THE STATES

Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State (middle), inspecting the drawing for construction of Nyanya-Gwandara motor park, in his effort to decongest Abuja/Keffi highway in Lafia recently. With him are the Project Consultant, Mr Shehu Tukur (left) and others.

Adamawa
The Adamawa State Commissioner for Health, Dr Fatima
Abubakar, has promised to use her experience in the private sector to improve the state’s health sector.
Abubakar gave the assurance in Yola yesterday while addressing staff of the ministry on her assumption of office.
Abubakar, a daughter of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said she had been informed about staff constraints and shortage of skilled manpower in the ministry.
She gave assurance that her office would collaborate with development partners to address such inherent challenges confronting the sector.
“I have been briefed by the Permanent Secretary on some challenges being faced by the ministry.
“These challenges include dilapidated and ill-equipped health infrastructure across the state.

Benue
The Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Terkimbi
Ikyange, has assured the people of the state that the current assembly would produce quality legislation that would enhance quality healthcare delivery in the state.
Ikyange gave the assurance yesterday while interacting with heads of both federal and state governments owned health institutions in the state.
He stated that the assembly through its legislation and oversight function would ensure that health providers in the state deliver effective, efficient and timely services to the people.
He stressed that the assembly would not accept anything short of quality health delivery, adding that a healthy nation is a wealthy one.

FCT
An Abuja-based Pharmacist, Mr Osa Egwebe, has advised
against indiscriminate use of herbal medicines, saying the action can cause liver cirrhosis.
Egwebe said in an interview with newsmen in Abuja that some herbal medicines in use in Nigeria were not scientifically tested.
According to him, herbal drugs just like other medicines if not clinically tested, can be potentially poisonous and harmful to the body.
Egwebe said if drugs were not clinically assessed, they had a high risk of causing adverse reactions.
He said consuming such drugs was harmful to the body as the practice posed the risk of toxicity to the kidney, liver and other organs.
Gombe
Seven United Nations (UN) agencies on Monday
promised to support Gombe State in addressing its challenges to enable it move forward.
Madam Ratidzai Ndhlovu, United Nations Funds for Population Activities (UNFPA) Resident Representative in Nigeria, made the pledge on behalf of other agencies during a meeting of the agencies in Gombe.
“I wish to reiterate the commitment of the seven UN agencies, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR, UNDP, IOM and OCHA to support Gombe in addressing the humanitarian crisis in the state,” she said.
According to her, the UN agencies will facilitate effective growth and empowerment of all citizens, by ensuring that the state reaped from areas it had comparative advantage.

Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government has disbursed more than
N3.3 million to 249 persons affected by flood disaster in Guri Local Government Area of the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Alhaji Babandi Sale, made this known, when he visited the affected families at Musari village in Guri.
Sale said that the amount was distributed to families whose houses were ravaged by flood in the area.
He explained that some 60 families received N20, 000 each, while 186 other victims were given N10, 000 each.
Sale added that the state government had also donated N30,000 to families of one person, who lost his life in the disaster.

Kaduna
The Council of Imams and Ulama in Kaduna State, says
the effort by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in recovering stolen wealth from past corrupt officials, was commendable.
The resolution was passed in Kaduna after the council’s annual conference.
The Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Baban Tuni and the Secretary-General Yusuf Arrigasyyu, presented the resolution.

Kano
A former Councillor in Wudil Local Government in Kano
State, Alhaji Salisu Utai, has advised Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to resuscitate the various irrigation sites located in different parts of the state.
Speaking to newsmen in Kano on Tuesday, Utai said rehabilitating the irrigation sites was necessary in order to create job opportunities for the teeming number of unemployed persons in the state, especially rural dwellers.

Kogi
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kogi State has
demanded the immediate payment of N32 billion salary arrears owed teachers in public primary schools in the state.
The state NUT Chairman, Mr. Suleiman Abdullahi, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lokoja yesterday.
Abdullahi said that N23 billion was the outstanding arrears of the new minimum wage, while N8.7 billion was unpaid leave grants for four years.
The NUT chairman decried the development, and said that it was already taking a heavy toll on the education sector.

Kwara
A Zoologist at the University of Ilorin, Prof Uade
Ugbomoiko, has cautioned people to beware of contacting pubic lice through sexual intercourse.
Ugbomoiko gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin yesterday.
He explained that contagious parasite such as Amoebae, Trichomonas, Giardia, Scabies and Pubic lice were parasites contacted through sexual process.
“Pubic lice are parasitic insects found primarily in the public or genital area of human beings and this pubic lice is found worldwide and occurs in all races, ethnic groups, and all levels of the society,” he said.

Lagos
The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), has commended
President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing its member, Mr. Babachir Lawal, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
This is contained in a statement issued by NCS President, Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, in Lagos yesterday.
It stated that Lawal, an engineer, was a committed member of the society and a professional to the core.
The statement stated that that SGF had immense experience in the private and public sectors before he established his own consulting firm in 1990.
Nasarawa

The traditional ruler of Agwada Community, Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, has urged farmers and herdsmen in the community to ensure continued peaceful co-existence and not to disrupt the farming season.
He said that peaceful co-existence between farmers in the area and Fulani herdsmen will go a long way to boost food production in the state.
Sadiq, who is the Osu Agada, told newsmen in Agwada, Kokona Local Government Area on Tuesday that the people were mainly farmers and herdsmen.
He said their continued peaceful co-existence would boost their farming activities to the benefit of the state.

Ondo
The Provost of Adeyemi College of Education, Prof.
Olukoya Ogen, Ondo State, has assured its graduates that steps are being taken for their mobilisation for National Youth Service Corps.
Ogen made the promise when he addressed the graduates who gathered at the gate of the institution in Ondo recently.
“The management of the college will do everything possible to find solution to the problem.’’
He commended the students for their peaceful conduct and urged them to exercise patience while effort was being made to address the situation.

Oyo
Some aggrieved pensioners of Union Bank Plc have
appealed to stakeholders in the industry to prevail on the bank to complete the actuarial valuation of its pension legacy assets.
The Coordinator, Mr. Augustine Onun, Aggrieved Pensioners of Union Bank Plc, Ibadan Zone made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
Onun said that their members had been facing serious financial challenges due to the slashed monthly pension allegedly caused by the bank’s inaction on the valuation of its pension legacy assets.

Plateau
The National President of Government Secondary School,
Shendam, Old Students Association, Mr. Philip Gompang, has blamed the infrastructural decay in secondary schools in Plateau on government’s takeover of schools.
He told newsmen in Jos that the facilities in the schools were not maintained after the takeover.
Gompang said that most of the schools did not cultivate a maintenance culture after they were taken over by the government.
He also said that the standard of education in the state consequently fell as most public schools did not have the enabling environment to impart knowledge to students.
“How can you teach effectively when your buildings are dilapidated, your roof leaks and there are no library materials or computer facilities?
“The standard of education must surely decline, “ he said.