Nation
THE STATES
FCT
Fast food operators in Gwarinpa, FCT, have called on the Federal Government to provide adequate power supply to boost their businesses as the holiday Easter approaches.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, some of the operators said epileptic power supply in the area had adversely affected their businesses.
The Marketing Manager Chicken-n-Side, Mr Fujah Ahmed said that the business areas in the estate were not getting up to eight hours regular power supply daily in recent times.
He said that they were using generators in running their businesses, adding that this had eaten deep into their profits as a result of the huge money spent on fuel.
Gombe
Gombe State Government is to spend N4 billion for the construction of a holiday resort in Tula, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Bulus Samuel, has said.
The commissioner told newsmen in Gombe that the resort would be an avenue for revenue generation.
“I believe the resort will attract the attention of tourists from within and outside the country, ‘’he said.
Samuel said that the security challenges facing the North-East zone would not prevent government from developing its tourism potential.
He said that although the security challenges had caused a setback economically, government would ensure that the tourism potential of the state was developed.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government says said it has paid N302 million to the International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) to facilitate implementation of community-based Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (CBARDP).
This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Salihi Birnin-Kudu, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the programme and made available to newsmen in Dutse.
The statement explained that the payment was for the state and local governments’ counter-part funding to the IFAD-CBARDP programme.
It said the amount was provided to fast track the execution of agriculture and empowerment projects in nine participating local government areas of the state.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government last Thursday said that it spent N1 billion in its first phase of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) across the state.
The state SURE-P Chairman, Mr Timothy Gandu, made this known when he addressed newsmen at the commencement of the screening exercise of the programme in Zaria.
Gandu, who is also the Commissioner for Economic Planning, explained that the amount covered purchase of buses, taxis and tricycles which were meant for onward distribution to beneficiaries.
“The total cost of the project so far is something in the neighbourhood of a billion naira plus from all the items, administrative cost and everything.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government says it would construct 2,000 houses between 2013 and 2014.
The Commissioner for Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Maikudi, made this known when he conducted a delegation from the Nigeria Leadership Initiative round projects executed by Governor Ibrahim Shema.
Maikudi said that the 2,000 houses would be sold to interested indigenes of the state at subsidised prices.
He said the special discount would enable more indigenes to acquire personal houses, noting that the state government had within five years constructed 1,772 houses.
The commissioner pointed out that the houses had been sold to civil servants at 50 per cent discount.
Maikudi said that the houses comprised two and three-bedrooms flat constructed at Barhin and Makera areas, respectively in Katsina metropolis.
Kebbi
The committee set up to recruit teachers in Kebbi State says it has uncovered fake certificates from the applicants.
A member of the recruitment committee, Alhaji Jibril Yahaya, made the revelation during an interview session in Jegal Local Government Area recently.
Yahaya, who did not reveal the number and category of the fake certificates, said that the applicants would be prosecuted.
“The committee uncovered that fake certificates have been presented by applicants during the interview sittings in Argungu.
“We have now resolved that necessary action will be adopted on such applicants,’’ he said.
Lagos
The Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), has urged the Waste Managers Association of Nigeria (WEMASON) to formulate policies that will assist in tackling the numerous waste challenges in the state.
The Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Ola Oresanya made the call while speaking with newsmen in Lagos.
Oresanya stressed that Nigeria needed to develop an internally generated policy for managing waste in the country.
He identified challenges to proper waste management as weak institutions, leading to poor implementation of policies.
Ogun
Two men, Ahmed Sabitu (22) and Kazeem Oluwole (18) were last Thursday sentenced to two years imprisonment each by an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court for assault and stealing planks valued at N40,000.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Ozimini, told the court that the offence was committed on March 3 at about 10 p.m at Lafenwa Sawmill in Abeokuta.
He said that the convicts stole the planks at the Sawmill and assaulted one Seun Ojelabi, the guard on duty, who sighted and accosted them while stealing the planks.
“The convicts hit Ojelabi with sticks on his head and injured him when he saw them and asked what they were doing in the Sawmill.
Ondo
Five persons were arraigned before an Ilutitun Magistrate’s Court, Ondo State, for conspiracy and unlawful damage of a house.
The police prosecutor, Insp. Emmanuel Omole, alleged that the accused persons, Lanre Ayetan, 27, Babalola Ayetan, 33, Iyi Ayetan, 35, Funmilola Ayetan, 33, and Bola Omolewa, 40, committed the offences on February 6, 2013.
“About 3:48 p.m. on Tirenioluwa Street in the Ilutitun Magisterial District, the five accused conspired together and unlawfully damaged the house of one Akinkuolere Edakoya, valued at N520,500,” he said.
Omole said the offences were contrary to and punishable under sections 516(A) and 451 respectively of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State last Thursday asked the Defence Headquarters to monitor activities of men of the Special Task Force (STF) to ensure that their operations were within the rules of their engagement.
The STF is saddled with maintaining the peace in Plateau as well as Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Governments in Bauchi State.
Jang, who was represented by his Deputy, Ignatius Longjan, spoke in Jos when a delegation from the Defence Headquarters, Abuja led by Commodore Yusuf Hela, paid him a courtesy visit.
“The STF men must strive to operate by the rules of its engagement. This is very necessary to erode public skepticisms on their operations of late.
Taraba
Taraba State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it trained 40 of its members on modern skills in negotiation with employers, to improve the working conditions of workers.
The Chairman of the union, Mr. Mark Ishaku, said this in Jalingo at a one-day workshop on “grass root peace and Industrial harmony”, organised by the union.
“Gone are the days when industrial relation was characterised by confrontation which is counter productive.
“Modern approach requires rigorous consultations between workers and employers in resolving labour disputes,” he said.
Zamfara
The Provost of Zamfara College of Education, Maru, Alhaji Muhammad Dankande, has commended UNICEF for providing scholarship to train 100 female students of the college to become teachers.
Dankande made the commendation recently in Maru in an interview with newsmen.
He said that UNICEF deserved commendation considering its sponsorship of the students under its programme of training rural female teachers.
He said that the programme would help in assisting the less-privileged ones to enrol in schools.
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.