Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), has presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gulak town of Madagali Local Government in Adamawa State.
No fewer than 10,000 people displaced from Izge, Bitiku and Waga Chakawa villages attacked recently by insurgents are taking refuge in Gulak the headquaters of Madagali Local Government.
Presenting the materials, the chairman of Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) who is also the state Deputy Governor, Mr Bala Ngilari, commended the Federal Government and NEMA for the assistance.
Ngilari said the assistance would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the displaced people.
Bauchi
The South African Government is to partner with the
Bauchi State Government to develop the tourism potential in the state, its High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, has said.
Mnguni announced this when he visited the state governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, at the Government House, Bauchi.
He said he was in Bauchi to see how his country could partner with the state to develop the tourism sector of the state.
“The Yankari Game Reserve and Resort has huge tourist potential; we want to see how we can help you developed them to a world class resort to maximise it revenue generation.
Ekiti
The Anglican Bishop of Ekiti Oke Diocese, Most Rev.
Isaac Olubowale, has called on politicians to always render selfless service to humanity to have a glorious end.
The cleric gave the advice at the burial service in honour of a former Acting-Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Friday Aderemi, at Ayetoro-Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area.
He urged politicians to be modest in their lifestyles, build a legacy of trust and good conduct that could serve as a guide to the coming generations.
The Bishop reminded the living that “as there is life after death, one should also keep good records that will make people not to forget such a person easily.”
FCT
The Desk Officer for Global Environment Facility
(GEF), Mrs Halima Mohammed, has advised state governments to key into the GEF grants to implement environmental projects in their states.
Mohammed told newsmen in Abuja that the biggest challenge the project was facing was the inability of the states to tap the available resources.
She said that the states would always want the Federal Government to initiate ideas and projects for them in spite of the sensitisation on the grants.
“They (state governments) always want the Federal Government to initiate projects for them, which is not fair, that is a big challenge we are facing”, she said.
Gombe
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd),
has urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and unity of the nation.
Gowon, who is Convener of the Nigeria Prays, said this in Gombe when he visited the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Mr Tha’anda Rubainu.
The convener said that the Nigeria Prays project was initiated in order to pray for the leadership, people and lasting peace in Nigeria as part of the members’ contribution to the development of the country.
“This is our contribution to see to the peace and wellbeing of Nigeria.
Jigawa
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged
all tiers of government to fight the current security challenges in the country.
Abubakar made the call during the closing ceremony of the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition in Dutse recently.
He said that the spate of violence, killings and destruction of property in the North East was disturbing, hence the urgent need of more intervention by the government.
The Sultan said that he would continue to appeal until the insecurity problem was addressed.
He urged the government to renew negotiations with all the nation’s aggrieved citizens.
Kaduna
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Min
ister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has challenged accountants to address leakages in government revenue and wastages in expenditure pattern.
Okonjo-Iweala, represented by her Permanent Secretary, Mrs Nwobia Daniel, gave the charge at the opening of a two-day retreat in Kaduna.
The retreat was for Directors of Finance and Accounts and Heads of Internal Audit in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The minister said the retreat was to remind them on the importance of their roles in the government’s transformation agenda.
Katsina
Widows numbering 3,583 in the Katsina South Sena
torial District of Katsina State have received skills acquisition and empowerment tools from a philanthropist, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi-Tata.
The empowerment tools included 10 buses, 20 motorised tricycles, 72 motorcycles, 144 deep freezers, 144 drums of kerosene and 227 knitting machines.
Others included 1,020 sewing machines, 1,200 spaghetti-making machines, 260 vegetable-grinding machines, 200 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 200 bags of beans and 1,200 bags of flour.
Kwara
Three mobile courts sitting at different locations in
IIorin, Kwara State, have prosecuted 55 persons arrested during the state’s monthly sanitation exercise.
The Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Alhaji Abubakar Mora, disclosed this to newsmen in IIorin, recently.
Mora said the increase in number of suspects was as a result of the nonchalant attitude of some residents to the exercise.
He said the ministry would embark on more sensitisation to enable more stakeholders to embrace the exercise.
Lagos
Road users in Lagos State have commended the Fed
eral Government for the ongoing construction of two pedestrian bridges in the Iyana Ipaja area, on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
They, however, appealed for speedy completion of the project to reduce accidents on the road.
