The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Haphazard parking at the Villa

    The way most pilots and convoys of top dignitaries to the Presidential Villa park their vehicles before the main gate to the Villa, is fast making the area lose its Presidential status.

    While some of the drivers park their cars by the road side, others park on the flower beds and walk paths.

    The rowdiness this situation creates gives a first-time visitor to the Villa an impression of disorderliness.

    This scenario is mostly witnessed on Wednesdays during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings when vehicles numbering between three and five in a particular minister’s convoy are parked by the roadside leading to the main gate of the Presidential Villa.

    In most cases, only one vehicle conveying the minister out of his or her convoy is allowed to go through the gate to drop the minister inside before joining others by the road side.

    This situation is also experienced on most Mondays or Thursdays or any other day when security council meetings are held at the Villa.

    The various escort cars and motorbikes belonging to the service chiefs and other top security agencies also litter the roadside during such meetings.

    The vehicles conveying the service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police and National Security Adviser are among those that are allowed to park in the four courts of the Presidential Villa close to the President’s office.

    The rowdiness is also witnessed on the road leading to the main gate any day state governors have one meeting or the other to attend at the Presidential Villa or when they are just paying a visit to the President or Vice-President in the State House.

    During such days, only the car conveying the governor also is allowed through the gate. It will drop the governor inside the Villa before joining other vehicles in the governor’s convoy already packed by the road side.

    The road leading to the main gate of the Presidential Villa is also jam parked when a major function is taking place inside the Banquet Hall. On such occasion, the Banquet Hall, which has a very large car park, is overstretched and the excess vehicles spill over to the roadside.

    Even though the roadside parkings does not befit the Presidential status of the area, it sometimes offer useful information to some staff in the Villa on some of the secret meetings in progress at the State House.

    Sighting the vehicles by the roadside, they could guess the dignitaries that are inside the Villa and what meeting was going on.

    In the circumstances, efforts should be urgently taken to address this rowdy parking system in order not to rubbish the status of the Presidential Villa.

    Apart from special occasions at the Banquet Hall when the large parking lot is filled to its capacity, the Banquet Hall parking lot is hardly half-filled on ordinary days and it should be able to accommodate the escort and pilot vehicles of ministers, service chiefs and governors during their meetings or visits to the Presidential Villa.

    Alternatively, a new area in or around the Villa can be developed as parking lot to accommodate such escort and pilot vehicles thereby keeping them away from the roadside.

     

  • Minister promotes 2,201 workers

    The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, has approved the immediate promotion of 2,201 staff of the FCT Administration.

    The minister, who disclosed this, said it has become necessary to motivate the staff and increase their productivity.

    Mohammed stated that this gesture of the government would spur the workers to greater heights and by extension increase service delivery to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory in accordance with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

    His words, “The promotion exercise became necessary in order to motivate staff, enhance productivity for better service delivery”.

    The minister revealed that out of the 2,201 being promoted, 1,892 are senior staff while the remaining 309 are junior staff.

    Senator Mohammed charged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by giving better service to the country.

     

  • Philanthropist builds road for community

    Philanthropist builds road for community

    Gase is an agrarian community in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State. For many years, members of the community, especially farmers, women and children in the 55 villages that make up the community, trek the 38 kilometre distance to the main Lapai-Muye-Lokoja Road to their various residences.

    This is because they have no access road linking them to other neighbouring communities.

    The only road from Lambata linking Eshepa, Alaba, Favu to Danmarokopa, Sabo, Abugi Jankara, Tengi and Gayankpa has been in a bad condition for many years due to neglect by successive administrations despite its strategic position to both the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kogi State.

    Every year, farm produce of the people who are predominantly farmers rot away due to lack of good road that would enable them to evacuate their produce to the market. The few people who take the risk of using the few commercial vehicles that risk plying a pseudo-road usually pay through their nose. Majority of the people either convey their produce on motorcycles or trek several kilometres with heavy load to FCT, Lokoja or Lapai.

