Borno

Borno State Governor, Ali Modu- Sheriff   last Thursday, inaugurated caretaker committees for the 25  of the 27 local governments in the state, urging them to deliver service to the people.

Speaking at the ceremony in Maiduguri, Sheriff advised the committee chairmen to be fair and just in their assignment to ensure peace and harmony in communities.

Sheriff also pointed out that the selection of the caretaker chairmen was based on experience and dedication to the development of the state.

“They were also appointed in accordance with sections

192, subsection 208, sub section 2 (B) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ he said.

The Chairmen included the immediate past Information Commissioner, Alhaji Isa Benishiekh, posted to Kaga local government, and Alhaji Abba Lawan, Gwoza local government area.

Others are Alhaji Mohammed Bello, Kwaya Kusar local government, and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi, Nganzai local government. 

FCT

 Vice-President Namadi Sambo last Thursday in Abuja urged the Ministry of Environment to provide a roadmap on how to address the challenges of desertification and deforestation in Nigeria. 

Sambo made the call at a meeting he convened to discuss the issue of desertification and deforestation, saying the roadmap had become necessary in view of the outcome of the Conference of Heads of State on Green Tree.

He said an agreement had been signed to carry out massive plantation of trees to check deforestation in Nigeria.

Sambo also noted that erosion and desert encroachment had become a menace, which required huge funds to tackle.

The vice-president said that President Goodluck Jonathan had directed him to look into the issue of erosion and other environmental challenges in the South-East region.

He urged the South-East and South South states to partner with the Ministry of Environment to get the services of experts and consultants in order to know the projects to be executed to tackle environmental problems.

Kano

The city of Kano is suffering heavy traffic jams with major constructions going on under the Kano State Government’s Urban Renewal programme.

The development, which has made movement on major roads in the city difficult, is more pronounced whenever it rains.

The residents, especially commercial vehicle operators and commuters, are complaining over the situation.

Malam Usman Alhaji, a taxi driver, said the development had affected his daily income as he wasted a lot of time in the traffic.

“On a normal day, I make several trips but now with the heavy traffic, I take few trips a day and I lose a lot to that,” Alhaji said.

Muhammad Sanusi, a businessman at Kwari Market, told newsmen that the traffic situation has led to his going late to the market with the result that his customers, especially those from other states, went elsewhere to buy.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, the Commissioner for Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, has threatened to sanction contractors who fail to complete their jobs on schedule.

Katsina

The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State, has expressed doubt over the conduct of free and fair elections come 2011 if the traditional rulers continued to be partisan.

The state Chairman of CPC, Dr Armaya’u Yusha’u, made the observation while addressing a news conference in Katsina on Saturday.

Yusha’u accused Governor Ibrahim Shema of using traditional rulers in the state as campaign agents for the ruling PDP.

He said unless the trend was reversed, the possibility of conducting free and fair election in the state come 2011 would be a mirage.

“Unless the state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, stop using traditional rulers as campaign agents of the PDP, there may not be a free and fair election in Katsina State Come 2011,” Yusha’u emphasised.

According to him, the CPC has enough evidence to prove the allegation that the traditional institution in the state was deeply involved in partisan politics.

“ At the appropriate time, CPC will release the name of places where meetings were held and the traditional title holders who addressed the meetings on behalf of the emirs,” Yusha’u said.

Kebbi

Alhaji Salihu Nabara, the Sole Administrator of Aliero Local Government Area of Kebbi, said on Friday that the council spent about N806 million within five months to provide amenities.

Nabara said N506 million was used to construct 15 kilometres of road and drainages in the rural areas.

The roads included Aliero to Jiga, Jiga to Birnin Jiga, Birnin Jiga to Sala and Sala to Makera.

He said the creation of access roads to these areas would enable farmers to evacuate farm produce from rural areas to urban centres.

Nabara said N124 million was used for maintenance at the Comprehensive Health Centre located in Danwarai village while N70.2 million was also used in constructing block of classrooms, offices, and to provide furniture in primary schools.

He said that N120, 000 was being spent monthly on security to sustain the peaceful coexistence in the area.

A resident of the area, Alhaji Musa Galadima, commended the efforts of the council, noting that provision of additional funds to the council would facilitate rapid development.

“At the moment community members are involved in decision-making as well as selection of projects to be sited in their environment,” he said.

Lagos

 A middle-aged man and a woman were lastThursday in Lagos brought before an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing recharge vouchers of the various networks, worth N1.5 million.

The accused, Augustine Okokowa and Mary Ojo, the receiver of the stolen vouchers, are facing a four count-charge of burglary, stealing, shop breaking and receipt of stolen items.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

But the prosecution said that the accused and others still at large committed the offence on May 24, 2009 when they broken into a shop at 42, Cardoso St., Ajegunle, Lagos, and stole the vouchers belonging to Mr Murphy Oseni.

Cpl. Ibinedien John said that Ojo had a case to answer for receiving the stolen items.

He said that the offence contravened Sections 390, 411, 427 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

Niger

The enrolment of Nomadic children in schools has doubled in Niger since 2008, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Nomadic Education, Alhaji Mohammad Sadiq, said.

Sadiq told  newsmen in an interview in Minna on Thursday that the increase in enrolment in the 20 nomadic schools was due to a mobilisation campaign by the government.

“The enrolment rose from 10,000 pupils to 20,000 pupils in the past one to two years, owing to the high level of mobilisation of the nomads to allow their wards to attend schools within their settlement,” he said.

He said most of the nomadic schools were currently manned by qualified teachers.

Ogun

The Ijebu Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Agans-Irabor, has warned the Ijebu-Ode branch of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) against lawlessness.

Irabor issued the warning in Ijebu-Ode during a peaceful protest staged by members of the union on Saturday against the State Chairman, Mr Tajudeen Baruwa.

The protesters had trooped out to the streets as early as 9a.m., saying they were against the decision of Baruwa to form a caretaker committee to manage the Ijebu-Ode branch of the union.

Irabor told the protesters that the police would not tolerate any act of violence that might arise from the protest.

He stressed that anyone caught causing trouble would be punished and urged the protesters to take legal action if they were not satisfied with the decision.

Irabor, however, commended the union members for the way they conducted the protest and urged them to be law-abiding.

The branch Chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Babs Oseni, later told newsmen that the decision to install a caretaker committee for the branch would not work.

Oseni explained that the protest was aimed at sensitising the public to prevail on the chairman to allow peace to reign in Ijebu-Ode Township.

Osun

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) will this week relocate to Osogbo if the Osun Government fails to meet its demands.

The South-West Zonal Coordinator of the union, Mr Gbenga Ekundayo, made the statement at a news briefing in Osogbo last Thursday.

The state chapter of the union has been on strike since May 24 over demands of improved welfare.

Ekundayo said although the government had not paid arrears of monetisation benefits to members of the union, the teachers were asking for the immediate payment of the new salary package.

The coordinator said that the approved wage increase for the union took effect from July 1, 2009.     

Other demands which Ekundayo listed include, approval of 65 years retirement age for the teachers and that the retirement benefits for officers on GL 15 be upheld.

Zamfara

The Zamfara State Ministry for Religious Affairs, has screened 1,040 scholars, known as ‘Tafsir’, to preach in the state during Ramadan.

Alhaji Tukur Sani, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, made the statement on Friday in Gusau at the close of the weekly preaching, organised by the ministry.

Sani said that government had approved N10,000 allowance for each scholar while their assistants would receive N5,000 each.

The Commissioner urged the scholars to avoid criticising themselves and to preach the truth for peace in society.

He also said that government would establish 160 feeding centres across the state during the period.