Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Adamawa acting Chief Judge, Justice Batimawus Lawi, has fixed April 3 for ruling in the case challenging the impeachment of former Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly.
The impeached speaker and deputy, Alhaji Sadiq Ibrahim and Mrs Wale Fwa respectively, had instituted the suit against the House, the new Speaker, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri and his deputy, Mr Laori Kwamoti.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to declare their removal in December 2011 as null and void.
Lawi fixed April 3 for ruling on Thursday, in spite of the absence of counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN), who did not show up nor send representation during the court’s sitting on Wednesday.
Agabi was to appear and reply to submissions already made during previous sittings by counsels to the respondents, but after waiting in vain, the respondents called on the court to strike off the case.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Office of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has donated 60 ambulances, tri-cycles and motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government to boost health care services in the state.
The Focal Person of the MDGs Office in the state, Alhaji Sambo Jumberi, made the disclosure on Thursday in Bauchi while handing over the items to the state’s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sangir Saleh.
Jumberi said the MDGs had earlier provided 40 ambulances to 40 healthcare centres and clinics in the state and had also provided 200 solar-propelled boreholes to some healthcare institutions.
He said the MDGs had also constructed 40 ten-bed-capacity health centres while some dispensaries were renovated.
Jumberi said the MDGs had similarly, provided drugs and equipment to 57 primary health centres in the state while 600 units of latrines were constructed in some rural areas to improve sanitary conditions of communities.
Borno
The Borno Police Command, on Sunday announced the arrest of 11suspects involved in an attack on Mobile Police Base, Bama.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr Samuel Tizhe, told newsmen in Maiduguri that one of the attackers was killed and several explosive devices were recovered.
“Some gun men launched an attack on a mobile police base in Bama around 5.30pm. The gallant officers successfully repelled the attack.
“One person was killed and 11 others arrested. arms and several improvised explosive devise (IED)s were recovered from them,” Tizhe said.
FCT
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, said that only 10 countries out of the 23 West and Central African Regional Countries paid the 10,000 euros annual contribution for capacity building in the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
Dikko made the announcement while presenting the report of the Eighth Meeting of the Committee of Experts of the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region of the WCO in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Dikko, who is also the vice-chairman of the WCA Region of the WCO was represented by Deputy Comptroller-General of the NCS, Mr Manassah Jatau, at the meeting of the committee of experts.
He said that the payment of the annual contribution was adopted during the 15th conference of customs director generals of WCA in Bamako, Mali in 2010.
Gombe
Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Ado Mohammed, has commended Gombe State for having the lowest maternal and child mortality rate in the North East zone of the federation.
Mohammed gave the commendation at the launching of the free polio programme in Gombe on Saturday.
He also applauded the state for ensuring that there was no recorded case of polio since 2009.
Mohammed said that Gombe State was surrounded by states with cases of polio, charging the state to maintain the tempo.
He said the success achieved in Gombe State was as result of the government’s commitment as well as the effort put in by other development partners like WHO, UNICEF and other non-governmental bodies.
Kaduna
The newly deployed Police Commissioner in Kaduna State, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, said on Saturday that the gunmen who attacked villagers in Nayida Talakkwacha were on reprisal mission.
The gunmen, who attacked the villagers in the Chickun Local Government Area of the state, killed no fewer than 10 persons, including a pastor, injuring five others.
Abubakar, who addressed reporters in Kaduna after visiting the scene of the incident, said the attackers, were relations of victims of the April 2011 post election crisis.
“ The attack appeared to be a reappraisal by relations of those who were victims of the post-general election crisis in April 2011 in Kaduna State that lost their lives and property.”
Kano
In its efforts to reduce the emission of poisonous substances such as ‘dioxin’ and ‘furan’, the Federal Ministry of Environment has organised a training programme for scavengers and waste handlers in Kano State.
Dioxin is a highly toxic compound produced as a byproduct in some manufacturing processes.
Furan is a group of colourless, volatile, heterocyclic organic compounds containing a ring of four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom, obtained from wood tar used in nylon and tanning production.