    The road is narrow and rugged and hardly contains two vehicles. Wooden culverts on the road create the risk of motorists and motorcycles falling into a ditch. The road is practically impassable during the rainy season. Members of the community have resigned to fate.

    This was the situation until when Engr Abdullahi Isah Jankara popularly known as “AJ”, decided to single-handedly open up the road.

    In November last year, the Petrochemical Engineer began the widening, clearing and grading of the 38-kilometre road. The project which involves construction of seven bridges, payment of compensation for houses, churches and mosques demolished and grading is almost 80 per cent completed.

    For Jankara, the suffering of his people, their inability to access their neighbouring communities to sell their farm produce or visit friends for lack of motorable road became a thing of concern to him.

    He said: “First and foremost, what is happening in my community is disheartening. Coming to my locality was becoming unbearable, especially during the rainy season. At a point, one couldn’t come into the community with one’s vehicle. During heavy period of rains, we would be totally cut off from other towns.  I felt I had to come and make my own little contribution and help to reduce the suffering of my people.

    “So, we decided to commence the opening up of the 38-kilometre road from Lambata to the bank of River Gurara in Gayankpa which connects us with the FCT and Kogi State.

    “The concept of the road we had before was not meant to stand the test of time. The wooden culverts were made to accommodate only one small vehicle at a time. When the road is opened up, the way we want it to be, it will withstand the test of time. There will be expansion of the former culverts in a way that it can accommodate heavy trucks.”

    Though he set out to open the road, he has some hurdles to surmount. If a bridge is not built on River Gurara to link the community with FCT, his dream will be a mirage.

    “At the end of opening up the road, we need a bridge to link the community with FCT and Kogi State. This is a big project far beyond us. So, we are appealing to state government to come and complement our effort by constructing a bridge on River Gurara to link Niger State at this end with FCT at the other end.

    “If this is done, all the farm produce of our people can have free access to the markets in Abuja, Lokoja and many other places,” he said.

    Aside from the fact that the project will bring succour to his people, Jankara said the completion of the road will significantly enhance Federal Government’s huge investment on the dredging of River Niger and the construction of inland Port at Baro.

    “This road will provide a shorter link from many northern states to the Baro Port. From Abaji in FCT, motorists will not have to go to Kogi State before assessing Baro Port, thereby saving cost and mileage,” he stated.

    Many people thought Jankara’s philanthropic gesture was politically-motivated. He dispelled the notion. For him, the joy of his people whenever they pass the road to market or visit friends gives him the satisfaction he wanted and not for any political gain.

    “I’m neither a politician nor interested in any political office or appointment. I am also not doing this for recognition from anybody. People should not think that I am looking for political office for doing what I am doing. I believe I have to contribute tothe development of my community, which is what made me embark on the project,” he said.

    On the cost of the project, he said: “I will be sounding like a politician if I tell you the cost of the project. This is my own modest contribution to the well-being of my people. The amount of money spent cannot be equated with the relief the project will have on my people. For me, I don’t make public show of any project God has enabled me to do for my people.”

    He said he would have preferred not to publicise the project so that people would not read meaning to his good intention, but for the need to get government to come to the community’s aid as work on the project is gradually coming to an end particuarly where a bridge would be needed.

    “I agreed to communicate through this medium because we need government’s assistance regarding the bridge. I want to tell the government that an individual who have come to help his community is doing this marvelous project. I am not seeking for any office from government but if I can contribute to this level, I think if the government comes in, it would complete the history.

    “I want to tell the governor that the community is pleading with him to open us up to a bigger world by constructing this bridge. If this is done we are going to be very happy,” he stated.

    He further explained that he did the project as a way of giving back to his community for making him who he is. On whether other stakeholders contributed to the project, he said he has received no contribution from any organisation or from anyone, adding that he is the one who is funding the project, even though he declined to disclose the total amount estimated for the project and the amount so far spent.

