Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The Nigerian Army says its troops have killed two Boko Haram insurgents at Mayanti village of Bama Local Government Council of Borno State.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations,, 7 Division, Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel said in Maiduguri that the troops had ambushed a group of insurgents while trying to cross into the Sambisa Forest.
He explained that the troops neutralised two insurgents while many others escaped with gunshot wounds, adding that some food items were also recovered from the insurgents.
“The Mobile Strike Teams (MSTs) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE resolve to rout out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
“MST yielded yet another result with the troops successfully ambushed unsuspecting terrorists at about 10: 45 p.m. on Friday, 6th October 2017.
“The insurgents were attempting to cross into Sambisa Forest from Mayanti village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State”, he said.
Ekiti,
A 73-year old farmer, Alhaji Olayinka Adeyemi has emerged the overall Best Farmer of the year in Ekiti State, winning N1 million prize.
Our correspondent reports that Alhaji Olayinka has been in farming since 1965.
Chief Afe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the organiser of Afe Babalola Agricultural Exhibition code named “ABA-EX 2017” gave the prize to the winner last Sunday at the closing of the exhibition at the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti.
The agric exhibition where Adeyemi won the prize was organised by Governor Ayo Fayose.
The Septuagenarian was among about 300 other farmers shortlisted for the government exhibition from among leading farmers in all the 16 local government areas of the state.
FCT
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has approved the National Open University (NOUN’s) proposal to build and operate a N150 million multi-functional centre using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The acting Director-General of ICRC, Mr Chidi Izuwah made this known last Sunday in Abuja as he officially handed over an Outline Business Certificate, which gave NOUN the go ahead to look for private investors.
Izuwah also urged Federal Government universities to embrace PPP as the solution to bridging infrastructure deficit in the education sector.
“One of the biggest problems universities have is student accommodation and the best way to provide student accommodation around the world is to partner with the private sector.
“We are working with a committee of Vice Chancellors to develop a framework to allow them partner with the private sector in this regard,” Izuwah said.
Kaduna
Kaduna State Government says it plans to spend over N201 billion as its budget in 2018 fiscal year.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi said at a town hall meeting on the proposal in Kaduna that members of the general public were free to scrutinize the draft budget and make input before its presentation to the state Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that in the proposal, the government has earmarked N125 billion for capital expenditure and N75.5 billion for recurrent.
The state will begin the new fiscal year with an opening balance of N8 billion, and expects an internal revenue of N40.9 billion in 2018 and N32 billion from the Federation Account.
Abdullahi said that under the capital expenditure, N34.4 billion was for the economic sector, with Works, Housing and Transport having the largest chunk of N25.4 billion.
Kano
Women Rice Farmers in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State have complained of shortage of water in their irrigation farms.
The female farmers alleged that the water being supplied to the farm by the Hadejia/Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) was grossly inadequate.
The Chairperson of the Local Government’s chapter of Women Rice Farmers Association, Hajiya Daboyi Ado made the allegation when the Chairperson of Sasakawa Africa Association /Sasakawa Africa Fund for Education, Prof. Ruth Oniang’o visited some rice demonstration farms in Bunkure.
Oniang’o was in the area to assess the performance of women rice farmers who benefited from the intervention programmes of the organisation.
Kogi
The Federal and State Governments have been urged to pay more attention to the development of tourism sector to create jobs for youths in the country.
The Walin of Lokoja, Retired Rear Adm. Ibrahim Idris, made the plea last Saturday in Lokoja, at the maiden edition of the Lokoja Boat Regatta Festival.
Idris said that the sector had been left undeveloped for too long to the detriment of the country’s economic development.
While speaking as the chairman of the occasion, he called for a change of attitude to the sector from the two tiers of government.
According to him, the country has a lot to gain from the tourism sector because of its jobs creation and foreign exchange earning potential.
Kwara
About 2, 000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by water across the three districts of Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Special Adviser to Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed on Emergency and Relief Services, Alhaji Duro Mohammed disclosed this while inspecting the havoc caused by flood in Patigi last weekend.
He said rice farms in Lade, Patigi and Sepondi districts cultivated near the River Niger were mostly affected as well as a clinic, a cemetery and a primary school at Gbaradogi.
Mohammed, who led the state government’s delegation to the flooded farms described the damage as devastating.
The Governor’s Aide called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the state in ameliorating the suffering of the affected farmers.
Lagos
Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Mr Tunde Ladipo last Sunday called on well- meaning individuals and groups to assist inmates in paying fines imposed on them to decongest prisons.
Ladipo made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
He said that a number of inmates were still in prison for inability to pay fines.
Ladipo urged that prison congestion should be the concern of all stakeholders in the interest of the society.
