Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government says it spent more than N160 million on implementing its Nomadic Education Programme.
Governor Isa Yuguda said this in Bauchi while giving account of his stewardship in the last three years.
Yuguda said the amount was spent to enhance access to quality education for nomadic children.
He said N60 million and N110 million were allocated to nomadic education sector in 2008 and 2009 fiscal years respectively.
The governor said more than N30 million was spent on the purchase and distribution of assorted text books.
“N20 million was spent on the rehabilitation of the Agency for Nomadic Education office complex and to provide two vehicles.
Benue
The Minister of State for Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku, has appealed to politicians not to allow political differences to becloud their sense of patriotism.
He made the call while paying tribute to the late Baver Dzeremo, a member of Benue House of Assembly, during a valedictory session in his honour on Monday in Makurdi.
The late legislator, who represented Tarka State Constituency, died on May 21in Makurdi, three days after his return from Germany where he had undergone treatment for five months.
According to the Minister, all politicians are supposed to be guided by ideas because “in a society without commitment to ideas, people use platforms of ethnicity and religion to have their way.”
FCT
The Minister of State for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Bello, says inadequate access to information on health management is responsible for the high rate of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse.
Bello said this in Abuja on Tuesday while declaring open the National Consultative Forum for Advancing Young Peoples’ Health and Development in Nigeria.
The minister said poor nutrition, unemployment and increased drug abuse due to lack of information had severe consequences on the health and development of young people.
He said young people between the ages of 10 and 24 were largely affected, adding that efforts must be made to ensure that health issues of young people were properly addressed.
Gombe
The Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) spent N1.6 billion on various projects in 2009, the Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Elnafaty, said on Tuesday.
Elnafaty told newsmen in the state capital that the amount was spent on the construction of 200 new classrooms.
He listed the other projects as the renovation of 400 classrooms, provision of furniture and instructional materials as well as teacher training and workshops for all UBE teachers across the state.
According to the SUBEB chairman, the projects, which started last year, are expected to be completed by the end of June.
He appealed to the private sector to assist the state government in improving educational standards.
Kaduna
The National Population Commission (NPC) in Kaduna, has called on local governments to enforce the registration of births and deaths.
The commissions ’ vital registration Head of Department, Malam Umar Adamu made the call in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.
Adamu said both registrations were useful for national planning and school enrolment.
He expressed regret that in spite of the N25 million that was released by the Kaduna State Government in 2009 for the training of village scribes on birth and death registration, the response had not been encouraging.
According to him, if the government made it mandatory for children to present their birth certificates before school enrolment, it could have received a more favourable response from parents.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has spent N1.2 billion on the construction of 5.5 kilometres of dual carriage roads in Dutsin-ma town.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Danjuma Alti, said this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina recently.
He said that part of the money was also used in the construction of drains along some major roads and the provision of solar powered security lights.
”The road has since been completed and has been put into use,” he said.
He said the completion of the project brought to five, the number of such roads completed in five of the seven old local government headquarters in the state.
Kebbi
The Election Petition Tribunal in Kebbi has dismissed the petition of Alhaji Samba Aliyu (DPP) challenging the election of Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (PDP) in the Kebbi Central Senatorial by-election held in December 2009.
The Tide’s source reports that the Kebbi Central senatorial by-election was conducted in December 2009 following the appointment of Alhaji Adamu Aliero as then FCT Minister.
Delivering judgment, Justice Elizabeth Kpojimi, said that the petition was dismissed for want of evidence.
She said that the petitioner failed to convince the tribunal beyond reasonable doubt that the respondent had been indicted by any competent court on allegations of mismanagement of public funds.
Lagos
A cleric, Dr Fred Odutola, in Lagos said communicating in mother tongues will promote literacy and help children to imbibe good morals.
Odutola, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN),said in an interview with newsmen that speaking and writing in vernacular sensitised children to societal values.
“It helps literacy a lot; there are certain things in a language that you cannot translate into English,’’ the cleric said.
He added that it would also enable children to identify with their origin and its norms.
“Our languages are rich in culture and morals. There is respect in our language,’’ he said.
The cleric warned that the lack of speaking of mother tongues would force some languages into extinction and make some Nigerians to lose their identities.
Ogun
Acute shortage of potable water has become a source of serious worry for residents of Ijebu-Ode, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Some residents who spoke with The Tide’s source, appealed to both the state and the local governments to urgently find a lasting solution to the problem.
They said that many people were now buying water or fetching from nearby rivers to meet their daily needs.
They said that if the water problem was not resolved on time, it might lead to the outbreak of water-borne diseases even as water hawking business was booming.
The development, it was learnt, has made many residents to embark on an endless search for potable water.
The residents urged the government to pay adequate attention to the Iyemoji Dam, said to be the major source of water for the town and its environs.
Ondo
The Ondo State House of Assembly has acknowledged the receipt of the names of two indigenes of the state, nominated for the post of commissioner by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
The Majority Leader of the Assembly Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyin, who the confirmation on Monday in Akure, said the list had been received by the clerk of the House, Alhaji Jaye Dada.
In a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Rotimi Adelola,on Thursday, Mimiko nominated Dr Pius Osunyikanmi and Prince Oladiran Iyantan as commissioners.
Akinsoyin said the Assembly would do its legislative functions right as it had the interest of the state at heart.
Oyo
Authorities of the Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, have threatened to expel lecturers and students, engaging in indiscipline.
Prof. Babajide Owoeye, Chairman of the Governing Council of the LCU who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan said that the institution had created an atmosphere of transparency where the interest of everyone was protected.
