Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government said last Wednesday that it would provide 40,000 doses of Misoprostol tablets and Chlorhexidine tubes in all the primary health centres in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the state’s Primary Health Development Agency (BSPHDCA), made this known in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
He said that this would reduce maternal and infant mortality rate in the state.
According to him, research findings have confirmed that bleeding after child birth is a major cause of maternal mortality in pregnant women, while infant deaths are mostly caused by infections through their cords.
Benue
A 26-year-old man, Mohammed Sani, was last Wednesday convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment by a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court for theft of motorcycle.
The Magistrate, Franca Yuwa, invoked Section 157(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to convict Sani for theft punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code.
The police prosecutor, Mike Eweh, told the court that one Johnson Imeh, of Nyiman Makurdi, reported the case.
He said that the complainant had reported that he parked his motorcycle in front of his house but was later stolen.
FCT
The Deputy Director, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), last Wednesday urged the corps members in Kuje, FCT, to comply with electoral laws during the Area Council Election.
She made this call in an interview with newsmen at an awareness campaign on elections for corps members in Kuje.
Iloebe said the exercise was to sensitise the NYSC Corps members on the dangers of violating electoral laws during the forth-coming Area Council election on the March 16.
“The awareness is a clarion call for the corps members to contribute their quota towards national development through free and fair elections.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government last Wednesday announced the establishment of a new state university.
The Commissioner for Information, Youths and Sports, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, made this known when he briefed newsmen after the State Executive Council meeting in Dutse.
He said that the new university would be situated in Kafin-Hausa town, Kafin-Hausa Local Government area of the state.
Ibrahim said that the School of Remedial Studies established in 2011 and sited in that area, would be part of the programmes that would be run in the university.
Kano
The Kano State Government says it will rehabilitate 35 out of the existing 198 kilometres of shelter belt in the state this year.
Acting Coordinator, Kano State Afforestation Project, Alhaji Musa Shu’aibu, told newsmen last Wednesday in Kano that the government earmarked certain amount of money in this year’s budget for the project.
He said that rehabilitation of the shelter belt was part of efforts being made by the government to control desert encroachment.
“A similar project was carried out last year in which the government expended N15 million on the rehabilitation of 50 kilometres of shelter belt in four local government areas of the state,’’ he said.
Kogi
The Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, last Wednesday approved the appointment of Prince Ndakwo Ameh Oboni as the new Attah Igala.
This is contained in a statement issued in Lokoja by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy.
The statement said that the appointment of Oboni followed due process and was in accordance with Igala tradition and native laws guiding succession to the throne.
It added that the appointment was with immediate effect.
The Kwara State House of Assembly on Wednesday approved the removal of the Chairman, Governing Council of the Kwara State College of Education, IIorin, Alhaji Musa Yeketi. This resolution followed the report of its joint Committee on Education and Ethics, Privileges and Judiciary on the facts surrounding the suspension of the chairman.
Lagos
A 24-year-old woman, Maria Nwanche, has pleaded with an Agege Customary Court, Lagos, to dissolve her seven-year-old marriage over battery and threat to life.
The petitioner, who lives at 27, Market Road, Agege, told the court that her marriage broke down when she realised that her husband, Emmanuel Nwanche, had “faked’’ love for her.
“My seven years has been hell living with this man. He has made life unbearable for me, if I continue with Emmanuel; he might end up taking my life.
“My husband beats me at every slight argument, he does not respect my feelings, he took me for granted because he married me when I was still in secondary school.
Niger
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Minna had said it is being owed N8.6 billion by consumers in Minna and its environs.
The Business Manager, Minna Business Unit, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
Garba said that the PHCN had commenced the authentication of all bills owed by each consumer so as to remove over estimation and over billing to enable them pay their electricity bills.
Oyo
The police in Ibadan last Wednesday arraigned two men, Muyideen Nurudeen and Akeem Salami, before an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly snatching bag containing valuable items.
The Prosecutor, Mrs Olookoba Bola, told the court that the accused persons snatched a bag belonging to one Seriki Folake.
The bag allegedly contained N15, 000 cash, Starcom OTS valued at N3, 500, a cell Phone valued at N6, 000, a driving licence and a GTbank ATM card.
The prosecutor said that the accused also stole a Nokia 305 valued at N13, 000 belonging to one Ekunseyitan Victoria.
Plateau
The Chief Medical Director of Jos University Teaching Hospital, has challenged patients to promptly report any “unprofessional conduct’’ by medical personnel to the hospital authorities.
“I have always said it and will always repeat it. We have a SERVICOM unit ready to listen to complaints from patients that have not been well served. It is your right to be served. It is not a privilege. So, report any abuse by medical doctors or any other personnel here.
“Sometimes, some of them can complain, but when you ask them to tell you the defaulting medical doctor, they will tell you they do not want any one to lose his job. This is bad and certainly not helpful,’’ he said.
While noting that Nigeria’s law allowed its medical doctors, like their counterparts worldwide, to own private medical outfits, added that such laws also regulated the practice.
Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Wednesday called for inter-agency collaboration to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.
Abubakar III, specifically advocated the synergy between the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), to further combat poverty.
“Not that I am calling for their scrapping or merger rather they should work hand-in-glove as they have similar mandates.
“They should have an efficient inter-link among themselves. They all have the same aims of engaging more Nigerians meaningfully.
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.