The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • NEDC donates N2b to Maiduguri Monday Market inferno victims

    NEDC donates N2b to Maiduguri Monday Market inferno victims

    The Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) has donated N2 billion to support the affected traders of the Maiduguri’s Monday Market fire.

     The Monday Market, which was consumed by flames on February 26, this year, resulted in the loss of goods, shops, and properties worth billions of Naira.

    The Managing Director of NEDC, Goni Alkali, announced the donation during a visit to Governor Babagana Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.

    He expressed the commission’s commitment to helping the affected traders. He said: “Some months ago, the famous Maiduguri Monday Market was ravaged by fire, causing traders to lose their goods and shops. Today, we are here to assist the traders. The NEDC is providing a grant of N2 billion to support them in restarting their businesses.”

    Alkali further highlighted Zulum’s promise to rebuild the market, which has been fulfilled.The grant from NEDC aims to offer the traders a fresh start.

    Read Also: ‘NEDC will re-discover socio-economic possibilities for Northeast region’

    Chairman of the Commission, Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), emphasised the NEDC’s determination to fulfill its mandate. “We are here to understand what the state needs from us. We have visited Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, and now Borno, and soon we will extend our support to Adamawa and Taraba states. Borno State has made commendable progress in education, health, and agriculture,” he said.

    Zulum reiterated his commitment to ensuring that every NEDC donation reached the affected traders.

     He commended NEDC for its continuous support to traders, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the governments of the Northeastern states.

    Zulum also urged the commission to address the causes of the Boko Haram insurgency by investing in security, education, health, mechanized agriculture, infrastructure, and roads.

      He stressed that failure to do so could have severe consequences not only for the Northeast but for the entire country.

    He stated: “Boko Haram and ISWAP have caused extensive destruction, including over 500 classrooms, 800 municipal buildings, 1 million houses, displacement of over 3.5 million people, and the suffering of thousands of widows and orphans. They have also destroyed property worth over $6.7 billion, with a significant portion of this damage occurring in Borno state, according to a UN report.”

      Zulum expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by NEDC, particularly to IDPs in Borno, and he hoped that the commission would support President BolaTinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

  • Gombe’s revenue generation sees 78.3% increase with Recovery Tribunal

    Gombe’s revenue generation sees 78.3% increase with Recovery Tribunal

    Gombe State has seen a significant increase in revenue generation, going from N10.6 billion to N18.9 billion between October 2022 and September 2023. This 78.3% increase is thanks to the Revenue Recovery Tribunal that was set up by the state government.

    The Revenue Recovery Tribunal was established to recover revenue owed to the government by individuals and organisations. The tribunal has been successful in recovering funds from defaulters who had previously ignored payment obligations. This was disclosed by the state governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya while speaking during the court sitting/stakeholders appreciation to mark the one year anniversary of the Revenue Recovery Tribunal.

    Represented by his deputy, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, the governor said that the work and activities of the court have been transparent.

    He disclosed that the revenue recovered by the court has helped to strengthen the state’s finances and that it will be put towards funding various development projects.

    He said: “To God be the glory and gratitude for granting us the privilege to witness this one-year anniversary of the Gombe State Revenue Recovery Tribunal which is a very important tool in the improvement of revenue aspect in governance the world over.

    “While the drive for revenue generation, collection, and utilisation has been the magnet towards which leaders are attracted, the administration under the transparent, accountable, and good governance of His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya saw the compelling need to set up the Gombe State Revenue Recovery Tribunal. Records available, indicate that this is the first of such in the Northeast geo-political zone”.

    “Basically, this tribunal was conceived and created to avoid the situation of a master-servant relationship between those who govern and being governed. Hitherto issues were just presented to members of the public without being given the chance or opportunity to make observations, comments, or complaints as the case may be. This is horrible and inhuman. Common to those implementing government policies is the quick reference to the dictum. Under such circumstances, people are compelled to carry burdens/yokes that are beyond them.

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    “Accordingly, this tribunal gives rights and privileges to all those involved in the payment of revenue to the state to seek redress on the criteria/reasons for the demand of the revenue so demanded by the state government. Indeed, they can dialogue with members of the tribunal to understand each other, but based on mutual understanding by the parties. Where they are not satisfied, they can always appeal to higher government officials, where dispute resolution will be implored,” the Governor added.

    Speaking earlier, the Secretary of the Tribunal, Hannatu Dauda Simon said the event was to mark the first anniversary of the Revenue Recovery Tribunal and to use the opportunity to appreciate the Stakeholders for contributing to the success of the tribunal.

    She said at the inception of the tribunal, people thought it was meant to witch-hunt others but with sensitisation, they are now well abreast of the role of the tribunal and the importance of payment of tax.

    In his remarks, the former Chief Judge of Gombe State, Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak, expressed his gratitude for the progress realised by the Revenue Tribunal within its one year of existence. He said that by their performance it has shown that the aim and purpose of establishing the tribunal under his watch at the eve of his retirement has proven its worth.

