Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
A lawmaker in Adamawa State, Mr Wafarninyi Theman,
has accused the state government of deliberately under funding the state’s Auditor General Office to frustrate it from functioning properly.
Theman who is Chairman of the state House of Assembly Committee on Public Account, made the allegation while interrogating the state Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Vokna, who was summoned to the plenary.
He alleged that the ministry was also killing the state planning commission and described the state government’s response to a recent effort by the House to improve local revenue as “unbecoming and frustrating”.
Responding to the allegations, the state Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Vokna, said no department or agency was marginalised or deprived of funding by the state government.
Ekiti
President Goodluck Jonathan said his party, the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), would win the June 21 governorship election in Ondo.
Jonathan who spoke at the formal presentation of the party’s flag to its governorship candidate in the state, Mr Ayo Fayose, in Ado-Ekiti said that his optimism was based on the tumultuous crowd that trooped out to welcome his entourage right from Akure Airport en route Ado-Ekiti.
Jonathan said that he was thrilled by the crowd, saying the party’s candidate could not afford to lose the poll if such display of affection translated to votes.
The President had also visited top Ekiti traditional rulers, who converged at the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, where he promised to transform the Akure-Ikere-Ado-Ekiti federal road into a dual carriage one.
FCT
President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated his
administration’s resolve to strengthen local governments’ ability to meet their developmental goals, especially the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Jonathan said this when he received a delegation of the board members of the Membership of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum in the State House, Abuja.
Represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, the president commended the forum for entrenching values that enhance and consolidate democracy and the rule of law at the local governments’ level.
The president reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government toward enhancing democracy and improving governance at all levels.
Jigawa
The Miga Local Government Council in Jigawa State said
last Tuesday that it had trained 200 youth in modern agriculture.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’idu, who made this known in an interview at Miga, said that the youths were trained in crop production, agro processing, fishing and irrigation, among others.
He said that the gesture was to reduce unemployment among youths in the area adding that the training was designed to also reduce rural-urban migration.
“With this training, our youths will no longer be going to states like Kano, Lagos and Abuja to look for money as commercial motorcyclists. “They will also not agree to be used as thugs by politicians since they will be engaged with their farming activities,” he said.
Kaduna
The Federal Road Safety Corps in Kaduna says more
than 153 commercial vehicle drivers in the state have so far undergone free medical tests to ascertain their health conditions.
Commander of the corps in the state, Mr Michael Olagunju, in a statement on Saturday, signed on his behalf by the Public Education Officer, Mr Dajangla Martins, said that the exercise was necessitated by the rise in cases of avoidable road traffic crashes involving commercial drivers.
According to him, it is hoped that the exercise will alert drivers on their state of health, to enable them seek medication where necessary adding that the need to reduce road traffic crashes by 15 per cent, and fatality by 25 per cent, in line with 2014 Strategic Goal.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government said it produced 900,000
tree-seedlings for planting as part of measures to combat desert encroachment in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Isahaku Daudu, said on Thursday, in Birnin Kebbi that the seedlings would be distributed freely to the people.
Daudu was speaking while planting trees at strategic locations in the state capital to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
He said that the ministry in collaboration with SURE-P planted trees over 84 sq km along major roads, and over 86 sq km in desert-prone local government areas of the state.
Daudu appealed to the people to stop tree-felling, and urged them to plant trees, warning that violators would be prosecuted.
Kwara
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State said no
fewer than 80, 000 people have benefitted from the low premium health insurance scheme of his administration.
Ahmed made this known at the inauguration of Ilorin General Hospital which was renovated and upgraded to a secondary healthcare centre.
The governor said the state government would extend the scheme to every local government area in the state within the next five years.
According to him, a patient needed to pay N500 premium to enjoy the state’s community health insurance scheme.
Lagos
The academia and some politicians last Saturday extolled
the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, describing her as a courageous and brave woman, who excelled in academics and politics.
Prof. Grace Alele-Williams, one-time Vice-Chancellor, of the University of Benin, said Akunyili was a courageous woman, who stood for the truth in spite of the consequences
throughout her life time. “I hope that her legacy will be emulated not only by her children, but by women in Nigeria that whenever they are called to hold executive positions, they will give it their best, “ she said. The Chairman Multi-Media Centre, University of Lagos, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye,said that Akunyili would be missed by the academia , health sector and the country in general.
Nasarawa
No fewer than 35 persons in Nasarawa State have so far
received free surgical services from Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation .
The Director of the Foundation, Dr Seidu Bello, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lafia at the official opening of the exercise at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia.
Bello said “the surgical festival is designed to bring succour to Nigerians who, for no fault of theirs, are suffering from facial deformities.’’
Ondo
A former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly,
Mr Kele Bolodeoku, has described the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, as the vehicle that brought enduring democracy to the country.
The former lawmaker called on the Federal Government to ensure that Abiola was celebrated by all, adding that the elite who were responsible for Abiola’s travails had refused to accord him deserved recognition.
Bolodeoku, who said Abiola’s contribution to the nation’s political growth had remained enduring, called for true and genuine reconciliation said the on-going national conference would address certain salient political and economic issues.
The former lawmaker, however, called on the Federal Government to tackle corruption, saying “ we have to tackle the issue of corruption if we are to move forward as a nation.’’
“The struggle for power by politicians is not for the love of the masses.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government said last Saturday that it
had approved N331.63 million for the sponsorship of 164 medical and engineering students to Sudan.
In a statement signed by the Information Officer of the State Scholarship Board, Malam Isa Shuni, in Sokoto, it listed Khartoum College of Medical Sciences, Afhad University for Women, Nahda International College, International University of Africa and National University as the institutions where the students would be admitted.
It said that the gesture was to offer training to selected students from the state in selective fields of medical sciences adding that the gesture covers the cost of tuition, registration, transportation and other needs of the students.
The statement quoted the Chairman of the board, Alhaji Jelani Kalgo, as saying that Gov. Aliyu Wamakko had since approved the release of the funds.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government said it had achieved 96 per
cent coverage in routine immunization in the state, through the engagement of members of local communities in areas with daunting security challenges.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Kawuwa, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu said “Government engaged locals in areas with security challenges to carry out the exercise, using health promotion teams for a follow-up to ensure that no part of the state was left out’’, he said.
The commissioner said government had not relented in renovating and equipping the 12 General Hospitals and eight Comprehensive Health Centres across the state, in addition to engaging specialised personnel.
“We are in partnership with specialists from University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, in Yobe, among others, to provide specialised manpower to the hospitals, and to make health care delivery accessible and affordable in the state.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State (2nd left) and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (2nd right), arriving at the venue of APC National Convention in Abuja last Saturday.
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.