Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Gov. Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State has said that his
administration will upgrade basic infrastructure for the judiciary to enhance efficient service delivery in the state.
Bindow, who made this known when he inspected courts in Yola, said that enabling environment for the judiciary would impact positively on the people of the state.
According to him, his administration is built on justice and fairness and infrastructure in the sector will translate into providing justice to the common man.
He directed the Ministry of Works to submit the cost of procuring generating sets to his office to cushion the effects of power outage in the courts.
“My administration upholds justice and fairness and I must do my best to ensure that our courts are giving a facelift where workers will get human environment to give their best.
“It is sacrosanct that an enabling environment will boost the productivity of our judiciary staff which will in turn impact positively on our people.”
Borno
The Japanese Government has announced a donation of
three million dollars in support of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sadanabu Kusaoke, made the announcement at the launch of the project in Maiduguri.
Kusaake said that the project was aimed at assisting the victims to engage in gainful activities like farming and trading for social stability.
“The Japanese Government has decided to support the project for early recovery and social cohesion in the North-East of Nigeria with a 3 million dollars donation.
“This is to help people who engage in gainful activities like farming and trading to contribute to the social stabilisation and recovery of the affected communities in the three states,” he said.
Ekiti
An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has declined to
grant an ex-parte order sought by the Ekiti State Government to restrain EFCC from investigating the finances of the state.
Our correspondent reports that Justice Cornelius Akintayo refused to grant the order on the grounds that all the defendants in the case must first be put on notice to enable them prepare for their defence at the court.
The judge consequently adjourned the suit to August 23 and ordered all parties in the suit to appear before him when the motion on notice would be heard.
The suit was filed by Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, to stop the impending investigation of the accounts of the state government by the anti graft agency.
Another relief sought by the plaintiffs was an order stopping the arrest of the Commissioner for Finance, Accountant General and the managers of the banks in which the state had commitments.
FCT
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Sadanobu Kusaoke,
says 51 Nigerians have so far been granted scholarship for Masters Degree programme in various Japanese universities.
The Japanese envoy disclosed this at the sent-forth programme organised by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JAICA), for the successful candidates.
According to him, the gesture is an initiative of JAICA to assist Nigerian youths achieve their aspiration in life.
He congratulated the students for successfully going through the rigour of the selection process which he described as “very transparent”.
“The objective is to offer Nigerian students an opportunity to study at their Masters Degree level in various Japanese universities,” he said.
Jigawa
The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria
(AFAN), Jigawa State chapter, Alhaji Maigwa Jaga, says farmers in the state have shifted from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
Jaga disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.
He said the farmers embraced the venture in response to the advice of Gov.ernor Muhammadu Badaru.
“Governor Badaru provided improved variety of sesame seeds, groundnuts seeds and rice seeds to farmers to enable them take off well,” he said.
Jaga said that the farmers were asked to form groups comprising 50 members each in all the wards of the 27 local governments of the state in order to test the viability of the programme.
Kaduna
The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme
(WAAP) says it is partnering with 40 Nigerian universities and agricultural institutions to facilitate agricultural technology transfer.
Acting National Project Coordinator, WAAP, Mr James Apochi, said this to newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, shortly after he visited some of the selected villages for the pilot scheme.
Our correspondent reports that the coordinator visited Guga Multi-purpose Association at Guga village and Nasarawan Buhari Farmers Cooperative at Nasarawan Buhari.
“We are partnering with 15 agricultural institutes, 11 federal colleges of agriculture and 14 federal universities of agriculture.
“We started with 52 villages and now we have 500 villages that have been adopted.”
Katsina
The Katsina State Police command, in collaboration with
other security agencies, recovered 2,151 animals from cattle rustlers in July, 2016.
Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina.
He said that most of the animals recovered by the security agents were cows, sheep, goats, camels and donkeys.
The police boss said that the animals were recovered in nine local government areas that were mostly vulnerable to the menace of cattle rustling.
“The security agents recovered the animals in Funtua, Faskari, Safana, Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia, Kurfi, Dutsin-ma and Kafur Local Government areas,” he said.
Commenting on the issue of arms recovery, the commissioner said that the command had recovered three locally-made pistols and one brown pistol from criminals.
Abdullahi revealed that the command also recovered three AK47 rifles, one beretta pistol and 20 dane guns.
He disclosed that the police had recovered 85 assorted life ammunition and 49 expended empty shells.
The commissioner called on the members of the public to provide useful information about criminal activities to the police for action.
Kwara
A team of medical experts at the University of Ilorin Teach
ing Hospital (UITH) have successfully removed a tumour of about 12 centimeter in diameter from the brain of a pregnant woman.
This is contained in the University of Ilorin (Unilorin)’s Bulletin made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
It said the successful operation was carried out on a 40-year old patient, whose right side had become paralysed before the surgery.
