Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a
banker and four others for alleged forgery and stealing a vehicle belonging to the Zamfara State government.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, said one of the suspects, Dahiru Aminu, was arrested with a white Toyota Hilux, belonging to the Zamfara State Ministry of Water Resources.
He said preliminary investigation showed that the suspect stole the vehicle from the compound of one Abdullahi Auta of Rijiyar Gabas,Tudun Wada ward in Zamfara State.
“They conspired with One Kawule Ahmed, a painter at Magaji Quarters in Bauchi and painted part of the vehicle. They also conspired with Ibrahim Adamu Aliyu of the Bauchi State Board of Internal Revenue to forge particulars for the vehicle,” he said. The police spokesman said investi-gation led to the arrest of two principal suspects, one Mohammed Zayyanu and Aminu Wada, who is a staff of a commercial bank in Gusau.
Benue
The Benue State House of Assembly has directed its
Committee on Commerce and Industry, to investigate the condition of the Makurdi Modern Market and submit its report within two weeks.
The directive followed a motion moved by Mr Joshua Ogbole, representing Adoka/Ugboju Constituency , urging the state government to rehabilitate the market.
Ogbole said that about 350 stalls in the market had been burnt down within the past 10 years.
He further said that the drainage channels in the market had been blocked, thereby leading to flooding of some parts of the market. The motion was seconded by Dr Adoga Onah, representing Oju I Constituency, stating that the motion was apt and timely.
FCT
The Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), has advised members of the public to utilise its citizen contact centre to obtain relevant information about electoral process. INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, last Thursday.
“INEC Citizen Contact Centre is a facility allowing the general public constant access to the commission with enquiries and exchange of information.
“As a situation room, the centre offers the public opportunity for getting real time responses to enquiries, incident-reports, complaints and queries about any aspect of the electoral process.’’
Osaze-Uzi said that the centre, located at the commission’s headquarters, could be accessed via social media and hotlines.
The hotlines are 07098115257, 07098117563 and 07098110916. The social media include facebook (www.facebook.com/inecnigeria); twitter (www.twitter.com/innecnigeria); email (iccc@inec.gov.ng), and website (ww.inecnigeria.org).
Gombe
The Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), said on Wednesday, it planned to create 403 additional polling units in Gombe State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Istifanus Dafwang, told newsmen in Gombe that the addition would be distributed to the 11 local government areas on 15 per cent equality.
He added that the remaining would be shared based on the population of registered voters across the state.
According to REC, polling units in the state will increase from 2,218 to 2,621 when the additional polling units are finally approved and created.He said the units were part of the 30,000 newly-created ones nationwide by INEC. Dafwang directed the Electoral Officers in the 11 local government areas to propose the new polling units in their areas based on population.
Lagos
The governorship aspirant on the platform of All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Dr Leke Pitan, has promised to focus on human capital development, if elected as the state governor in 2015.
Pitan made the promise while addressing supporters at the Ikeja venue of “Dr Leke Pitan and Friends Free Medical Outreach”.
He said the programme would be enlarged to accommodate many people in the state if he became the governor.
“I can assure you to expect more of this programme, we are going to make the development of human capital our main focus,” he said.
Pitan, a former Commissioner for Healthcare Education in the state, assured the people that he would execute programmes and policies that would have positive impact on the people.
Nasarawa
Senator Suleiman Adokwe, (PDP-Nasarawa) on
Thursday, donated N2.5 million cash and food items to persons displaced during the recent communal clashes in some parts of the state.
Adokwe, who was represented by Mr Lawani Aboki, said while presenting the items in Lafia that the gesture was part of his contribution to ameliorate the hardship of the victims. He called on public-spirited individuals to support displaced persons and the entire people of the state.
He urged them to always embrace peace and dialogue as means of settling disputes.
The Coordinator, Adokwe Media Committee and Strategy, Mr Abdullahi Ladan, said that the donation was the second of its kind to the affected persons.
Osun
The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr
Najeem Salaam, has urged members of the Governorship Election Tribunal in the state to be fair and thorough in disposing petitions before them.
Salaam, in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday, said members of the tribunal must be ready to protect their integrity in handling of the petitions.
A 3-man panel, chaired by Justice Sulaiman Ambrusa, is hearing election petition filed by PDP governorship candidate in the August 9 poll, Mr Iyiola Omisore.
Omisore is challenging the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the tribunal.
The Speaker urged members of the tribunal to be factual and address the issues as they appeared.
“I want to urge members of the tribunal to be honest and upright in handling the election petition before them.
Plateau
Councillors in the 17 local
government areas of Plateau State are being owed seven months salaries by the state government, our correspondent reports.
The councilors, who were elected on February 25 and sworn-in two days later, had yet to collect their take-home packages.
The state government said they must undergo its ongoing Biometric Data Capturing of all civil servants under its payroll, before enjoying their salaries.
Some of the councillors, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that they were living under the mercies of their council chairmen, who on compassionate ground, approved some stipends for them.
Yobe
About 200 trade associations in Yobe State
said they would buy nomination form for Governor Ibrahim Gaidam to re-contest in 2015 election.
Coordinator of the associations, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna, told newsmen in Damaturu that the gesture was based on Gaidam’s performance from 2009 to date.
“On behalf of the over 200 associations and groups, I wish to inform you that we have volunteered to purchase nomination form for the post of governor for Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam to contest in 2015,” Haruna said.
He said the associations had endorsed the governor to ensure continuity of the infrastructural development in the state.
“All of us here representing the 200 associations have testified that Yobe assumed the status of a state with viable socio-economic development from 2009 to date.
Minister of National Planning Commission, Mr Sulaiman Abubakar; Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau State and Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the National Economic Council Meeting in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3