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L-R: Archdeacon, Diocese of Lagos West Anglican Communion, Venerable Christopher Ayejoto, Celebrant and Director,  Finance and Account, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Mr Okeowo Oderinde, Special Guest, Mrs Adetoun Henry-Ajomale, celebrant’s wife, Mrs Atinuke and Priest, Anglican Communion, Revd.  Kayode Okun, at the 2015 Family Harvest of the Anglican Communion in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Archdeacon, Diocese of Lagos West Anglican Communion, Venerable Christopher Ayejoto, Celebrant and Director, Finance and Account, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Mr Okeowo Oderinde, Special Guest, Mrs Adetoun Henry-Ajomale, celebrant’s wife, Mrs Atinuke and Priest, Anglican Communion, Revd. Kayode Okun, at the 2015 Family Harvest of the Anglican Communion in Lagos, yesterday.

Adamawa
The Adamawa Government is to launch enlightenment posters
on the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
The state Commissioner of Information, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, disclosed this in Yola in an interview with newsmen.
Sajoh said the enlightenment programme being spearheaded by the ministry involved educating the public on how to identify Boko Haram suspects, particularly suicide bombers.
The commissioner lauded the relative peace in the state since the last bombing incident that took place more than one month ago.
He also commended the people of the state for complying with the security directives issued by the government.
“Since the last bombing incident on Nov. 10, we have recorded relative peace in the state.
“We have reviewed the security situation and we are satisfied with the level of compliance with security measures by the public.”

Ekiti
An Ikole-Ekiti Customary Court has dissolved a one-year old
marriage between Ayodele Olukayode and his wife, Kikelomo, over the wife’s lack of proper care for the husband.
The husband had sought for divorce in a suit filed against his wife on November 17 on the grounds that the 12-month-old union had broken down irretrievably.
Olukayode told the court that he sought for divorce because his wife had adopted a negative lifestyle.
He added that his wife had no respect for him, other members of his family, and was always fighting him on minor domestic issues.
The plaintiff further told the court that there was no child between them.
Kikelomo, however, denied the allegation against her, saying that she cared for the plaintiff and gave due respect to him and his family.
FCT
President, Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Services of Ni
geria, Mr Ashamu Fadipe, has called on the Federal Government to review the Tourism Master Plan which was produced in 2006.
Fadipe, a former Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on the sidelines of a workshop tagged: “Mainstreaming Tourism into Economic Agenda of Government”.
The workshop was organised by the Department of Domestic and Eco-Tourism Promotion and Control, Federal Ministry of Information and culture, Abuja.
“In 2006, Nigeria produced a Tourism Development Master Plan; the master plan articulates the tourism resources of the country ranging from natural endowments, cultural and historical resources.
“This was divided into five tourism clusters for the purpose of development and making it a preferred tourism destination in Africa.
“In each of the clusters, there is a flagship project proposed and this flagship was never done in any of the five clusters,’’ he said.

Jigawa
A member of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kais
Abdallah, has donated 100 mattresses to the General Hospital, Malammadori.
Abdallah disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Malammadori.
The legislator, who represents Malammadori constituency, said he had also donated pillows, blankets and blood pressure test kits to the hospital.
He said he was also planning to distribute drugs and consumables to the 23 health facilities in the area.
“We are taking assessment needs of the clinics to assist them with drugs and equipment,” he said.

Kebbi
Deputy Speaker of Kebbi State House of Assembly, Alhaji
Buhari Aliero, said that he had distributed 90 forms for admission into tertiary institutions to indigent students in his constituency.
Aliero stated this in an interview with newsmen in Aliero.
He said that the gesture was to promote educational zeal in indigent children in his Aliero constituency.
He disclosed that he gave out 50 University Matriculation Examination forms and 30 other forms for those seeking admission into the state-owned school of Nursing and Health Technology.
Aliero said that if the students gained admission, they would receive monthly allowance from him while in school.
He said that his gesture was based on the fact that education remained the bedrock of development of any society, adding that it was, therefore imperative for him to contribute to human capital development through such assistance.
Lagos
An Igando Customary Court in Lagos saved a 40-year-old
marriage between Mrs Margret Kehinde ,60, and her septuagenarian husband, Francis Kehinde , over alleged infidelity.
Our correspondet reports that the Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, after several adjournments and interventions, successfully resolved the marital differences between the couple.
Omilola admonished the respondent to turn a new leaf and he urged the couple to maintain peace.
“I urged both of you to go home and continue to love each other and live in peace.” he said.
Mrs Margret Kehinde, 60 and a trader, had pleaded with the court to end her 40-year-old marriage over her husband’s infidelity.
The petitioner said that her 70-year-old husband, Francis, for whom she bore four children, was fond of bringing several women into their matrimony home.
“My husband comes home with different women and they sleep on our matrimonial bedroom, and he will tell me to excuse them by relocating to the guest room.”