    “There is no contribution from anywhere. Nobody has given me any assistance in terms of funding for this project but as work continues, we are going to have to ask for government’s intervention because building the bridge across the river is very expensive and no individual can do it. We will need government in Minna to come to our aid,” he stated.

    The construction of the road was not his first attempt at making life bearable for his people. In 2009, he single-handedly built and equipped the Community Junior Secondary School. He has been responsible for payment of salary of six teachers in the school for the past four years.

    For his philanthropy, he has been praised by all. Etsu Mamman Gana, the Village Head of Ganyankpa, opened the floodgate of praises to AJ.

    For the octogenarian, the opening up of the road is giving the community a new lease of life and great economic opportunities to explore. The project, the royal father said, was the answer to the cries of the people.

    “Before our son began this road project, it was hellish for my people and the entire villages around; we lacked so many things. As a result of the impassable state of our road, things are neither brought to us from the city or for us to take things out of this area. We are farmers, we record losses every year as our produce rot away because the road is not accessible. We are happy that with the road being constructed, we can sell our products and compete favourably with other wards in this local government and beyond.

    “Jankara has wiped off our cry; he has energised our frail bones. We are grateful to him and we call on the state government to partner with him to complete the work, especially the construction of bridge on River Gurara,” the royal father pleaded.

    Also speaking, the eldest member of Abugi Jankara Village, Alhaji Ibrahim Jankara said: “Abdullahi is God-sent to us. In all facets of life, if there is no road accessibility, one will be locked up. God has provided someone who has done our road for us. We hope the other challenges like potable water and health centre will be looked into.”

    He also lamented government’s neglect of the community. “We in this community pay taxes to government but we are being sidelined. We don’t have a functional clinic and even the community secondary school was built by this same Abdullahi, who is opening up our road. He pays the salaries of our teachers. We have been forgotten by both the local and state governments but thank God for AJ,” he said.

    But for AJ, the education of 16-year-old Mahamud Abdullahi, a student of the Junior Secondary School built by him would have been truncated.

    “I owe whatever I will become to Allah (SWT) but for AJ, maybe, I would have ended my life without going beyond primary school. Today I am in JSS 3 in the community school he built. The road project has given our parents hope that our farm produce can get to the market”

    Hajiya Talatu Alaba said:”With what AJ is doing, we hope that our local and state governments will wake from their slumber. The fact is, if an individual embarks on a project of this magnitude, it shows that government in such area has gone to sleep.

    Commending the pace of work on the project, Mustafa Gana who is indigenous to Ganyankpa but resides in Minna, advised the state and local governments to take a cue from AJ.

    “If within two months AJ has opened up virtually the entire stretch of the road, one wonders why after six to seven years government has not completed 10-kilometre road in each of the local government areas.

  • Salvaging Kano City’s crumbling Walls

    Salvaging Kano City’s crumbling Walls

    The Kano City Walls used to be remarkable historical landmarks. They were also known to have protected the city from the invasions of enemies during those years of communal warfare. They were beautiful sights to behold.

    These days, the once magnificent walls are shadows of themselves, seemingly.

    Besides its rich history in commercial activities, such as dyeing, Dubar and its scintillating Dala Hills, the ancient city of Kano boasts traditional walls as rich and long in history as the northern city itself.

    According to historical records, the foundations for the wall which surrounds the old city of Kano were laid by Sakri Gijimasu between A.D. 1095 and A.D. 1134. The building of the wall was completed in the mid-14th Century during the reign of Zamnagawa. In the 16th Century, the walls were further expanded.

    However, there are indications that most part of this historic city wall has been damaged by both human and natural factors.

    Speaking to our correspondent on the problems which the City Wall is experiencing, Dr. Sule Bello, a lecturer in the Department of History, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) who is also the Chairman of the Protection, Promotion, and Preservation of Kano City Wall Committee which was set up by Kano State government to revive the degenerating walls, said Kano City Wall is very important historical asset in Africa.  He further stated that it is so rich and so full of importance that if they are lost, it will be difficult to develop them in any normal way.

