Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has pre
sented an Appropriation Bill of N133.7 billion for the 2014 fiscal year to the House of Assembly.
Presenting the budget at the floor of the house in Bauchi, Yuguda said that N65 billion would be spent on recurrent and 68 billion on capital expenditures.
He explained that the budget was based on the predication of oil production of 2.5 million barrels per day at a bench mark of 75 dollars per barrel and a “robust and efficient system of internally generated revenue collection”.
He said the revenue profile consists of Statutory Allocation, N67.7 billion; Value Added Tax, N10 billion; Internally- Generated Revenue, N9.4 and Capital Receipts, N7.2 billion.
Borno
The President of Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ), Mohammed Garba, has cautioned INEC against taking hasty decision on 2015 elections in states affected by emergency rule.
Garba said this during a courtesy call on Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State at the Government House, Maiduguri.
He said rather than conclude on postponing elections in the states, INEC should conduct research to find out the true situations in the states.
“My plea to INEC is that we hope this is not a ploy to truncate democracy.
“INEC should find out the true situation in the state by seeing things for itself before taking a decision on the issue,’’ Garba said
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned against sale and purchase of “toy guns” during the yuletide season.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command, Mr. Afolabi Tolulope told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, that the command had observed that, possession of “toy guns” either in the open or secretly, could cause apprehension in the minds of the people, considering the state of security challenges in the country.
He assured that the command, in pursuit of its constitutional role, would also guide against attempts on public properties by any individual or group, under whatever guise.
FCT
The Zimbabwean Government has given foreign in
vestors in the country up to January 1 to comply with its indigenisation policy.
The Zimbabwean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Mabed Ngulani, told newsmen in Abuja that the government had not gone back on its decision to ensure that investors comply with the directive.
Ngulani, however, denied media reports that government had given a quit notice to foreign investors in the country.
“Let me make a clarification, Zimbabwe has not given an ultimatum to anybody, Zimbabwe has not given an ultimatum to Nigerians and to the Chinese, the story came in the media.
Gombe
Gombe State Government said it had begun the reg
istration of miners in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Science and Mineral Development, Alhaji Babagoro Abdulkadir, told newsmen in Gombe, that the exercise would generate data base of miners for socio-economic development of the state.
He said that the registration would show the specific activities of the miners, considering the vast nature of the sector.
Kaduna
Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State has called for
the support and cooperation of the northern elders to ensure the growth, unity and development of the nation.
Yero made the call in Kaduna at a book presentation/fund raising on MD Yusuf, “Nagarta Cikin Aminci,” written by Abubakar Maijinyawa.
The governor also called on the people in the region to be united and speak with one voice, rather than allow ethno-religious differences to divide them.
He urged the younger generation to emulate the good virtues of the elders for the growth of the nation.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Agricultural and Rural Development
Agency, said it registered104, 525 farmers under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES).
A Director in the agency, Alhaji Abubakar Lolo, told newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi that the figure was a quantum leap from the 65,000 that were registered before now.
He said the registered farmers would be provided fertilisers for the dry and wet season farming periods.
According to him, the increase in the number of registered farmers is sequel to the discovery by the federal authorities that the state has performed well in the scheme.
Kogi
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has presented a N128.7
billion Appropriation Bill for consideration by the state House of Assembly for the 2014 fiscal year.
Presenting the bill on the floor of the House in Lokoja, Wada said the amount was N3.9 billion or 2.98 per cent lower than the N132. 67 billion appropriated for 2013 fiscal year.
He said that over N58.7 billion was for recurrent expenditure, while N70.02 billion would be expended on capital projects.
Wada said that N79.6 billion would be generated from recurrent sources, while N49.1billion was expected from capital receipts.
Lagos
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called
for effective survey of building projects for structural stability.
Fashola made the call in Lagos at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Lagos Branch of Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS).
Fashola, represented by Mr Babatunde Hunpe, his Special Adviser on Rural Development, also enjoined surveyors to adhere to the ethics of their profession and also ensure standards.
According to him, provision of efficient services by surveyors will assist in preventing structural defects in buildings.
Ogun
The Police in Ogun State have arraigned two men,
Wasiu Bakare, 26; and Fatai Arowoseleaye, 21, before a Magistrates’ Court in Ota over alleged threat to life.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp Olajide Michael, told the court that the accused and others at large committed the offence on December 10 at about 3.00 a.m.at Olukotun Street, Ota.
Michael said that the accused and others at large stole N75,000 belonging to one Adeyemi Ayinde and threatened to kill him with a cutlass.
He said that the offences contravened sections 86, 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Revised Law of Ogun, 2006.
Oyo
A 43-year old security guard, Sunday Eje, was
dragged before an Ibadan Chief Magistrate’s Court at Iyaganku for alleged stealing from a warehouse he was employed to guard.
The accused person was docked over a two-count charge of alleged breaking-in and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp Samad Aliu, said Eje, who was employed to guard a warehouse, allegedly broke into and entered the warehouse, property of one Hachem Safieddine.
Aliu alleged that Eje stole the sum of N4 million property of his employer, Safieddine.
He said the offence was committed on December 3, at 10: 00 p.m . at Adegoke Area, Ibadan.
Zamfara
The British American Tobacco Nigeria Founda
tion, an NGO, last Wednesday donated a solar-powered borehole to Sungawa community in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.
Presenting the certificate of the facility to the Commissioner of Water Resources in the state, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr Oluwasoromi George, said that the effort was aimed at saving the community from water borne diseases, especially cholera.
The executive director, who was represented by the General Manager, Mrs Abimbola Okoya, said that the project costs the foundation over N5.7 million.
Okoya urged members of the community to ensure its protection against misuse and vandals.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (left), presenting 2014 Budget to the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs Monsurat Sunmonu, in Ibadan last Thursday.
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.