Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The PDP elders’ caucus in Benue South West
Senatorial zone has excluded former Niger Delta Affairs Ministers minster Sam Odeh and Mr Harris Ogbole from contesting the governorship primaries of the party.
The meeting which was held in Otukpo last Monday also urged the remaining aspirants in the race to harmonise their positions and present a formidable candidate who would challenge aspirants from the other zones of the state.
Our Correspondent reports that Odeh and Ogbole, a lawyer, were excluded from the contest following the unanimous endorsement of Senate President David Mark for another term in the senate.
Stakeholders at the meeting resolved that since Mark hails from Otukpo alongside the other two, it was inappropriate for them to contest for the governorship ticket of the party with aspirants from other local governments.
Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State recently
said his administration has repositioned the state and put it in the limelight in the last four years.
Fayemi stated this at the inauguration of the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) in Ado- Ekiti.
He said the efforts of his administration in transforming the state had paid off with the state taking the lead virtually in all indices of human development.
According to the governor, this is attested to by local and international bodies as there have been tangible changes in the lives of the citizens.
The governor said that Ekiti had been rated highly in terms of efficiency, transparency and competitiveness among the states in Nigeria.
FCT
Director-General of National Orientation Agency
(NOA), Mr Mike Omeri, has described the death of former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mrs Remi Oyo, as a big blow to journalism and Nigeria.
In a statement in Abuja signed by Mr Paul Odenyi, NOA’s Assistant Director, Media, Omeri said that Oyo was an icon of development journalism.
“She was a patriot who saw journalism as a tool for national development; her death is a big blow to journalism and the nation.
“She was in a rare class of communication experts who saw journalism as a means to achieve peace, progress and development in the country,’’ he said.
Kaduna
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr
Gideon Gwani, has sunk 72 boreholes to ensure clean water for rural communities in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Gwani, who conducted newsmen round some of the projects yesterday said that the boreholes became necessary to minimise water-borne diseases that were common among the rural dwellers in the state.
“A healthy people are an asset to the nation and that is the essence of these projects,’’ Gwani said shortly after confirming that the projects were all functional and serving the communities.
He said that 50 more boreholes would soon be sunk in areas still in dire need of good water, adding that some people were still forced to rely on streams for drinking water.
Kogi
The workers in Ajaokuta Steel Company Lim
ited last Monday, commended the Federal Government for its efforts at reviving the industry.
The National President of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Mr. Otori Salihu gave the commendation at the annual leadership workshop of the association in Lokoja.
He said the recent delivery of consignment of billets to the company in preparation for resumption of production was a good development for the country and workers in the sector.
He called on all stakeholders in the steel industry, including workers, to support government efforts towards reviving the sector.
Kwara
Senator Gbemisola Saraki, a chieftain of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has donated four buses and food items worth N5 million to member of an Ilorin-based Islamic organisation.
Saraki made the donation at the national headquarters of Jamu’hiyat Qulumal Lillahi Yah’alu Society of Nigeria in commemoration of the 2014 Eid-li-Kabir festival.
She is the first daughter of the late ‘strongman of Kwara politics’, Dr Olusola Saraki,
In her speech the former senator, who represented Kwara Central at the Senate from 2003 to 2011, urged the Islamic body to continue to preach peace and love in Nigeria.
She said the two ingredients were essential for the continued existence of Nigeria as a nation.
Lagos
A General Physician, Dr Abiola Ajala, yesterday
advised parents to deworm their children periodically, at least every three months to prevent intestinal worms infestation.
Ajala, a paediatrician with Optimal Children Clinic Surulere, told newsmen in Lagos that children had a higher risk of worm infestations.
She said regular deworming improved a child’s nutritional status and growth which could otherwise be hindered by worm infestation.
“Parents are advised to deworm their children at least every three months with effective worm expellers.
Ogun
Senators Olugbenga Obadara and Adegbenga
Kaka, representing Ogun Central and Ogun East Senatorial districts, respectively, have urged politicians to uphold the tenets of their service to ensure peace and development.
The senators made the call yesterday while speaking to newsmen in Ijebu-Ode.
According to Kaka, equity, justice and purposeful service remained the bedrock for the consolidation of democratic structures and ideals.
“As politicians, we must always plan to fulfil our promises to the electorate because promise is a debt.
“Leaders must strive to be truthful to their followers at all times remembering that without them there will be no position in the first instance,’’ Kaka said.
Oyo
The wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs Flo
rence Ajimobi, has expressed the state government’s commitment to the cause of widows.
Ajimobi gave the assurance at a programme she organised for 500 widows from local government areas during which she gave them various gift items.
She said the state government was committed to restoring the dignity of widows and stopping the stigma often associated with widowhood.
“We have thoughtfully designed this programme to coincide with the 2014 Sallah.
Plateau
Senator Victor Lar, representing Plateau South
at the National Assembly, has declared his intention to contest in the Plateau governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Lar made his intention known at the state headquarters of the party.
He said that if elected, his top priority would be to restore permanent peace to the state.
The governorship aspirant, who was received by the PDP Vice Chairman, Central Zone, Mr Yusuf Tokkit, urged the party to create a level playing ground for all aspirants.
L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, at a meeting of traditional rulers with Governor Fashola in Lagos recently.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3