Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Traditional rulers in Bauchi State have expressed displeasure over the inability of the Federal Government to accord the traditional institution a specific role in the country’s constitution.
The Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Danyaya, expressed the rulers’ displeasure when Vice President Namadi Sambo paid homage to the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, on Saturday in Bauchi.
Our Correspondent reports that Danyaya received the Vice President on behalf of the Emir of Bauchi, who was on a medical trip abroad.
“It is necessary to provide a constitutional function for the country’s traditional rulers in view of their role as custodian of the culture and tradition of the people,’’ he said.
The emir reiterated the resolve of the country’s traditional rulers to continue to support the efforts of governments at all levels to transform the country and ensure sustainable peace and unity.
Ekiti
The Ekiti Government has described the death of Mr. Dipo Okunmuyide, the Correspondent of the national Life Newspaper as devastating and a great loss to the state.
Our Correspondent reports that Okunmuyide, 47, died on Monday at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) during treatment, following an auto crash in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.
The deceased, who had an accident with his car, was initially treated at the Ado-Ekiti Teaching Hospital, where he was referred to the University College Hospital, Ibadan for further treatment.
On his way to Ibadan on Monday, the ambulance conveying him developed a fault. He was subsequently, taken to OAUTH where he died.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Taiwo olatunbosun, in Ado-Ekiti said the government received the death of Okunmuyide with great shock.
FCT
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Abuja on Saturday elected a new set of leaders, with Comrade Olawale Ajani emerging as the new President of the council.
Our Correspondent reports that members of the council converged in Abuja on Wednesday for its congress, culminating in Saturday’s elections.
In the polls which were a re-run of the council’s 2008 elections that were cancelled, Ajani polled 150 votes to beat nine other contestants with Balarabe Rufa’i the closest with 112 votes.
Twenty-two other posts were contested for, including deputy president, six zonal vice-presidents, secretary-general, assistant secretary-general, treasurer, internal auditor, seven zonal ex-officio and four others.
Esse Gerald beat Cosmos Akpan to the deputy president’s post after scoring 242 votes as against his rival’s 123, while Saleh Alhassan was elected Secretary-General after beating Salihu Abdullahi 305 – 88.
Gombe
No fewer than 11 persons were on Friday burnt beyond recognition in Jekadafari, Gombe State, when a petrol tanker went out of control and smashed into buildings and vehicles.
Our Correspondent reports that nine others were seriously injured, while 40 houses and business shops were destroyed and burnt in the resultant inferno.
Mr. Fidelis Osakwe, Sector Commander of the Federal Raods Safety Commission (FRSC) in Gombe, confirmed the accident in an interview with newsmen.
He said that when the driver lost control of the tanker, with registration number Taraba XB 157 TRR, it rammed into parked vehicles and buildings.
Dr. James Madi, Chief Medical Director of the Specialist Hospital, Gombe, gave the casualty figure as “more than 11 dead”.
Kano
The Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST) in Wudil, near Kano, has yet to hold its first convocation 10 years after its establishment.
According to the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, the institution has, however, graduated five sets of students totalling more than 500 within the period.
“But such products have not been ‘honoured’” Garba told newsmen yesterday in Wudil.
“Convocations are part of the stautory functions of the University meant not only to honour the graduating students but also to honour other members of the society who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field of endeavour”, he said.
“The convocation would have given the University the opportunity to showcase itself to the outside world because it will enable us to tell people what we are and what we do”, he said.
Garba noted that one of the consequencies was that most people in the country were not aware the existence of the KUST.
“This is not good for us,” he said.
Nevertheless, the Vice-Chancellor said the University’s authorities had put a machinery in motion for the institution to hold its maiden convocation for its past graduates.
He said the school had around 4,000 students studying various courses in science and technology, and added that the courses had been accredited by the National universities Commission.
Kaduna
Effective advocacy will enhance a successful implementation of the school health programme in the country, a public health expert, Dr Esiet Umem, has said.
Umem made the observation in a paper entitled “The Role of Stakeholders in School Health and Resource Mobilisation for School Health Programme”, which he presented in Kaduna on Friday.
Our Correspondent reports that the expert presented the paper at the National Coordination Meeting of School Health Stakeholders and Capacity Building of Officers on Monitoring and Evaluation of the programme.
He said effective advocacy would help the stakeholders to get all the input needed to implement a successful school health programme, noting that funding was the least of all the resources.
“You need to mobilise your resources and I have to be frank with you, money is the least of your resources because I hear some stakeholders complaining of lack of funds and budget allocation.
Umem further told the stakeholders to identify the key actors who would turn their advocacy work around, saying “you must be willing to be open.
Quoting Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher, Umem said “to move the world, you must move yourselves”.
Reacting to the presentation, Mr Bisi Agberemi, a UNICEF water and sanitation specialist, told the stakeholders to develop an informal way of passing their messages to policy makers, saying money was not everything.
Lagos
A new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has been appointed to take over from Mr Moses Ogbeh, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Mr Femi Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), who announced this, did not, however, disclose the identity of the new commissioner but said that the name would be announced officially.
