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Adamawa

Out of 5,907 persons, who were for HIV and AIDS in nine local government areas of Adamawa, tested positive to the condition, a non-governmental organisation has reported.

The Adamawa office of the Management Sciences for Health (MSH) stated that the number was among 75,746 people, who were tested for the condition.

The state team leader of the organisation, Dr Johnson Fagbamigbe, told newsmen in Yola recently that 2,414 of those living with the condition had been placed on life saving drugs.

Benue

Alhaji Ahmed Baba, the Chairman, Benue Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board said on Wednesday in Makurdi that at least 540 prospective pilgrims would be transported to Saudi Arabia.

Baba, told newsmen in Makurdi that out of the number, 257 including officials, were sponsored by both the state and local governments.

The Chairman announced that all the necessary travelling documents had been concluded, adding that a total of 400 visas were obtained.

Borno

Two men, Nasir Idil and Mohammed, has pleaded guilty in a Magistrates’ Court in Maiduguri to a charge of stealing 78 solar batteries worth more than N2 million and belonging to Chibok Local Government.

The accused are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing punishable under 97(1) and 287 of the Penal Code.

In his First Information Report (FIR), the prosecutor, Richard Balami, told the court that the accused, living in Gwange ward of Maiduguri metropolis, on June 18 conspired and stole the batteries.

When the charge sheet was read to the accused persons, they pleaded guilty.

FCT

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Mailafia, has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to transform the environment sector.

Mailafia said this at a reception organised in her honour by the Kubau Local Government Council in Kaduna State, a statement signed by Clement Egbeama, an Assistant Director (Media), in the ministry.

The statement, in Abuja, quoted the minister as saying that the present administration was poised for the sustainable development of the country.

She promised to implement the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act “strictly” in line with the transformation agenda of the present administration.

Mailafia also said that the ministry would increase the present forest coverage in the country from six per cent to10 per cent by 2013, adding that 1,500 km of Green Wall Sahara would be established in the 11 frontline states.

Jigawa

The Chairman of Jigawa Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Tukur Gantsa, has announced the transportation of the first batch of 550 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Gantsa made this known in Dutse on Thursday in an interview with newsmen.

He said the intending pilgrims, who boarded Max airline, took off from Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at about 2 a.m.

He added that those in the first batch were intending pilgrims from Birniwa, Kirikasama, Malamadori, Kaugama and Gwaram Local Government areas of the state.

The chairman stated that adequate arrangement had been made for a comfortable accommodation for the pilgrims during their stay for the religious endeavour in the Holy Land.

Gantsa also gave assurance that the free feeding for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia which the state government started about four years ago would continue.

Earlier, the Amir Hajj and the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Abubakar Maje, had urged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country in Saudi Arabia.

Kaduna

The Chief Imam, Wharf Road Mosque Forum, Alhaji Muhammad Isah, has attributed conflicts in Nigeria to the lack of proper religious knowledge and fear of God..

Isah made the observation in a paper he presented on Peaceful Co-existence and Security Sensitisation at a workshop organised by the Ministry for Local Government and Mindscope Resources Ltd in Kaduna on Wednesday.

“Religion must be a tool for progress and peaceful co-existence between people’, he said

The Director, Training, Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, Rev. Bitrus Dangiwa, said the most effective cure for conflicts was obedience to biblical injunctions. .

He said those who killed to gain power or wealth would pass to eternal condemnation while the merciful, loving and peacemakers would live happily in paradise.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government is to sponsor 50 students to study medicine, nursing, Arabic and computer studies in Sudan this academic session.

This is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Mohammed Sani, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Relations and issued in Katsina.

The statement noted that the sponsorship brings the number of students sponsored by the state government to study in Sudan to 250, during Gov. Ibrahim Shema’s administration.

Lagos

A former Lagos State Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu has said that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had no regrets giving Gov. Babatunde Fashola a second term ticket.

Tinubu, who lauded Fashola for his achievements in his first term, said the party was proud of him.

“The party has no regrets for endorsing him for a second tenure.

“The governor has been able to turn Lagos into a mega and very friendly city with the meagre resources available in the state,’’ he told a rally of ACN supporters at Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

Tinubu, who is the leader of the party, urged the people to vote en masse for the party’s candidates in the October 22 council polls.

“ACN chairmen and councilors will continue to replicate what had been done at the state level in the councils,’’ he said.

He called for a review of the nation’s revenue allocation formula in a bid to give more money to the councils and states for the development of the grassroots.

Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Government has appointed Mr Emmanuel Jatau, as the new rector of the state polytechnic in Lafia to replace Mr Michael Ibrahim.

According to a statement issued and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Hamza Elayo, in Lafia, the appointment is with immediate effect.

Until his appointment, Jatau was the Director, College of Remedial and General Studies of the polytechnic.

Ibrahim had been on the post in an acting capacity for the past four years.

Oyo

Vice Chancellor, University of   Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said that current flood disasters in Africa are caused by unguided interaction between man and the environment.

Adewole made the statement while declaring open a three-day conference on climate change, organised by Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, (AvH Kollege) Germany, in conjunction with the University of Ibadan.

The theme of the conference is; “Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Cultural and Techno-environmental Response in West Africa’’.

He said that natural disasters could be curtailed if sustainable knowledge and human environment interaction was assured.

Sokoto

Alhaji Jibril Danmalam, the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) in Sokoto State says his command has arrested two persons for allegedly circulating fake United States dollars in the state.

Danmalam, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday, said that they had been charged to court.

“The suspects have since been charged to the Chief Magistrate Court III in Sokoto where they pleaded guilty to the crime, but have not been sentenced,” he said.

The director said that one Kakale Jega, aged 60, who is the prime suspect in the scam, was arrested in his house on Sept. 23, at Gidan-Shawara in Jega town, Jega Local Government Area of Kebbi.

Danmalam said that Jega was responsible for smuggling the fake US dollars into Sokoto State from his base in Kebbi.

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Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

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Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.

She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.

Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love  has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.

The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.

Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.

 

He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.

Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.

He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.

According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.

Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.

Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them

 

John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah

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We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

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Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.
Speaking through Director General of the Rivers  State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.
“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.
Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.
Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now  and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”
The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.
“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.
The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.
He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government  policy of gas utilization.
Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.
He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.
In her remarks, Chairperson of  the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.
Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.
Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized  need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.
By Kevin Nengia
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SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB),  Yemisi Edun,  said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.

Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.

 

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