Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi Territorial Headquarters of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) said it generated over N25 million as revenue in 2010.
The Area Postal Manager, Alhaji Dauda Musa, made the disclosure on Wednesday in an interview with our correspondent in Bauchi.
He said that the increase in the use of mobile telecommunications had not affected the services rendered by NIPOST.
Musa explained further that the organisation was able to meet its financial target in 2010.
He also confirmed that about 300 cargo luggages belonging to Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia had been dispatched to their owners.
“In 2010, we were able to achieve our target because people continued to patronise our services.
“The existence of mobile telecommunications did not make our customers stop patronising us and as a result, 2010 was a successful year for us,” he said.
The NIPOST Territorial Manager expressed gratitude to the Bauchi State Government for its continued support and patronage.
Ekiti
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ekiti State yesterday secured the conviction of 275 persons who contravened road traffic laws during the yuletide.
They were among the 310 offenders arrested by the Ekiti command of the corps.
Seven mobile courts, headed by magistrates, sat simultaneously in Ado-Ekiti, Ikole-Ekiti, Ifaki-Ekiti, Aramoko-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti, Omuo-Ekiti and Ado/Ikare road to try the offenders.
During the trial, 120 persons were convicted for riding motorcycles without helmets while 155 were found guilty of violating the seat belt and number plate rules as well as overloading.
The magistrates fined the convicts between N500 and N3,000 as stipulated in the road safety laws.
Speaking with our correspondent after the trial, the Sector Commander of the corps, Mr Francis Udoma, said the offenders were arrested by officials of the command at various locations in the state.
FCT
The Minister of Finance, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has described a recent letter by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of the nation’s economy as “mischievous and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts”.
He told State House Correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday that the letter, dated Jan. 2, was “a desperate attempt to mislead the electorate with a view to making political gains ahead of the 2011 general elections”.
Aganga said: “Atiku, who is contesting the PDP presidential primaries with Jonathan, purportedly wrote the letter berating the Nigerian economy.
“I will not want to believe that the letter was written by Abubakar. For an individual with aspirations to govern the country to resort to outright lies and misrepresentation to seek cheap political points, is regrettable,” he said.
The minister said Nigerian economy had continued to grow, both the oil and non-oil sectors, and outperformed many global economies.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Agricultural Development Project (KADP) has said that the targets of the Community Based Agricultural and Rural Development (CBARD) programme for 2010 were achieved.
The KADP Programme Manager, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kasum, spoke through the Head of the Media Unit, Mr Shehu Aliyu.
Kasum told newsmen in Kaduna yesterday that the targets included equipment procurement, capacity building and production development.
Others were provision and distribution of farm inputs, community development and extension services.
Kasum said that the KADP carried out a successful management, monitoring and evaluation services in the participating local governments of the state.
Kano
The Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, says he has administered the state to the best of his ability.
Shekarau, at an interactive session with newsmen on Wednesday in Kano, expressed satisfaction with the way and manner he discharged his mandate to the people of the state.
The two-term governor, however, noted that governance was a continuous affair, saying that subsequent administrations would build on his achievements.
“I am aware of criticisms of my administration by some people but there will always be agitations for more service.
“I am sure by the time we leave government, there will still be a lot of things undone; there will still be a lot of things we would have wished to do, but probably we are unable to do,” the governor said.
He expressed happiness for improving the situation he met “in virtually all sectors”.
Katsina
A Malumfashi Chief Magistrate’s Court in Katsina State, has sentenced a 30-year-old commercial vehicle driver, Nasiru Lawal, to 14 months imprisonment for mischief and breach of trust.
Lawal, a resident of Kurnan Asabe, Kano was convicted on Wednesday by the court after he had pleaded guilty to the two-count charges.
The Prosecuting Police Officer, Mr Garba Magaji, had earlier told the court that one Alhaji Sani Bature of Aston Road, Kano, complained to the police that he entrusted his articulated tanker with registration number XE 253 GWL to the convict.
Magaji said the convict stopped a tanker loaded with petroleum product from Lagos to Kano on the way and dishonestly dispossessed part of the product valued at N390,000 at Yar’tasha Village in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it is discussing with the Italian government on partnering for effective anti-money laundering and global drugs control.
In a statement by the NDLEA spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Agency’s Chairman, Mr Ahmed Giade was quoted as saying the move was aimed at tightening the noose on illicit drug syndicates seeking to operate in Nigeria.