It stated that the feat was achieved with the assistance of Prof. Wale Sulaiman ,a visiting Neuro-Surgeon from the Ochsner Medical Centre, New Orleans, U.S.A.
The bulletin stated that the 13-hour surgery captured the essence of collaboration and team work in medical practice.
Lagos
The Lagos State chapter of Environmental Health Officer
of Nigeria (EHOAN) has called on the public to desist from eating at unhygienic places.
Chairman of EHOAN Mr Akin Akingbehin, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
Akingbehin said the association was embarking on a zero tolerance campaign against food sellers operating in open places in the state.
“What is of utmost importance to us is the control of sales of food at open places.
“We are embarking on total clampdown on unhygienic display of food for public consumption.
“By this exercise, we are trying to prevent food-borne diseases, taking note of the fact that food is a veritable vehicle by which a range of illnesses which affect man are spread.
Nasarawa
A 36-year-old husband, Emma Edaih, has demanded com
pensation for the number of years he wasted in the name of marriage to his wife Uche.
Edaih made this known when he testified in a divorce petition by his wife at a Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
He claimed that he enjoyed his wife for only two months since they got married, adding that he had no problem with the court granting his wife’s request.
“But I demanded compensation for wasting my years with her in the name of marriage.
“Since 2013, we got married, I only slept with her the first two months into our marriage and after then, she never allowed me to touch her, nor will she let me sleep with her,” he said.
Osun
Three men, who allegedly assaulted a police officer while
on duty, have been docked at an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court.
The accused — Olateju Emaculate, 19; Adebayo Damilola, 21 and Olateju Threasa, 42 — are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and assault.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Fagboyinbo Abiodun, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 15 at about 6:30 a.m. along OlaOluwa Estate in the Osun capital.
Abiodun alleged that the accused conspired and assaulted Cpl. Adetiba Ololade, attached to Dada Police Station while carrying out his lawful duty.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government says it has trained 500 un
employed youths from different parts of the state in domestic electrical instillation, fashion designing, tailoring and cosmetology.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Alhaji Musa Ausa, disclosed this at a ministerial briefing in Sokoto.
He said that the exercise was aimed at creating job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
The commissioner said the state government paid N5,000 monthly allowance to each trainee for the three months the programme lasted.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Eastern Zone, has applauded the appointment of Hon. Benibo Anabraba as Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) by His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara,
The Socio Cultural Organisation described the appointment as a masterstroke of leadership and wisdom.
MOSIEND in a statement by the Acting Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Gibson, and the Assistant Secretary, MOSIEND Eastern Zone, Dr. Tams Longjohn hailed the appointment as a reflection of Governor Fubara’s Eagle-eyed discernment, belief in merit, and unwavering commitment to building a peaceful and people-centered administration anchored on excellence and integrity.
“Hon. Anabraba is a statesman in every sense, an accomplished lawyer, a tested grassroots politician, and a man of Peace whose record of service stands tall,”
The statement noted that “from his days as a grassroots politician to his election as a legislator, his tenure as Minority Leader in the Rivers State House of Assembly, and his service as a Commissioner, Hon. Anabraba has remained a model of maturity, courage, and dedication to the Rivers project.”
MOSIEND expressed confidence that Hon. Anabraba will bring his trademark calmness, intellect, and wealth of experience to bear in his new role, assuring that the people of Rivers State will feel the positive impact of his leadership.
The group commended Governor Fubara for his strategic and inspiring commitment to peace, stating that the appointment once again demonstrates the administration’s preference for competence, loyalty, and results over political convenience.
“We are proud of this choice,” MOSIEND affirmed. “It signals continuity, stability, and a renewed focus on people-oriented governance.”
The organization congratulated Hon. Benibo Anabraba and prayed for divine guidance, good health, and strength as he takes on this vital assignment in service to Rivers State.
Chinedu Wosu
Nation
HYPREP Remains Steadfast In Adhering To International Standards—Zabbey …As Regulators, Asset Owners Hail Project
The Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that the Project remains steadfast in adhering to international standards, processes and protocols, contending that it would continue to engage all stakeholders transparently to achieve set goals and targets.
This is even as regulatory stakeholders, regulators and asset owners have expressed satisfaction with the work so far being carried out by the Project in Ogoniland, commending it for sustaining the momentum of the ongoing cleanup project.
Zabbey, who gave the indication during the third quarter meeting of HYPREP with regulators and asset owners in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, said as an interventionist and community-based project, HYPREP would continue to engage all stakeholders transparently, as it addresses challenges that may arise during project implementation.
To this end, he noted that the continuous support and constructive feedback of regulators and asset owners remains vital in helping the project coordination office overcome challenges and sustain the momentum of progress.