Nasarawa
The Police have arraigned a commercial driver, Bitrus Matthew,
38, in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court on a three-count-charge of mischief, breach of trust and cheating.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Adaji, told the court that the complainant, Cpl. Friday Enumaje, attached to ‘A’ Division Police Station, Mararaba, reported the matter on December 12.
Adaji said that the complainant entrusted his Toyota Camry car to the accused for commercial purpose, with an agreement of remitting N15, 000 weekly.
He said that the accused used the car for two weeks, and did not remit the money as agreed, instead he ran away with the said car to an unknown destination.
The prosecutor said that the accused was seen on December 9 with the car and he was arrested.
He said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 327, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The accused denied committing the crime.
The Presiding Judge, Mr Albert Maga, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety in the like sum.

Ogun
The Ogun State Commissioner for Housing, Mrs
Oluwasegun Abiodun said on Thursday that the ministry proposed N3.74 billion as its capital expenditure for the 2016 fiscal year.
Abiodun spoke while defending the ministry’s 2016 budget proposal before the Ogun House of Assembly in Abeokuta.
The commissioner also said that the ministry proposed 10 hectares of housing estates in 12 locations across the state.
He listed the locations as Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, and Ado- Odo Ota, among others.
“In terms of urban renewal, the ministry intends to embark on the urbanisation of Akute Isheri area of the state in the next fiscal year; the project is termed `Mitros City’ development.
“As part of the state government’s efforts towards industrialisation, housing project is a dedicated infrastructure in order to attract new business at Agbara Industrial Estates, “she said.
Osun
Two men, Olarewaju Omokehinde,50, and Abode Adigun, 38,
were on Thursday arraigned in an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court, over alleged N800,000 fraud.
Omokehinde and Adigun, of no fixed addresses, are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Lamide Rasak, told the court that the accused persons committed the offences on April 14 at about 12:00p.m. along Omokehinde St. in Osogbo.
Rasak said the accused persons tricked one Mr Kayode Lawal by obtaining N800,000 from him with promise to lease a building to him for business activities.
He said the offences contravened Sections 422, 421 and 383 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 11, Laws of Osun, 2003.
The accused persons denied committing the offences.
The defence counsel, Mr Beatrice Akande, prayed the court to grant the accused persons bail in liberal terms.

Oyo
Govwenoe Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said NYSC members
must contribute to national unity and cohesion for Nigeria to achieve the dreams of its founding fathers.
Ajimobi said this at the close of the orientation course for the Batch ‘B’ Corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp on the Iseyin-Okeho road.
Represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Alake-Adeyemo, Ajimobi advised the corps members to keep Nigeria as one indivisible nation.
“I commend your patriotism and commitment to duty since the beginning of your orientation about three weeks ago.
“ It shows that you are ready to ensure that Nigeria remains one and by God’s grace nothing will separate us.

Plateau
The Special Task Force (STF) in charge of security in Plateau
State has confirmed the killing of 12 persons in an attack on Kwata community in Jos South Local Government.
Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, STF Spokesperson, told the newsmen in Jos that several others were injured in the attack that took place recently.
Iweha said that the STF personnel rushed to the area of the attack when it was alerted but the perpetrators had disappeared.
“By the time we arrived there, the attackers had carried out their heinous act and left; we just evacuated the injured and the dead and rushed them to Plateau Hospital, where health officials confirmed 12 persons dead.

Zamfara
The Zamfara State Government last Thursday said it had spent
N58 billion on rural electrification and semi-urban water projects.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Alhaji Muttaka Rini, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Gusau.
Rini said N41 billion was spent on the provision of electricity to 80 rural communities, while the remaining N17 billion was committed to semi-urban water scheme across the state.
He said the projects were executed in collaboration with the 14 local government councils of the state, which contributed 50 percent of the project cost.
He said the state government would continue to execute meaningful projects to improve quality of lives of the people in rural areas.

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NCSU Flays Police Take Over Of Rivers PDP Secretariat