    “Development is about learning from the past and improving on it. You know that there are some very significant landmarks in the history of Kano, one of which is the construction of the Kano City Wall which is over 700 years old now.

    “If you are familiar with the City Walls, you will discover that they are remarkable illustrations in the development of the multi-cultural communities.

    “In Kano, you are dealing with people from the Arab world, people from various parts of West Africa, people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds and constituting the city itself.  So, there is need to keep certain heritages and cultures alive because these are part of the things that attracted these people to Kano at the first instance,” he stated.

    Dr. Bello further noted that, “if you take a look at the Kano City Wall, you will discover that many people who are from other countries appreciate it more than we Nigerians. This is so because to them, it presents, in first instance, the greatest evidence of massive civilised and urbanised historical development in Africa.

    “At one time,for people like Mr. Davidson and others who have studied Africa, it is a remarkable monument. Secondly, foreigners and Nigerians alike who have studied it have remarked that it is an ancient re-technology architecture which represents important achievements which seem to have been lost now. But if we fully recover them, they will greatly assist us in our efforts towards developing our engineering capabilities in building and other related designs.

    “Finally, it was because of the Kano City Wall that helped Kano to develop into the greatest commercial entrapode in West Africa because it made possible long distance trade. The famous Kurmi Market was the biggest market in Africa at that time which serviced West African trade, inter-regional trade within West Africa and North Africa, Central Africa as well as some parts of East Africa. So, these were all possible because the great City Wall was there.

    “In terms of tourist attraction, Kano City Wall is the number one major asset that you have in this state. In fact, right now, Kano does not have anything that can be compared with the Kano City Wall as an asset. It was the people of Kano, not even Nigerians, who went to the United Nations and requested that Kano City Wall be declared as the world heritage site.

    “People from Kenya, Asia and Europe had studied and read about Kano in the history books. Most of them had never come to West Africa. It was these people who said it should be part of the world heritage sites. Unfortunately, by the time they came; they discovered that a lot of it had been destroyed.

    “Over 70 per cent of it had been destroyed—and they were very annoyed. Apart from Kano City Wall, what else would have prompted the entire United Nations to identify with Kano? What do we have now that can compare to that? Even as majority of it is lost, we must do our best to preserve it in some form. To restore it is possible,” he said.

    According to him, most of the city walls have been destroyed and have been turned into refuse dumps and public toilets. Miscreants dig the mud for sale and nobody talks to them. In actual fact, they have totally contaminated the town.

    “Historically speaking,” Dr. Bello said, “we have about 14 gates. Currently, we have only about eight city gates. Many of them have been destroyed and new gates have to be constructed. We are working on their restoration in order to put those gates back so that anybody coming as a tourist can see that there is some evidence that the city wall existed.”

    He also revealed that the state government is aware that there is no way Kano can become a modern city without preserving the past glory which is the Kano City Wall.  According to the terms of reference given to the City Wall Protection and Preservation Committee by Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, they are mandated to undertake a comprehensive assessment of Kano City Walls monument so as to map out areas and undertake rehabilitation, preservation, conservation and reclamation of the Walls, including labeling.

    The committee will also examine the need to extend the green zone barricade protecting the city walls to go round the entire walls outline where possible and make appropriate recommendations for implementation, review the existing traditional gate structures and recommend rehabilitation programme that will transform the gates to meet the growing traffic requirements and at the same time retaining the integrity and authenticity of the gates within their traditional form and outlook. The committee is also to propose viable utilisation plans for the gates and the city walls for the purpose of checking unhealthy habits of refuse disposals and illegal encroachment.

    Governor Kwankwaso also urged the committee to examine existing legislations and establish whether their provisions have adequately ensured the protection of the walls and if other wise, recommend areas of amendment and the enactment of an appropriate legislation that will ensure the protection of the Kano City Walls and its reservation areas, recommend the provision of monument protection security measures, including setting up of Kano Heritage Marshals.

    He also urged the committee to come up with proposal for effective utilisation of the ponds and ditches along the city walls which may include but not limited to their purification and conservation for productive aquatic activities such as fish farming, recreation and spots.