The two parties, the statement said, had already had a first round of discussions where Giade was represented by the Agency’s Director of Administration and Finance, Dr. Daniel Ismaila.
Sokoto
The ECWA Church located in Wuse II, Abuja, has donated food items, clothing and foot wears worth more than N500,000 to the Sokoto flood victims.
The items were delivered to Dr Kulu Haruna, the Special Adviser to Governor Aliyu Wamakko on Relief Matters in Sokoto late on Tuesday.
Mr Mike Achimugu, the elder in charge of welfare at the church, presented the items to the governor’s aide on behalf of the Senior Pastor of the church, Rev. Barje Maigadi.
Achimugu said the donation was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the victims.
He prayed God to prevent a recurrence of the disaster.
While receiving the materials, Haruna commended the church for the provisions and gave assurance that they would be distributed to the victims equitably.
The items donated included 45 pieces of 50kg bags of rice , one carton of three-litre gallons of vegetable oil, six bags of used clothes as well as shoes and hand bags.
Yobe
One corps member died while 17 others sustained various degrees of injury in a road accident on Jos-Bauchi-Damaturu-Maiduguri Federal Highway.
The accident occurred on Tuesday, when the bus conveying the corps members to Damaturu from Jos, after the New Year holidays had a burst tyre and somersaulted.
Alhaji Habu Sani, Secretary of Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, told our correspondent that one of the corps members died on the spot.
He said two of the corps members sustained serious injuries while others suffered various degrees of injury.
The accident occurred at about three kilometers to Damaturu following a burst tyre.
”They were said to have hired the bus in Jos to convey them to Damaturu and Maiduguri but unfortunately they had the accident just before reaching Damaturu,” Sani said.
He said some of the victims were receiving treatment at the Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, while the two with severe injuries had been referred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Julius Berger Maintains Commitment to Timely Delivery with Holiday Work Schedule In the spirit of progress and dedication, workers on the Bodo-Bonny Road project, a transformative construction project awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, have continued their efforts undeterred by the Yuletide season. For many, the opportunity to contribute to the development of their communities through this landmark infrastructure project is a source of pride and fulfillment.
The 37.9 km road project, which connects Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area to Bonny Island in Rivers State, stands as a beacon of hope for the operational communities.
Julius Berger’s workforce, comprising a significant number of local indigenes, has been steadfast in their commitment to ensuring the project’s timely completion despite the challenging technical and logistical demands
The construction of this critical infrastructure requires specialized techniques and construction methodologies, including extensive sand filling for soil stabilization, to ensure a suitable foundation for construction.
The project also necessitates meticulous planning and coordination by the workforce and their supervisors, further underscoring the skill and precision involved in executing this project.During the holiday season, workers were seen diligently engaged in other activities such as base course installation, and sand-cement stabilization at key sections, including Apha Creek Bridge and Opobo Channel Bridge, the sight of heavy equipment from leading manufacturers like Caterpillar and Volvo further revealed the scale and complexity of the project.
Speaking about the project, John Hart, a member of the project team from Gokana, shared the pride he and his colleagues feel about the project,
“This road means everything to us. It connects our people to opportunities and development. For those of us working here, it’s more than a job, it’s our contribution to building a future for our communities.
Even during the holidays, we’re happy to give our all.”
Appreciating the team’s dedication, The Project Manager, Tim Nippert noted that, “Our workforce continues to exceed expectations. Working through the holidays and navigating the difficult terrain demonstrates their resolve and passion for delivering this project. Their ability to maintain steady progress under these conditions is truly remarkable.”
The Bodo-Bonny Road project is a critical component of Nigeria’s infrastructure development agenda. Featuring a 2-lane road with hard shoulders, 17 bridges spanning 3,200 meters, and reinforced concrete pavement on Bonny Island, it is designed to overcome environmental challenges while improving connectivity and stimulating socio-economic growth.
In a bid to meaningfully engage secondary school students in Ogoniland during the Christmas holidays and beyond, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has trained them on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making.
This is even as the Project has partnered with the National Orientation Agency(NOA) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to keep the students away from crime and other related social vices during the Yuletide, by giving them pep talks that would put them on their toes during the period.
