Bauchi

The Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) of Federal
Government Girls College, Bauchi, last Saturday rejected proposals by the school’s management to be sending to them directly, the results of their wards through handset.
Introducing the plan during a meeting of the association, the school’s Examination Officer, Mr. Obu Godpower, explained that such arrangement was necessitated by complaints from some parents that their wards do not present their report cards.
According to him, the sending of reports to parents through SMS, if introduced, will address the problem.
“ If agreed, parents would receive their children’s continuoues assessments score, examination score in all subject every term at just N300.
“As such, whether a student brings his result home or not, parent will receive same directly in their handset via SMS“.
Godpower said that the plan would also provide parents, access to the school website where they could view the detail performance of their children.
He explained that the company that was contacted to provide the service, requested for N500 per student, but after intense negotiations, accepted N300.

Benue

The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi , Dr
Mathias Oyigeya, last Saturday urged journalists to imbibe the culture of physical exercise to ensure fitness.
Oyigeya gave the advice in Makurdi at the end of a physical fitness programme tagged “Journalists Walk For Health,” was organised by the Benue Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), to promote physical fitness among journalists.
Represented by Dr Okoh Onojah, Head of Orthopedics at the centre, Oyigeya said physical fitness was necessary for the optimal function of the body.
Speaking earlier, the state Chairman of SWAN, Mr Emmanuel Uja, said the programme was packaged to educate members on the relevance of good health through regular exercise.
In his remarks, Chairman of Benue Council of the NUJ , Mr Kris Atsaka , commended SWAN for the initiative and urged the association to sustain it for the benefit of its members.

Ekiti

Vice President Namadi Sambo last Sunday appealed to
PDP supporters in Ekiti State to work toward ensuring victory for the party in the June 21 gubernatorial election. Sambo made the appeal during a closed-door meeting with the party’s leaders in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
The PDP Chairman of Ekiti State, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, who briefed journalists at the end of the three-hour meeting said the meeting addressed issues relating to the party’s readiness to the June 21 polls.
He said that Sambo also appealed to aggrieved members of the party to sheath their sword and rally support for the party  to ensure victory.
Ogundipe said the Vice President assured state chapter of the party of the support of the national headquarters in the area of logistics to enable victory for the party’s candidate in the election.
He said Sambo, who heads the national campaign team for the polls, advised party supporters against being provoked by supporters of other political parties into creating chaos in the state.

FCT

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has
commiserated with the family of Akunyili on the demise of the former Information Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
In a statement signed by CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, he expressed shock and sadness on the death of the former minister and Director General of NAFDAC.
Oritsejafor described the death of Akunyili as a great loss not only to her family but to the entire nation and humanity at large given her track record in public service.
“ On behalf of the entire Christian community in Nigeria, I condole with the Akunyili family over the demise of one of Nigeria’s finest public officers.
“It is with shock that I receive the news of the demise of Prof. Dora Akunyili; a woman who stood for the peace and unity of Nigeria at all times and fought for the interest of the less privileged in the society.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria mourns with the family of the deceased, her friends and relations and the entire people of Nigeria,’’ Oritsejafor said.
Kano

The late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero, has been
described by a former aide as someone that cherished peace and equality during his reign.
The late emir’s personal driver for over 30 years, Alhaji Wada Maimota, told newsmen that “he considered all persons in the palace as his sons and daughters”.
“Whenever a child was born in my house, we would tell him and he was always the one to give them names. “Whenever we were on the road, he always cautioned me to be patient at all times,” he said.
Maimota also said that the late emir was a father to all, including non- Muslims and showed concern on all issues involving all his subjects.