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The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has condemned the take over of the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State by the police, saying the action is against the tenets and principles of the rule of law.
This is even as the union has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call to order the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike for allegedly orchestrating and instigating the crisis rocking the PDP in the State.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who made the condemnation in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the police have no right to take over the PDP secretariat, as a ploy to provide cover and protection for members of the state executive of the party loyal to Wike, who were recently sacked by a court of competent jurisdiction in the State.
According to him, the action of the police is in clear defiance of a court ruling sacking the party executives at all levels in the State, instead of taking steps to enforce same.
He regretted that the police have consistently been showing that they are not appreciative of the logistic support Governor SiminalayiFubara has been extending to them, by openly demonstrating their bias, loyalty and allegiance to Wike and his supporters, contrary to their rules of engagement, which uphold and recognise absolute neutrality.
He said the Minister is wasting his time if he thinks that he could destroy the State by orchestrating and instigating needless crisis that is capable of making the State ungovernable, and appealed to President Tinubu to call him and his supporters to order.
Commenting on the fate of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the State, who defected from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress(APC), Osumah said their fate is apparently sealed, as the Supreme Court had already given judgment in a similar case, saying, Wike is merely wasting his time by using the lawmakers against Governor Fubara, and causing unnecessary problem in the State.
He said if the Minister and his supporters do not retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the NCSU would have no choice than to mobilise all civil servants in the State, to troop out to the streets and protest against them.
The labour leader stressed the need for the police to vacate the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, and respect the High Court ruling which declared the congresses of the party in the State null and void.
While reiterating the need for President Tinubu to call Wike to order, Osumah said the President cannot continue to fold his arms and watch the Minister continuously make frantic efforts to destroy his State.
He also carpeted those blaming Governor Fubara administration for the recent gruesome murder of a Chief Security Officer(CSO) and his son in Igwuruta Ali community, saying those making such insinuations and attributing the sad incident to security lapses on the part of the state government, are missing the point.
He noted that by empowering the police in the State with several operational vehicles and other logistics, it was expected that the police would reciprocate the gesture, by living up to their constitutional obligation of protecting lives and property in the State, contending that Governor Fubara has been playing his part of guaranteeing security in the State.

 

He said the State is generally peaceful and safe, and challenged those criticising the Governor to cast their minds and attention to what is happening in other parts of the country, where killings and other social vices have become the order of the day.
Osumah cited as an example the recent killings in Ebonyi State by Fulani herdsmen as well as incidences of kidnapping and banditry in several other States of the federation, and wondered if Governor Fubara could be held responsible for such anomalies.

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Simplified Leader Lauds Knight For Building Church

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The leader of the Simplified Movement in Obibi/Akwukabi Ward 9 in Etche local Government Area of Rivers State, Elder Chimezie Ogbu, has commended a philanthropist, Mr Kingsley Onwugbuta for building a magnificent church and Rector’s house which he handed over to St George’s Anglican Church, Akwukabi in the area.
Elder Ogbu made this commendation while speaking on the sidelines of the dedication and official handing over of the church building and the Rector’s house built by Mr Kingsley Onwugbuta to the Diocese of Etche, Akwukabi Deanery recently.
The Etche Ward 9 Simplified leader said the highest investment any human being can do is to invest in the God’s vineyard that comes with an inmesurable divine blessings, noting that Mr Onwugbuta had built and handed over to the same church three churches within three years.
He prayed for continued God’s blessings and open doors to him and the family, adding that such gesture is commendable and worthy of emulation by all, even as he congratulated him on the award bestowed on him by the church as a mark of reciprocating his immense contributions to the development and expansion of the Anglican Church within the Etche Diocese.

Akujobi Amadi

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FG Begins Tolling On Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Highway

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The Federal Government yesterday began the tolling of the 227.2km Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Highway with the inauguration of the Garaku Toll Plaza axis of the road.
Certain categories of vehicles, including security, diplomatic, ambulances and tricycles are, however, exempted from the tolling.
The Tide’s source reports that the road is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project under the aegis of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
Speaking during the inauguration, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, described the corridor as a vital infrastructure route in Nigeria.
According to him, it is essential for both the economic and social activities of the central and northern parts of the country.
Umahi was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo.
He recalled that the Federal Government under the previous administration in 2023, executed a 25-year toll of rates concession agreement with MS China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company.
The Minister said that the government rehabilitated and upgraded the roads through the preferential credit loan from China Exim Bank.
He explained that it was agreed, among other things, that the road would be tolled, and maintained by a private party and revenue collected would be used to repay the loan.
“The Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi project is the first among the nine corridors being concessioned under the Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) Phase 1 to commence operations.
“In the coming months, the Federal Government will continue with the launching and operationalisation of the remaining ones located across the six geopolitical zones of this country.
“This initiative has opened a new chapter in the history of Nigeria, as it gives the Federal Government the opportunity to overcome bad routes,” he said.
Umahi said the collection of tolls would generate the much-needed revenue for the maintenance and expansion of the Renewed Hope Road Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He said that the Tinubu administration was committed to building a robust, interconnected infrastructure for socio-economic growth.
“The toll order fee schedule for Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafayette-Makurdi Federal Highway has been designated as follows: cars-N500; SUV Jeep-N800; minibuses N1000, and multi-axle vehicles, trucks and buses N1600.
“However, frequent road users like the commercial light vehicles defined under the Federal Highways Act, will enjoy a 50 per cent discount.
“Authorised vehicles, pedal vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles, and other modes of two or three wheels transport used by mainly disadvantaged populations will be offered a 100 per cent discount,” he said.

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