From Left: Asst. Editor In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Obike Ukor; Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Ajjampur Ghanashyam and Editor, Foreign Directorate, Mr Uche Annune, at the NAN Forum in Abuja last Sunday.

Adamawa

The Adamawa State Command of the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) said it seized illicit drugs weighing 681.267kg from January to June 20, 2015.
Commander of the agency in the state,Yakubu Kibo, disclosed this in Yola in his speech at the commemoration of the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Kibo explained that out of the seizure, Indian hemp accounted for 231.91 kg while psychotropic substances weighed 449.357 kg.
“The agency, between January 2015 and June 20, seized 681.267 kg of illicit drugs.
“Out of the seizure, Cannabis Sativa accounted for 231.91 kg while psychotropic substances weighed 449.357 kg,” Kibo said.

Borno

The wife of the Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Shettima
on Wednesday, urged women in the state to strive hard toward ensuring quality education for their children and wards.
She said proper education would enable them become useful members of the society. Shettima said this during the distribution of food items to women groups at the multipurpose hall of the government house in Maiduguri.
“Ramadan is also a time for Muslims to unite and share not only food and drinks, but also ideas on how best to improve the society within which we live.
“Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to continue to pray and stand firm against any act capable of destroying us as people” she said.

Ekiti

The Coordinator of Vanguard for Better Living, an NGO,
Mr Samson Olaide, has urged government at all levels to accord priority to widows’ welfare.  Olaide told newsmen in Ikole that government should  start by elaborate celebration of the International Day of Widows in the country.
“This will create awareness and make governments at all levels to see to the plight of widows and make necessary provisions for their upkeep.
“Internatioal Widows Day is June 23 every year but many people including the widows are not aware of it; even some council chairmen are ignorant of the day, “ Olaide said.
He also appealed to philanthropists across the country to collaborate with government in embarking on projects that would be beneficial to the widows, especially in rural communities.

FCT

Stakeholders in the fight against corruption in the country
have advocated for a different approach in the fight against corruption; saying the current methods have failed.
This view was articulated in Abuja at a seminar organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), with the theme: “The Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria, the Way Forward’’.
The President of the NBA, Mr Augustine Alegeh, noted that anti-corruption agencies were operating full blast to curb corruption, yet corruption was thriving unhindered.
“Since attaining independence over 54 years ago, Nigeria has continued to grapple with the unending issue of combating corruption.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State and Local Governments Contributory Pen
sion Scheme has released the sum of N468.1 million for the payment of pensioners and gratuity for dead civil servants.
The Executive Secretary of the scheme, Alhaji Suleiman Kiyawa, who spoke with newsmen after the screening of beneficiaries in Dutse, said the payment was for the month of March. Kiyawa explained that 349 pensioners and relatives of deceased workers would benefit, adding that cheques had been given to court registrars for onward delivery to the beneficiaries. According to him, the last payment was made to pensioners in April this year and that arrangement had commenced to pay the next batch by the end of June.
He said that the state government was committed to welfare of its retired workers and benefits of those that died in service.KadunaKaduna
Kaduna

The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Mr Umar
Shehu, has solicited for the collective support of Nigerians to enhance peace and stability in the country.
Shehu made the appeal in Kaduna when he received a delegation of the state chapter of Igbo Community Welfare Association who paid him a courtesy visit.
He said that the police was committed to protecting lives and property of all Nigerians, adding that they would require the support of the general public to achieve the mandate.
The police commissioner charged the Igbo leaders to play more vital role in peace building, saying that partnership with other socio-cultural groups will be necessary in engendering mutual co-existence.

Lagos

The Environmental Health Officers’ Registration Council
of Nigeria (EHORCON), on Wednesday, said that it would not hesitate to sanction any members who compromise on ethics.
The Registrar of the council told newsmen in Lagos that the use of quacks in the execution Mr Augustine Ebisike of environmental health services would no longer be tolerated.
The council’s reaction followed criticisms by some residents of Lagos, on shoddy environmental health jobs like fumigation and waste management being handled by quacks.

Nasarawa

The Jamaatu Nasir Islam (JNI), an Islamic umbrella, has
called on clerics and Nigerians to be positive at all times to overcome the security challenges affecting the country. The Chairman of the organisation in Toto local government area of Nasarawa State Alhaji Saidu Umar, made the call  in an interview with newsmen in Toto.
He urged Nigerians to adopt positive attitude at all times to overcome the present security challenges and other socio-economic woes affecting the country.
Umar identified corruption, kidnapping and ritual killing, among others, as some of the factors that are affecting the country and called for all hands to be on deck in order to tackle it for the overall development of the country.

Ogun

An Obstetrician , Dr Kayode Opadeyi, has urged govern
ment at all levels to increase budgetary allocation to the health sector to strengthen maternal and child health.
Opadeyi, who is also a gynaecologist at the Tolulope Specialist Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, told newsmen  in Ijebu-Ode that increased budgetary allocation to the sector would also enhance economic growth.He said that inadequate funding for the sector constituted major hindrance to reproductive health activities and family planning.
“Inadequate personnel at health facilities are also posing serious threat to the provision of quality healthcare delivery.

Plateau

Some local government chairmen in Plateau State have  com
mended President Muhammadu Buhari over his directive ordering the dismantling of checkpoints across the country.
Buhari had last  Monday ordered the dismantling of the check points while directing the police to take charge of internal security.
The chairmen, in separate interviews with newsmen described the president’s directive as timely and a step in the right direction.
Chairman of Pankshin Local Government, Mr Samuel Goar, said that ordering the soldiers back to the barracks would restore their image.
The Chairman of Kanke Local Government Council, Mr John Gotau, who said internal security was the sole prerogative of the police, commended the president for the directive and said the road blocks help in frightening criminals.

Taraba

The Taraba State Ministry of Urban Development has said
the  ongoing demolition of illegal structures erected within the Jalingo metropolis was to restore the  state capital’s original master plan.
The Administrative Officer of the Ministry, Mr Abel Bako,  told newsmen in Jalingo that the exercise was aimed at easing congestion in Jalingo.
Bako said the Jalingo master plan, which had been disrupted by illegal structures, must be restored before infrastructure development could occur in the metropolis.
He denied claims in some quarters that the exercise was politically motivated, stressing that the measure was carried out in line with laid down rules and regulations of the ministry.
The  ministry had mobilised tractors and graders to Sintali Filling Station area and began destruction of about ten shops beside the station along  Donga road.

Yobe

The General Manager, Yobe State Rural Water Supply and
Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Alhaji Muhammad Bukar, has expressed the agency’s determination to ensure total elimination of open defecation in the state.
He gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.
He said the agency had evolved strategies to scale up sanitation activities through sustained behavioural change.
He added that RUWASA hoped to achieve this through mobilisation of communities to understand the risks associated with open defecation.
The general manager said that with the support of EU and UNICEF, the agency had launched an awareness campaign across 200 communities in Bade and Nguru local government areas of the state to sensitise communities on the health hazards of open defecation.
According to him, the agency has also set up a task force group on sanitation to ensure that all latrines are well maintained and all open defecation sites cleaned.