Benue
The Benue State Commissioner for Agriculture and
Natural Resources, Mr Donald Gbugho, last Thursday said the ministry would soon commence registration of herdsmen in the state.
Speaking  when the Maize Association of Nigeria, led by its Chairman, Mr Sam Kwa’Na, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Makurdi, Thursday, Gbugbo said that the registration was necessitated by the incessant clashes between the herdsmen and farmers, which was having negative effects on the economy of the state.
The commissioner called on the Federal Government to open up the eight grazing reserves in the state yet to be developed since the colonial administration to expand areas of grazing for herdsmen.
Earlier, Kwa’Na had appealed to the commissioner to provide the association with land to enable it venture into dry season farming and urged the state government to reinforce existing grazing laws to restore peace between herdsmen and farmers.

FCT
The special representative of International Police
(INTERPOL) to the EU, Mr Pierre Reuland,  says the operations of West African Police Information System (WAPIS) programme would receive more expertise.
Reuland said last Tuesday in Abuja that INTERPOL would use the existing tools in achieving the WAPIS objectives.
According to Reuland, the WAPIS programme is facing the challenge of building partnership and confidence between law enforcement institutions within the EU and ECOWAS countries.
He stressed the need for a legal framework of the countries involved to exist at the national and regional levels to resolve a few legal questions arising from the exchange of information.

Kano
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State last
Wednesday charged permanent secretaries to continue to live above board in the fight against corruption.
Kwankwaso, who gave the charge at the swearing-in of two permanent secretaries in Kano, specifically charged them to join in the administration’s collective efforts to fight corruption.
The governor also urged them to see their new position as an opportunity to further uplift the state and also discharge the responsibilities of their new office without fear or hindrances.
Kwankwaso urged the families of the appointees to show understanding as their new responsibilities would demand sacrifices to the state.

Kebbi
The Kalgo Local Government Council in Kebbi State,
last Wednesday, said it spent N9 million in the construction of drains, preparatory to the rainy season and to prevent flooding.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Kuka, who disclosed this in an interview Kalgo, Kebbi said the drains would allow free flow of water to prevent flood and to avoid a recurrence of last year’s flood in the area.
He said, four rural primary health centres were established to enhance healthcare delivery to the people the council had bought drugs worth N8.5 million to be distributed free to the health facilities in the council.
He commended Gov. Saidu Dakingari for executing developmental projects in the area, which included hospitals and new schools and promised that the council would continue to ensure the provision of amenities to the people as dividends of democracy.

Kogi
Kogi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and So
cial Development, Mrs Patience Mameh, has called for the eradication of traditional practices that aid the transmission of HIV/AIDS among women and children.
Mameh, who made the call last Thursday in Mopa, at a workshop to create awareness on the HIV/AIDS pandemic said that the workshop was imperative as it would help curb the erroneous beliefs and traditions held by the people that aggravate the spread of HIV/AIDS.
She said that HIV/AIDS had assumed endemic status partly due to traditional and cultural beliefs and practices which, according to her, must be de-emphasised if not totally eradicated.gi

Lagos

Director, Shelter Watch Initiative (SWI), a non-
governmental organisation, Mr Segun Olutade has said that it would empower 3,000 youths with practical skills and vocations.
Olutade told newsmen in Lagos last Thursday that 1,000 artisans that were trained in 2013 by SWI were ready to impart some of the skills to the youths.
He said that the NGO would organise programmes to help work on the attitudes of the already trained artisans, to get them ready to pass on their knowledge.
“The primary objective of the initiative is to reshape the Nigerian society through dedicated projects and programmes targeted towards capacity building among the Nigerian workforce,’’ Olutade said.

Niger

A Minna Chief Magistrates Court last Wednesday sen
tenced two men to nine months imprisonment each for selling fuel in jerry cans.
The men Sanusi Ibrahim and Mohammed Yunusa, all of Tsauni village in Gurara Local Government Area of the state,  aged 33 and 30 respectively, were jailed without option of fine.
The Prosecutor, Mr Saidu Ibrahim, a Civil Corps Assistant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had told the court that the convicts were arrested in Tsauni village.
The convicts pleaded guilty before the court while the prosecutor prayed the court for summary trial.
The Magistrate, Alhaji Hamidu Bima, sentenced them to nine months jail term each without option of fine.
Ondo
Ondo

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has in
augurated the N2.13 billion First Bank- Alapata-Ugbe-Iboropa-Ise Road in Akoko North East Local Government area of the state.
Speaking at the occasion, the governor promised that his administration would complete all the road projects awarded before the end of his tenure.
The 23-kilometre road, which would serve communities in the council area, was awarded in 2010 while the contractor moved to site in March 2011.
According to Mimiko, 49 road projects with a total length of 731 kilometres had been completed and put to use since the inception of his administration adding that 36 new projects covering 244.20 kilometres were currently ongoing in the three senatorial districts in the state.

Plateau
The nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of
Research Institutions (ASURI) has paralysed activities at National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, near Jos.
The national body of ASURI recently embarked on a nationwide indefinite strike to compel the Federal Government to implement the agreement it had signed with the union.
NVRI Branch Chairman of ASURI, Dr Isaac Ogo,  said in Jos that the industrial action was total and that no member of the union would work.
Ogo said that the union wanted immediate release of conditions and schemes of service by the government, which was negotiated with relevant ministries and agencies for nine years.
Sokoto

An All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Chieftain in
Sokoto State, Alhaji Muktari Mapia, has urged politicians to demonstrate high sense of decorum to ensure peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections.
Mapia said in Sokoto last Wednesday that: “members of the political class must mobilise their followers on the need for maturity in order to ensure peaceful conduct of political activities.’’
He said that politicians, especially those seeking elective positions, must sensitise their followers to desist from political violence and intolerance.
Mapia also called on the security agencies to provide a platform that would enable the politicians to conduct their activities in a peaceful atmosphere state that the provision of a level-playing ground by security agencies would go a long way to ensure peaceful conduct of political activities.

Taraba

The Taraba State Police Command on Wednesday said
it had arrested four suspects in connection with alleged possession of firearms and ammunition.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Kwaji who disclosed this in an interview in Jalingo said the suspects were initially arrested by a vigilant group at Karofi area of Jalingo and were handed over to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
Kwaji said that one Ak 47 with 45 rounds of live ammunition, one Pump Action Gun with 26 round of cartridges and nine rounds of K2 live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.
The PPRO commended the vigilant group for complementing the efforts of the police in the state and urged members of the public to always provide useful information to the security organisations for effective crime prevention.

L-R: Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, IBM Chairman, Ginni Rometty and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, after a meeting in Abuja, last Thursday. Photo: NAN