Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Three persons have been reported dead and many still missing
in flood caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon Republic.
“The incident occurred following the release of water from
Lagdo Dam by the Cameroon Republic on Saturday,’’ Mr Shadrack Barub, the
Secretary of Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said.
He added that “during assessment tour by the agency in some
of the affected areas, the agency received three death cases, so far, while
many are still missing and thousands of people have been rendered homeless.”
Barub said that the most-hit areas included Fufore,
Girei,Yola South, Yola North, Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Sheleng, Michika, Guyuk
and Ganye local government areas.
FCT
The National Youth Desk Coordinator, Presbyterian Church of
Nigeria (PCN), Rev. Akin Mbeh on Sunday called on youths to start to build a
new Nigeria on the “ruins and rubbles ‘’ of what remained of the once
prosperous and glorious nation.
In a goodwill message presented to the youth in All
Presbyterian Church on the occasion of the Youths 2012 Sunday in Abuja and made
available to our correspondent, Mbeh said “If we are not truthful to ourselves
, we will never admit any lost glory of our life .’’
’’Youths and all Nigerians should be both builders of new
things and builders of damaged treasures,’’ he added.
“Therefore, we must think well before we build, know what we
want to build , how to build, for who we are building, why we must build and
our end reward or penalty .’’
Jigawa
The Jigawa Government said on Sunday in Dutse that it haS
spent N2. 5 billion on different scholarship programmes for its students from
2007 to date.
Prof. Haruna Wakili, the Commissioner for Education, said
this during the inauguration of the new site of Dutse Model International
School.
Wakili explained that between 2011 and 2012, no fewer than
307 students from the state were sponsored abroad to study Medicine,
Engineering, ICT and Islamic studies.
He said government’s spending on students studying in the
country had increased from N43 .5 million in 2007 to N734 .5 million in 2011.
The commissioner said tertiary institutions also received a
boost as government recently earmarked N1.1 billion for the establishment of
College of Remedial Studies in Kafin-Hausa.
Katsina
No fewer than 100 houses and 146 farms have been destroyed
by flood in Kofa and Tofani villages in Kusada Local Government area of Katsina
State.
The Tide also gathered that eight persons sustained injuries
during the flood which occurred on Friday in the two villages.
The injured persons were said to be receiving treatment at
various hospitals including Katsina General Hospital and Kankia Hospital, with
three treated and discharged.
The flood was said to have destroyed 85 houses and 95 farms
in Kofa village and 15 houses and 51 farms in Tofani village.
Kaduna
A Zaria-based agrochemical dealer, Alhaji Kasimu Iliyasu,
has won CPC’s primaries to be the party’s flag-bearer for Zaria by-election
into Kaduna State House of Assembly.
Declaring the result after the primaries held in Zaria on
Sunday, the Returning Officer, Senator Mohammed Garba, said Iliyasu polled 59
votes to defeat eight other contestants.
Garba said other contestants were Mohammed Ibrahim, who
scored 29 votes, Abass Hassan, 17 votes, Umar Sani, 13 votes, while Aliyu
Ja’afaru, Mohammed Tukur and Hussaini Usman got five, three and two votes
respectively.
The Tide reports that immediately after the declaration of
the result, all the contestants rallied round the winner indicating acceptance
of the outcome of the primaries.
Kogi
Some residents in Lokoja in Kogi State on Tuesday expressed
mixed feelings on the proposed currency restructuring by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN).
The Tide reports that while some residents said it would
have positive effects, others said that it would not have desired effects on
the economy.
Mr Bayo Adeyemi, the Manager of Saklad Wine Shop, told our
correspondent that the currency restructuring policy was necessary now to
improve the economy.
He said it would be easier to move funds to banks after
daily sales if N5, 000 notes were part of the nation’s legal tender.
Kwara
Prof. Shehu Jimoh, Chaiman, Governing Council of Kwara
Polytechnic, Ilorin, has urged tertiary institutions in the country to
emphasise the teaching of science and technology courses in their institutions.
Jimoh told The Tide in Ilorin on Tuesday that the emphasis
was needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
According to him, concentrating on the disciplines will also
help move the country forward.
