Nation

THE STATES

Published

7 years ago

September 12, 2016

Adamawa

The National Population Commission (NPC) in collabo
ration with UNICEF and European Union has commenced a one-week massive birth registration exercise in Adamawa State.
Flagging-off the exercise in Yola, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla, assured of the state government’s commitment to the success of the exercise in the state.
Jibrilla, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Fatima Atiku, urged parents to come out en mass to register their children.
“The daily registration of our children is indeed very essential as it provides data needed for population estimation, projection and other analytical studies useful for all demographic planning and research in the state and nation as a whole.
Borno

No fewer than 50 children orphaned by the Boko Haram
insurgence have been awarded scholarships in commemoration of the 50th birthday of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State.
Shettima’s Special Adviser on Communication Isa Gusau announced this at a ceremony marking the governor’s birthday in Maiduguri today.
According to him, the scholarship will be funded from donations made by Shettima’s associates at a birthday reception held in honour of the governor.
“The award was sponsored by a group of 30 friends and political associates of Shettima,’’ he said
“Two schools, the Maiduguri Capital School and Bara’Imul Iman Integrated School, both in Maiduguri, were selected for the programme.
FCT

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Garba Abari, has cautioned Nigerians to stop activities that can lead to the blockage of drainage and water ways.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Fidel Agu, the Deputy Director, Press Unit of the agency in Abuja, recently.
According to Abari, the State Directorate and Local Government formations of the agency have been directed to commence public sensitisation to stop the trend.
“The agency is making efforts for massive sensitisation to mobilise Nigerians away from flood prone areas, thereby minimising casualties both at local and state levels.

Kaduna

A medical practitioner, Dr Nuhu Yusuf, has advised Ni
gerians to check their blood pressure regularly to reduce the risk of sudden death.
Yusuf of the Jamik Medical Center gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.
He said that regular checking of blood pressure was important to avoid stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and sudden death.
“High blood pressure is a silent killer because it often has no symptoms and goes undetected in a high percentage of people.
“Untreated high blood pressure can damage and weaken your arteries. “Regular checking of blood pressure gives you accurate idea of the typical pressure.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government says it would create an
industrial park to boost small and medium scale businesses in the state.
Governor Aminu Masari made the disclosure at a press briefing in Katsina. Masari said the Park would be established along Katsina-Jibia road in Katsina metropolis.
He said the area, when fully developed, would house all industries in the state.
According to him, the government has commenced talks with Skippers Transformers, one of the leading producers of transformers in the world to design a special transformer for the area for electricity transmission.
Kogi

The police said that they had deployed more person
nel to the nine entry points into Kogi State to secure it against kidnapping and robbery during the forthcoming Eid-El-Kabir festival.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Chafe, told newsmen in Lokoja that policemen would also take strategic positions in towns, villages and highways in the state during the period.
According to him, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has deployed additional 300 policemen to the state to ensure effective policing during the period.
He said that the 25 security patrol vans donated to the state police command by the Kogi State Government had been deployed for joint patrol and stop-and-search operations.
Kwara

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has com
miserated with the General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) worldwide, Kayode Abiara, on the death of his wife, Christiana.
The governor, in a condolence message, described the deceased as a woman of virtue who lived her life with the fear of God and was devoted to humanity.
The condolence message was signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, and made available to the newsmen in Ilorin.
According to Ahmed, the prayers of the deceased will be missed given the challenges confronting the country.

Lagos

A 23-year old man allegedly caught with a gun has
been arraigned in an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, alongside a friend he claimed gave him the weapon.
Tobechukwu Igwe and his friend, Henry Njoku, 20, both unemployed, are charged with conspiracy and unlawful possession of arms.
They both live at Ebute Meta area of Lagos State. The prosecutor, Sgt. Donjor Perezi, told the court that the offences were committed on August 8, at Ilaje area of Ebute Meta, Lagos. Perezi said that a security guard caught Tobechukwu with the gun and arrested him.

Osun

A security expert, Alhaji Ridwan Hussein, has called
for caution over statements made on sensitive security issues. Hussein, who is the Head of Harmonised Vigilante Group in Osun State, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.
He spoke against the backdrop of statements made by some individuals on security issues in recent times.
Hussein said that such statements were capable of creating unnecessary tension in the country and could hamper socio-economic progress.Oyo
Oyo

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, and no fewer than 5,000 participants would attend the 2016 Ministers’ Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS), Ogbomoso.
The President of NBTS, Dr Emiola Nihinola, said this in Ogbomoso at a press conference to herald the programme.
Our correspondent reports that this year’s edition, billed for between Sept. 12 and Sept. 15, would focus on praying for Nigeria’s prosperity and spiritual renewal of Christians.
“In this year 2016, we expect participants in the neighbourhood of 5,000.
“ We expect church pastors and musicians, Christian educators, evangelists, missionaries as well as denominational and interdenominational workers and officers.
“It is an international conference with participants expected from the 36 states of the country and beyond,” he said.

Plateau

The Plateau State Government says it has procured and
distributed 777 trucks of fertilisers to farmers for the 2016 farming season, in a bid to boost production.
The State’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malam Nazif Muhammad, made the disclosure at a monthly news briefing in Jos.
Muhammad said that the figure translated to over 400, 000 bags that were sold to farmers at a subsidised rate.
The commissioner also said that apart from the fertiliser, the state government was committed to assisting farmers with farm inputs.
“Government has sustained this gesture in a variety of ways; for instance, improve seedlings of tomatoes and Irish potatoes were purchased and distributed to farmers at subsidised rates,” he said.
He further said that the state government has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greenlands Integrated Agribusiness Limited to set up processing and storage facilities.
Yobe

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)
in Yobe State says it has fully established its presence in liberated communities in the state to encourage internally displaced persons to return home.
Dr Muhammad Fari, Commandant of the corps in the state, told newsmen in Damaturu that his men established their presence after visiting the communities and assessing the situation on ground.
“The NSCDC had already deployed staff to the liberated local government areas of Gujba, Gulani and Yunusari to enhance the return of civil authority in the areas.
“We have a huge responsibility of ensuring the attainment of the mandate of this administration of building peaceful and secured communities across the country”, he said.