The controller appealed to stakeholders to come together and fashion out more ways to reduce congestion in the country’s prisons.
Nasarawa
Nigerians have been urged to move closer to God, through ceaseless prayers for the restoration of the country’s lost glory.
Senior Pastor, Living Faith Church in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Anthony Amaefule gave the advice last Sunday in Lafia in his Sunday Communion Service sermon entitled, “Recovery of your glory”.
The cleric expressed optimism that with the restoration of the nation’s lost glory, its economy would grow at the desired speed.
“Only God can give glory. If you have lost it, you can get it back. Glory is about abundance, greatness, wealth, favour, joy, contentment and the goodness of God upon one’s life”, the cleric said.
Niger
A Univeersity teacher, Prof. Bukar Dauda has advocated the promotion of synergy among native medicine practitioners, scientists and entrepreneurs to ensure vibrant pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
Dauda of the Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences (SPS), Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna said in Minna when he delivered the 54th Inaugural lecture of the institution.
The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mrs Lydai Legbo, in her statement in Minna last Sunday, said the lecture was entitled, “Natural Product Chemistry and Prospects for Transforming Traditional Medicines into Modern Pharmaceuticals.”
She quoted the don as having observed that such promotion , if pursued in sustainable manner, would also make Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry a large-scale foreign exchange earner for the country.
According to Dauda, Nigeria can rival China and India that have pursued deliberate policy of research and transformation of their traditional medicines into modern pharmaceuticals in views of its diverse, untapped flora.
Osun
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun State Command, last weekend disclosed that it destroyed a 60.8 hectares of India hemp (Cannabis Sativa) farm at Ikeji Arakeji, in the state.
The state commandant of the NDLEA Mr Samuel Egbeola, disclosed this during an interview with journalists at the agency’s office in Osogbo.
According to Egbeola, the hemp farm was discovered and destroyed on Thursday, following a tip-off from an informant.
He said the agency also seized 10 bags of already harvested cannabis which weighed 107.4kilograms.
He said two suspects found on the farm during the operation were equally arrested and that the arrested suspects were helping the agency in their investigation.
Plateau
As stakeholders in Plateau State prepare for local government elections slated for February 17, 2018, a political analyst, Mr Anthony Izang has advised them to adhere to the rules to avoid electoral violence.
Izang particularly cautioned key players like the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), political parties and voters against actions that could impede justice and fair play.
His advice was contained in a paper titled: “Strategy of Curbing Electoral Violence in Nigeria”, presented at the 2017 Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT) interactive forum on Sunday, in Pankshin.
Reports indicated that the EPRT is an arm of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), an NGO of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos.
The response team consists of volunteers, who respond to, and report emergency situations that could lead to violence in the 17 local government areas of Plateau State.
With significant achievements recorded across thematic areas of the Ogoni cleanup programme being executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Project Coordinator of the Project, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that all these are enabling pathways to the development of Ogoniland.
This is coming on the heels of milestone achievements in the following areas and their impact on Ogoni communities. They are mangrove restoration which is 94 percent complete; shoreline remediation which stands at 67.1 percent; and the phase 2 land remediation progressing to 36.55 percent.
Moreso, HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities. With the commissioning of the water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities, the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water will be 45. The process of operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which is at 92 percent complete, is ongoing. The same for the Ogoni Power Project which is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations ongoing
Similarly, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital are at 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent respectively.
This is alongside other public health interventions and the Human BioMonitoring Survey also in progress.
Under the livelihood
programme, over 7,000 direct jobs have been created for Ogoni women and youths, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up kits, workshops, education grants, scholarships and other empowerment programmes. This quarter, training will commence in other demand-driven skill areas, such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, commercial diving, and underwater welding.
Zabbey had reeled out these achievements, during the third quarter interactive session between the Project Coordination Office engagement with Ogoni youths in Port Harcourt on Friday, in line with HYPREP’s strategic stakeholders policy to provide an interface opportunity to abreast Ogoni youths on the Project’s activities, while garnering their feedback.
Zabbey noted that, “This
quarterly engagement was,therefore, designed as an inclusive strategy to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. Also, it reflects our firm belief that a project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory”.
” I am delighted to inform you that the Project remains on course to achieve its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on the Ogoni environment and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. HYPREP is committed to transparency and accountability in the implementation of the cleanup projects and activities”, he said.
He stressed that HYPREP’s achievements are pathways to a better Ogoniland, assuring that the Project’s goals are aimed at benefiting all categories of Ogoni youths, whether in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship or community development.
”This Project belongs to all of you, and its success depends mainly on your participation, unity and constructive engagement. And with your support, we are confident that all challenges will be addressed in the overall public interest,” Zabbey said.
