THE STATES

Governors at the inauguration of National Economic Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja recently.

Adamawa
An Islamic group, the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iquamatis
Sunnah (JIBWIS), has said it  rendered support to about 200,000 orphans nationwide within the past four years.
The National Chairman of the group, Shiekh Bala Lau, made this known in Yola in an interview with newsmen.
Lau said the gesture was part of the organisation’s contribution to empower the needy in the society.
He said the assistance was in areas of foodstuff, clothing and education.
He warned that depriving the underprivileged, particularly orphans, access to education and the needed moral upbringing would make them end up constituting problems to the society.

Bauchi
The Psychiatric Ward of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Uni
versity Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH), Bauchi, is to be renovated and upgraded to meet the challenges of the time.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr Yusuf Jibrin, gave this indication in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
He said that this measure would provide a comfortable atmosphere for both staff and patients in the ward.
According to him, some wards in the hospital had earlier been renovated to meet global standards.
Speaking on the hospital charges, Jibrin said that ATBU TH was one of the few tertiary health institutions in the country with moderate fees.
He said that the aim of charging moderate fees, was to make quality service affordable to the less priviledged members of the public.

Ekiti
Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)  has
said the agency had embarked on sensitisation to avert disasters in the state.
The General Manager of the Agency, Mr Femi Osasona, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that the agency had lived up to its responsibilities in saving the lives and properties of the residents.
“We have ensured that disasters, such as flood, fire outbreak and others did not affect the resident in their various environments.
“The agency had organised workshops, seminars and carried out house-to-house campaign with the assistance of major stakeholders to educate the people on disaster management.

FCT
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Fri
day, urged the Federal Government to enact a compressive Nuclear Law to authorise nuclear activities in the country. The Head of IAEA Integrated nuclear Infrastructure Review Team to Nigeria, Mrs Anne Starb, gave the advice at the closing ceremony of a nine-day meeting of the team’s mission in Abuja with the theme “Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review mission in Nigeria.’’Starb said IAEA was ready to assist Nigeria to develop necessary infrastructure for the successful implementation of nuclear power programme.
She said the purpose of the meeting was to identify the areas of progress and to provide recommendations to existing project in Nigeria.
According to her, IAEA planned to work with relevant institutions like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and other supporting institutions to fully implement the project.

Gombe
A Guest Speaker at a Ramadan Lecture, held in Gombe,
Malam Muhammad Lawan, has admonished Muslims on the importance of eating ‘balanced diet’ during the Ramadan period.
Speaking at the 5th Ramadan Tafsir, organized by the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Gombe state, Lawan said eating ‘one type of food’ should be avoided, as much as possible.
According to him,eating balanced diet will give people the good health to enable them worship God with vigour in the holy month.
He suggested that such diet should contain protein, vegetable, minerals, among others, to help protect people from infections and other diseases.
He also urged those fasting, to always go for natural fruits instead of bottled or packaged drinks that contained chemicals and other preservatives.
He further cautioned people against sleeping immediately after meal, adding that the habit could cause weakness, indigestion and other stomach problems.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it had arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly impregnating a minor.
The State Commandant of the corps, Mr Muhammad Gidado, told newsmen that the suspect, a resident of Kanti Quarters in Katoge village, was arrested in Kazaure Local Government Area.
He said that the matter was reported by the mother of the victim to the men of the corps operating in the area.
The commandant said when the suspect was invited and interrogated, he confessed to having canal knowledge of the girl many times.
According to him, a clinical test conducted showed that the victim was carrying a four-month-old pregnancy.
Gidado said the suspect would soon be charged to court.

Kogi
The Federal Government has been urged to raise aware
ness campaign level on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking.
Some physicians made the call in separate interviews with newsmen in Lokoja on Saturday on the sideline of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Dr Abdulrahman Jafar, Medical Consultant, Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, said government at all levels should intensify efforts in the fight against the menace of drug abuse.
Jafar stressed the need for government to secure legislation that would discourage drug abuse and illicit trafficking, adding that its agencies should ensure its enforcement with all seriousness.

Lagos
Some experts last  Friday blamed youths involvement in
drug abuse to failure of moral values and lack of parental training.
The experts who spoke to newsmen in separate interviews blamed parents over their inability to raise their children in decent and religious way.
A research analyst and an expert on International Relations, Mr Tony Ufoh, said youths were engaged in illicit drugs due to bad upbringing. Mr Deji Alejo, said the peer group pressure, lack of drug education, awareness on its danger contributed to its abuse by some youths.
He alleged that the youth were not well educated on the dangers of drug abuse, saying that was why the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) needed to do something urgently.
Ondo
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)
has mourned the death of 11 students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ondo State, who lost their lives last Friday in a road mishap. The Vice President (National Affairs) of NANS, Ayenuro Gbenga, expressed the mood of the association in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Akure. He said “it is with caring thoughts that the national secretariat of NANS regrets and commiserates with the teeming Nigerian students and the Olabisi Olabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, over the death of 11 students of the institution.
“Words seem inadequate to express our sadness over the incident. “The loss of a loved one is always an unfathomable tragedy which is compounded when such death occurs at an unripe age. “May their hearts and souls find peace and comfort,’’ he said.
Plateau
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has reaffirmed his
administration’s commitment toward tackling the security challenges facing the state.
Lalong, who spoke to newsmen at Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos, on his return from a two-week trip to Brazil, also promised to clear the arrears of state government workers’ salaries.
The state government on Tuesday declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs as part of its efforts to end midnight killings in the state.
The governor assured state government workers that their salaries would be paid regularly.
Last week the workers, who were owed eight months salary arrears, were paid two months salaries.

Sokoto
A Sokoto-based legal practitioner, Mr Ferdinand Okotete,
has advised the National Assembly to promulgate legislation that would set up special courts to prosecute public officials and contractors who handled failed projects.
Okotete told newsmen in Sokoto that such courts would ensure quick dispensation of justice.
He, however, said that the courts would need the political backing of President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in their assignment.
Okotete said that competent and honest Nigerians should be given the opportunity to take charge of the special courts.
He said that all cases before the EFCC and ICPC should be taken to the special courts to ensure quick dispensation of justice.

Taraba
The TY Danjuma Foundation, through Chagro Care Trust,
an NGO, last  Saturday commenced medical intervention in the camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Taraba.
The Programme Assistant of the Foundation, Mr Emmanuel Ishaku, said in Jalingo that the research conducted by the foundation had revealed the IDP required immediate medical care and food.
Ishaku said the foundation had gone into partnership with many credible NGOs with skilled personnel to handle various health challenges facing the IDPs in the state.
The Executive Director of Chagro Care Trust, Mr Danjuma Adda, said the organization was moved by the plight of IDPs and decided to approach TY Danjuma for sponsorship and it accepted.

Zamfara
The Gusau Emirate Council in Zamfara State has distributed
food items and clothes to 3,300 orphans and the less privileged as Ramadan welfare package.
The Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, announced this in Gusau at his palace while distributing the items to the beneficiaries.
The emir said that out of the 3,300 beneficiaries, 1,040 were orphans who were assisted with food items and clothes, while the remaining 2,260 were less privileged persons who would benefit from food items only.
He added that the beneficiaries were drown from the 13 districts of the emirate by the emirate and in collaboration with the state’s Zakkat and Endowment Board.
He said the assistance came from the state government, the emirate council and well-to-do individuals who assisted through the emirate’s Zakkat and Endowment Committee.