Nation
THE STATES
Ekiti
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has advised the Federal Government to set up a special fund for the development of private universities in Nigeria.
Oba Adeyemi gave the advice at the 5th convocation of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).
“This university is an exemplar in learning and character. It is moulding Nigeria’s future leaders in the best fashion.
“And I believe it won’t be out of place for the federal government to give special intervention funds for private universities,” the Alaafin said.
Our correspondent reports that 21-year-old Ahwin Kevin Akporode of Department of Mechanical Engineering emerged the overall best of the 869 graduating students with Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.00.
FCT
The Federal Government has accepted offers by the Turkish authorities to set up new schools and hospitals in Nigeria.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu confirmed this development in a special feature tagged, “Key Takeaways from President Muhammadu Buhari’s 4-day engagement in Turkey”.
The Government of Turkey, on July 28, 2016, alerted the Federal Government on the existence of schools and hospitals owned by suspected “terrorists” in Nigeria and demanded that the facilities be shut down.
The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Hakan Cakil who gave the alert when he received the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Shehu Sani said the owners of the schools allegedly sponsored the July 15, 2016 failed coup in Turkey.
Kaduna
At least 600 rural dwellers in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State underwent various medical surgeries via a free medical outreach sponsored by Dr Isaac Auta, a law maker.
Our correspondent reports that the 14-day medical outreach was carried out by four doctors which included Auta, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Kauru constituency.
Speaking on the outreach, Auta said that he was moved to undertake the surgeries to assist the less privileged persons in the society.
“We found that some people were suffering in silence simply because they lacked the means to treat themselves, so we decided to assist.
“It is just part of the efforts to share what we have so as to make life a bit better for others,” he said.
Kano
Kano State Government says it spent over N1.8 billion on payment of scholarship allowances to its students in tertiary institutions in the first eight months of the year.
The state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Kano recently.
Garba said the state government was heavily burdened by the scholarship liability it inherited from the immediate past administration.
He added that some of the programmes being undertaken by the students abroad could be offered in higher institutions in the country.
Kebbi
The Secretary, Caretaker Committee, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kebbi State, Malam Yusuf Dingyadi says over 2,965 candidates have purchased nomination forms ahead of state and wards congress in the state.
Dingyadi made this disclosure in an interview with newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Birinin Kebbi.
“Over 2,965 candidates vying for different political positions ahead of wards and state congress of the PDP, Kebbi State had purchased their nomination forms from the party’s caretaker committee,” he said.
Lagos
A Catholic Priest of the Order of Sons of Mary, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ikechukwu has called for increased respect for the sanctity and sacredness of oath-taking by public officers, especially politicians.
The priest made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, recently.
According to Ikechukwu, there is a correlation between woes that befall a man and the non-committal to vows and oaths freely taken.
“Reproach will befall anybody that is not honourable to an oath that he or she enters into,” he said.
The priest said that vows and oaths were not to be treated with levity, adding that national prosperity would flourish in a society that took oaths seriously.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has advised residents against eating bush meat in order to avoid the risk of contracting monkey pox disease.
The state Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Ibrahim Adamu gave the advice while addressing newsmen in Lafia.
He called for calm and assured that the state government had put all necessary measures in place to protect the lives of residents.
“The first case of the disease was seen in Bayelsa State in the South-South region and since then other states have recorded suspected cases and it is also on record that out of the 74 suspected cases, only three have been confirmed to be case of monkey pox and these three are all in Bayelsa state”, Adamu said.
Niger
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State says it will computerise its administration toward planning for a successful participation in the 2019 general elections.
Its chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Gawu, made this known while inaugurating a one-week computer training for the party executives in Minna recently.
“The APC in Niger State will deploy computer in the area of planning toward a successful 2019 general elections.
“Aside our executive members, we will make sure that our polling agents are computer literate and fully equipped,’’ he said.
Ogun
As the world marks the 2017 International Chef Day, Nestle Nigeria Plc, a leading food and beverage company has urged parents to involve children while preparing their meals.
According to the organisation, this will encourage them to adopt good eating habits which will make them to grow into healthy well-balanced adults.
The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc., Mrs Victoria Uwadoka made the call at an event to celebrate this year’s International Chef Day on Friday in Abeokuta, recently.
Plateau
A non-governmental organisation, Community Action for Popular Participation has called on women in Plateau State to contest elective positions in the forthcoming local government elections on February 17.
Acting Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Nelson Ananze threw the challenge at a one-day forum it organised in Jos in an event entitled “Women in Politics Interactive Forum and Capacity Development’’.
According to Ananze, the aim of the forum is to galvanise and mobilise support that would stimulate women to participate actively in politics.
“For too long, women have been suffering marginalisation and exclusion from the political process.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has approved the appointment of a 12-man committee for the sale of government quarters in the state.
A statement in Sokoto by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam said that the quarters would be sold to deserving occupants.
He said that the committee would make necessary arrangements for the issuance of allocation letters to eligible beneficiaries.
Imam said the governor directed the committee to ‘‘ensure that the demarcation carried out is strictly enforced without any violation of standard measurement”, he said.
Yobe
Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has refuted media reports alleging rape of some of Internally Displaced Persons camped in Damaturu.
“The report is misleading, lacking substance and without any iota of truth,” SEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Musa Jidawa said in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.
According to him, the agency has provided adequate security at the government-run camp in Pompomari to guard against such cases.
He added that community leaders in other camps located in Kukareta, Kasaisa, Mohammed Gombe farm and YBC Abare have developed a very effective security network to protect the inmates of all abuses including rape.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3