This came to the fore as HYPREP recently organised an Ogoni Young Men Mentorship programme and life skill workshop with the theme, ‘Career Coaching: Developing The Young Minds’ at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The beneficiaries of the programme are essentially members of environmental clubs in 13 schools in four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
At the event, both NOA and NDLEA gave career talks to the students, aimed at keeping them off social vices like drug abuse and addiction as well as negative peer influences through out the Christmas holidays and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey said the Project deemed it necessary to invite the National Orientation Agency and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to speak to the students in order to shield them from negative peer influences as they are preparing to go for the Christmas holidays.
He explained that the workshop would enable the students to know when the signs of the negative peer influences start coming.
Zabbey, who was represented at the occasion by HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, said the Project is not only going to train the beneficiaries but also give them the tools and skills that would grow them in the future so that they would start making money for themselves.
Also addressing the students, the Rivers State Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency(NOA), Mr Young Ayo-Tamuno expressed delight for meeting young minds, to discuss issues on values, describing it as a great opportunity.
He noted that there are seven values which constitute the role and commitment of the government towards the citizenry and another seven core values which constitute the code for the citizens.
While commending HYPREP for organising the event, Ayo-Tamuno said team work is key to making Nigeria a better place for all, as both the government and the citizens have their respective roles to play, with each staying committed and focused.
The Chief Programme Officer of NOA, Mr Henry Ayede was the one who actually mounted the rostrum and drilled the students on the seven core values embodied in the National Value Charter for citizens, and stressed the need for them to imbibe them and put them to practice as they grow up.
Ayede listed the values to include discipline, duty of care, leadership, tolerance and respect, transparency, environmental awareness and resilience.
He also underscored the need for the students to imbibe the spirit of hard work and dignity of labour, contending that while hard work and dedication contribute to success, every job can contribute to national development.
According to him, dignity in labour is the foundation of success.
On his part, Mr Bill Ebiokpo of the Media/ Advocacy Unit of NDLEA, who represented the Bori Area Commander of the agency, advised the students to guard against drug abuse and addiction, which he said have far reaching consequences.
The Principal of the Senior Secondary of Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Barrister Bob Agbozi thanked HYPREP for organising the programme, which he said enriched his knowledge and that of the students on the core values guiding the society, saying inculcating such values in young people and teaching them practical skills have contributed immensely to the greatness of advanced countries and even countries like Rwanda in Africa.
He noted that the career coaching would change the behavioral pattern of the students particularly during the Yuletide.
He also thanked NOA for the career talks and urged it to replicate the programme in other places, not only in schools but also in market places.
The training of the students on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making was anchored by an expert, MrsLekpa Abel, with HYPREP workers lending a helping hand.
It was, indeed, a practical session with the students, who came face to face with the production materials of the products.
Donatus Ebi
It was celebration galore as the people of Isu Community in Etche Local Government Area of River State held a civic reception in honour of the Council Chairman, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor .
The epoch- making ceremony which took place recently at the community ancestral home saw the attendance of the political class, the clergy, opinion leaders, the academia, youths, women, elders and chiefs gather to honour their brand new chairman.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor expressed gratitude to the people for according him such honour, saying it shows their unwavering support to the development of Etche.
Nwafor announced the readiness of his administration to embark on electrification of Ozuzu clan including Isu community.
The Etche council boss also said the market at Isu will be reconstructed to improve the economic life of the people.
He revealed that the two projects will commence in January as efforts are on to mobilise the contractors.
Nwafor told the mammoth crowd that his major concern remains, peace and unity of the entire Etche, saying security of lives and property remains top on his agenda as no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere of violence.
He urged parents to encourage their wards and children to refrain from violence and embrace peace. “Let us allow Etche to be at peace .Don’t allow any body to use you set Etche ablaze. Parents advise your children to stay away from crime .We must stay in peace and unity. Our children must shun violence ,it can’t take us anywhere as a people ,” he declared.
He thanked the people for their support as well thank their son, former commissioner for Energy ,Okey Amadi for being a Pilar of his political sojourne.
Earlier, the Isu opinion leader and Principal, Community Secondary School, Mgbosomini in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, Mr Chijioke Amadi said the honour done Etche chairman was a collective division of his people.
Amadi described the council boss as an illustrious son who has contributed immensely to the wellbeing of the community.
He declared that his community and the entire Etche will keep supporting him because he is doing well.
Amadi urged the people to keep praying for him and the Rivers State Governor to succeed in delivering dividends of democracy.