Our Correspondent reports that Ogbeh was recently disengaged following a directive from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters.
Meanwhile, addressing members of staff and well wishers at a get-together organised to send him off at the weekend, Ogbeh called on INEC and all Nigerians to make votes count in the 2011 election.
Ogbeh said that he had trust in the integrity and antecedents of the newly appointed INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to move the nation forward.
He advised Jega to study the handover notes of the outgoing INEC officials to enable him deal with difficult terrains in the country during the 2011 elections.
Commenting on his performance as REC in Lagos, Ogbeh said that the 2007 elections in the state was adjudged free and fair by the international community.
Niger
Governor David Jang of Plateau has said that his administration is collaborating with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to ensure the export of coffee produced in the state.
Jang made the disclosure on Friday in Minna at the ongoing 8th Niger National Trade Fair, which started on June 22, in the Niger capital.
After inspecting the stands of the 17 local government areas from Plateau at the fair, Jang said, “we grow apple and coffee and our coffee has proven to be one of the best in the world.
“We have up to nine local government areas in Plateau that grow coffee in large quanity.
Plateau
Alhaji Ahmed Maje, a member of the House of Representaitves, representing Wase in Plateau, has cautioned against violent reactions over the delay in swearing in Mohammed Zakari as Wase Council Chairman.
Zakari, a member of the AC, was on June 3, declared winner of the 2008 Council elections by the Plateau State Local Government Appeals Tribunal, following his appeal against the declaration of the PDP candidate, Abubakar Mohammed, as winner.
Zakari has, however, not been sworn in since then.
Angered by that delay, some youths in the area recently threatened to go on rampage to force the State Government to swear in Zakari.
Sokoto
Two persons in Faido village, Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, have lost their lives after eating a meal of beans treated with pesticides, the council’s Chairman, Alhaji Bala Musa, said yesterday.
Musa told newsmen in Yabo that the incident had also led to the hospitalisation of 17 others.
He said the dead persons and those hospitalised were from the same family, and that the incident occurred around 5.30 p.m. on Thursday.
“The deceased are males aged 21 and 22 years, and 16 of the 17 hospitalised persons have since been discharged, while the remaining one is not in a critical condition,” Musa explained.
In a bid to meaningfully engage secondary school students in Ogoniland during the Christmas holidays and beyond, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has trained them on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making.
This is even as the Project has partnered with the National Orientation Agency(NOA) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to keep the students away from crime and other related social vices during the Yuletide, by giving them pep talks that would put them on their toes during the period.
This came to the fore as HYPREP recently organised an Ogoni Young Men Mentorship programme and life skill workshop with the theme, ‘Career Coaching: Developing The Young Minds’ at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The beneficiaries of the programme are essentially members of environmental clubs in 13 schools in four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
At the event, both NOA and NDLEA gave career talks to the students, aimed at keeping them off social vices like drug abuse and addiction as well as negative peer influences through out the Christmas holidays and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey said the Project deemed it necessary to invite the National Orientation Agency and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to speak to the students in order to shield them from negative peer influences as they are preparing to go for the Christmas holidays.
He explained that the workshop would enable the students to know when the signs of the negative peer influences start coming.
Zabbey, who was represented at the occasion by HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, said the Project is not only going to train the beneficiaries but also give them the tools and skills that would grow them in the future so that they would start making money for themselves.
Also addressing the students, the Rivers State Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency(NOA), Mr Young Ayo-Tamuno expressed delight for meeting young minds, to discuss issues on values, describing it as a great opportunity.
He noted that there are seven values which constitute the role and commitment of the government towards the citizenry and another seven core values which constitute the code for the citizens.
While commending HYPREP for organising the event, Ayo-Tamuno said team work is key to making Nigeria a better place for all, as both the government and the citizens have their respective roles to play, with each staying committed and focused.
The Chief Programme Officer of NOA, Mr Henry Ayede was the one who actually mounted the rostrum and drilled the students on the seven core values embodied in the National Value Charter for citizens, and stressed the need for them to imbibe them and put them to practice as they grow up.
Ayede listed the values to include discipline, duty of care, leadership, tolerance and respect, transparency, environmental awareness and resilience.
He also underscored the need for the students to imbibe the spirit of hard work and dignity of labour, contending that while hard work and dedication contribute to success, every job can contribute to national development.
According to him, dignity in labour is the foundation of success.
On his part, Mr Bill Ebiokpo of the Media/ Advocacy Unit of NDLEA, who represented the Bori Area Commander of the agency, advised the students to guard against drug abuse and addiction, which he said have far reaching consequences.
The Principal of the Senior Secondary of Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Barrister Bob Agbozi thanked HYPREP for organising the programme, which he said enriched his knowledge and that of the students on the core values guiding the society, saying inculcating such values in young people and teaching them practical skills have contributed immensely to the greatness of advanced countries and even countries like Rwanda in Africa.
He noted that the career coaching would change the behavioral pattern of the students particularly during the Yuletide.