The Project Manager and Technical Director, ‘Less Burnt for a Clean Earth Project’ in the ministry, Mr Idi Maleh, disclosed this in Kano in an interview with newsmen.
He said that the trainees were drawn from the Kano Waste Management and Sanitation Board, Kano State Ministry of Environment and eight local government areas in the state.
He said that the training was necessitated by the health implications of getting in contact with dioxin and furan.
Kogi
The Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, has approved the construction of two additional hostel blocks at the state-owned Polytechnic in Lokoja.
The Rector of the school, Prof. Mathew Ajibero, made the announcement on Saturday in Lokoja at the sixth matriculation ceremony of the polytechnic, saying that the hostels would be constructed this year at the Itakpe and Lokoja campuses of the institution.
He said that the governor had also approved the release of three new transformers and roll-on roll-off bins for the campuses.
Ajibero, who recalled that the governor made the approval during his maiden visit to the main campus about two weeks ago, said that the State Government had agreed to undertake the construction of new road network and water projects.
Kwara
A fish farmer, based in Ilorin, Mr Babatunde Daniels, has told the Kwara Government to partner fish farmers to boost fish production and create employment for residents of the state.
He made the call on Thursday in Ilorin in an interview with newsmen.
Daniels said the call became necessary because “fish farming is a lucrative venture that can provide jobs for the unemployed in the state, adding that “it takes little to start the business”.
He said that fingerlings in fresh water could get matured within a month and ready for sale.
The fish farmer said that proper training in fish farming with the support of the State Government, could create an enabling environment for jobless youths not only to be gainfully employed and self-sufficient but also garner experience on fish production.
He expressed the resolve of his organisation to liaise with the government in training people on how to produce fish, grass cutters, rabbits and pigs.L
Lagos
The Secretary of the State of Missouri, U.S., Ms Robin Carnahan, has identified women empowerment as a key factor for national development.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Carnahan said that any country seeking economic advancement must invest in the wealth of its women.
“Culture, child care, cash and confidence are some of the factors limiting women from achieving their full potential.’’
Carnahan said that women in top positions, be they political or corporate, must encourage women to participate in nation building.
She also urged women to train and mentor others as well as work with men and embrace technological advancements.
Niger
More than N27.7 billion pension has been paid by the Niger government under the Pay-As-You-Go and the Contributory Pension schemes in the state from May 2007 to December 2011, an official said.
Mr Benu Yahaya , Director General of of the state’s Pension Board told newsmen in Minna that N15.3 billion went into the Pay-As-You-Go pension scheme, while N12.4 billion was for the Contributory Pension Scheme.
He said the board had also settled the outstanding pension liability of N1.4 billion inherited from the previous administration in the state.
The director general added that the government had paid N453 million arrears of the 142 per cent pension increase, which came into effect in 2000.
Yahaya, who said the government had since 2007 domesticated the Pension Reform Act of 2004, also disclosed that an average of N200 million was being spent monthly on pension payment.
The amount, he explained, covered the pension of 12,121 people on the pension pay roll of the state government and the 25 local councils.
He said more than 50,000 civil servants in the state had registered with Pension Fund Administrators (PFA), adding that the government had been regular and up to date in the release of the pension funds.
Plateau
Plateau government has assured the NYSC batch “A” corps members posted to the state of adequate security during orientation and their places of primary assignment.
Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Lohfa Bako, who represented Gov. Jonah Jang, gave the assurance on Thursday in Jos, during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2012 batch “A” corps members.
Bako said that adequate security arrangement had been made to ensure their safety during the service year.
The commissioner urged the Corps members not to entertain any fear as all hands were on deck to ensure their safety.
He, however, cautioned them on the need to be security conscious.
Plateau NYSC Coordinator, Mr Maram Maful, in his speech, said that the scheme, in collaboration with the various security agencies, had mapped out strategies to secure the corps members.
He commended the Plateau government for the support the scheme had received, and especially for the work going on at the permanent site in Mangu Local Government Area.
Our correspondent reports that 508 corps members, comprising 309 males and 199 females, were registered on camp.
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,