The road users, in separate interviews in Lagos, told newesmen that the foot bridges would check gridlock and ensure safety of both pedestrians and motorists.
Our correspondent reports that pillars for the pedestrian bridge at Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-bound side of the carriageway have been completed.
Also, on the Iyana Ipaja end, concrete filling of earthwork on a pillar in the road median is ongoing.
Ondo
The International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) in conjunction with the Ondo State Government plans to empower 100 entrepreneurs in the state, an official has said.
The State Programme Officer of IFAD, Mr Alex Olusola, disclosed the empowerment programme plan to newsmen in Akure recently.
Olusola said the programme would be carried out under the Rural Agro Business Investment Scheme Empowerment (RAISE) basically designed for women and youths.
He said that Ondo was among the states in the Niger Delta included in the programme because of its performance in the organisation’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP).
Osun
![L-R: Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu, Chairman,Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Rtd Gen. Martin Agwai and Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, at the Budget defence session of Senate Special Adhoc Committee on SURE-P in Abuja, last Tuesday. Photo: NAN.](http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/FRED260214-NAT-7-300x178.jpg)
L-R: Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu, Chairman,Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Rtd Gen. Martin Agwai and Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, at the Budget defence session of Senate Special Adhoc Committee on SURE-P in Abuja, last Tuesday. Photo: NAN.
Preparations for a house-to-house Oral Polio
Immunisation (OPI) for infants whose ages are between one day and five years have begun in Osun State, an official has announced.
The Director, Primary Health Care and Disease Control, Osun Ministry of Health, Dr Kayode Ogunniyi, made this disclosure during an advocacy visit to religious leaders in Osogbo.
Our correspondent reports that the immunisation is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 1 and will last for four days.
“I call on all nursing mothers, parents and wards to co-operate with the health workers so that they will benefit from the free services for the children,’’ he said.
The health official said the exercise was planned to eradicate polio disease from the state.
Nation
Party Chieftain Hails LG Boss’ Dev Strides
Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwuche has extolled the sterling leadership being provided by the Chairman of the council, Hon Iyeko Okporo, describing it as unprecedented.
Hon Chukwuemeka described the council chairman as God-sent, considering his achievements in just 100 days in office.
The PDP chieftain said the chairman has rekindled the hope and trust of the people in grassroots governance.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for enabling his people to have his replica at Akinima.
He explained that the solar water project, the Late Eze Ekpeye Logbo 11 palace fencing, generator house rebuilding and town hall, all in Odiereke Ubie Community can best be described as the hallmark of true leadership.
He said the projects have direct bearing on the basic needs of the people who have suffered untold hardship and bad governance until the saviour came into office.
“ It is thunderous, as you can see the organic support and show of love to the performing chairman. Our people are overwhelmed seeing one of their own touching lives in a special way. As a community ,we have been in the past years without drinking water, but just two months in office, the chairman has provided not just drinking water, but a well-treated solar water project. Okporo is God-sent, no wonder he is nicknamed such. We have compared notes with other chairmen in the past and came to the conclusion that what he is doing in 100 days is overwhelming. Governor Fubara has made us proud by allowing a level playing field that necessitated the emergency of the chairman. You can see the women, men, youths and traditional rulers all saying one thing. God bless Governor Fubara for giving us our own. We owe him prayers and unwavering support,” he said.
In her welcome address, the Ward 9 councillor, Hon Catherine Uriah showered encomiums on the chairman for addressing the basic needs of the people in just 100 days in office.
Hon Uriah also thanked the Governor for allowing the will of the people to prevail in the just concluded local government elections which produced the God fearing chairman.
She said the people of Ward 9 as well as Ahoada West are pleased with the chairman because he is doing well.
She said the people will go to length to show support to him in his determination to redefine governance at the grassroots.
Nation
Group Plans Pilot Farm Programme For 50 Schools
A community-based non-governmental organisation, The Peoples Encouragers Initiative, is planning a pilot farm project for 50 schools in both Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Executive Director of the organisation, Chukwuma Abraham disclosed this at the recent International Human Rights Day celebration at Ahoada, headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area.
Abraham said the proposed programme which gulps the sum of N45million was intended to bring the youths back to the land and make them self-reliant.
