THE STATES

FCT
Women with disabilities in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja called for inclusiveness in government programmes and policies to reduce stigmatisation and ensure adequate protection of their interests.
The women made the call during a chat with newsmen  organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters.
The event, which has as its theme, ‘Be Bold for Change’, was organised to commemorate the 2017 International Women Day Celebration.
The women blamed the challenges facing women with disabilities in the country on government’s failure to include them in the planning of its programmes and policies.
Mrs Helen Baba, who has hearing disability, lamented the challenges faced by the deaf and dumb in accessing healthcare.

Kano
The Wife of Kano State Governor Hajiya  Hafsat Abdullahi Ganduje, has called on parents to ensure proper upbringing of their children.
She made the call at the International Women’s Day Celebration held at the Coronation Hall, Government House in Kano on Wednesday.
She said the call was necessary to enable children become useful members of the society and contribute their quotas toward the development of the state and the country at large.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to commemorate the day which was set aside by the United Nations.
According to her, the call was also necessary in view of the fact that parents played significant roles in shaping the future for their children.

Kogi
ActionAid Nigeria said plans are on-going to provide support for about 47,000 women and youths in Kogi as part of its Livelihood Support Project to reduce radicalisation and extreme violence among the youth.
Human Security in Conflict and Emergency Manager for ActionAid, Mr Gbenro Olajuyigbe, said this at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on the “System Strengthening Approach Against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism” in Lokoja.
The forum was organised by Kogi-based Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
Olajuyigbe said the 47,000 beneficiaries drawn from Adavi and Igalamela-Odolu local government areas of Kogi were women and youths. In another developemnt, the Director-General, Kogi Bureau of Public Private Partnership (BPPP), Mr Robert Achanya,  said the Bureau will partner with Crest-Agro Products to clear 5,000 hectares of land for allocation to cassava farmers.
Achanya said this in an interview with newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday.
He said that the collaboration was part of the state government’s plan to assist cassava out-growers in its efforts to promote agriculture as a business initiative.

Kaduna
Security has been beefed up on the Abuja-Kaduna highway following the temporary closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for the repair of its runway.
The Federal Government had announced the closure of the airport from March 8 for six weeks to allow for repairs of the runway.  It would be reported that following the closure of the airport, security has been beefed up with increased number of security out-posts along the road.
A correspondent who traveled along the route on Wednesday reports that Police highway patrol vehicles  were deployed at strategic points.

Kebbi
The Kebbi State  Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Abduallahi Maigari, said on Wednesday that science and technical colleges had been increased from five to 16, to strengthen science studies in tertiary institutions in the state.
Maigari disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing organised by the state NUJ in Birnin Kebbi.
He said four additional science colleges would be established soon.
“In spite of the economic situation and the paucity of funds, we have been able to increase the number of our technical colleges from five to 16.

Kwara
The wife of  Kwara State Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, last Wednesday, commissioned the Life Empowers Hope (LEAH) children reception centre in Ilorin.
Ahmed also pledged to build a children’s reception village for the abused, disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the society.
She declared her passion for dedicating a part of her life to reaching out to the homeless children in the streets.
“I call on well-meaning people to reach-out to these little children. An extra penny can add value to the lives of these children,” she said.

Lagos
A renowned Nollywood Actress, Stephaine Linus-Okereke, was on Wednesday unveiled as the Regional Ambassador for Maternal Health in West and Central Africa Region by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole in Lagos. Adewole was represented by Mr Greg Izuwa, the Deputy Director, Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health at the unveiling ceremony organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Lagos.
According to him, she has been found worthy in character and in learning. We take that to what she is going to do as the ambassador.
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Niger
The National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW) Suleija branch B, Niger, has appealed to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to reduce the price of the Speed Limiting Device to enable its members to install it on their vehicles. The Chairman of the union, Mr John Acha, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Suleja on Wednesday. Acha said if the price of the device was reduced the union would compel its members to install it on their vehicles.
“We are ready to purchase the device but due to the present economic recession, we are not financially sound to go for it.

Nasarawa
Members of staff of Olugbemi Unique School,  Angwan Makama, Masaka, in Nasarawa State, last Wednesday, dragged their proprietor, Jimmy Lagundaye, to a Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court over alleged non-payment of three months salaries.
The complainants – Eze Susan, Kemi Soje, Amina Obor, Ojo Jumoke, Abonyi Amalis, Patience Ogede, Abdurazak Isah, Uver Charles, Amos Ebhohen, James Tor, Noel Blessing and Pauline Opeh  were all present in court.
They averred that they were on monthly salary at the school and they worked for three months, but the proprietor refused to pay them their salaries.

Ogun
A 51-year-old man, Taoreed Olayiwola, who allegedly defrauded one Aliu Olori of N140, 000, was on Wednesday arraigned at an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court, Ogun.
Olayiwola, whose address was not given, is charged with fraud.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Famous Edigbue, told the court that the accused committed the offence in April, 2016, in Ita-Oshin area of Abeokuta.
Edigbue alleged that the accused falsely presented self as a car dealer and obtained N140, 000 from the complainant that he would sell a Nissan Sunny car to him but failed to do so.

Plateau
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has called on banks operating in the state to revert to the 4 p.m. closing time, instead of the 3 p.m. they adopted when the state was in crises.
Lalong made the call on Wednesday in Jos, when the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof. Segun Ajibola, paid him a courtesy call.
“Peace has returned to Plateau; there is no need for banks to hold unto the 3 p.m. closing time.
“Please appeal to your members to start closing by 4, instead of 3, because closing by 3 gives an impression that we are still crises-ridden,” he said.
He appreciated the institute’s contribution to the Plateau economy, and promised to engage more chartered bankers as senior government officials and civil servants.