    The committee is also to identify and document all other significant historical monument in Kano in a bid to facilitate the ongoing process of nominating Kano City Walls and associated sites into the world heritage list, develop a functional management plan for each identified monument, come up with a fund-raising plan that will identify and approach local and international donor agencies to support future preservation and promotion efforts. It should also examine the possibility of a permanent collaborative heritage management regime for the preservation and promotion of heritage sites and monuments of Kano and make appropriate recommendations to that effect.

    On Kano State government’s determination to rebuild and restore the city wall heritage, Commissioner for Commerce, Industries, Co-operative and Tourism, Dr. Nuhu Damburam said the state government is ready to restore the glory of the city walls, even as he said government is waiting for the proposal from the Protection and Preservation Committee on the restoration of the Kano City Walls. He promised that once the proposal is handy, the state government would not hesitate to provide all necessary resources to get the city walls back to life.

    Rehabilitating the Kano City Wall may be taxing as the walls have dilapidated so much.

    People are of the view that even if the city walls are rebuilt, they may definitely fall again if proper security checks are not put in place to ensure adequate preservation.

  • Posh spots for the rich

    Posh spots for the rich

    Unarguably, food is an essential facet of living. As Nigerians, mostly the rich and the working class, become more and outdoor people, eating out has been integrated into their lifestyles and has become part of the system.

    In a family where mother and father barely have time to relate with their children, due to busy schedules, they are left with the option of patronising eateries, restaurants, and sometimes hotels.

    A common interest for those who hang out, especially those who have enough cash to spend is the ability to get quality and choice food. Locating a choice hangout that would be commensurate with their social status and capacity to spend the cash becomes a task which often proves taxing.

    So, have you ever wondered where the rich and powerful people in Abuja consider being fun or a way of life? Have you ever wondered the kind of places they always go to unwind? Surely, anyone that has the money to spend will always go to relax in a place that will make them stand out in a crowd.

    It will be improbable to walk into a buka and see the likes of Dangote, Senators and others who can spend millions conveniently sitting on a table with his shirt folded and tie pushed aside, consuming a plate of amala and ewedu. So, where do these rich individuals go for relaxation in the Federal Capital Territory?

    Our correspondent took time out to unearth the hideouts of the rich and powerful in our society and how they spend their millions just to unwind.

    Investigation revealed that these super rich individuals also hangout with men and women that are as powerful and successful like them.

    The fact is that so many of these hangouts are exclusive reserves of the rich and powerful so much so that it becomes difficult for any prying eye that doesn’t belong to the club of the affluent to uncover them.

    However, Abuja Review was able to discover some of the best places where one’s money can give one the royal treatments that one deserves.

    The first place will probably be the Hilton where a night goes as much as N75, 000.

    One unique feature about Hilton is that their customers are at the heart of everything they do. This, apparently, manifests in the way members of staff treat everyone that walks in.

    It has four of the finest restaurants in the city namely the Buka, Oriental, Zuma Grill and Fulani Pool bars and restaurants. Here, they do not only serve intercontinental dishes but also Nigerian dishes. The scenery and calibre of people streaming in and out of the hotel at all times attests to this.

    Their most popular feature is the piano bar. Shola Adeyemo is the Recreation/Public Relations Manager of the Hiltons Abuja. He said: “The bar is the alternative parliament in Abuja because of the calibre of people that visit it. It is basically where successful people are found.”

    The bar which is open 24 hours has become a meeting place for powerful people in Abuja. It is a place where you are likely to see a governor, minister or even the President at any point in time.

    The club is a place where people cannot just walk into because the workers do screen out unwanted guests who may cause discomfort to their guests.

    The IBB International Golf and Country Club is another hangout for the rich. Here, the creme-de-la creme of Nigeria’s political and financial institutions spend their days hitting around the little golf balls which they consider therapeutic, recreational and social.

