THE STATES

Bauchi State Governor-elect, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar of Apc and his wife react after he was announced winner of the governorship election in Bauchi recently

Bauchi

A Local Church Council (LCC) of the Evangelical Church
Winning All (ECWA), has held special prayers to seek God’s intervention for a smooth handover on May 29.
Our correspondent learnt  that the prayers were held during the LCC two-day revival service which ended on Saturday at ECWA II, Bauchi.
The Local Overseer, Rev. Shuaibu Byal, told newsmen shortly after the prayers that consistent prayers were needed for God’s intervention to deepen Nigerian democracy.
Byal said that with the handover day less than a week away, there was need for Christians and Muslims to pray for smooth transition.
According to him, it is only God that will ensure a smooth transition from President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration to the incoming Government.

Borno

The Borno State government, has commended the Federal
Government for setting up an Inter-ministerial Assessment Committee for rehabilitation of structures damaged by Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mustapha Zanna, gave the commendation when he received members of the committee who were on a visit to Maiduguri.
Zanna said that the constitution of the committee was timely as it would provide avenue for the commencement of work in affected communities.
He added that, “the setting up of the committee is timely because our people are due to start going back to their communities following the liberation of their communities by soldiers.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade, the Director of Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had told the deputy governor that the visit was to assess damages done by the insurgents in the state.”

FCT

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP),
Mr Emeka Ezeh, has warned newly recruited procurement officers to follow due process in the award of contracts or risk going to jail.
Ezeh gave the warning in Abuja when he led the 130 procurements officers’ in-training on a tour of Kuje Medium Security Prisons.
Represented by Mr James Akanmu, Director, Research and Training, Ezeh said that being a procurement officer was a sensitive position.
He, therefore, urged the officers to refrain from corrupt practices and any act that could tarnish their reputation.
The BPP boss informed the officers of the provisions of sub-section 5 of Section 38 of the Public Procurement Act.
According to him, the act states that “any government official upon conviction of contravention of the Public Procurement Act will be sentenced to not less than five calendar years”.

Gombe

The National Association of Persons with Disabilities
(NAPW) last Monday, appealed to the Federal Government to organise a special skills acquisition training programme for its members across the country.
The Chairman of the Association in Gombe State, Alhaji Ali Goro, made the appeal in an interview with  newsmen in Gombe State.
He said that such training would help its members and also assist the less-privileged amongst them, who relied on street-begging for their livelihood.
“We are appealing to the Federal and Gombe State Governments and some of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to come out with special packages for our members.”

Jigawa

Electricity consumers in Hadejia, Jigawa State last Monday
decried the epileptic power supply in the area.
Our correspondent  reports that Hadejia and its environs had been facing persistent outage in the last three weeks.
The poor power supply had affected businesses and made life unbearable, a situation a cross section of the residents who spoke to newsmen in Hadejia, described as worrisome.
A resident, Aminu Umar, said the persistent power outage has made life difficult due to the prevailing hot weather.
He said that the situation had forced many families to sleep outside, inspite of the ravaging mosquitoes and other pests.
Kano

The Federal Government has approved the establishment
of two specialised universities, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.
Speaking at the 31st convocation of the Bayero University, Kano,  recently, Jonathan said the universities were the Marine University and the Federal University of Health Sciences.
Jonathan, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okoje, said the decision was borne out of the government’s desire to give more students with the requisite qualifications the opportunity to access quality education.
He said that in spite of the numerous challenges, the Federal Government would continue to support the education sector to empower the youth.

Kwara

The Senator -elect representing Kwara South Senatorial
District, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim, yesterday,  assured victims of Owode market fire disaster in Offa of adequate succour.
He gave the assurance in Offa while speaking to newsmen after inspecting shops gutted by the inferno.
Ibrahim said he would contact relevant emergency management agencies to provide immediate assistance to the victims.
He pledged to seek the intervention of the Federal Government and the National Assembly, describing the fire incident as a monumental loss to the people and the state at large.

Niger

The Niger  State Police Command has  said that it deployed
7,000 personnel in Minna to ensure a hitch-free inauguration of the state Governor elect, Alhaji Sani Bello, on May 29.
This is contained in a statement in Minna by the Commissioner of Police Mr Olusola Amore .
“We have deployed no fewer than 7,000, personnel in strategic areas of the venue of the ceremony and Minna to ensure adequate security coverage of the event,’’ Amore said.
He enjoined the good people of the state to continue to be law abiding and to support the Police in protecting lives and property.
Amore commended the media for its balanced reportage before, during and after the 2015 general elections in the state.

Ondo

Pastor Richard Adesoji of Gospel Faith Mission International
in Okitipupa on Sunday, advised Nigerians to be fervent in prayers for a smooth and hitch-free transition to new government.
Adesoji gave the advice in an interview with newsmen shortly after he delivered a sermon on “The Journey to the Promised Land”.
He recalled that the biblical Israelites faced series of difficulties before getting to the Promised Land, but through prayers to God, they got to the Promised Land which God prepared for them.
Adesoji likened Nigerians to the biblical Israelites, saying that Nigerians would definitely get to the Promised Land “if they pray and seek God’s face“.
Sokoto

Youth Leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto
State, Malam Musa Isa, has pleaded with the party leaders to entrench internal democracy in the party to ensure its success in future elections.
He made the call in Sokoto while speaking with newsmen.
Isa identified lack of internal democracy and disrespect for the founding members of PDP as the major factors responsible for the failure of the party in the last general elections.
“The new comers to the party have no regard for the founding members of the party.”
“New members who defected to the party from various political parties were given more regards than the founding members that stayed and promoted the lofty ideals of the party,’’ he said.

Taraba

Former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilous Danjuma,
last Saturday inaugurated two bridges worth N500 million along Takum-Katsina Ala Federal Highway in Taraba.
The project is meant to curb the frequent accidents on the road as a result of the collapse of the bridges.
“The project started when I noticed the deplorable state of the bridges and realised that they had become death traps and a major cause of serious disabilities in the society over the years.
“We worked closely with the ministry and other relevant bodies and today, the challenges are over and I am glad this is over,” Danjuma said during the inauguration ceremony.
He observed that the road had not been given any serious attention since the end of the Nigerian Civil War.
He called on the Minister of Works to award the contract for the construction of the road to a competent civil engineering company.

Yobe

The Jamaatul Izalatul Bidiah Wa Ikhamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS)
an Islamic sect in Yobe State has advised parents against exposing their wards to wrong religious teachings.
Its Deputy Chairman, Malam Babagana Kyari, gave the advice in Damaturu at the closing ceremony of a Quranic recitation event.
“Our experiences in Yobe and Borno states have taught us to be vigilant of friends and associates of our wards, their schools, teachers and behaviours.
“This Quranic recitation competition has promoted true teachings of the holy Quran and unity among the Muslim community across the state,” Kyari said.
He urged all parents to scrutinise the type of schools and religious knowledge being imparted to their wards to avoid the type of insurgency plaguing the North East of Nigeria today.
In his speech, the Chairman of the State Council of Clerics, Sheik Haruna Gashua, commended security operatives for improving the security situation in the state.