Nation

JAMB Decries Use Of Fake Results For Admission

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has decried the high level of forgery of A Level certificates used for the registration.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, who raised the alarm, recalled that the Board had commenced the 2023 Direct Entry registration on Monday, 20th February but immediately suspended it following the discovery of the plethora of devices and machinations to circumvent and compromise the standard of A ‘level qualifications required from DE candidates.
He disclosed that out of 148 candidates verified by Bayero University Kano (BUK), only 6 were found to be genuine.
“By implication 142 of the results were forged. Oloyede said. Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has also consistently brought to the fore the high rate of forgery of A’Level qualifications for DE.
“It was discovered that in previous years, some candidates used unacceptable and forged A’ level certificates/ qualifications to register for Direct Entry and eventually got admitted. For example out of 148 candidates verified by BUK, only 6 were found to be genuine. By implication 142 of the results were forged.
“The Board, concerned stakeholders and institutions are working assiduously to detect such and the ones already found are being dealt with according to the provisions of the law.
“In order to further checkmate the anomaly and to also prevent recurrence of such irregularity, the Board has decided that the 2023 DE registrations will not only be restricted to JAMB (Professional Test Centres (PTCs) but will also be done under strict supervision,” Oloyode said.
“The Board has provided additional guidelines to all DE registration outlets (JAMB-owned centres), Officers of the Board and candidates on the 2023 Direct Entry registration exercise:
“At the point of registration, all candidates must fill in Registration/Matriculation Number of the previous school attended where the qualification was obtained; Subject(s) of qualification; Awarding Institution; Institution actually attended”, he said.

Nation

‘Nigerians Have Lost Confidence, Trust In INEC’

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

As post-election crisis gathers momentum, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria’s 2023 general elections has declared that Nigerians have lost confidence and trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owing to lack of transparency and operational failures.
The EU EOM Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, made the assertion at a Media Briefing to present the Mission’s second preliminary reports, in Abuja, Monday.
Andrews noted that although Nigerians had great appetite for democracy and keen to engage in various civic activities, their expectations were dashed.
According to him, the apathy recorded at the governorship and states House of Assembly elections conducted last Saturday was a clear consequence of failures by political elites and “unfortunately, INEC.”
Andrews said: “Obstruction and organised violence limited the free expression of the will of the voters, despite efforts by civil society to promote democratic standards.
“Throughout the Mission, we saw that Nigerians have a great appetite for democracy and are keen to engage in various civic activities. However, in many parts of the country, their expectations were not met.
“Many were disappointed and we witnessed voter apathy that is in part, a clear consequence of failures by political elites, and unfortunately, also by INEC.
“Positively, INEC introduced some corrective measures ahead of Saturday’s polls, allowing a timely delivery of sensitive materials and improved use of election technologies, yet, the institution continued to lack transparency.”
The Mission also observed that voting started early with INEC ad-hoc officials present and ready to serve voters, but the exercise was unfortunately, disrupted by “multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers, and journalists”.
The Mission noted that Lagos, Kano, and other States in the Southern, Northern and Central parts of the country were mostly affected, adding that the election was equally characterised by casualties, fatalities, as well as vote-buying, which according to the observers, further detracted from an appropriate conduct of elections.
“EU EOM observers also saw misuse of administrative resources, including through various financial and in-kind inducements to voters, giving an undue advantage to the party in power.
“Furthermore, the protracted deadlines for candidacy disputes created uncertainty for voters and electoral contestants alike, while clear underrepresentation of women as candidates demonstrated a stark lack of internal party policies to support constitutionally prescribed inclusion

Nation

‘Youths To Benefit From Climate Change Innovation Hub’

Published

2 days ago

March 22, 2023

The Tide

The Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Sani Tambuwal, has expressed optimism that the recently established National Climate Change Innovation Hub would help in harnessing the potential among Nigerian youths towards addressing climate issues.
The CNA stated this during the commemoration of the 2023 Commonwealth Day with the theme ‘Forging A Sustainable And Peaceful Common Future’ held at the instance of National Assembly management, in Abuja, Monday.
Represented by the Deputy Clerk, National Assembly (DCNA), Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana, Tambuwal observed that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and other climate issues in the world if not properly managed, would posed great danger to world peace and a sustainable future.
He assured that Federal Government had put measures in place to address some issues on climate change through the establishment of youth climate change hub to harness their ideas and include them in decision-making process as well as develop long-term vision for zero gas emissions.
In her presentation, Mrs. Rabi Audu stressed the need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders towards forging a sustainable and peaceful environment.
Audu also urged the youths to engage in activities and programmes that would promoter innovations and inclusivity for all.
According to her, governments and parliaments have to increase opportunities for schools across the Commonwealth countries, adopt higher education partnerships and development programmes that would lead to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental conservation.
While noting that the establishment of more programmes like the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) would aid the attainment of these, Audu further stressed the need for Commonwealth member countries to establish technical and vocational education that would help in gainfully equipping the youths with skills to further tackle high rate of youth unemployment.
Some of the students who participated in the programme tasked parliaments across Commonwealth member States on the need to hold their governments to account particularly on the areas of public spending, international crisis, investment sustainability and promotion of the benefits of inclusive and diverse representation in truly open societies.