    Admission into the club costs about N1 million excluding the cost of golf kits that could be within the range of N250, 000. Here, a non-member is grilled so much so that he feels being a security threat even to himself. A bottle of Eva water at the club costs about N800.

    The rich in Abuja visit healthy food restaurants like Bodyline Exclusive Fitness and Wellness Centre to eat healthy meals. In these places, there is so much health consciousness as they cook with olive oil which contains less calories than the normal vegetable oil. This restaurant only serves healthy meals and helps customers to watch the level of their calories intake in order to avoid unnecessary fat or health issues associated with an unhealthy lifestyle.

    Bako Hosea, who is the Head of Marketing, Restaurant and Juice Bar Manager explained that Bodyline was created for the purpose of enhancing the body and mind of the individual who desires reaching positive goals by being more productive at work and home.

    They do not only provide the food but also facilities like massage room, short workout courses, gymnasia, aerobics studio, sauna and steam services, morning AB’S Skool, boot camp, spinning class and yoga, among others.

    Another exclusive hangout is the Spanish Bar where the most expensive types of wine are sold to customers by beautiful girls. Here, they relax with friends or spend their money at the casino tables. Those who love drinking different kinds of beer are found here as they are seen gulping down the sparkling liquid and consuming roasted fish and chips.

    Some enjoy patronising Chopstick which is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Guests who intend to eat are treated to different Chinese and Asian cuisines.

    Abuja, with all its latest beautiful cars, houses and people who spend so much on taking care of their bodies, also have numerous Lebanese restaurants which are equally classy and expensive.

  • Kebbi airport upgraded

    The Kebbi State Airport  Ambrusa at the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, has been upgraded to an international standard by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in preparation to full flight operation.

    A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abubakar Muazu Dakingari and made available to our correspondent  said the airport has undergone calibration in preparatory to full flight operation.

    The statement added that test flight of ATR 42 calibrating Aircraft from ASECNA Dakar, Senegal through the NAMA began penultimate Saturday.

    The test flight followed the inauguration of the Doppler, very high frequency Omni Directional Rage (DVCR).

    The exercise, according to him, scored the airport 99.8 percent pass mark which makes it one of the best equipped airports in the country.

     

     

  • 10,000 women for entrepreneurship training

    10,000 women for entrepreneurship training

    Things are looking up for Plateau State women as the state government has evolved policies and programmes that would enhance their economic well-being. One of these policies is the establishment of micro-finance banks in each of the 17 local government areas.

    This, government said, is aimed at facilitating the financing of small and medium-scale trade for women at the grassroots.

    In the circumstances, 10,000 women will undergo special training to acquire skills on entrepreneurship after which they will be able to access funds from any micro-finance bank in their respective local government areas to enable them to begin small-scale business. The first batch of 1,800 women is already participating in entrepreneurial skill training.

    The programme will be beneficial in the areas of poverty reduction among women, boosting commercial activities in the rural communities as well as enhancing the economic activities of the state.

    The economic package was unveiled at the opening ceremony of entrepreneurial skill acquisition workshop organised by the state government. The women will be trained at the zonal headquarters of the three senatorial zones of the state.

    The project is undertaken in collaboration with Women in Agriculture and Youth Empowerment (WAYE), a foundation established by wife of the Plateau State governor, Ngo Talatu Jang and Fingertips Enterprises Development Partners International Limited (FEDPIL).

    While the Plateau State government provides the funding, the WAYE Foundation is responsible for selecting the women that will participate in the training programme while Fingertips Enterprise Development Partners International Limited (FEDPIL) will provide the resource persons for the entrepreneurship training.

    Addressing the women during the opening ceremony of the workshop held at Rukuba Barack Jos, Managing Director of FEDPIL, Mr. Haggai Gutap said: “The training will promote financial literacy and stimulate the creative imagination, talent and curiosity of the women in pursuit of personal development. It will also broaden women’s access to finance and financial inclusion which will further reduce the incidence of poverty in the state”

    Continuing, Mr. Gutap said: “The workshop is commencing from the Plateau North senatorial zone. 300 participants are expected from each local government of the zone. So, from the six local governments in the Northern zone, I have 1,800 women participating at the workshop. The workshop will last for three days in each zone.

