THE STATES

Bauchi
The District Head of Bakaro in Bauchi State, Alhaji Nura
Jumba, has commended an advocacy group, Journalists Against Polio (JAP), over their proactive initiatives which led to reduction of polio cases in the state.
Jumba, who made the commendation on Saturday in Bauchi said the activities of JAP in the state had in the last five years led to eradication of the scourge, especially in 2012, when it was declared free of polio.
He said, “I want to thank JAP for being very proactive in their contributions that ensured that the problem of polio eradication in Bauchi State was successful. “The district and village heads were all under the directive that we should do anything within our powers to see that this programme of eradicating polio in Bauchi State succeeds. The international donors brought in money to see that we eradicate polio not only in Bauchi State but in Nigeria as whole,” he said.

Borno
The Borno State Government said last Saturday, that it
would maintain its status of a polio-free state this year.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Salma Kolo, stated this at the launching of the Polio Immunisation Plus Day campaign in Maiduguri.
Kolo said that government would also strive to enhance the quality of life of women and children through its free Maternal and Child Health Care Services.
She also said that the state government had in the last two years laid a solid foundation for enhancing health care delivery. Speaking at the launch, Mrs Shettima advised women in the state to take advantage of the free health care services by visiting hospitals regularly.
Shettima, was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Inna Galadima.

FCT
The Deputy Senate President, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing electoral reform by the National Assembly would yield an improved electoral system.
A statement issued by Special Adviser (Media) to Ekweremadu, Mr Uche Anichukwu, said in Abuja on Wednesday that the assurance was given in his democracy day message to Nigerians.
Ekweremadu said the the ongoing reforms would soon be concluded to further consolidate the country’s democracy and prepare the nation adequately for the 2015 general election.
“Fifteen years of unbroken democratic rule is something to be proud of, especially for a country with our kind of history. “We also have every reason to be proud of what we were able to achieve in the 2011 general election following the widely applauded electoral reforms,” it said.

Gombe
Vice President Namadi Sambo and House of Representa
tives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, last Saturday, urged Muslims to live in peace with one another and adherents of other faith.
Sambo and Tambuwal, who made the call at the 28th Maulud (birthday) of the late Senegalese Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ibrahim Inyass, in Gombe, urged Muslims to continue to pray for peace, unity and development of the country in particular and the world in general.
He urged Muslims to emulate the good virtues of the late Islamic scholar as well as those of Prophet Mohammed.
Also, Tambuwal said peace was inevitable for the development of any society, adding that Muslims should pray for peace, unity and development of Nigeria.

Kano
Fage local government council of Kano State has
pledged to eradicate all child killer diseases in the area. The Interim Management Officer of the council, Alhaji Hayatu Musa, made the pledge last Saturday at the launching of the 2014 4th round of polio immunisation in the area.
Musa said that the council would not relent in its efforts at ensuring healthy children and mothers in the council area and  commended traditional rulers in the area for their contribution to the polio eradication campaign.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has expressed its readi
ness to collaborate with the Federal Government to fight insurgency.
Governor Tanko Al-makura, who made this known at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Mustapha Agwai, in Lafia, on Saturday, said the collaboration became imperative because of the security challenges facing the state and some parts of the country.
According to him, the activities of insurgents have negatively affected our lives and the socio-economic development of the country.
“Peace is the panacea required for the development of any society. No society or nation can experience meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancor, violence and confusion. I want to assure the people of my administration’s readiness to collaborate with the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional and religion leaders to fight insurgency in the country for the benefit of all,” Al-Makura said.

Niger
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger last Saturday urged
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), to prevail on past leaders of the country to help curb insurgency rocking the Northern region.
Aliyu, who is the Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), made the call at the maiden convocation of the Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger.
He expressed the hope that security challenges in the Northern states could be surmounted in the next three months and  insisted that with concerted efforts from prominent Nigerians, the unbearable situation in the North would soon be a thing of the past.
The governor, who is also the visitor to the university, urged tertiary institutions in the country not to limit instructions of students to academics alone.
The Chairman of the university endowment fund, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, announced that the fund was yielding results.

Ondo
The Ondo State House of Assembly last Wednesday, ex
tended the tenure of 18 local government caretaker chairmen by six months.
The motion for the extension was moved at plenary by the Majority Leader in the Assembly, Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyinu. Akinsoyinu also represents Ondo West Constituency II in the Assembly.
The motion was seconded by Mr Banso Adeyinka, who represents Akoko North-West Constituency I.
Akinsoyinu said the motion for the extension followed the request from the governor for the extension of the tenure of interim caretaker chairmen in the state.
He said the extension of the tenure of the chairmen became imperative given its expiration on Wednesday.
Oyo
A former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Prof.
Taoheed Adedoja has suspended his 63rd birthday anniversary celebration because of the continued abduction of some school girls in Chibok, Borno.
In a statement, he issued in Ibadan on Saturday, the former minister said that he would focus on prayers for the release of the students.
“As I turn 63, it is very disturbing that some of the children from Chibok that we are supposed to be celebrating with are still being held captive by the Boko Haram group. “In view of the agony and pains being experienced by the girls’ parents, guardians and Nigerians in general, I have suspended the usual activities relating to my birthday.

Plateau
Women and children were worst hit by the twin explo
sions that rocked Terminus Market in Jos, on Tuesday afternoon, the wife of Plateau governor, Mrs Talatu Jang, has said.
Jang, in a statement issued by her Press Secretary, Akila Kasham, said she was deeply saddened by the incident noting that  the incident took place at a time considerable progress had been made in the peace building process.
She described the incident as “a heartless, evil minded attack by agents of darkness,’’ saying their action was a clear demonstration of the height of man’s inhumanity to man.
Jang condoled with the families that had lost loved ones and wished the injured a quick recovery and also appealed to Plateau residents to cooperate with the authorities and law enforcement agents by providing any useful information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible.

Yobe
The Yobe State Government said on Friday, that it raised
one million assorted tree seedlings for the establishment of shelter-belts across the state to combat desertification.
The Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Idi Gubana, announced  in an interview  in Damaturu, the state capital, that the shelter-belts are to serve as wind breakers to reduce the effects of winds that cause erosion, leading to the desert moving further into the hinterlands.
He said the state government was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Environment to implement the Great Green Wall Programme aimed at establishing orchards and tree plantations to serve as shelter-belts, adding that government has provided land for the Green Wall project.
Gubana said the ministry had evacuated refuse dumps in the five major towns to check water stagnation and outbreak of diseases, and intensified sensitisation campaigns against illegal felling of trees, bush burning and arbitrary disposal of refuse, adding that the efforts were yielding positive results.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (left), discussing with President Goodluck Jonathan at the funeral service of former Lagos Governor, Sir Michael Otedola in Lagos last Friday. Photo: NAN