Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has concluded plans to rehabilitate all the infrastructure in the 20 local government areas of the state destroyed by windstorm during the 2011 rainy season.
The Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Alhaji Sani Bura, disclosed the plan in Bauchi on Tuesday while addressing the people of Gabarin/Konkiyel; Sabon Sara and Toro communities.
He said that the affected infrastructure included water, electricity and road projects in the 20 local government areas.
Bura said that most of the projects affected by the windstorm had reached various stages of completion, while others were being assessed and quantified to facilitate their completion.
He said that the projects, which also included roads rehabilitation and reconstruction, would be completed before the inception of the 2012 rainy season.
FCT
The Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, says that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has computed Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in six pilot states.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Head, Information unit of the Commission, Mr Salisu Haiba.
Usman while flagging-off of the State GDP Computation Project in Nigeria in Minna, Niger, said that six pilot states that had been selected were Anambra, Rivers, Niger, Kano, Lagos, Gombe and Rivers.
He said that the six states were selected based on the size of their economies and commitment of reform programmes.
He described the project as significant in the economic history of Nigeria being the first time it was being undertaken by the NBS.
Jigawa
Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido has said that his desire to boost small-scale businesses in the state informed his decision to build a modern market.
Lamido, who stated this while addressing newsmen Tuesday after an inspection of the market project in Dutse, said that the market was constructed to boost commerce, eradicate poverty and entrench economic prosperity in the state.
“This market will accommodate 80 per cent of those in small businesses like vegetables sellers, barbers and butchers, among others.
“Shops would be rented out to people at affordable rates because the essence of the exercise is to fight poverty”, he said.
Kano
Governor of Kano State Rabi’u Kwankwaso has called on the Federal Government to pay more attention on the training and equipping of the police and other security agencies in the country.
Kwankwaso made the call when he received members of the Presidential Task-Force on Police Reforms, who paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Kano.
He said that the call was necessary in view of the prevailing security challenges facing the country.
The governor stressed the need for security agencies to collaborate with other stakeholders so as to reduce the level of crime in the country.
Kwankwaso said that the Kano State Government had been working with security agencies in the state with a view to ensuring peace and security.
Katsina
The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State has announced the dismissal of all members of the party who accepted any form of appointment under the Katsina State government.
The Interim Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Farouq Aliyu, told newsmen in Katsina on Tuesday that the action of the members was an “unpardonable offence”.
‘’Members who had taken appointments with the Katsina State government, committed an unpardonable offence and should consider themselves out of the party, because CPC does not believe in the government of national unity at the federal, state or local level.’’
He accused such members of selfishness, saying their acceptance of the appointments was to better their lots and not in the interest of the party.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Department of Fire Service recorded 34 incidents of fire outbreaks in Kebbi State within the last three months.
The state Director of Fire Service, Alhaji Bello Zagga, disclosed this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi recently.
He, however, said there were no loss of lives in the incidents.
The director said the usage of inferior electrical cables were responsible for 90 per cent of the fire incidents while the remaining 10 per cent could be traced to undue exposure of animal feeds to open fire.
Zagga said the department “would organise workshops to sensitise the public on preventive measures”.
Lagos
A lecturer in the Department of Architecture at Covenant University, Mr Eziyi Ibem, has advised the Federal Government to adopt Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for effective housing delivery.
Ibem told newsmen in Lagos that provision of housing would continue to be a problem until all stakeholders were involved.
“For instance, the Building Materials Manufacturers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria should be involved in the public-private partnership.
“Their involvement will ease the constraints in the procurement of building materials.
“If the association is properly integrated into all PPP projects, it will give housing developers access to quality, durable and reasonably priced building materials,” Ibem said.
Oyo
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday in Ibadan alerted Nigerians of a fake brand of sugar in circulation.
The Zonal Coordinator for Oyo State, Mrs Omosola Osinbanjo, said the discovery of the fake sugar followed the intensive surveillance exercise carried out across the state by officials of the agency.
Osinbanjo said the initiatives of NAFDAC led to the discovery of the fake product at a market in Agbeni area of the metropolis.
Plateau
The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining peace in Plateau on Tuesday paraded a young man alleged to be a fake soldier and four suspected armed robbers at its headquarters in Jos.
The STF Media Officer, Capt. Mdahyelya Markus, who briefed newsmen on the arrest, alleged that the “fake soldier” was arrested in a Nigerian Army Camouflage with the rank of sergeant.
Markus said the suspect was arrested by STF personnel at a checkpoint in Lantang South Local Government Area of Plateau.
He said that one of the suspected robbers had claimed that he was a student of ECWA Seminary, Jos, while another claimed to be a 400 level Accounting student of University of Jos.
Taraba
Construction work on the multipurpose Kashimbilla Dam project in Taraba is 50 per cent completed, Mr Regy Ikpeawujo, the Deputy Director, Dams and Reservoir Operations, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, has said.
Ikpeawujo, who disclosed this in Abuja in an interview with newsmen said the that dam would commence full operation in 2014.
“By the year 2014, the dam should fully take off its operation,’’ he said, adding that work on the project was being carried out in stages.
He said that if completed, the dam would generate hydro power, provide irrigation and supply to water to several towns and villages in Taraba and Benue states.
Yobe
Two months into the staff verification exercise by Yobe State Universal Basic Education Board, primary school teachers in the state have decried the non-payment of their two-month salary.
Some teachers who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday in Damaturu, said the verification was taking too long while they wallowed in poverty and hunger.
Malam Yusuf Umar, a teacher in Damaturu, said the delay in completing the exercise was having a negative effect on the welfare of teachers across the state.
Another teacher, Malam Manu Bukar, said there had been series of screening in the past but this one had subjected them to “hunger and poverty”.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State House of Assembly has extended the tenure of the local government caretaker committees in the state from January to June 2012.
The Assembly had last July approved the formation of the caretaker committees with a mandate to serve for a maximum of six months, with the hope that elections into the councils would be conducted in January 2012.
Its Majority Leader, Alhaji Salisu Tsafe, said at the presentation of the bill that it sought to amend the law establishing the caretaker committees.
He said the decision was in accordance with section 18, sub section 4 of the state’s local governments’ law.
Tsafe explained that the law had given the house absolute powers to terminate or extend the tenure of local government councils.
He argued that in the event that the state government could not conduct elections into positions in the local government councils, the house could extend the tenure of the councils to allow the conduct of the elections within the period covered by the extension.
After debating the matter, the House unanimously agreed that the tenure of committees be extended from Jan. 29 to June 2012 during which elections should be conducted.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,