The Project Coordinator urged Ogoni youths to continue to support the Project by promoting peace, discouraging misinformation, and collaborating with project teams working in the communities, and address challenges through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Prof Dinebari Badey, a Professor of Development Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, delivered the keynote address, linking the nexus between HYPREP and youths in the development of Ogoniland through unity of purpose while Engr Solomon Akere, gave a talk on Ogoni youths in business.
Participants raised questions concerning the maintenance of the water projects, remediation efforts, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW), among others.
In attendance were management staff of HYPREP who provided responses to the interventions.
Members of the Association of Community Health practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN),Rivers state Chapter have marked the 2025 Community Health week with a call for the state government to employ more community health practitioners to mann the various health centres across the 23 local government areas of the state .
The theme of one week event “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of community health practitioners in reducing maternal and under _five mortality in line with sustainable development goals”attracted community health practitioners across the state.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event held at the conference hall of the state primary healthcare office in port Harcourt, the state chairman of the Association,Dr Justina Onuwa appeal to the state governor,Sir Siminalayi Fubara to approve the employment of more community health practitioners in other to effectively mann the primary health centres in the state.
Onuwa stated that the call become imperative following the decline in community health practitioners in the civil service and the need to ensure that the people in rural communities have more access to primary healthcare services in their localities.
The state chairman of ACHPN averred members of the association were not captured in the employment scheme during last employment of medical health workers by the state government.”our people need to be employed like other health care service providers”
She appeal to the state government to provide vehicles and office secretariat for its association and as well ensure that their members are promoted as at when due.
Also speaking,the state Health Educator,Dr Babbo Diana who represented the commissioner for health and Executive secretary RSPHCMB while congratulating them on their celebrations called them to partner with the state government to build more efficient healthcare services in the state.
She urge them to be passionate with their work, stressing that all hands must be on deck and everyone must play their roles in other to ensure the success of government primary healthcare services in the state.
In his good will message,the representative of the state Director of Health planning Research and statistics, Dietician Buduzhi Gift Oguzor described members of the association as foot soldiers of health services care providers in the state.
He called on them to be more dedicated in their responsibilities especially in the areas of infrastructure development, noting that the state of infrastructure under their custody are in a detoriating conditions despite the huge of resources released to them by the state government.
Earlier in her lecture on the theme “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of the community practitioners in reducing the under _five mortality in line with the sustainable development goals”prof Alice Nte urge them to review their association curriculum in other to upgrade their profile and become more relevant and attend to the optimum value in the profession.
She opined that the WHO according to the Nigerian Demography survey didn’t included members of the association as stillbirth attendant, adding that they should restrategise and look into their curriculum and see where it can be updated.
The climax of the week long celebrations ended with road work,free medical care services and church thanks service.
Akujobi Amadi
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Bldr. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, has called on Nigerian builders to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for addressing the nation’s housing deficit.
Speaking at the inaugural council meeting of the Institute held at its National Secretariat in Abuja in his speech themed, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Key Driver to Housing Delivery,” the NIOB President said the Institute is poised to lead transformative change in the nation’s housing delivery system.
Bldr. Kolade described the meeting as a strategic platform for redefining NIOB’s policy direction for the next two years, stressing that the housing challenge presents both a national problem and a professional opportunity.
“We, as custodians of building production management, must reposition ourselves not only as technical experts but as innovators, entrepreneurs, and national solution providers,” he stated.
He emphasized that innovation must now be embedded in the professional DNA of builders, urging practitioners to embrace sustainable technologies, research-based construction methods, and digital project management tools.
According to him, the Institute will promote innovation through research collaborations, innovation labs, and pilot projects that showcase emerging construction techniques.
On entrepreneurship, Bldr. Kolade noted that competence alone was no longer sufficient, and that builders must evolve into enterprise creators capable of driving employment and economic growth through construction-based ventures.
He further outlined the Institute’s five key policy pillars for the next two years, to include innovation
and research; entrepreneurial
development; professional regulation and ethics; advocacy
and policy influence;
capacity building and youth empowerment.
The NIOB President also paid tribute to past leaders of the Institute for laying the foundation upon which the current administration will build, saying leadership must go beyond preservation to purposeful expansion.
“If we can harness innovation, embrace entrepreneurship, and strengthen our professional unity, we will not only close the housing gap — we will redefine the standards of housing delivery in Africa,” he affirmed.
He called on builders nationwide to view themselves as not only craftsmen but nation builders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs committed to delivering sustainable housing and national development.
The NIOB President earlier led the National Council members to a site visit to the NIOB construction site at Idu, Abuja.