THE STATES

Adamawa

The Speaker, House of Representatives,  Alhaji Aminu
Tambuwal, in Yola has advised winners in the last general elections to ensure good governance when they assume office.
Tambuwal, who spoke at Government House, Yola, said the people were yearning for good governance.
The speaker, who is also the governor-elect of Sokoto State, said upon assumption of office, politicians should stop politicking and concentrate on good governance.
He urged leaders to be honest and committed to their mandate, and advised them to relate well with the people.
“They should be honest and dedicated to the mandate which the people gave to them,’’ he said.
Tambuwal described Adamawa Governor  Bala Ngilari as a man of destiny, commending him for ensuring that normalcy returned to the state.

Benue

Benue State Governor-elect, Samuel Ortom, has  pledged
to be fair to all in making key appointments into his administration.
Ortom gave the assurance when he received All Progressives Congress stakeholders from Kwande Local Government, Masev Development Association and Igede, who paid him a courtesy visit in Makurdi.
The governor-elect appreciated the contributions made by various communities towards his victory at the polls and stressed that no area would be shortchanged.
The former Trade and Investment minister disclosed plan to hold a roundtable with stakeholders to determine the zoning arrangements for positions in the incoming givernment.
“I will strive to promote excellence over sycophancy and mediocrity,” he said, and pledged to revamp state-owned companies in order to open space for employment.

Bornu

The Chairman of  Borno GSM  Market, Malam Musa
Isa has  said property worth N80 million were destroyed in an inferno that gutted the market last Friday.
Isah stated this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
He said that the fire, which started at about 3.30 a.m. on Saturday, was caused by an electric fault.
He explained that 24 shops and 53 temporary phone sellers’ stands were destroyed in the incident.
Isa said that although no life was lost, the extent of damage was huge.
He added that “most of our people just came back from the market; somebody like Chinedu Mba, a major dealer in mobile phones and accessories lost over N8 million worth of goods to the fire.
It could be recalled that the Maiduguri GSM market popularly called “Jogol’’ had suffered suicide bomb attack in January last year in which 10 people were killed and several others got injured.

FCT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) has said it has concluded plans to use drama to promote its anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.
Chief Detective Superintendent with the EFCC Mrs Nwaninma  Okeanu made the statement last Friday in Abuja in an interview with newsmen. She said the idea would ensure that EFCC anti-corruption crusade was taken to the door steps of every Nigerian. “It was in consideration of the fact that an average Nigerian home spends quality time to watch films that the initiative to use drama to promote anti-corruption crusade was developed.
“The drama is not limited to the EFCC alone; so I encourage every Nigerian who has flair for acting to come and audition for a role,” she said.
Okeanu explained that the use of drama to strengthen awareness in the fight against corruption was a new initiative aimed at sensitizing families through films on the dangers of corruption.
“What people see and hear is what they believe and the new initiative is in consideration of the need for new approach in the fight against corruption,” she said.

Gombe

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
in Gombe State has called on traditional and religious leaders to preach against drugs abuse and cocaine intake among their people.
The Commandant of the agency in the state, Mr. Aliyu Adole, told newsmen in Gombe last Friday that the leaders should double their effort to sensitise the members of the public, especially the youth, who were expected to be the leaders of the future.
According to him, drugs use by the youth placed them out of control and some time made them to cause problems in the society.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State command of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had arrested a suspect for stealing a motorcycle (Boxer brand).
The Commandant, Mr Muhammad Gidado, told newsmen in Dutse that the suspect is a resident of Dingeri quarters in Jama’are Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
Gidado said the suspect was arrested a Andaza town in Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa where he allegedly stole the motorcycle.
“Muhammad Sani of Dingeri quarters, Jama’are Local Government Area, Bauchi State, was arrested for stealing a motorcycle.“
“He was arrested by our men after he stole the motorcycle in Andaza village, Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa,” he said.

Kano

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has
advised Hausa movie producers to portray real culture of Hausa people in their quest to entertain viewers in the country. Sanusi gave the advice at the launch of a new Hausa movie titled ‘Hindu’ in Kano. Represented by Alhaji Aminu Bayero, Wamban Kano, Sanusi said the advice was necessary to promote the real culture of Hausa people to enable generations yet unborn to understand it very well.
“I want to use this opportunity to advise you (Hausa movie producers) to as much as possible portray genuine Hausa culture, norms, tradition and values,’’ he said.
He stressed the need for Hausa film producers to always seek for useful advice of stakeholders or custodians of the Hausa culture. He said the advice was to ensure that the message they intend to disseminate was true picture of the culture.

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government says it shut down
126 illegal health facilities in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
Dr Thomas Affi, the team leader of the joint task force of the inspectorate unit of the state’s Ministry of Health, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the ministry’s inspection tour of private health facilities.
He said the tour on health establishments in the area was to eliminate quackery in the state’s health sector.

Oyo

A lecturer at University of Ibadan, Dr Morufat Balogun,
has invented a new agricultural technology to grow yam seedlings all seasons.
Balogun, a senior lecturer, Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, made this disclosure when she spoke to newsmen in Ibadan .
According to her, this newly invented agricultural technology will be put into use by yam farmers by 2016.
She said this would be possible through the production of Dormancy-Controlled Seed Tubers Technology.

Plateau

No fewer than 500 residents of Rantya, Jos South Lo
cal Government Area of Plateau, benefitted from medical outreach organised by the Living Faith Church (LFC).
The event took place at Stonebase, Bwak Community, Rantya where the beneficiaries were given drugs, while some where referred for laboratory tests by the medical personnel.
Resident Pastor, David Arua, told newsmen that the church initiated the programme because a lot of people with health challenges could not fund their treatment in hospitals.

Sokoto

Governor  Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has inau
gurated a N30 million rice mill established by an investor, Alhaji Nura Attajiri.
According to sources, the combined capacity of the mill is 1,250 kilograms per hour while operating for eight hours daily and six days a week.
Wamakko, who was represented at the inauguration by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, commended Attajiri for setting up the firm  with two loans of N20 million and N10 million advanced to him by the state government out of the nearly N3 billion loan disbursed to farmers and agro-investors in the state.

Yobe
An NGO, Ibrahim Gaidam Peace and Development Initiative, has pledged to enhance the living condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Yobe.
Alhaji Isma’el Yusuf the Director-General of the Organisation, made the pledge on Thursday while presenting relief materials to IDPs in Kasaisa village in Damaturu.
He said the organization was established out of the desire to address the plight of IDPs in the state.
Attending to the needs of IDPs, Yusuf submitted, required the collective efforts of all stakeholders since government alone could not shoulder their responsibility.
Yusuf explained that residents of 13 villages sacked by the Boko Haram insurgents were currently taken refuge in Kasaisa village hence the need for groups and individuals to come to their aid.
“As part of social our resonsiblity, we will continue to provide necessary assistance to victims of the dreaded Boko Haram in Yobe state and in the Northeast in general.
“We are going to develop a database to have clear figures of the number IDPs in this community to enable us attend to their need effectively,” Yusuf said.

Chairman, Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations (Pacir), Chief Emeka Anyaoku (middle), addressing State House Correspondents after a Breakfast Meeting with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja recently. With him are other members of the council.