Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) has opened new operation offices in Adamawa, Edo and Kano states in its efforts to bring disaster management closer to communities and reduce response time, its Director General, Muhammad Sani Sidi, announced.
Sidi made the announcement in a statement issued by Mr Sani Datti, the Media and Public Relations Officer of the agency in Yola.
He stated that “as the agency saddled with responsibility of coordinating disaster management and related matters, NEMA is making efforts to build stakeholders’ capacity and appropriate mechanism to address various facets of disaster risk reduction.”
He explained that the mechanisms being put in place to reduce disaster risks were prevention, mitigation, preparedness, quick response and recovery.
FCT
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe
Kachikwu, has urged parastatal agencies under the ministry to develop a roadmap for self funding of their activities within the next three to four years.
A statement by Head of Press, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Kalu Otisi in Abuja yesterday, stated that Kachikwu gave the charge while inspecting PTDF’s upgraded projects in PTI Effurum Delta-State.
“ According to the statement, facilities inspected by the minister included an ultra-modern laboratory complex, a one- stop laboratory for research and training in diverse areas of onshore and offshore operations.
Other projects are facilities for exploration, drilling and production provided by PTDF, a demonstration training land rig with flow station rehabilitated and made functional by PTDF and the latest drilling simulators, welding and mechanical workshops.
Kachikwu, accompanied by some senior officials of the ministry including the new Executive Secretary of PTDF, Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau, commended the Fund for the rigorous implementation of its capacity building programmes.
Ibadan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Office has arraigned in a Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti an illegal polytechnic operator.
The alleged illegal operator, Johnson Babatola was arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo on a 7-count charge bordering on Advance fee fraud and operation of illegal Polytechnic.
Babatola, a former Principal Manager of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado-Ekiti branch pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The EFCC said that the suspect was arrested following a petition from the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna, alleging that he was operating an illegal Polytechnic named Teedek Polytechnic at Ilogbo, Ekiti State.
The board said that the accused had allegedly extorted gullible students, who were not aware of the status of the institution.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Board of Internal Revenue has ad
vised vehicles owners in the state whose number plates had faded and no longer identifiable, to replace them.
The Coordinator of Road Taxes of the board, Alhaji Salisu Sani, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Dutse yesterday.
Sani said that vehicles with such faded number plates could be used to commit crimes since the information on them was no longer visible.
“We want to urge such vehicle owners to, as quickly as possible, replace the faded numbers.
“This is because such numbers are no longer identifiable, and as such, some criminals can hide under that and commit certain crimes.
“And the replacement can also help the board to generate more revenue for our dear state,” Sani said.
Kaduna
The Provost, College of Agriculture and Animal Sci
ence, Mondo, Dr Balarabe Jahun, says diversification to agriculture by government is the right direction to pull Nigeria out of economic rot.
Jahun told newsmen in Kaduna that, if Nigeria can produce over 50 per cent of its agricultural needs, it would reduce the country’s challenges and ensure stability.
According to him, self sufficiency in food production and export of the excess will boost the economy, increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product and create employment.
The provost said that Nigeria has the capacity to produce all it required and export the surplus.
Kano
The authorities of Bayero University, Kano, have con
firmed the release of its lecturer, Mr Saminu Aliyu-Kiri, who was kidnapped in Kaduna State on Thursday night.
The Director, Public Affairs of the university, Malam Ahmed Shehu, confirmed the release of the abducted lecturer in an interview with newsmen in Kano.
Shehu said the lecturer, who regained his freedom on October 7, had since been reunited with his family in Kano.
“As I am talking to you now, the lecturer has regained his freedom since Friday, October 7, and reunited with his family,” he said.
Shehu, who, did not state whether ramson was paid before the release, said it was by the miracle of God that the lecturer regained his freedom.
Kebbi
The Fidelity Youth Empowerment Academy yesterday
began training of 500 youths on skill acquisition, digital media and enterprise in Kebbi.
Our correspondent reports that the academy is carrying out the exercise in Birnin Kebbi in collaboration with the Gazzalle Academy Vocational Centre.
The Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc., Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, said at the commencement of the training that the five-day programme was part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Okonkwo, represented by an official of the bank, Malam Abdulrahman Ibrahim, said that the initiative would produce a new breed of Nigerian entrepreneurs.
Lagos
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has
ordered the immediate demolition of all shanties around the creeks and on the waterways.
Ambode gave the order when he visited the Ilubirin LagosHomes project during an inspection tour of some parts of the state.
He asked all illegal occupants of the shanties to leave within seven days and stressed that the safety of citizens was paramount, hence the government’s zero tolerance for kidnapping and other crimes.
Ambode assured residents that government would review the laws on kidnapping and promised prompt and quick rescue of the students and teachers of Igbonla Model College, Epe, kidnapped on Thursday in their school.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Judiciary yesterday constituted
five appeal panels to review 127 judgments delivered by lower courts in the state.
The state Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, announced this at the inauguration of 2016 Second Call-Over Special Appeal Session at the State High Court in Keffi.
“The 127 cases to be reviewed include; 81 civil cases and 46 criminal cases,” Dikko said.
He added that out of the 127 cases, 102 were old cases, while 39 were new.
Niger
Niger State government said it will discontinue the
payment of West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO), fees for its students in Secondary Schools in the state.
Governor Sani Bello of Niger, disclosed this yesterday when he visited Justice Legbo Kutigi Secondary School to inspect the ongoing renovation of the school in Lavun local government areas of the state.
Bello said that government can not continue to pay N800 million every year for students that only 5 per cent of them are able to pass with four credits.
Ogun
The Ogun State government has urged residents liv
ing in areas severely affected by flood to relocate in order to guide against loss of lives and property.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Bolaji Oyeleye, made the plea in a statement yesterday in Abeokuta.
According to him, some of the affected areas include: Kara, Isheri, Denro, Akute, Wawa and Warewa, all in Ifo and Obafemi Owode Local Government Areas of the state.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, has called
on the Federal Government to rehabilitate the Zari’a-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto highway.
The governor made the call in Sokoto when he received the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who paid him a courtesy visit.
He said that the call became necessary in view of the importance of the highway which links almost all the states in the North-west geopolitical zone.
He thanked the Federal Government for the on-going rehabilitation of Sokoto-Jega-Kontagora road.
Yobe
The Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajia Khadija
Ibrahim, donated 5,136 (50kg) bags of rice to Yobe Government as intervention to Internally Displaced Personss in Gujba Local Government Area and it environs to improve standard of living.
Ibrahim handed over the commodity in Gujba area of Yobe.
She said the the aim of the intervention was to alleviate the plight of the people affected by the activities of insurgents in the Northeast.
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.