Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi Commissioner for Information, Mr Mohammed Damina, has said that the government plans to spend N300 million to digitalise two state-own media organisations. Damina made this known in an interview in Bauchi on Monday.
He said that a team from the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had earlier visited the stations and gave professional recommendations on their digitalisation.
“Submissions were made to Gov. Isa Yuguda on the two stations – Bauchi State Television (BATV) and Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC). “Right now we are waiting for his approval as soon as funds are made available to the ministry, we will embark on the project,’’ he said.
Benue
The police in Benue have arraigned two men, Thaddeaus Enemani, and Abubakar Adamu before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court for alleged house breaking and theft. Police prosecutor Daniel Swende told the court that one Timothy Anima, residing behind Modern Market Makurdi, reported the case to the police.
He said the complainant woke up on Nov. 9 to discover that his motorcycle valued at N84,000, which he parked at his residence was missing.
Swende said that during investigation, Enemani of the same address and Adamu of No 39 Udeni Street, North Bank, Makurdi, were arrested and the motorcycle was recovered.
He said Enemani confessed to committing the crime with Adamu, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecution said investigation into the matter was still in progress and asked the court for another date for the case to be mentioned. He said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 97(2), 353 and 288 of the Penal Code. .
FCT
The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, says government is ready to present a uniform chart of accounts and budget to the three tiers of government for deliberation.
Declaring open a three-day workshop on the roadmap for the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), he said that during the workshop, a draft of the National Standardised Uniform Chart of Accounts, Budget and the General Purpose Financial Statements would be exposed to participants.
Ngama said that the uniform chart would assist in Peer Review Mechanism among the three tiers of government and bring about integrity in the public sector financial reports.
Gombe
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, said his administration had approved the restructuring of the state’s board of revenue to enhance its activities.
Speaking at the North-East Sensitisation Programme on the Tax-payer Identification Number (TIN) in Gombe, the governor said that the state was poised to increase its revenue generation capacity.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Tha’anda Rubainu, said that his administration had signed the state’s Fiscal Responsibility Bill into law.
“The new state’s fiscal law is aimed at improving efficiency of fiscal management especially in the areas of allocation and management of public expenditure. “We want to improve on our revenue collection strategies, manage and control our debt and institute transparency in all our fiscal matters.
Jigawe
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has embarked on market surveillance in Jigawa to check the circulation of unwholesome water in the state.
The NAFDAC Director in Jigawa State, Mr Kenneth Azikwe, said in an interview in Dutse that the agency had deployed its surveillance teams to its six zonal offices in the state.
Azikwe said that the agency was sensitising producers to ensure proper labelling of their products to guard against adulteration.
The director said that the agency had registered all producers of sachet water in the state and put in place an effective mechanism to ensure compliance with regulations.
“We are geared to see that producers of sachet water maintain good production practices. “We are also calling on people to reject any product or sachet water without NAFDAC registration number,” he said.
Kaduna
The Katsina State Government, says it has engaged 5,000 women to plant Moringa across the state. Moringa is locally known as Zogale.
The Special Adviser to Gov. Ibrahim Shema on Economic Matters, Alhaji Garba Matazu, told newsmen on Tuesday in Katsina that the initiative was part of the government’s women empowerment programme.
He said the women were selected from across the 34 local government areas and were empowered to raise nurseries with a view to setting up plantations in the future.
Matazu said the state plans to export the moringa leaves and oil, which have nutritional and medicinal values.
Kano
The Police Command in Kano State, has warned against the use of knockout and other fireworks in the state.
The warning was issued by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Charge of Sabon- Gari, Mr Shuaibu Bello, a Chief Superintendent of Police, during a stakeholders meeting in Kano.
Bello said the command had observed the rampant use of knockout and fireworks during festive periods in the state.
He advised parents, guardians, religious leaders and ward heads, to caution their children and followers against the trend as the law banning fireworks and knockout is still in force.
The DPO warned that the command would not hesitate to deal with anyone caught.
Kebbi
Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, will spend about N95.7million on fresh and reaccreditation of courses.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, said in, Kebbi, that the National Universities Commission (NUC) would conduct the exercise on Nov. 25.
“The accreditation of courses in universities is a national issue and we cannot be an exception. With the release of funds from the State Government, we hope to fulfil all requirements for sustained academic and administrative activities,” he said. He said 10 programmes would be subjected to the re-accreditation process, while four courses would be accredited for the first time.
Zuru commended the State Government for releasing the funds. He said the money had enabled the institution to rehabilitate its infrastructure as well as improve facilities for academic and administrative work.
Kwara
A former Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Babatunde Mohammed has canvassed first line charge for the Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils in Nigeria.
He said on Monday that the measure would further deepen democracy and promote good governance.
The former speaker said that the Houses of Assembly under the present dispensation needed to discharge their duties diligently.
Mohammed also called for the abolition of State/ Local Government Joint Accounts as it will accelerate development at the grassroots. He said that the present dispensation had caused some drawbacks on governance at the local government level, noting that non-performance was inevitable.
Ogun
The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has called for constitutional role for traditional rulers as well as the creation of Ijebu State. Adetona made the call during a presentation at the public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution in East Ogun Senatorial District, held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun. Awujale said the current constitution had no role for traditional institution, in spite of its important and relevant contributions to the development of the nation. The monarch said before the arrival of the colonial masters, traditional rulers governed and administered their kingdoms and communities. “There is therefore need for a defined role for traditional rulers in our constitution. “This should include but not limited to their respective state and local government areas, without prejudice to whatever national roles they may be invited to play in the interest of the nation.“
Oyo
The Country Manager of Harvest Plus in Nigeria, said Mr Paul Ilona said the organization planned to reach about 1.8 million Nigerian households by 2016 with fortified Vitamin A maize. Ilona in Ibadan on Monday that the programme would reach 25,000 households in the first year.
He said that the plan was to multiply intensively the bio-fortified maize crops so that by 2014, many households would be reached. “Before the end of phase two of our bio-fortification programme, which will continue till 2018, we want to reach out to about eight million Nigerians who should be planting bio-fortified crops. “For now, our areas of focus in Nigeria are cassava and maize, but in the near future we will bring fortified millet.” Ilona said. He said the fortified maize would also complement the nutrients in the diet of the rural poor.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.