“There is need to place more emphasis on science and
technology, just as they do on cultism, examination malpractice and other
related issues.
“It is obvious now that the development of any nation
depends largely on science and technology and our tertiary institutions should
rise up to the challenge,” he said.
Lagos
Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Ahmadu Giade has vowed to put an end to the abuse of narcotic drugs and
unconventional substances in some parts of the country.
This was contained in a statement signed by the agency’s
spokesman, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, which was made available to newsmen in Lagos.
Giade noted that substances like rubber solution, petrol,
lizard dung and pit toilet were regularly abused in some parts of Nigeria,
particularly in Kano State.
“We are determined to stop the abuse of narcotics and
unconventional substances such as rubber solution, petrol, lizard dung and pit
toilet, all in a bid to get high. All hands must be on deck to protect lives
from destruction.
Nasarawa
Academic activities have been paralysed in three tertiary
institutions of Nasarawa due to strike by lecturers.
The institutions are the College of Education Akwanga, the
College of Agriculture and the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, both in Lafia.
Chairman of the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in the
state, Comrade Ibrahim Bako, told newsmen in Lafia on Tuesday that it was a
warning strike to press the state government to meet their demands.
According to him, the government has failed to pay the 18
months outstanding salary arrears to staff of the three institutions.
Niger
The Niger Disaster Management Agency has called on the
Federal Government to hasten the repair of the Wuya Usman bridge across the
River Kaduna to avert its possible collapse due to erosion menace.
The Agency’s Director General, Alhaji Mohammed Shaba, made
the call on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
He said that the repair works must be carried out to prevent
the bridge from collapsing and cutting off the northern parts of the country
from the south on the Bida-Ilorin route.
Shaba, however, said the state government had begun some
repair works around the base of the bridge, adding: “but the Federal Government
must move fast and carry out the repairs so it will be permanent and avoid the
disaster’’.
Ogun
Ten passengers of a commercial bus died on Tuesday at
Obada-Oko in Ogun when their bus collided with an articulated vehicle.
Mr Fatai Bakare, the Itori Unit Commander of the Federal
Road Safety Commission, said the accident occurred along the Abeokuta-Lagos
expressway at about 12 midnight, adding that 11 people were involved.
Bakare gave the registration number of the bus as LAGOS CZ
269 MUS, while the articulated vehicle was marked LAGOS 208 XB.
“All the deceased had been deposited at Federal Medical
Centre (FMC), Abeokuta and Ifo General Hospital. The only survivor is
critically injured and receiving treatment at FMC.
Osun
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the ruling party in
Osun, said on Sunday that it had put the state on the path of growth.
A statement by Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the party’s local Director
of Publicity, Research and Strategy in Osogbo, said that Governor Rauf
Aregbesola’s administration had made life meaningful for the people.
According to the party, as Osun marks its 21st anniversary
on August 27 it has been able to execute meaningful programmes two years after
it assumed power.
The party said that the rainy season that used to be a
period of grief due to poor drainage network was no longer so.
Sokoto
The Chairman of Shagari Local Government in Sokoto State,
Alhaji Abdullahi Maigwandu, said on Tuesday that the council spent about N100
million to construct 10 motorised boreholes in different parts of the area.
Maigwandu told newsmen in Sokoto that the council spent N10
million on the project in each of the 10 wards.
He said that the projects were undertaken to ensure the
supply of potable water for both human and animal consumption.
He explained that the council would continue to initiate
policies and programmes that would have direct bearing on the lives of the
people in the area.
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”.
-
Business4 days ago
Boat Mishap: CILT Advocates Safety Culture On Waterways …Claims 300 Nigerians In 2023
-
Niger Delta4 days agoNCDMB Boss Lauds SNEPCO, Others Over Project Execution
-
Business4 days agoAFEX Launches Impact Report On Food Security
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
FG Explains Sulphur Content Review In Diesel Production
-
News4 days agoNGF Advocates Safer Transportation Of Petroleum Products
-
Maritime4 days agoDrydock To Complete LAGFERRY Maintenance, Aug -Commissioner
-
Business4 days ago
LASG Makes Over N500m From Traffic Offences
-
Education4 days agoVC Demands Improved Power Supply For University