Kwara

Gunmen on Saturday killed Mr Baba Seriki-Sanu, a staff of
the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara, who was on his way to Ilorin on official duty.
The Treasurer of the Kaiama Emirate Council, Seriki-Sanu,  was in a bus with other colleagues when the gunmen struck.
The source stated that the incident happened between Kaiama town and Gwaria, another village in the local government. The deceased died on the spot while other staff who sustained injuries were taken to the hospital.
The staff were on their way to Ilorin to attend a screening by the state Local Government Service Commission.
The Divisonal Police Officer (DPO), Kaiama, Mr Christopher Okun,confirmed the incident, saying that no arrest had been made.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Alhassan Bagudu, who also confirmed the development, described it as “shocking and pathetic’’.

Nasarawa
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, on
Saturday called on the people of Nasarawa State to embrace peace in order to accelerate the development of the state.
Maku  made the call in Lafia at a town hall meeting organised by Eggon Unity Forum, Nasarawa South Senatorial Zone. The minister noted that the state had huge potentials, adding that it could only be harnessed in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and violence.
He also urged the people of the state to support the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Responding to call by the forum to contest for governorship position in the state in 2015, Maku said he would make his intention known in due course.
The National President of Eggon Youth Movement, Mr Daniel Anyuabuga, said Maku was a tested person and had the credential to chart a new course for the development of the entire state.
Ogun

Ogun State  lawmakers last  Sunday expressed mixed
reactions to the adoption of the report of the Committee on Public Service at the on-going National Conference on part-time legislature.
The report was on part-time legislature, and the committee had suggested it as one of the ways to reduce the cost of governance.
Some of the lawmakers who expressed their views in separate interviews in Abeokuta said the decision would not allow those in the legislature to perform effectively and optimally.
Chairman, Public Accounts Committee in the Ogun House of Assembly, Mr Abiodun Akovoyan, who is representing Ipokia constituency, cited his committee as an example.
He said the committee had been unable to cover the auditors’ report of over 70 agencies in the state due to the burden of its task.

Osun

Senator Iyiola Omisore, PDP’s candidate in the August 9
gubernatorial election in Osun State, has promised to ensure qualitative education for the state’s citizenry if elected into office.
Omisore made the promise in Osogbo last Sunday in a statement by Mr Diran Odeyemi, his Director of Media and Strategy.
The Osun PDP flagbearer said he would set things right in the area of policy formulation and implementation to ensure a high standard in the education sector.
Omisore said the indefinite strike embarked upon by lecturers in the four state-owned tertiary education institutions was a development which could cause a setback to the state’s education development.

Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged
Nigerians to turn to God in finding solutions to some of the recurring problems in the country.
The Sultan made the call in Sokoto last Sunday at a one-day seminar on “The Position of Islam on Begging.’’ organised by the Sokoto State Zakat and Endowment Committee, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Abubakar said “we must turn to God and pray fervently for God to intervene in the affairs of Nigeria. Turning to God and living our lives according to religious injunctions are the only ways out of the current quagmire in the nation. We should also have a sense of pity toward our less privileged brothers and sisters.’’

Yobe

Yobe Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Alhaji Maimala Buni, on Saturday described as undemocratic, calls from certain quarters for the dissolution of political structures in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
Buni, said in Damaturu that the advocates of such measures were enemies of democracy and not serious-minded people.
He described such calls as not only “inflammatory”, but also “detrimental to the sustenance of the country’s uninterrupted democratic experience.’’
“We have followed with grave concern the consistent vituperation by some politicians on the need to dismantle the political administration of the three states.
“It is apparent that some of them are not well informed, displaying bare ignorance, mixed with political intent to discredit the administrations of the three states.”
“It is most unfortunate that most of them who are beneficiary of democracy, who ought to be contributing to the building of democracy in Nigeria, are helping in destroying it. We appreciate the good effort and the developmental strides attained by the governors of the three states,” he said.

L-R: Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Vice President Namadi Sambo and Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, at the inauguration of two air-conditioned Diesel Multiple Units (DMUS) and 68-seater air conditioned passenger coaches at the Iddo Rail Terminus in Lagos last Monday