    According to Gutap, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had launched a N220 billion Small and Medium- Enterprises Development Fund where 60 per cent of the fund is reserved for women. But how many of the women are eligible to access this fund?

    “This training will, therefore, prepare women on the Plateau to access significant amount of this fund for the growth and development of their respective businesses. This will further enable beneficiaries to be in control of their own businesses and achieve economic independence,” he said.

    Head of Civil Service, Mr. Ezekiel Dalyop said: “Empowerment of rural women is a deliberate policy of government towards wealth creation at the grassroots which will eventually impact positively on the state’s economy.”

    It was gathered that the state government is making arrangements to establish Plateau State Entrepreneurship Development Agency (PLASEDA), which will manage the entrepreneurship industry.

    Also speaking, Interim Administrator of Jos South Local Government Area, Emmanuel Bimtet, said the financial literacy programme is a people-oriented policy of government for rural women. He urged women to take advantage of the scheme as a step towards eradicating poverty.

    At the end of the three-day training, participants were excited about the knowledge they have acquired at the workshop.

    One of the participants, Mrs. Phoebe Shinkur, said she had been equipped with the technique of managing scarce fund and principles of savings.

    Another participant, Mrs. Asabe Gana said: “I have learnt how to maintain good relationship with costumers; I have also learnt how to develop my trade using little fund.”

    Mrs. Ladi Thomas, another participant, told our correspondent that “I now know the principles of financial management. I never knew of this before. I have also learnt about record keeping and financial planning.”

     

  • Police kill two robbery suspects

    Determined to curb insecurity in Kebbi State, officers and men of the Kebbi State Police Command have intensified action against criminals.

    As a result, it has shot dead two armed robbers whose bodies were paraded to newsmen. The command also displayed one AK. 47 gun and two cell phones recovered from the robbers.

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police Muhammad Mustafa, who briefed newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, said the incident occurred at the early hours of Friday between Marafa and Koko in Fakai Local Government Area.

    “The three officers that killed the robbers were the divisional police officers from Sakaba, Ribah and Bena who were on their way to attend the monthly conference with the Commissioner of Police in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

    “They road was blocked by the robbers who opened fire on the police officers who returned fire. Two of the robbers were shot dead while three others escaped into the bush,” Mustafa said.

     

  • When Leah Charity Foundation battled cancer in Ilorin

    When Leah Charity Foundation battled cancer in Ilorin

    Leah Charity Foundation, whose founding trustee is the wife of the Governor of Kwara State, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, staged a road show in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, against cancer, writes OLUKOREDE YISHAU

    They called it a road show but what the Leah Charity Foundation staged in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on February 6 can be better described as some kind of city storming. Its founding trustee, who is also wife of the Governor of Kwara State, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, members of staff of the foundation and hundreds of volunteers marched round the nooks and crannies of Ilorin.

    It was in continuation of the commemoration of the 2014 edition of the World Cancer Day, which held two days earlier. The train departed the Government Reservation Area office of the Leah Cancer Centre, a facility which set up to reduce the burden of cancer amongst women at about 9.00am in the morning, it returned just a little before 6pm after nine hours of intense walking, dancing, talking and canvassing for collective action against the ravaging tendencies of breast and cervical cancer in the lives of women.

    With the loud music that accompanied the team, it was impossible for anyone not to notice that some people were on a mission in their neighbourhood, especially as the songs from this 30-minute album which was repeatedly played were written and recorded by some of the popular folk artistes in the city. And to even make it better, artistes were part of the convoy.

    From GRA, the long advocacy convoy moved to Post Office where it stopped and spread all over to distribute fliers and compact discs of the 30-minute album that have been put together by the non-governmental organisation. The wife of the governor was at the head of the campaign. She would accost this passer-by here and walked into the shop here. She talked to women and spoke to men on the need to encourage their wives to present themselves for early screening as a sure means of saving any life that may be at the risk of breast or cervical cancer.