“There is zero tolerance for acts of indiscipline. And in many occasions, we have had to ask some students to leave.
“Not just students, even members of staff. Once you cannot adapt to our philosophy here, whether you are staff or student, you have to leave,” he added.
Owoey said: “at LCU no lecturer has power to terrorise any student.
“And we will not say that because you are a student, you think that it confers on you the immunity to misbehave. We don’t allow that,” he said.
A professor of English linguistics at the Rivers State University (RSU) Nkpolu Oroworukwu Port Harcourt, Prof. Isaac Enyi Ngulube, has advocated for better and improved funding for language centres in Nigeria, such as NINLAN Aba and Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, for optimum value and effective local languages development.
He also called for funded research on the development of orthographies and language documents across the country to rescue local languages from extinction, as well as having a well-planned and implemented mother tongue education in all institutions in the country, from primary to tertiary.
Prof. Ngulube made with these assertions while presenting his inaugural lecture at the university’s 121st inaugural lecture with the topic “The Career of Rough Beats: Language, Literature and the Development of our Common Humanity” held in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
The erudite scholar, in the lecture, stressed that the study of English language, linguistics, and literature is very broad, large, and difficult, adding that he overcame the rough roads through resilience and determination.
He described language as “a purely human and non-instinctive means of communicating ideas and emotions,” noting that “the word is a fundamental need in language; you cannot study language without the use of language.”
He urged parents to be cautious with their utterances, warning that “what they refer to their children as is what they will automatically end up becoming.”
He recommended a branded English language for every profession or course of study, stressing that embedding oral literature in the teaching of students from primary to tertiary level will enable them to know their traditions and roots of origin.
“Tell them the folk stories and moonlight tales; you are sending them back to their people. You must be a human being first before becoming a medical doctor, engineer, or anything else,” Ngulube said.
He also called for better and improved production of quality language and literature teachers, provision of modern teaching/instructional materials, improved welfare packages for teachers, and provision of better infrastructure at both primary and secondary school levels.
He used the opportunity to appreciate the Vice Chancellor for the approval of the Department of English Language and Literature, adding that it had been his long-held dream for the university.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, while highlighting the lecture, opined that the lecturer x-rayed the lecturer’s journey into the study of English language, linguistics, and literature, describing the field as broad, large, and difficult, but with determination and focus, he was able to defeat the beasts he encountered on his way.
Zeb-Obipi agreed with the lecturer’s recommendations on ways to improve indigenous languages in the country and directed that modalities be worked out for the university to have the Department of English Language and Literature, among others.
He highlighted RSU’s recent victory in the Bilingual Community Project organized by the French Embassy, describing it as proof of the university’s rising excellence in language studies.
The Federal Government through the implementation of the various projects of the Ogoni cleanup programme is demonstrating a strong commitment to national peace and the development of Ogoniland.
The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made this assertion at a two-day training on Mechanism for Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) and other Peacebuilding Techniques for Community Leaders In Ogoni, held in Port Harcourt, said through the ongoing environmental restoration effort, potable water provision, livelihood restoration, public health interventions, and the Ogoni Power Project, HYPREP is contributing to national peace and development.
He explained that by improving the living conditions in communities and creating new opportunities for young people, the Project is also reducing the social pressure that often fuels conflict, stressing that the Project is proud of this service to the Ogoni people and the nation.
Describing traditional leaders and stakeholders as peacebuilders and guardians of community harmony, Zabbey noted that the workshop would strengthen their capacities and reinforce the Ogoni dialogue process, which HYPREP continues to support in line with its mandate on peacebuilding.
He said HYPREP is actively promoting ADR alongside other mechanisms across its project sites and other areas of operation aimed at fostering unity, fairness, mutual respect and faster dispute resolution, stressing that these are qualities necessary for the future of Ogoni people and their communities.
He further indicated that the Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal is disposed to promoting peace and stability across Ogoni communities and HYPREP project sites.
The Project Coordinator, therefore, charged Ogoni leaders to be mindful of their actions, words and body language, as what they say or do can either promote peace or fan the embers of conflict.
Continuing, he stated thus,”We must always ask ourselves: Is my position on this matter in the people’s interest? Does it promote unity and progress? Will it enhance development?”
The Project Coordinator assured the participants that HYPREP is working tirelessly in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme and ensure that its benefits reach the grassroots where they are needed most.
Stressing the need for Ogoni leaders and stakeholders to explore communication and trust options to prevent disputes from degenerating into violence, the Project Coordinator noted that it was time for all Ogonis to be united for development, leaving behind perceptions that do not serve collective progress.
Similarly, the Director of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige, said the workshop is a strategic platform aimed at strengthening the capacity of traditional institutions and community leaders to sustain peace, foster dialogue and promote non-adversarial engagements in the implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme.
Prof Onyige noted that the Ogoni leadership structure commands deep respect and legitimacy, and strengthening their capacity in ADR methods such as mediation, negotiation, dialogue, facilitation, and consensus building means strengthening the foundation of peace in the region.
Participants, comprising traditional rulers and key stakeholders in Ogoni, commended HYPREP for the initiative, and assured it of their continuous support to the Project by providing an enabling atmosphere for the smooth implementation of the cleanup project in Ogoniland.
Resource persons who presented thought-provoking lectures at the workshop included the Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Kinikanwo Anele; Prof Olariwanju Lawal; Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige; and Dr Gbenemene Kpae; among others.
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.