Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The Benue House of Assembly, has directed the state government to establish functional fire service stations in its three senatorial zones.
This followed a motion by Mr Baba Odeh of Otukpo/Akpa constituency which urged the government to embark on the project to save lives and property.
Odeh said the stations should be located in Gboko, Katsina-Ala and Otukpo local government areas.
He said the motion was necessary because the main station located in Makurdi with two sub-stations were inadequate to cater for the state.
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government last Thursday disbursed N18.9 million to 126 law students.
The students received N150,000 each as their 2012 bursary allowance.
At a ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Eniola Ajayi, said that the gesture was in line with the eight-point agenda of the present administration in the state.
The commissioner, who presented cheques to the beneficiaries, advised them to be prudent in the use of the allowance.
FCT
An Information Technology expert, Mr Kio Bestman, last Thursday in Abuja advised computer training institutes in the country to run certification programmes.
Bestman in an interview with newsmen said that was the only way the Nigerian IT training centres could remain relevant in the global IT market.
“Our computer schools should run certification programme. Whether you have a B.SC or not, certification mean you are competent enough to use that platform.
“If it is website design, you have a certification programme. If it is Microsoft office, you have Micro-office specialist certification. If it is networking you also have networking certification.
Gombe
The Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Gombe State chapter, Dr Raymond Dankoli, last Thursday in Gombe called on members of the public to take precautionary measures to curtail the effects of harmattan on their health.
Dankoli, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Gombe, noted that the harmattan period comes with several health challenges, especially respiratory tract infections because of the dust .
“The risk of respiratory tract infection is higher during the period, hence the need for precaution.
“Children are more vulnerable; therefore parent should make sure that they take precautionary measures.”
Jigawa
The Jigawa Executive Council has approved N186 million for the procurement of laboratory equipment and the execution of other school development projects in the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Banbandi Ibrahim, disclosed this last Thursday in Dutse while briefing newsmen on the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting of the State Executive Council.
Ibrahim said of the N186 million, N110 million would go to the procurement of laboratory equipment for distribution to all senior science secondary schools across the state.
He said that N33 million was earmarked for the rehabilitation of hostels at the College of Remedial and Advance Studies, Kafin-Hausa.
Kaduna
A Kaduna Sharia Court has sentenced one Babangida Ibrahim, 33, to six months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle at a mosque in Kaduna,
Ibrahim had stolen the motorcycle on November 20, removed its number plate but was arrested at a police check- point in the city for riding without number plate.
According to Police Prosecutor, Cpl Bitrus Kwaji, subsequent investigation revealed that Ibrahim had stolen the motorcycle.
Katsina
The Joint Consultative Forum (JCF) of the three tertiary institutions in Katsina State, has given three weeks ultimatum to the government to meet its demands or its members will embark on strike.
The three state-owned tertiary institutions are Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma and Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura.
The forum comprised of both academic and non-academic staff of the institutions.
The Chairman of the forum, Malam Tukur Dahiru, and the Secretary Malam Muttaka Mamman, gave the warning last Thursday in Katsina in a statement they signed and issued to newsmen.
Kwara
The Kwara House of Assembly has passed the Asset Management Bill 2012.
The Clerk of the House, Mr Oyetunde Oyeniyi, announced the passage of the bill after reading it for the third time on the floor of the Assembly.
The bill seeks to protect the state government’s asset and liabilities in ministries and parastatal agencies against theft and vandalism.
It also spells out penalties for anybody or group of persons who damages or steals government property.
Lagos
Assistant Director, Lagos Zonal Inspector, Directorate of Police Education, Mrs Esther Gbadegesin, last Thursday said that affordable and qualitative education would make the nation develop faster.
Gbadegesin made the observation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
She explained that making school fees affordable would give the children more opportunities to acquire education.
“When more children are given the opportunity to be educated as a result of affordable school fees, our society would develop faster,” she said.
Ogun
A Mathematician, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, has called on all levels of government to declare a ‘State of emergency‘ on the teaching and learning of Mathematics in the country.
Arigbabu, Dean of College of Science and Information Technology, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), ljebu-Ode, Ogun, made the call while delivering the 2nd Inaugural lecture of the University.
The dean, who is also a Professor of Mathematics, spoke on the Topic: “Beyond The Cuboid: lmperatives For An Aids-Free, Mathematically Literate Society”.
Osun
A Climatologist, Prof Temi Ologunorisa, has identified ICT as a useful tool in the management and mitigation of the effects of climate change in communities.
Ologunorisa said at an International Conference on “Climate Change and ICT”, held at the Osun State University, Osogbo, that ICT development would help in reducing hazards associated with climate change.
The conference was jointly organised by the Xavier University, USA, International Centre for IT Development, USA, and Osun State University’s Centre For Climate Change and Environmental Research, to showcase the importance of ICT in disaster management.
“Climate change and its associated problems, such as sea level rise, flooding, erosion, desertification and heat, are gradually becoming issues of concern to us all.
Plateau
The Plateau Government said it would set up family courts in order to protect the right of children in the state
Plateau Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Edward Pwajok, told newsmen in Jos last Thursday that the court would assist in curtailing many injustices against children.
“The protection of rights of children in our society today is very vital, and should not be neglected because they are the leaders of tomorrow.
“This suggests why we in Plateau will not be left behind in struggling to give our children a better future,” he said.
Zamfara
The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) in Zamfara has urged women in the state to participate actively in political activities and other developmental programmes.
President of the society, Hajiya Larai Ibrahim, made the plea last Thursday in Gusau at a sensitisation programme organised for women activists in the state.
It was jointly organised by the Gender Awareness Trust and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ibrahim said that traditional and religious impediments had hindered women’s participation in politics and governance, adding that it was responsible for gross gender inequality in the state.
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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