He also thanked NOA for the career talks and urged it to replicate the programme in other places, not only in schools but also in market places.
The training of the students on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making was anchored by an expert, MrsLekpa Abel, with HYPREP workers lending a helping hand.
It was, indeed, a practical session with the students, who came face to face with the production materials of the products.
Donatus Ebi
It was celebration galore as the people of Isu Community in Etche Local Government Area of River State held a civic reception in honour of the Council Chairman, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor .
The epoch- making ceremony which took place recently at the community ancestral home saw the attendance of the political class, the clergy, opinion leaders, the academia, youths, women, elders and chiefs gather to honour their brand new chairman.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor expressed gratitude to the people for according him such honour, saying it shows their unwavering support to the development of Etche.
Nwafor announced the readiness of his administration to embark on electrification of Ozuzu clan including Isu community.
The Etche council boss also said the market at Isu will be reconstructed to improve the economic life of the people.
He revealed that the two projects will commence in January as efforts are on to mobilise the contractors.
Nwafor told the mammoth crowd that his major concern remains, peace and unity of the entire Etche, saying security of lives and property remains top on his agenda as no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere of violence.
He urged parents to encourage their wards and children to refrain from violence and embrace peace. “Let us allow Etche to be at peace .Don’t allow any body to use you set Etche ablaze. Parents advise your children to stay away from crime .We must stay in peace and unity. Our children must shun violence ,it can’t take us anywhere as a people ,” he declared.
He thanked the people for their support as well thank their son, former commissioner for Energy ,Okey Amadi for being a Pilar of his political sojourne.
Earlier, the Isu opinion leader and Principal, Community Secondary School, Mgbosomini in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, Mr Chijioke Amadi said the honour done Etche chairman was a collective division of his people.
Amadi described the council boss as an illustrious son who has contributed immensely to the wellbeing of the community.
He declared that his community and the entire Etche will keep supporting him because he is doing well.
Amadi urged the people to keep praying for him and the Rivers State Governor to succeed in delivering dividends of democracy.
Senate has set up an adhoc committee to investigate the demolition of buildings in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, just as it summoned the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to appear before it to explain the reasons behind the demolitions, which have left many residents stranded
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ireti Kingibe ( FCT), who expressed concern over the illegal demolition of structures in the nation’s capital and called for an immediate stop to further demolitions.
The Red Chamber particularly ordered the FCDA to halt ongoing demolitions of property in the Territory within the next two weeks pending the report of its adhoc committee constituted to probe the issue.
The adhoc committee, to be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru; Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Idiat Adebule and Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, as members.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who announced the composition of the committee, gave it two weeks to submit its report.
Akpabio while reading the resolution of the Senate, said: “The Senate urges the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to stop further demolitions of structures, except those ordered by courts of competent jurisdictions, until the adhoc committee constituted by the Senate to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the exercise concludes its investigation and interface with the FCT administration within the next two weeks.”
Kingibe in her lead debate said that in recent times, the demolition exercise in the FCT was no longer based on reasons that necessitated the demolition.
She urged the Senate to be further concerned that the current demolition in the FCT was not in line with due process of court orders to demolish.
“As such, a cross section of individuals had suffered untold hardships occasioned by massive demolition, which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.
“Also concerned that at the moment, an estate by name, Messrs Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osakpawan Ogbebor is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with requisite title document.
“And further concerned that the owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, with registration Number 001,” Kingibe said.
She urged the Senate to accordingly resolve to urge the FCT administration to halt the ongoing revocation and demolition of the said property, “as it does not fall within the purview of the reasons for the massive demolition being carried by the FCDA.”
Senator Kingibe also advocated thatall demolitions should follow due process while the Senate set up a committee to investigate the matters arising from the demolition.
However, Senator Sunday Karimi ( Kogi West) in his contribution said the Senate needs to hear from the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, before ordering a halt to the demolitions.
“If you look at this motion, the presenter said, a specific land allocation was mentioned belonging to one Paul Ogbebor.
“We don’t know anything about this thing and we are just coming because of this to tell the minister to stop?
“There is need to investigate this matter before giving any directive. We must hear from the minister. But we have to hear before we say stop demolition.
“Let’s hear from the Minister. You cannot shave a man’s head at his back. We need to hear from the Minister,” Karimi said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), however disagreed with Karimi, saying that the request that the Senate should call on the FCT minister to halt further demolitions was in order.
He said: “Mr. President, with respect I disagree with Mr. Karimi. I think we need to be fair to everyone. There is before us an allegation that says certain steps are to be taken which will culminate in demolition. Are we saying that we should allow the place to be demolished while we are trying to look into it?”
In his response, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio agreed with the chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, saying “my thought is in line with yours. If we just say, continue the demolition, and then we start investigation, what are we then investigating?”
He, thereafter, read the resolution of the Senate calling on the FCT Minister to halt further demolitions of property in the FCT pending the investigative report of its adhoc committee chaired by the Deputy Senate President.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi