THE STATES

Adamawa
Members of the Adamawa State  House of Assembly
have agreed to contribute 50 per cent of their salaries to the development of the state.
The Majority Leader, Alhaji Musa Mahmud, made this known in Yola while speaking to newsmen.
Governor Mohammed Jibrilla had last Monday said 50 per cent of his salary and that of his deputy would be donated to the state.
He also urged the state’s lawmakers to consider donating part of their salaries to the state.
Mahmud told newsmen that the lawmakers made the sacrifice willingly in view of the financial condition of the state.

FCT
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has
reiterated the need to end early and forced marriage, saying that it constitutes a serious human rights abuse.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, made the call in Abuja at an event organised by the commission to mark the Day of the African Child.
Angwe, who was represented by his Special Assistant, Mr Harry Obe, said that early and forced marriage could represent a threat to both the child and the society.
“Early and forced marriage is a serious human rights abuse, which threatens not just children, but the society at large.
“This menace undermines the rights and development of children as it impacts on their emotional, physical, psychological, health, education, economic well-being and dignity.
Gombe
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), has began the distri
bution of food items to 1, 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gombe State.
The items were presented to the IDPs by the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar on behalf of the organisation.
He said that the gesture was to support the IDPs as they struggle to regain themselves after their traumatic experience in the hands of Boko Haram insurgents.
The Emir urged the inmates to be patient as the items would not be enough for all of them.
He said that a screening committee set up by the JNI had identified families in dire need of assistance, who would benefit from the gesture.

Jigawa
An environmentalist, Malam Sadiq Ado, has called on
the Federal Government to ban tree felling to check deforestation in the country.
Ado made the call in an interview with newsmen in Hadejia, Jigawa.
The environmentalist also called for the adoption of practical measures to encourage development of alternative energies to curb use of fuel wood.
He said the measure was imperative in view of the quantum of destruction of forest resources through tree felling.
Ado listed the effects of tree felling to include extinction of wildlife, desert encroachment, soil erosion, flood and climate imbalance.

Kaduna
The Director-General of the National Youths Service
Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, has challenged corps member to be agents of change and promote core societal values.
Olawumi gave the charge when he visited Batch “A” stream B corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kaduna.
“As young men and women you are going to be the vanguard to drive the change from some negative aspect or vices within the country to positive ones.
“You must imbibe the virtues of honesty, loyalty, integrity, hard work and sacrifice for the good of your country”, he said.
He advised the corps members to imbibe good qualities that would lead to the realization of their potentials as prospective leaders of the country.
Kano
The Kano State Hisba Board has distributed rice and
cooking oil to 1,200 widows who have children.
The Director General of the board, Dr Abba Sufi, presided over the distribution of the items in Kano.
He explained that the items were donated by an Islamic Group, Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), to assist orphans and other less privileged persons during forthcoming Ramadan.
Each of the beneficiaries was given one bag of rice and a gallon of cooking oil.
Sufi called on wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to support the poor, especially during the forthcoming Ramadan fast to earn the blessings of Allah.

Kogi
An appeal has gone to the three tiers of governments
and citizenry in Kogi to embark on massive afforestation to minimise global warming and preserve its ecosystem .
The Vice President, North Central of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Mr Nuhu Anyegwu, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Idah, Kogi.
Anyegwu also suggested that sustained environmental enlightenment programmes should be organised to encourage positive actions that will preserve the ecosystem.
He added that Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) must be carried out by relevant professionals before embarking on any major project.

Lagos
A university don, Prof. Michael Akur, has called for
more autonomy for local governments to boost business activities at the grassroots.
Akur, a political science lecturer at the University of Jos, gave the advice in a telephone interview with newsmen.
He said that policies of local governments for grassroots development were the more viable approach to grow enterprises in those areas.
Akur said that granting more autonomy to local governments would aid the growth of local businesses.
“Independence for local government is sacrosanct for entrepreneurship at the lowest level of government of government to improve,’’ he said.
Nasarawa
Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has
expressed determination to block all revenue leakages in order to shore up the state’s finances for enhanced development.
Al-Makura said at the inauguration of a task force on illegal collection of revenue in Karu area of the state,  the administration would explore all available revenue sources to enhance its earnings.
The governor was represented by Mr Muazu Adamu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, at the inauguration in Lafia.
He said the task force was empowered to review activities of Karu Area Planning and Development Authority regarding revenue collection.
Plateau
The Governing Council of the University of Jos
(UNIJOS) has approved the promotion of 17 readers to the rank of professors and 22 others to that of readers.
This is contained in statement signed by Abdullahi Abduallahi, Principal Assistant Register, Information and Public Relations, UniJos, and made available to newsmen in Jos on Tuesday.
The statement said some of the promotions took effect from October 1, 2013 while others took effect from October 1, 2014.
The new professors include: Ahmedu Ibrahim Musa, (Religion and Philosophy) ; Gideon Umezurike Egezie, (Human Physiology); Grace Mebi Ayanbimpe, (Medical Microbiology); Noel Nenman Wanang (Pharmacology); Nyager Elizabeth, (Theatre and Film Arts); and Agaku Jacob, (Theatre and Film Arts); who was promoted post-humously.
Others who were promoted to professors are : Ikonji Ogaji, (Pharmaceutical Technology); David Pam Yakubu, (Zoology); Bakwa Dirting Dakup (Physics); and Barnabas John Kwaha (Physics).
Taraba

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU),
Taraba State University chapter, on Tuesday said that the state government should give cash-backing to the N100 million cheque issued to it.
It said that it would suspend its three-month-old strike as soon as the state government fulfilled this condition.
Dr Reuben Jonathan, the chapter’s chairman, gave the condition in Jalingo while reacting to the call by the government that the union should suspend the strike.
The state government gave the union a bounced cheque for N100 million in March, as part payment for the lecturers’ outstanding allowances of over N400 million.
Jonathan, however, urged the government to fulfill its commitments.
He said that though the bounced cheque was issued by the immediate past administration, the present administration should respect the earlier agreement “because government is continuity”.

Zamfara
The Emir of Anka in Zamfara State, Attahiru Ahmad,
has received his certificate of appointment as the Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Effrun in Warri, Delta.
The Emir received the certificate at his palace in Anka from the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Akaehomen Akii Ibhadode.
Speaking at the occasion, Ibhadode said: ‘’ we are here in Anka to present the certificate of appointment as chancellor of our great university following your appointment by the Federal Government few months ago’’.
‘’The Federal Government considered your capacity and ability in line with your academic records in both Islamic and Western education and your commitments towards the development of education in Nigeria,’’ he said.