    Sometimes, Ahmed would dance and sing along with the artistes as the songs conveyed all the message that the town storming carried with it. At other times, she would start with a prayer that the Almighty One would not allow disease to come near her listener and as people gather rather to hear what the governor’s wife might want to say to this young person that she is talking to, she would tighten the noose. “Although we do not pray that any one comes down with cancer, but I want you to know that cancer is not a death sentence and the only way to ensure that everyone is free from cancer is to go and screen. Early detection is the only way to save people from untimely death due to cancer and I am begging you all, my mothers, my sisters, my friends and children to please go on and check yourselves” Ahmed would say.

    She would then go ahead to explain that the foundation has opened screening centres in a number of locations within the metropolis. These include the Children Specialist Hospital, Centre Igboro, Adewole Cottage Hospital and the Sobi Specialist Hospital. She would explain further that there is another Leah Screening Centre in GRA and that anyone whose case needs any form of referral would be sent to the Leah Cancer Centre for more screening and possible intervention. This message was the same that the album distributed as the campaign moved on carried.

    Speaking about the Leah Foundation initiative in an interview later, Mrs Ahmed said that her passion for work came out of mixture of inspiration from God, promptings from respected people as well as the loss of some close people to the disease. She identified that the fact that the fatal likelihood of this disease can be tackled with early detection gave her the hope that “we can collectively work together to champion the cause of life for our women. We must all say no to avoidable deaths”

    She explained the procedure as follows: “ We encourage all women to visit our screening centres at Sobi Specialist Hospital, Adewole Cottage Hospital and Children Specialist Hospital Centre Igboro, Ilorin, with the payment of N200,000, they can have a cervical test conducted . They will also do breast examination and equally teach them how to do self-breast examinations on monthly basis.

    For anyone with traces of cervical cancer, she will be given referral note to the Leah Cancer Centre, where we have a new therapy that we call Chero therapy. It is used to nip cervical cancer in the bud. The Leah Cancer Centre is located along Abdulkareem Adisa Road, adjoining Trinity School GRA, Ilorin.

    She said: “Some people will need to go for further screening and the popular one we are used to is Pap Smear test. We have highly improved laboratory, where we can have it done. After that, you will see a gynaecologist. We have technical supports from gynaecologists who come regularly to the centre, in order to see our patients. Where the gynecologist looks at the result and there is still a further need for more tests, he will order for it. We also have a machine for that. After this, if the patient needs surgery, we will now refer her to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) or Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin. The procedure is the same for breast cancer patients. If you need mammography done, you will be referred to the Leah Centre where we have the mammogram machine after that, if you will need a biopsy, we also do that at the Centre. If it is ultrasound test we also have ultrasound machine at the Centre. And if a woman needs a full blown treatment, she will also be referred to UITH or Sobi.

    Currently, these centres have been collectively visited for screening by about 3,500 women. 240 of these were said to have had lumps in their breasts with 30 cases of full blown breast cancer and five with cervical cancer, “that had gone beyond redemption.”

    Ten women are said to have undergone Cryotherapy, just as 50 women had been referred to University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin for the removal of lumps in their breasts..

    Explaining that the road show would be repeated in the two remaining senatorial districts, Ahmed said that she looked forward to the time in the very near future when the Leah Cancer Centre would be in a position to treat patients without having to refer them to any hospital. She appealed to Nigerians and corporate organisation to partner with the foundation toward achieving this important task.

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Community pleads for amenities

    Bothered by the continued lack of basic amenities in the community, the residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have called on the council’s administration and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide essential facilities for the community.

    In a chat with our correspondent on the issue, some residents lamented that the community is still living in darkness as they were yet to experience the pleasure of electricity in the area for a very long period.

    One of the residents, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that the residents cannot predict when light which is one of the basic amenities most communities have been enjoying for years would be available in their community.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light. There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo, who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made life in the community boring.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo, said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.