Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Adamawa, Alhaji Mohammed Ngada, has urged electorate in the state to make the necessary sacrifice to ensure a hitch-free governorship election on Saturday.
Ngada made the call in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Yola.
He urged the electorate to be peaceful, orderly and law-abiding for a successful poll.
According to him, the agency has gone round the 21 Local Government Areas of the state to mobilise the people for a peaceful election.
“We have been telling them to exercise patience, to spare that one day. Those who will be going to their farms please let them spare that day.
“Those who will be going about their normal business places, let them spare that day to go and vote for the candidate of their choice.”
Bauchi
A Nigerian-US based Consultant on Good Leadership, Alhaji Bashir Bugaje, has challenged public servants to provide good and transparent leadership in order to enhance the quality of governance in the country.
Bugaji gave the challenge in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Bauchi.
He said that with good leadership skills, the current security challenges being faced in the country would be overcome.
According to him, leadership is critical to the performance of any government.
“It will enhance the art and science of leadership and to a greater extent, management and at the end of the day, these are qualities that we’ll live all our lives even when we leave the services of the government.”
FCT
The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) secretariat is developing investment and policy briefs for states across the federation.
This is in addition to developing a comprehensive labour relations programme at state level to smoothen relationship between workers and governors.
The Director General of the Secretariat, Mr Asishana Okauru, gave the information to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
He added that the secretariat recently launched a website to serve as a digital information hub for the policies and programmes of the 36 state governors.
The director general said the website was designed in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID).
Gombe
The Gombe State Government says it will continue to partner with newsmen in information dissemination and publicity of government programmes.
The Commissioner for Information, Rev. Habu Dawaki, made government’s intention known in Gombe on Thursday, when he visited the Gombe State office of NAN as part of his familiarisation tour of media establishments.
Dawaki said that he would revisit the suspension of subscription to news services by the state owned media organisations by previous administration with a view to ensuring closer collaboration with the agency.
The commissioner, who expressed delight over the operations of the agency in the state, solicited its cooperation in publicising the programmes and policies of the government.
Kano
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated drugs worth millions of naira to four hospitals treating victims of the recent bomb attacks in Kano metropolis.
Presenting the items to the representatives of the hospitals in Kano on Thursday, the Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Sani Sidi, said the gesture was aimed at assisting the victims.
The benefitting hospitals are Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Nasarawa Hospital, Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital and Dala Orthopedic Hospital.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has earmarked N1 billion for the empowerment of women to participate in agricultural activities in the state.
the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Asmau Abdullahi, said this on Thursday in Katsina, shortly after defending the ministry’s 2012 budget before the State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation.
She said the government had initiated three programmes to encourage women to participate in agricultural activities like fishery, poultry farming and planting of moringa trees.
Abdullahi said the women that would be selected to participate in the programmes, would be selected from the 34 local government areas of the state.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government says it has spent N200.6 million in the past four years to assist people in the state living with disabilities to become self-reliant.
Alhaji Abdulnasir Argungu, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Saidu Dakingari on Matters of People Living with Disabilities, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that N52 million was spent annually on the programme.
He said that his office in collaboration with the state’s Social Security Welfare Agency, had distributed 500 tricycles, 500 wheel chairs and 400 bicycles to a total of 1,400 beneficiaries.
Argungu said that 8,000 bags of grains, comprising 6,000 bags of assorted rice and 2,000 bags of cereal as well as bundles of textile materials were given to the disabled persons.
Lagos
The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has said that the more than new 500 transformers kept at the National Theatre, Ignamu, Lagos, will soon be installed within the Eko electricity distribution network.
NDPHC Managing Director, Mr James Olotu, told newsmen in Lagos that the transformers were to boost power supply within the network.
He denied insinuations that the transformers, known as High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS), were abandoned.
“The poles will soon be delivered. It is wrong to say the transformers were abandoned. They are transformers meant for the Nigerian Independent Power Projects (NIPP) and are to be installed within the Eko distribution network.
Niger
The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has called for tolerance and mutual respect among Nigerians for peace and stability in the country.
Abubakar made the call in Minna, when he led a team of traditional rulers on a solidarity visit to Gov. Babagingida Aliyu of Niger at the Government House.
The Etsu Nupe said that Nigerians must learn to tolerate and respect each other’s value system in the interest of peace.
Ogun
The National Council of Muslim Youths Organisations (NACOMYO) advocated the sustained use of community policing to complement government’s efforts at tackling the nation’s security challenges.
