Author: The Nation

A professor in the Department of Estate Management and Valuation in the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Olurotimi Adebowale Kemiki, has called on leaders in both public and private sectors to always accord estate surveyors and valuers the relevant recognition in infrastructural development and management in Nigeria.

This, he said, can be done by appointing estate surveyors and valuers as heads of maintenance units in organisations and ministries, departments and agencies, to avert institutional failure.

He stated this while delivering the 103rd Inaugural Lecture of the FUT Minna, titled, “Property Value – What is Behind Six is More Than Seven” at the Gidan Kwano Main Campus of the university in Minna.

MINISTER of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has described his turbaning as the Sarkin Kudun Hausa by the Emir of Daura, HRH Alhaji Umar Farouk, as a measure of managing the diversity of the country.

The Daura monarch in 2022 turbaned the minister, predicating it on his outstanding achievements in the petroleum sector, “especially the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in 2021 and for the unwavering support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s reforms in the oil and gas sector.”

According to Farouk, Sarkin Kudun Hausa means Minister of the South and a representative of the Emir of Daura in the South and all other Emirs in the Hausa Kingdom.

The minister also serves as the leader of the Hausa community in the South.

Speaking in Abuja at a reception in his honour as the Sarkin Kudun Hausa, the elated minister appreciated the fact that the monarch counted him worthy of the title, despite being from Bayelsa State.

His words: “As for me, this is also another way of managing our diversity; bringing me from one end of the country to the other end of the country and making me the ambassador of the people of the North in Daura.”

According to him, the honour has placed him above his peers from the same state.

“You have added to me another feat with which I will intimidate my friends and associates.

” If you think we are on the same level from Bayelsa, I am telling you that I stand here not just as Chief Timipre Sylva but also as the Sarkin Hausa Kudun,” he flaunted.

Noting that all the tribes in the country are well endowed and interdependent, Sylva said, the North produces the food, the Niger Delta produces oil and gas while Lagos has the ports to boot.

Earlier, the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, describing the honour of Sylva, said “this is the best means of bridging ethnic gaps. Traditional titles from other states are a means of national unity.”

He also said turbaning is not exclusive to Islam, stressing that instances of it could be found in 10 verses of the Holy Bible.

THE off take of health insurance services in the north-central region of Nigeria is currently increasing in the face of financial hardship, the Northcentral Zonal Coordinator of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Adelaja Aberaoran, has disclosed.

He said the people in the informal sector are now embracing the programme, especially with the current financial challenges facing the country, to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

Speaking with The Nation in Minna, the Zonal Coordinator stated that it has become compulsory for every Nigerian to have health insurance, as the government is ready to make health insurance compulsory for everyone.

“Health Insurance is key in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the government is ready to make health insurance compulsory for everyone. We cannot achieve UHC without mandatory conditions. Government is ready to make you healthy by force because your not being healthy will affect the health of the community and reduce the health indices of the country.”

Adelaja explained that the current hardship faced by families in Nigeria can be reduced if they embrace health insurance.

“Imagine going to the hospital and not paying for drugs because you have been making a contribution towards it and the government also subsidised it for you. The days of selling household items to pay for surgeries would be gone”.

He said that although the country’s health sector is still facing some challenges like inadequate facilities and drugs going out of stock, the NHIA is putting in strategies to combat these challenges.

The Zonal Coordinator said that the Agency has begun its sensitisation programmes across local government areas in Niger State to educate the people about the services that would be enjoyed when they take up the services.

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Kebbi State Command   has, within two weeks, seized assorted items worth N91,518,958.00.

Speaking to newsmen during his maiden press briefing at the NCS command headquarters in Birnin Kebbi, the new controller of the Command, Comptroller Ben Oramalugo, explained that section 167 of the Customs and Excise Management Act empowers the body to seize goods improperly imported in contravention of extant laws.

He said: “Following my directive to our operatives to intensify vigilance across vast bushes and all the waterways within Kebbi State immediately when I took over two weeks ago, our undaunted effort has started yielding positive results in anti-smuggling activities.

“During the period, we have recorded 24 seizures of assorted items which include : 8,975 litres of PMS loaded in 25-litre kegs,189 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 71 bags of imported sugar, 42 bale’s of second-hand clothing and 36 sacks of used shoes.

“We also seized 110 solar batteries, 105 cartons of medicine,7 used vehicles and means of conveyance and one tanker truck under detention, which is suspected to have been smuggled into the country in contravention of the Federal Government’s extant laws prohibiting importation  of vehicles through land borders.

“The duty paid value of the said items stands at N91,518,928. The seized PMS is going to be auctioned immediately”, he said.