Zabbey said the quarterly meeting with regulators and asset owners serves dual purpose of providing a platform for the Project to share updates on the status of the cleanup project, highlighting areas where further support is required; and allowing “regulators and asset owners to provide constructive feedback that would help our collective approach.”
According to him, the meeting is ultimately designed to catalyse deeper collaboration and synergy between HYPREP and its regulatory stakeholders.
While appreciating and recognising the invaluable roles of the regulators and asset owners in the project’s Quality Assurance and Quality Control(QA/QC) framework, the Project Coordinator said their consistent oversight, technical input, and commitment to upholding standards have remained essential to the integrity of the Ogoni cleanup efforts.
He noted with a sense of satisfaction that Quality Assurance and Quality Control are being given increased attention at all levels of the cleanup project, and solicited for the continuous support of the regulators and asset owners.
“QA/QC considerations are a key part of HYPREP’s policy framework, from the Governing Council decisions to field-level work,” he said, emphasising that this focus ensures that HYPREP’s interventions and activities are executed professionally, safely, and in compliance with national regulatory standards and global best practices, guaranteeing value for money.
“As we continue to consolidate the gains made so far, I want to reassure you that HYPREP remains steadfast in adhering to international standards, processes and protocols”, he said.
Zabbey announced that considerable progress is being recorded across various thematic areas of the cleanup project, including remediation of hydrocarbon-impacted sites; mangrove restoration; provision of potable water; public health interventions; the Ogoni power project; and the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration; among others.
He said these coordinated interventions are gradually restoring confidence in the cleanup effort and bringing renewed hope to Ogoniland.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of the performance status of the cleanup project by HYPREP’s Evaluation and Monitoring Unit, which put the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration at 92.5 percent completion, among other legacy projects.
In their response, the regulators and asset owners were unanimous that HYPREP has recorded remarkable improvement so far in the cleanup efforts, and solicited for more support of the project.
Environmental Resource Manager of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development(CEHRD), Mr Meshack Uyi commended the Project Coordinator and his team for the remarkable improvement recorded so far in the area of environmental remediation and mangrove restoration, describing the Ogoni cleanup as one of the most robust in Africa.
He applauded HYPREP for its human capacity building initiative, saying, building the capacity of Ogoni people and training them to become mangrove vanguards are boosting their economic wellbeing.
Uyi said what is going on in Ogoniland is a learning process for the Niger Delta, saying, “those who think that nothing is happening in Ogoniland, they should come closer and see that a lot is indeed going on, and this can impact on Nigeria, the Niger Delta and Africa.”
He called on people all over the world to come on board to support HYPREP to achieve far greater milestones.
Also, the representative of the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, Mrs Doris Wilcox Balafoma commended the Project for doing very well, working and collaborating with its partners, saying, “We are always with them in the field.”
She scored HYPREP 90 percent for its cleanup efforts, insisting, however, that the abandonment of some ongoing water facilities in some Ogoni communities is due to cost variations.
For the Executive Director of the Society for Women And Youth Affairs(SWAYA), Dr Stella Amaine, HYPREP has recorded a great improvement in the area of women inclusion and livelihood restoration.
She, however, noted that she looks forward to the realisation of the 45 percent empowerment quota for women as promised by the Project Coordinator.
The National Association of Plant Operators (NAPO), a recognized trade union, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Minister of Labour and Productivity to urgently investigate alleged tax deduction fraud by the management of Daewoo E&C Nigeria Limited and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited.
The union, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), through its law firm, Everlaw Associates, Abuja office, raised an alarm about “unwholesome events” at the Nigerian LNG Limited Train 7 project site in Bonny, Rivers State.
The petition, signed by O. Marx Ikongbeh, Esq., the Principal of Everlaw Associates, and supported by a five-point affidavit deposed by NAPO President Mr. Harold Benstowe, alleges that the management of Daewoo E&C Nigeria Limited and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited has been making unusual deductions from workers’ salaries for Pay As You Earn (PAYE) purposes.
According to the workers, despite the deductions, the taxes have not been remitted to the Rivers State Inland Revenue Service (RIRS) to their credit. When the workers approached RIRS to process their tax clearance certificates, they discovered that the taxes had not been remitted.
The workers further alleged that the management of Daewoo E&C Nigeria Limited and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited misappropriated the deducted PAYE taxes, running into billions of Naira, for three years, to the detriment of both the federal and state governments.
The union urged the anti-graft agencies to investigate the management of NLNG Limited, Daewoo E&C Ltd and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, and their subcontractors, to bring the perpetrators of this tax fraud to justice.
However, in a press statement, the management of Daewoo E&C Limited claimed that the tax matter had been completely resolved, stressing the company’s commitment to transparency, due process, and sound corporate governance, adding that the company remains dedicated to maintaining a compliant trust worthy and proactive working environment as it continues the successful delivery of the NLNG Train 7 project.
Akujobi Amadi