Adamawa

The Federal Government on Thursday announced the confirmation of Alhaji Dahiru Bobbo as the substantive Public Complaints Commissioner for Adamawa.

The news of the confirmation was contained in a statement issued in Yola by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Hamman James.

Bobbo was the Registrar, University of Maiduguri and a onetime Secretary to the Military Government and Head of Service in the defunct Gongola State. He had also served as the Director General, National Boundary Commission.

It said that the commission was soliciting “usual cooperation from general public to enable it discharged its duty effectively in the state.

“I would like to reiterate that the Commission’s mandate as a grievance-handling body, includes the investigation of the conduct and administrative excesses in government ministries, private companies and their officials. “This is with a view to providing social justice for individual citizens,” the statement further stated.

Borno

The Borno Government said last Thursday that it planned to renovate the Gwoza General Hospital to improve its condition.

Governor Kashim Shettima said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, in Gwoza, headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA).

Shettima expressed regret over the hospital’s current dilapidated condition.

“We are going to award contract for a complete overhaul of the structures at the hospital. “We will also equip the hospital with the standard facilities befitting of its status as a general hospital,” he said.

Shettima pointed out that the contract would be awarded in the next two months for work to commence.

“We will insha Allah (by the grace of God) award contract for the renovation of the hospital in the next two months. “I believe that the project will be completed and commissioned in the next nine months so that individuals can start benefiting,” he added.

Jigawa

The prices of foodstuffs and other essential commodities

have gone up in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State as Muslims count down to the Ramadan fast.

That the prices of food items such as rice, beans, yams, vegetables and beverages had increased by between 15 per cent and 20 per cent.

A 50kg bag of rice now cost N9,200 as against N8,000 previously while a bag of beans sells for N18,000 compared to N12,000 it sold about a month ago. A tin of groundnut oil jumped to N7,200 from the former price of N6,200.

A big tuber of yam now cost N600 as against N300 while a crate of egg now sells for N750 as against N680.

Malam Bayero Aliyu, a trader, attributed the price increases to security challenges in some parts of the northern states, adding that the situation made it difficult for traders to go to some places to buy food items.

Malam Haruna Ibrahim, a customer, also appealed to traders not to increase the prices of their commodities.

Ibrahim said that Ramadan was a holy month when Muslims should be merciful to one another.

Kaduna

The New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN), has sacked 30 workers as part of measures to reduce the company’s running cost.

The Managing Director of the company, Malam Tukur Abdurrahman, said in Kaduna on Thursday that the affected workers were sacked for redundancy.

He said those affected included drivers, secretaries, radio, fax and telephone operators.

“We have drivers but no vehicles to drive. We even have a driver that is now blind. Also, we have secretaries to officers that do not exist and fax operators, which we no longer use.”

The managing director advised the sacked workers to present their documents to their contributory pension providers to get their entitlement.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), NNN chapter, Ibrahim Adamu, said those affected included six workers in Lagos and 24 in Kaduna head office.

Adamu said although the management of the company explained the reason for the exercise, the action was untimely.

Kano

The Kano State Government, says it has purchased various foodstuffs worth N150 million for Ramadan free feeding.The Kano State Government, says it has purchased various foodstuffs worth N150 million for Ramadan free feeding.

This is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Bala Salihu, the Director of Press to the Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Ganduje. This is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Bala Salihu, the Director of Press to the Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Ganduje.

The food items included bags of rice, beans, sugar, cooking oil, flour and take away containers.The food items included bags of rice, beans, sugar, cooking oil, flour and take away containers.

The statement quoted Ganduje as saying that 10 mosques and three Quranic schools from each of the eight metropolitan local governments had been selected as distribution centres for the foodstuffs.

Katsina

Vegetable sellers in Funtua, Malumfashi and Kafur markets in Katsina State have complained of low patronage as the Ramadan fast draws nearer.Vegetable sellers in Funtua, Malumfashi and Kafur markets in Katsina State have complained of low patronage as the Ramadan fast draws nearer.

The Chairman of the Vegetable Sellers’ Association at Malumfashi Market, Malam Yakubu Haruna, that the quantity of vegetables and other items being supplied from nearby villages to township markets, had dropped due to the scarcity.The Chairman of the Vegetable Sellers’ Association at Malumfashi Market, Malam Yakubu Haruna, that the quantity of vegetables and other items being supplied from nearby villages to township markets, had dropped due to the scarcity.

Haruna said that the prices of commodities were high this year compared to last year, and urged customers to bear with the situation, adding that the prices at the market would soon stabilise.Haruna said that the prices of commodities were high this year compared to last year, and urged customers to bear with the situation, adding that the prices at the market would soon stabilise.

He expressed the hope that patronage would be high when fasting commenced and called on his co-traders not to capitalise on the situation to increase prices of items. He expressed the hope that patronage would be high when fasting commenced and called on his co-traders not to capitalise on the situation to increase prices of items.

In Funtua, another vegetable dealer, Malam Ibrahim Dandayi, also complained a medium sized basket of tomato sold for between N3,500 and N4,000 while a bag of fresh pepper went for between N7,000 to N8,000.

Kebbi

Pilgrims from Kebbi will be provided with improved accommodation, medical care and welfare during the 2012 Hajj to Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims from Kebbi will be provided with improved accommodation, medical care and welfare during the 2012 Hajj to Saudi Arabia.

Chairman, Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Usman Bello, who made the promise in Birnin Kebbi during a meeting of the board, said that transportation of the pilgrims would also be improved. Chairman, Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Usman Bello, who made the promise in Birnin Kebbi during a meeting of the board, said that transportation of the pilgrims would also be improved.

Bello urged members of the board to work out modalities to reduce the hardship faced by pilgrims in the Holy Land.Bello urged members of the board to work out modalities to reduce the hardship faced by pilgrims in the Holy Land.

Nasarawa

The Criminal Justice Committee members in Nasarawa State, met last Thursday in Lafia to find ways of decongesting prisons in the state.

The Public Relations Officer of Nasarawa State High Court, Mr Enoch Maku, said that the meeting was necessitated by the overcrowding of prisons in the state.

The PRO also said that the essence of the meeting was to ensure speedy administration of justice in order to decongest the prisons.

Maku said to achieve the objective, the Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by the Chief Justice of the State, Badamasi Maina, made some resolutions concerning the responsibility of the various stakeholders.

Oyo

The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) lastn Thursday

urged Nigerians to be security conscious, saying confronting the nation’s current challenges was a collective business of all stakeholders.

The body made the plea at a forum in Ibadan to herald its crusade tagged: “ Night of Wonders.’’

Speaking at the forum, NBC Central Workers Committee Chairman, Rev. Johnson Adeleke, said the terrorist attacks in some parts of the country required divine intervention to tackle.

Adeleke urged Christians to pray fervently in order to assist the nation to overcome its current challenges.

The Vice President of NBC, Rev. Dr Gold Anie, also said government and security agencies must be given support to tackle the current security challenges.