Oramalugo noted that his command would continue to create an avenue where only permissible goods from other neighbouring countries and indigenous goods would be traced without hindrance to achieve the command’s set target of 1.058 billion naira.

He expressed gratitude to the sister agencies and other units for their support and collaboration.

THE federal commissioner representing Nasarawa State at the National Population Commission, NPC, Silars Ali Agara, said the commission has concluded arrangements to conduct, free, fair and credible 2023 national population and housing census on March 28th in Nasarawa State.

He stated this yesterday in Lafia while declaring open a one-day capacity building workshop for journalists on effective reporting of the 2023 population and housing census.

The federal commissioner explained that the essence of the workshop is to brief journalists on the level of preparedness of the commission so far, and assured that the 2023 national and housing census will be free, fair and credible.

“We intend to use this workshop to reach out to people of Nasarawa State on the technicalities involved in the exercise.

“For the past two years, we have been working to ensure we have a quality census. We started with Area Demarcation Exercise (ADE) and Nasarawa is 100% demarcated using modern technology available to the commission.

“We have also test-run the facilities on ground using Keffi and Lafia towns; we did a trial census exercise last year in Karu, the challenges we encountered have been addressed.

“One major challenge we have is in the area of manpower. We opened our portal last year for interested persons to key in and participate. For instance, in Akwanga LGA, over 100,000 people applied and we only had 4,500 personnel.

“We have too much applications for limited opportunities; some are coming because of the level of unemployment,” he said.

Agara said the 2023 exercise will also correct and give the state its right figure. “The last census that was conducted gave Nasarawa State about 1.8m population, whereas Karu LGA alone has more than 1.8m population.”

THE Governing Council of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State, formerly known as the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has appointed Prof Isaac Itodo as the seventh vice-chancellor of the institution.

According to the university’s Pro-chancellor and Chairman of Council, Edith Uwajumogwu, the appointment will take effect from April 17, 2023.

The new VC succeeds Prof Richard Kimbir, whose tenure as VC ended on November 19, 2022.

Announcing the appointment in a statement on Saturday, Uwajumogwu said the vice chancellor, who is an agricultural engineer, was the first alumnus of the varsity to be appointed VC since the university was established in 1988.

Uwajumogwu also noted that Itodo emerged after a ‘credible and open process’ involving 16 candidates, who were shortlisted from the 18 applications received after the opening was announced.

She said: “The choice of Prof. Itodo was unanimous after he emerged with the highest score among the three candidates that the selection committee recommended.

“In the process, JoSTUM’s interest was put first. Nobody was under any pressure that was not controllable. I hope other universities will learn from the university. We went for merit and took the best for the university to take its pride of place in the Nigerian university system.”

Itodo, 58, joined the services of the University in 1987 and rose through the ranks to become a professor in 2003.

GOVERNOR Babagana Umara Zulum was in Bama town on Friday to unveil three capital projects, one of which was constructed by the member representing Bama, Ngala and Kala-Balge at the House of Representatives, Dr Zainab Gimba.

Zulum opened Bama Central Mosque, a government lodge, and a skills acquisition centre which was built by Dr Zainab Gimba.

The governor alongside the Shehus of Bama and Dikwa, emirs of Gwoza and Askira, took part in the first post-commissioning juma’at service.

Thousands of indigenes of Bama, including elders and community leaders, members of the business community, religious leaders, politicians and other stakeholders also attended the juma’at prayers.

… Gives business owners’ ₦‎100m

Zulum, while in Bama, also released ₦‎100 million to business owners for stimulation of economic activities, as the town struggles to recover from previous years of Boko Haram occupation, mass destruction and killings.

About 1,030 business owners benefited from Zulum’s intervention.

Ten beneficiaries who were medium-size entrepreneurs received ₦‎1 million each, and 20 others received ₦‎500,000 each.

One hundred small-size business owners each received ₦‎200,000, another 300 business owners got ₦‎100,000 and 600 micro-size business owners went away with ₦‎50,000 each.

… Campaigns in Bama, receives PDP officials

Meanwhile, Governor Zulum on the same Friday also led APC stakeholders to a campaign rally in Bama, where thousands of supporters stormed a township stadium, venue of the rally.

The governor received thousands of defectors that included some ward executives from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and House of Assembly aspirants from both parties.

Zulum travelled to Bama in company of APC’s candidate for Borno Central constituency, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan; member representing Bama, Ngala and Kala-Balge Constituency, Dr Zainab Gimba; members of the State House of Assembly for Bama Central and Gulumba Woloji.

The governor was hosted by traditional chairman of Bama Local Government Area, Grema Terab.