citizens from consuming anything that might be harmful to their health.
A director in the board, Alhaji Jafaru Gwarzo, advised the company to abide by the rules and regulations governing the production of such consumables.
Responding on behalf of the management of the company, Hajiya Umma Aliyu, pledged that the company would address the problems raised.

Katsina

The first batch of 530 prospective pilgrims from Katsina
State last Sunday left the Katsina International Airport for Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.
The pilgrims who were in the first flight, were from Kankia zone. The zone comprises Kankia, Kusada, Ingawa, Musawa and  Matazu local government areas of the state. They boarded Boeing 747 of Max Airline at 1.45 a.m.
The governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, had urged the intending pilgrims to pray for  peace, progress and unity in the nation.
He gave the advice in his farewell message to them in Katsina.

Kwara

Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara
State, Mrs Bashirat Mohammed, has called for peaceful co-existence among communities in the area.
Mohammed who made the call  at a stakeholder’s forum organised by the PDP last  Sunday in Omu-Aran  said that mutual relationship by the indigenes would assist the government to develop the communities.
She urged the community leaders to close ranks in their efforts to raise the standard of living of people in the communities, adding that  no meaningful development could take place  in an atmosphere of violence and rancour.
She said that her administration had provided a template which the incoming council executive could build on for the betterment of the people and declared that the achievements  recorded by the administration in improving the economy of the communities was made possible through the prayers and assistance of  traditional rulers.

Lagos

The first batch of 517 pilgrims from the South-West Zone
were transported last Sunday morning to Medina, Saudi Arabia, from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
The Managing Director of Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, told newsmen that the Airline would transport most of the pilgrims from the South-West and the South-East.
“Med-View Airline would be transporting the pilgrims from Lagos, Ilorin and Port Harcourt, and we have deployed another Boeing 747 series to handle Ilorin and Port -Harcourt Zones, ‘’Bankole said.
He said that the airline had been approved to transport 5,500 pilgrims from the three zones, adding that with 30 years experience in handling Hajj operations, Med-View Airline had put in place adequate arrangements that would ensure the success of this year’s Hajj.
He assured the pilgrims that Med-View Airline planned to complete the transportation of the pilgrims by September 19.
Nasarawa

The Head of Paediatrics  Department, Federal Medical
Centre, Keffi, Dr Onuchukwu Chumam, last Sunday called on the Federal Government to build a special ward in the hospital for children infected with tuberculosis (TB).
Chumam, a Consultant Paediatrician, said the hospital needed an isolated ward designated for children with TB, adding that  the  practice was capable of exposing the other children to the risk of contracting the disease.
He said, “one of the challenges we have is personnel because you can see the adult ART anti-retroviral  therapy/TB clinic is being run by a special group. “We manage the other children alongside children with HIV/TB. We need more work force.
Niger

The Niger State  Government last Sunday said
it barred six female intending pilgrims from performing the 2013 Hajj  because they were pregnant.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim Sule, made this public  in Minna at the flag-off of the inoculation of  intending pilgrims against yellow fever, polio and cerebrospinal meningitis.
He said the medical team for the Hajj exercise  advised that the six pregnant women be barred in line with the directive of the National Hajj Commission.
Sule said the six women were discovered to be pregnant during the screening of intending pilgrims across the state adding that  the medical team also seized the travelling documents of the affected women in a bid to ensure  that the ban was enforced.

Ogun

The Ogun State Teaching Service Commission
(TESCOM) has appointed 26 principals, 67 vice principals and seven zonal secretaries.
Speaking at an induction programme for the appointees in Abeokuta last Sunday, the Chairman of the commission, Ms Olubukunola Onabanjo, said the appointments were aimed at ensuring effective administration of schools.
Onabanjo urged the appointees to live above board in all their dealings and be diligent, adding that they must be resourceful, dynamic and innovative.
A   Commissioner  in the commission, Mr Timothy Adebowale, had earlier noted that the appointments were based on merit and in accordance with teachers’ seniority list.