Nation
Northern Governors Want Review Of Open Grazing
The Northern Governors Forum say the current system of open grazing, operated by herders in the country, is no longer sustainable.
The forum, in a communiqué issued after a virtual meeting held on February 8 stated that the system should be reviewed in view of increasing urbanisation and population of the country.
The communique was signed by the Forum’s chairman and governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong and issued in form of a press statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham yesterday in Jos.
According to the communique, the northern governors will aggressively sensitise herdsmen on the need to adopt new methods of herding by ranching or other acceptable modern methods.
The Forum appealed to the Federal Government to support states with grants to undertake pilot projects of modern livestock production that would help launch the full implementation of new methods of livestock production and avert resistance through success it would record.
It said that the northern governors would engage elders and youths in discussions, to seek solutions to security challenges in the north.
“In view of that, a four-man committee, to be headed by the Chairman of the forum, was established.
According to the chairman, the forum expressed concern on the sprouts of insecurity in the country, particularly in the circulation of unverified video clips on social media, portraying violent attacks on persons in some parts of the country.
In view of that, political leaders were urged to segregate between criminality and social groups in their domains with a view to handling the situation appropriately.
“The Forum condemns every form of criminality whether from herders, hunters, or farmers occupying forest reserves illegally.
“Also, it noted with concern the tension generated by the eviction order issued to herdsmen in some parts of the country.
“It observed that this is heating the already fragile security atmosphere with threats of reprisals, which the Northern Governors are working assiduously to contain,’’ the statement read in part.
It stressed the urgent need for the larger Nigerian Governors Forum to meet and discuss the issue holistically with a view to resolving all areas of conflicts arising from these threats, for the sake of national unity.
Lalong called for restraint from leaders, including those in the Southern parts of the country where tensions are high.
He also called on all northern people to continue to live in peace with all Nigerians, irrespective of their origins and backgrounds.
The governors congratulated the new Service Chiefs over their recent appointments and promised to collaborate with them in enhancing the security of the nation.
Nation
Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina
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.
Nation
Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three
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.
Nation
AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition
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.
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