Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

October 7, 2013

Adamawa

The Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo
Mustapha, has commended the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) for its commitment to peaceful co-existence in the state.
Mustapha who made the commendation last Thursday, when he received Nemuel Babba, the Archbishop of LCCN in Yola said that Adamawa Emirate Council appreciated the role played by the Church to promote peace in the state.
He assured Babba of the council’s commitment to work with Christians to promote peace and unity in the state and nation at large. The monarch congratulated the Church for its centenary celebration and wished it successful celebration.

FCT

Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an FCT High Court last
Thursday adjourned to October 28, adoption of final written addresses by Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in a N10 billion damage claims.
Okonjo-Iweala, on March 5, 2012, filed a libel suit against a U.S.-based online news medium, Pointblank News Communication and its directors.
Oniyangi gave the order when counsel to Okonjo-Iweala, Munachiso Michealm failed to appear in court.
“I will grant this final adjournment at the instance of the claimant and the defendants because parties have not made known to the court why they are absent. If on the next adjourned date the parties are not present, the applicable provision of the rules will be invoked,” he said.

Kaduna

A house wife, Zainab Auwal, who claimed her husband,
Sani Yunusa had abandoned her one year after their marriage, has gone to the Magajin gari Sharia Court II, Kaduna, seeking for divorce.
According to her, the husband is also in the habit of beating her, failing to provide food, accommodation and other services expected of him.
Auwal told the court last Thursday that since they got married a year ago, the man only provided food steadily to the family for two months, and was unable to pay house rent.
The situation, she said, had led to their ejection from their rented accommodation four months ago, forcing her to live with her parents.

Kano

Hundreds of patients receiving medical attention at
the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, have deserted the facility following the indefinite strike action embarked upon by resident doctors in the country.
A relation to one of the patients, Musa Lawan, said most of the patients left the hospital last Wednesday. According to him, the hospital has discharged patients with minor cases to enable them seek medical attention elsewhere.
The Assistant Director of Information in the hospital, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa, said the strike had paralysed medical services in the institution.
“The General Outpatients Department, where more than 250 patients are being attended to daily, is also affected as the few consultants cannot attend to them.

Kebbi

The Principal, Government Girls Secondary School,
Bunza, Kebbi, Mrs Helen Audu, last Thursday urged Kebbi Government to fence the school to enhance security of the boarding students.
Audu told newsmen in Bunza that the absence of fence had overstretched security arrangement for the students.
She also urged the state government to provide additional hostels, water supply and staff quarters to take care of the increasing number of students in the school.
The principal said the establishment of the school in the area had encouraged parents to send their female children to school.

Kogi

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has appealed to the
Federal Government to resuscitate the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company in the state.
Wada who made the appeal in Geregu last Thursday at the inauguration of the Geregu 11,434- megawatts power plant said that this was necessary to enable the state to reap maximally from the new power plant.
He also appealed that the National Iron Mining Company (NIOMCO) at Itakpe should also be resuscitated to revitalise economic growth and development in the country.

Kwara

The Kwara State Government says it has expended the
sum of N30 billion on construction and rehabilitation of rural-urban roads in the last two and half years.
The state Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Abubakar Amuda- Kannike, disclosed this in Ilorin last Thursday while speaking with Journalists during an inspection of some on-going road projects in the Ilorin metropolis.
He said the state government would complete all inherited road projects in all parts of the state by December.
Some of the projects inspected include the Catchment-Agba Dam Road, Umar Audi Road, Flower Garden Bridge, GRA road network, Oke-Andi-Taoheed Road, Akerebiata channelisation, Opo Maalu-Isale Maliki Road and Alawonla-Dad Road.
Others are the Abayawo-Guniyan Asalapa Road, Kokoronkan Road, Henry George-Mini Campus Road, Apron-Taxi way in NAMA Building, Lao-Airport Road, Garage Offa-Dangote Road, NNPC Pipeline Bridge and Abdulsalam Alao Road.

Lagos

The Nigerian Institution of Electrical Electronics Engineers
(NIEEE) last Thursday urged protesting electricity workers to be patient with the Federal Government on the payment of their outstanding severance package.
National Chairman of the institution, Mr Adekunle Makinwa, said in Lagos that Federal Government was sincere about the power sector reform.
The NIEEE chairman said the government would ensure that all electricity workers received their entitlements before the final handing over of PHCN structures to the new investors.
He said that it was natural for the workers to protest because of the fear that they might be thrown into the labour market without receiving their entitlements.
“It is normal and natural for the workers to be worried that by the time the Federal Government hands over PHCN to investors, the successor companies will not want to foot the bill.

Ogun

The Head of Service in Ogun State, Mrs Modupe Adekunle,
last Thursday said the office generated over N14 million between January and June.
Adekunle said this in Abeokuta in a message to members of the Ogun House of Assembly Committee on Establishment and Public Matters who were on oversight visit.
The Head of Service, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Foluso Osunjimi, said the money was generated from rents collected on government quarters adding that the amount generated so far was more than the approved revenue target.
The Permanent Secretary, State Bureau of Pension, Mr Adesina Badmus, said that non-remittance of workers’ deduction and employers’ counterpart 7.5 per cent of contributory pension as at when due was a major problem.
The Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Mrs Aderonke Folarin, said that over N6 million had been realised between January and June.

Osun

The Osun State Government has reiterated its commitment
to enhance the standard of education through government’s re-classification programme.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Lawrence Oyeniran, said last Thursday in Osogbo that the programme would facilitate planning and administration in the education sector.
The permanent secretary said Governor Rauf Aregbesola was committed to the programme just as he was to government’s computer programme for students.
He said the government introduced the programme to improve the standard of education, expand students’ knowledge and learning capability, as well as download text books into computers (Opon Imo) to reduce the financial burden on parents.

Oyo

The Nigeria-Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development
Authority (JDA) and Addax JDZ block 4 Limited last Thursday handed over projects worth $ 120,000 (N18.4 million) to Soun High School, Ogbomoso.
The projects donated were a block of four classrooms, a block of four toilets as well as furniture for students and teachers.
Also donated were 150 copies of English and Mathematics textbooks for students in Senior Secondary School.
Speaking at the presentation, Mr Luiz Prazeres, the Chairman of the JDA Board, said the institution’s social projects scheme was designed and implemented to add value to the lives of youths.

Taraba

The acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar,
last Thursday urged the Federal Government to impose outright ban on the importation of rice to encourage local farmers and millers.
Umar made the call during the Taraba State Special Day at the 8th Abuja International Trade Fair in Abuja.
The acting governor, who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Mr Ahmed Yusuf, urged the Federal Government not to rescind plan to ban the product.
He also urged the Federal Government not yield to pressure against the ban on the importation of the commodity, stating that the country needed to start developing its agriculture sector which must start from somewhere.

Zamfara

Chairman Zamfara State Businessmen Association, Alhaji
Ibrahim Sani, says the association will sponsor the wedding of 100 widows to interested suitors in the state.
Sani said in Gusau last Thursday that the gesture was part of its efforts to complement the state government in reducing the number of widows in the state.
He said that the association decided to intervene considering the increasing number of widows in the state and the need to assist in addressing the problem.
Sani said that all the arrangements toward the exercise had been concluded and a suitable date would soon be fixed.

Nation

Yahaya Bello: Senator Hails EFCC’s Probe Of N80.2bn Fraud

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

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.

Nation

Senate Frowns Over Continued Depreciation Of Naira

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

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.”

Nation

WIW: Banigo Advocates Legislative Impetus

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

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”.