The call was contained in the orgnisation’s Maulud Nabiyy celebration message signed by its National Secretary, Alhaji Kamal’ddin Akintunde, and released in Abeokuta.
While canvassing for a well-equipped police with sophisticated and modern day equipment, NACOMYO called for community policing because of the enormity of the security challenges.
The group also said it was important for all Nigerians to have the best interest of the nation at heart irrespective of religious or political affiliations.
NACOMYO stressed the need for the political class to imbibe sound and robust democratic values while jettisoning sentiments detrimental to the nation’s interests.
Plateau
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 11, for the conduct of the re-run election in Dogo-Agogo polling unit of Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency.
INEC Chief Public Affairs Officer in Plateau, Mr Bencyn Ikpe, disclosed this to newsmen in Jos on Thursday.
“The security situation has improved and we are going to hold the re-run election on February 11, 2012,’’ he said.
The election, ordered by the Court of Appeal, had earlier been scheduled for January 18, but was postponed for security reasons.
The re-run is between Peter Akujah (PDP) and Suleiman Kwande of the DPP.
The re-run order followed an appeal by Akujah against the verdict of the State Election Petition Tribunal, which had nullified his victory in the April election and declared Kwande winner.
Sokoto
The Acting Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Lawalli Zayyaba, has urged members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to help in sustaining peace and unity in Nigeria.
“The members of the Guild have great roles to play in the sustenance of peace, unity and tranquillity in Nigeria,” he said on Saturday in Sokoto when he received the standing committee of the Guild on a courtesy call.
“You came to Sokoto when interesting political development had occurred and that was why I am standing before you as the acting governor of the state.
“God gives and takes leadership to whom He wishes at the time He wants. But even if elections are to hold today, Wamakko will surely win by the grace of God”.
Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
This is just as she also hailed the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the federal government to the government and people of Enugu State.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, the lawmaker emphasized the need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression that their actions against former governor were meant to witch hunt him.
In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman had claimed Belloh told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
But Senator Natasha in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel and issued at the weekend in Abuja, reminded Yahaya Bello of the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.
“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.
“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.
Worried over the latest depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, the Senate through its Committee on Finance, has stated that the Legislature is exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of Naira depreciation and foster economic stability in the country.
These, according to the committee, in a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and released yesterday, includes robust oversight of fiscal policies, engagement with key stakeholders, and the formulation of targeted interventions to support key sectors of the economy.
Senator Musa said the statement became necessary “to address the current state of the economy and the need for concerted efforts at tackling the instability and continuous depreciation of the Naira.”
This is even as he hoped that the “economic managers will adhere strictly to the norms and standards set by this administration to ensure that we achieve the desired outcomes in taking Nigeria to its economic growth and prosperity”, pledging the support of the National Assembly to the executive arm of government to achieve the set goals.
He, however, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resilient as they navigate these uncertain times, saying “together, we can overcome the challenges facing our economy and chart a path towards prosperity for all.”
The statement titled: “State of the Nation Economy and Naira Depreciation’, reads “The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges, exacerbated by both internal and external factors.
“Despite efforts to stabilize and bolster economic growth, the numerous initiatives and bold but necessary steps and policy decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, the persistent depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies has become a pressing concern.
“The recent depreciation of the Naira underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard the stability and resilience of our currency.
“The Senate Committee on Finance is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to implement effective policies and strategies.
“It is imperative that we address the root causes of Naira depreciation, including but not limited to fluctuations in global oil prices, fiscal deficits, and structural imbalances in the economy.”
The Senator, representing Rivers West Senatorial District at National Assembly Sen.Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advocated for legislative backings to enforce immunisation as a pre-condition for admission into nursing, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Banigo made the assertion recently in a statement to commemorate this year’s week-long immunisation campaign in line with the World Health Organisation advocacy.
Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health personnel, explained that such legislation would strengthen the National Immunisation Policy in the administration of vaccines, saves lives, helps in the child normal growth, prevents serious illness and disabilities such as poliomyelitis .
The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), noted that Nigeria must attain at least, 90 percent vaccine coverage for all childhood and adolescence; stressing that a fully vaccinated child should have received BCG, Mussels and three doses of DTP and Polio .
She emphasised the need for collective efforts by stakeholders in the campaign against preventable diseases .
The theme for this year’s World Immunisation Week is “Humanly Possible: Saving Lives Through Immunisation” while the national theme is “Vaccine Works For All”.
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