Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board
(SUBEB), Bauchi, has distributed items worth N26 million to physically-challenged pupils spread across various schools in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Dabo, said in Bauchi while distributing the items, that the effort would assist the pupils pursue education with little difficulties.
Dabo said 150 wheel chairs, 100 crouches, 20 sewing machines, 20 knitting machines, 20 Perkins brail machines, three brail computers, four desktop computers and sewing materials were distributed.
He said the intervention would help the pupils to learn together with other students in the same environment under the board’s inclusive education programme.
Benue
Wood carvers in Makurdi, Benue State, have decried
incessant attacks on villages in some local government areas of the state by suspected herdsmen.
A cross section of these professionals told newsmen that they no longer felt safe to go into the hinterland to fell trees for their trade.
A 70-year-old wood carver, Mr Solomon Nyamkyor, expressed concern that the herdsmen had occupied the hinterland with their cattle .
Nyamkyor added that the activities of the herdsmen had adversely affected their business as they could no longer access the big trees suitable for their business.
FCT
The Deputy Director, National Identity Management
Commission (NIMC), Mrs Mifor Udoh, says the national identity card scheme is critical to national development drive.
Udoh said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
According to her, the identity card scheme can be used to collect valuable electronic data, protect them from theft, and facilitate financial payment while it remains a universally acceptable resource for confirming identity.
The deputy director added that the current national exercise would help to actualise the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Gombe
Two policemen are feared dead following a clash be
tween them and some youths in Difa village of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.
A reliable source in the area told our correspondent in Gombe that the incident occurred in the night of February 16.
According to the source, some policemen on routine night patrol from Kwadon division arrested some youths in the village for allegedly being in possession of illegal drugs.
The source said that the arrest did not go down well with other youths whose protest led to violent clashes that resulted in the death and burning of the bodies of the two policemen.
Kano
Youths from the Northwest zone of the country have
agreed to table the challenges of employment, poverty and violence confronting them at the upcoming National Conference.
The Vice-Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Alhaji Jamilu Karama, made the disclosure in Kano while addressing journalists on the outcome of the council’s meeting on February 15 in Kano.
“For a long time, youths have been left at the back stage of political development in Nigeria. We appreciate the interventions of various government policies on youths, but we feel more is needed,’’ he said.
Karama, who was nominated to the conference by youths in the zone, attributed failures of the youth to their large population without corresponding resources and facilities to cater for them.
Kebbi
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in
Kebbi State has said it would spend N88.5 million to maintain damaged roads linking Jega-Koko-Yauri and the border with Niger Republic.
Mr Ali Mohammed, the Maintenance Officer of the agency, said this in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said that N44.2 million would be spent to rehabilitate the Jega-Maiyama and Maiyama-Yauri-Koko road, representing sections two and three of the federal highway in the state.
He explained that the 400km Kontagora-Sokoto road would be rehabilitated.
Lagos
The Lagos State Government has sealed a firm along
Adeniji Jones, Ikeja, for allegedly assaulting an official of the state’s Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
The Head, Distrain Unit of LIRS, Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, was said to have been attacked and wounded when she served a notice of tax default on the firm.
It was learnt that the incident occurred when an official of the firm ordered Coker-Afolayan and others out of the company’s premises.
The firm, it was said, allegedly owed the state government N11.5 million in unremitted personal income taxes of its workers in 2012.
Managing Director of the company, Mr Sam Osunde, however, told reporters that the company’s officials resisted the attempt to seal the company because it also served as his residence.
Nasarawa
A Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, in Mararaba,
Nasarawa State, has ordered former lovers, Rhoda Ndukwe, 34, and Michael Agbor, 39, to steer clear of each other.
The presiding judge, Mr Albert Maga, gave the order at the resumed hearing of the case when Ndukwe told the court that she had agreed to withdraw charges against her former fiancée.
The court was told that Ndukwe, 34, of Kabayi village and Agbor, 39, of same address in Abuja, lived together.
Ndukwe said she decided to withdraw the charges on the ground that the accused had agreed never to intimidate her again.
Maga also ordered the accused to write an undertaking never to intimidate Ndukwe again and that both should steer clear of each other.
Osun
The Osun State House of Assembly has directed the
State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to conduct a referendum on the proposed creation of additional 27 Local Council Development Areas.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, gave the directive during plenary in Osogbo.
It would be recalled that Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had on Dec. 16, 2013, presented a bill to the House for the creation of the councils.
The bill, which had scaled through second reading, would increase the number of local governments and local council development areas to 57 if passed into law.
Oyo
A housewife, Mrs Rachael Adekanmi, has urged an
Oyo State High Court to dissolve her 10-year-old marriage to her husband, John, alleging abandonment.
The complainant said that her husband had abandoned her and their two children in the last five years.
She said that the family had resided at No. 2, Ade Festus Way, Gbodofu area of Osogbo before her husband left.
The complainant, who told the court that she got married to her husband on Feb. 20, 2004, added that her husband had already married another wife.
Plateau
The Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Mr Chris Olakpe,
has set up a joint Police/ Traditional Rulers Security Committee, to curtail violence in the state.
Olakpe announced the formation of the committee during a one-day interactive session with traditional and religious leaders in Jos.
“The committee will be holding security meetings every end of the month, to trash out grey areas, through intelligence information sharing.
Taraba
The Coordinator, Examination Ethics International,
Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed, has described the lingering examination malpractice in the country as “poisonous and a threat to the future of Nigeria”.
Muhammed told newsmen in Jalingo that some parents, teachers and students had “almost legalised the illegal practice” of examination malpractice.
“They say money is the root of all evils, but examination malpractice is the greatest evil we have in Nigeria.
“We have cases of building collapse, bad governance, corruption and other negative acts. These are being perpetrated by products of examination malpractice,” he said.
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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