“We hope to mobilise the factors of production inherent in all the schools through this programme to achieve two basic objectives of building self reliant youths and to create a viable and sustainable stream of income for our schools,” he said.
He said the programmme will also keep the youth busy and impact farming skills, stressing that each of the participating schools is expected to nominate at least two members of staff to coordinate and supervise the programme while10 students will be elected as executive members to administer the programmme on a day to day basis in their various schools.
“Every school has a sizeable portion of arable land to carry out the programme of establishing a functional farm in their chosen area of interest. We are hoping to mobilise an estimated N45 million to enable us set up the pilot farms across the 50 schools within Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas,” he said.
He said the celebration was to draw attention of both the Nigerian government and the international community to the issue of human rights violation, adding that findings by the organisation has shown that insecurity and youth unemployment worsened over the past few years as a result of the insecurity that engulfed the Orashi region of the State. We also found out that the high level of cultism and social unrest within our environment is mostly fuelled by the high use of illicit drugs among the youths. This programme will afford us the opportunity to take a tour through the universal declaration of human rights and reinforce on our youths the understanding that substance abuse can lead to crime, crime can lead to jail term and criminal record can blight their future dreams and life for ever,”he said.
Also speaking, the representative of the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ikporo Freedom urged the students to shun all forms of anti-social behaviours especially during the holiday season.
He also warned them against joining bad groups and stressed the need for the organisation to include private schools in the programme.
The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Council, Hon Ezu R .C . Hezekiah represented by his Deputy, Hon Ununuma Odoi pledged the support of the council to the programme.
He also urged other groups in the area to emulate The Peoples Encouragers Initiative by organizing programms that will impact on the lives of the people.
John Bibor
Nation
NCSU Flays Police Take Over Of Rivers PDP Secretariat
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has condemned the take over of the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State by the police, saying the action is against the tenets and principles of the rule of law.
This is even as the union has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call to order the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike for allegedly orchestrating and instigating the crisis rocking the PDP in the State.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who made the condemnation in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the police have no right to take over the PDP secretariat, as a ploy to provide cover and protection for members of the state executive of the party loyal to Wike, who were recently sacked by a court of competent jurisdiction in the State.
According to him, the action of the police is in clear defiance of a court ruling sacking the party executives at all levels in the State, instead of taking steps to enforce same.
He regretted that the police have consistently been showing that they are not appreciative of the logistic support Governor SiminalayiFubara has been extending to them, by openly demonstrating their bias, loyalty and allegiance to Wike and his supporters, contrary to their rules of engagement, which uphold and recognise absolute neutrality.
He said the Minister is wasting his time if he thinks that he could destroy the State by orchestrating and instigating needless crisis that is capable of making the State ungovernable, and appealed to President Tinubu to call him and his supporters to order.
Commenting on the fate of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the State, who defected from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress(APC), Osumah said their fate is apparently sealed, as the Supreme Court had already given judgment in a similar case, saying, Wike is merely wasting his time by using the lawmakers against Governor Fubara, and causing unnecessary problem in the State.
He said if the Minister and his supporters do not retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the NCSU would have no choice than to mobilise all civil servants in the State, to troop out to the streets and protest against them.
The labour leader stressed the need for the police to vacate the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, and respect the High Court ruling which declared the congresses of the party in the State null and void.
While reiterating the need for President Tinubu to call Wike to order, Osumah said the President cannot continue to fold his arms and watch the Minister continuously make frantic efforts to destroy his State.
He also carpeted those blaming Governor Fubara administration for the recent gruesome murder of a Chief Security Officer(CSO) and his son in Igwuruta Ali community, saying those making such insinuations and attributing the sad incident to security lapses on the part of the state government, are missing the point.
He noted that by empowering the police in the State with several operational vehicles and other logistics, it was expected that the police would reciprocate the gesture, by living up to their constitutional obligation of protecting lives and property in the State, contending that Governor Fubara has been playing his part of guaranteeing security in the State.
He said the State is generally peaceful and safe, and challenged those criticising the Governor to cast their minds and attention to what is happening in other parts of the country, where killings and other social vices have become the order of the day.
Osumah cited as an example the recent killings in Ebonyi State by Fulani herdsmen as well as incidences of kidnapping and banditry in several other States of the federation, and wondered if Governor Fubara could be held responsible for such anomalies.
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