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THE STATES

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Adamawa
The District Head of Yola in Adamawa State,
Alhaji  Sa’adu Bawuro, has urged traditional title holders in his domain to  sensitise students in the area on the dangers of violence.
Bawuro made the call when he visited  Yelwa Primary School in Yola South Local Government Area.
He  urged title holders to take the sensitisation campaign to primary and secondary schools in their domains to enlighten students on the dangers of violence.
He said the  move  had  become necessary in view of the prevailing insecurity ravaging the  state and other North Eastern states.

Bauchi
Justice Rabi Umar of the Bauchi State High Court has
ordered the Police Commissioner in Kaduna State and the DPO in Saminaka to pay one Gideon Okoh the sum of N1 million for unlawful detention.
Passing the judgement in Bauchi, Umar said that the arrest and detention of the applicant on the orders of the DPO and on the insistence of the commissioner violated his fundamental human rights.
She therefore ordered that the duo and one Alhaji Sabo Gidan-Dutse to jointly pay the money to the applicant.
The judgment also added that apart from the N1 million, the DPO should refund additional sum of N5,000 taken from the applicant as bail money and N1,000.00 taken unlawfully.

Ekiti
Campaigns for the June 21 governorship election in
Ekiti State will formally begin on March 23, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said recently.
The INEC office in the state disclosed this in a Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the election released in Ado-Ekiti and made available to newsmen.
It also gave April 1 as the date for the collection of forms for the election by political parties.
According to the commission, verification of voters status will hold between March 7  and March 9, while Continuos Voters Registration (CVR) will take place between March 12 and March 17.

FCT

The police have started taking strategic proactive mea
sures to ensure peaceful elections in 2015, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, said recently.
Mba made the disclosure when he paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director, Editorial Operations, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Mr Isaac Ighure, in Abuja.
He said that “beyond the internal preparations that we are doing, we are actually taking other proactive measures to ensure that we have hitch-free 2015 elections.
“We are also maintaining very strong surveillance on our campuses.”

Kaduna

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has
restated its commitment to ensure the success of ongoing power sector reforms in the country.
The Chairman, TCN Board, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim gave the pledge while inspecting facilities of Kaduna Transmission Company.
Represented by a member of the board, Prof. Peter Akper, the chairman said the reform was key to achieving national growth and development.
“We must emphasise that the government takes the power reforms very seriously; because it is the only key that we have to achieving our developmental objectives generally,” he said.
Kwara
A university teacher, Prof. Shehu Jimoh, has identified
polluted value system, disfunctional education, corruption and insecurity as some of the challenges facing Nigeria.
Jimoh, a former Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of IIorin, made the observation in IIorin while speaking with newsmen.
He noted that the education system was not functional, stressing the need to review and re-engineer the system to restore its lost value
The don called on government to tackle the challenges facing the country for more development to be attained.

Lagos
The police in Lagos State have arraigned a 43-year-old
lawyer, Yinka Oluwole, who allegedly stole N10 million from his client.
Oluwole, who resides at No. 1, Jolaosho St., Obanikoro, Lagos, is standing trial before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court.
He was charged with stealing and obtaining money under pretext.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused and one David Okoro, still at large, stole the sum from Mr Femi Onamusi.
Olatunde said that the theft occurred on October 10, 2013, at No. 5, Obalodun St., Ilupeju, Lagos.

Niger
The management of Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai
in Niger State, has matriculated 2,222 students into its various programmes for  2013/2014 session.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ibrahim Kolo, said at the university’s 8th Matriculation ceremony in Lapai that the new students constituted the largest number of students ever matriculated by the university.
He said the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences had 545 matriculating students; Natural Sciences, 470 students; and Education and Arts, 783 students.
Kolo said the Language and Communication Studies had 298 students, Agriculture; 75 students, while Faculty of Applied Science and Technology; 52 students each.

Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command says it has placed one
Bisi Onigogo on its “wanted list’’ for allegedly beating his daughter, Yemi, to death.
This was contained in a statement by the command’s spokesman, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, issued last Tuesday in Abeokuta.
Adejobi said Onigogo allegedly committed the crime on March 3 at Ogbere in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.
He said that Onigogo was annoyed over his daughter’s misbehaviour and allegedly beat her to death, and escaped immediately he noticed she was dead.
Ondo
The Osun State House of Assembly has con
doled with its Ondo State counterpart  over the demise of its Speaker, Samuel Adesina.
The Deputy Speaker of Osun State Assembly, Mr Akintunde Adegboye, who led a delegation to Akure, described the late speaker as a leader,  who contributed to the development of Ondo State.
According to Adegboye, the late speaker must  be immortalised for creating a harmonious relationship between the executive and the lawmakers.
He expressed regrets at the  loss to the people of the state, and urged the lawmakers to maintain the existing peace the deceased had enthroned.

Oyo
A former Chairman of  Odua Investment Com
pany Ltd, Chief Sarafadeen Alli,  has  urged  pharmacists  to  refrain from aiding criminal activities.
Alli  made the observation  at the opening ceremony of the 30th  anniversary of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan.
According to him,  pharmacists should refrain from directly or indirectly  abetting criminal activities or  conspiring with drug traffickers.
Alli, who spoke as the guest speaker on  “Pharmacy Practice in Relations to Nigerian Law,’’  said pharmacists had responsibilities to the profession, colleagues,  clients  and the public.

Taraba
The Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) said
it would prosecute motorists with old number plates and drivers licence as from July 1.
Corps Commander, Clement Oladele, who is the Head, Advisory and Planning Unit of the Corps, stated this in Jalingo at a workshop to sensitise motorists on the need to switch over to the new policy.
Oladele noted that the workshop became necessary given the fact that the June deadline to phase out the old system was fast approaching.
“Nigerians are aware that  October 1, 2013  was set as deadline for them to switch over to the new licence and number plate following the launch of the new policy by President Goodluck Jonathan, but for some reasons the deadline was shifted to June, 2014.

Former Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi (left), with Governor Aliyu  Wamakko, during an APC stakeholders meeting in Sokoto last Monday.

Former Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi (left), with Governor Aliyu Wamakko, during an APC stakeholders meeting in Sokoto last Monday.

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Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

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Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.

She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.

Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love  has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.

The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.

Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.

 

He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.

Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.

He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.

According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.

Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.

Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them

 

John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah

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We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

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Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.
Speaking through Director General of the Rivers  State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.
“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.
Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.
Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now  and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”
The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.
“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.
The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.
He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government  policy of gas utilization.
Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.
He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.
In her remarks, Chairperson of  the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.
Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.
Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized  need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.
By Kevin Nengia
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SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB),  Yemisi Edun,  said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.

Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.

 

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