    Awak stressed the need for the staff to maintain such tempo to complement the efforts of the state government under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to achieve its desired goals in providing dividends of democracy to the people of Gombe State, calling for the need to ensure that the tribunal is sustained to greater heights.

  • Digtal Nigeria 2023: Gombe wins Most Digitally Compliant State Award

    Digtal Nigeria 2023: Gombe wins Most Digitally Compliant State Award

    • Inuwa restates commitment to automate government operations

    Gombe State has been conferred with the ‘Most Digitally Compliant State’ Award by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

    The award was presented to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya by the Minister of Communications,  Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijjani during a ceremony at the end of the Digital Nigeria Conference 2023, organised by NITDA at the International Conference Center in Abuja.

    The Gombe State Governor was represented at the ceremony by Retired Federal Permanent Secretary and member of Gombe State Special Advisory Council, Dr. Ibrahim Jalo Daudu and Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Abdullahi Bappa Garkuwa.

    Receiving the award, Governor Inuwa reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensuring that Gombe State becomes the hub of information technology (IT) and innovation in Nigeria.

    The governor emphasised that digitalisation has created a conducive environment for business in the state and outlined plans to further improve internal revenue generation (IGR) and transform Gombe State into Nigeria’s Silicon Valley.

    He revealed that his administration aims to automate all government operations within the next four years, citing the successful implementation of the biometric personnel management system in the state civil service.

    “Gombe State is poised to lead in the digital revolution and address real-world governance, business, and social challenges through innovative projects”.

    The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, had in a letter conveying the nomination to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, stated that the award was a direct result of Inuwa’s impressive strides in the field of Information Technology.

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    As reported earlier, the recognition was earned through a series of remarkable initiatives of Governor Inuwa Yahaya- led administration through exceptional policies which encompass a wide range of accomplishments, including reducing Right of Way (RoW) fees, enhancing digital infrastructure development, supplying essential ICT devices to government departments, and implementing automated revenue collection systems.

    Also, Gombe State has made strides in digitising the Gombe Geographic Information System (GOGIS) for improved land management, revolutionizing salary payments through automation, and introducing Biometric Machines to combat truancy and enhance efficiency and productivity among civil servants.

    Recall that just recently, Gombe State stood out brilliantly among many Federal establishments and state agencies at the GovTech Digtal Governance Award organised by the Presidency through the Bureau for Public Service Reforms, and received three prestigious awards for its remarkable achievements in advancing digital governance. 

    During that event, Gombe State Geographic Information System ( GOGIS) received the coveted “Best State in Geographic Information System” Award, Gombe State Due Process Office clinched the best State MDA in innovative Digital Services and Gombe State University ( GSU) was recognised as the best State University in Website Operations. 

  • Inuwa’s industrialisation plan making headway, says commissioner

    Inuwa’s industrialisation plan making headway, says commissioner

    The Gombe State Commissioner of Trade, Industry, and Tourism, Nasiru Muhammad Aliyu, has affirmed that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and his team are consistently working to actualise the vision of transforming Gombe into an industrial state and a business hub for the Northeast region.

    Mr. Aliyu notes that the state government has introduced various innovative initiatives towards achieving this end, including the establishment of an Industrial Park designed to attract investors, promote entrepreneurship, and create numerous job opportunities for the people of Gombe.

    The commissioner, who stated this in an interview, added that the government has also prioritised the improvement of the state’s infrastructure, such as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and water supply, in addition to business-friendly policies to enable smooth operations of businesses and industries in the state.

    Furthermore, the commissioner highlighted the state’s immense potential in various sectors, such as agriculture, trade, solid minerals, and hospitality, which provide numerous investment opportunities for local and foreign investors.

    According to Nasiru, the efforts being made by the state government to transform the state into an industrial and business hub have started yielding the desired results, with the signing of an investment commitment worth N70.5 billion between the government and investors from within and outside the country.

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    The commissioner also disclosed that other efforts and strategies being employed by the state government include the establishment of the Gombe State Investment Promotion Agency (GOSIPA) and the development of other sectors such as peace and security as well as the development of skilled and unskilled workers and markets for goods and services.

    “We already have an international airport with about four kilometers of runway to accommodate any type of cargo for shipping and supply. Being at the center of the northeastern states, we have succeeded in making Gombe the state for ease of doing business and Gombe State has been designated as a business-free zone, meaning factories and inventors can ship their goods and produce without hiccups or challenges of hectic paperwork,” Nasiru assured.

    He announced that the state government is working to host the second phase of the Gombe State Investment Summit (GoInvest) which is a consolidation of the first summit that was held in October 2022.

    “Our GoInvest 2.0 will be coming in November this year, therefore, we are calling on investors who missed the first one, to attend the upcoming summit to explore potentials and investment opportunities in Gombe State,” Nasiru stated.

  • Tinubu has been fair to us, says Katsina APC Women Leader

    Tinubu has been fair to us, says Katsina APC Women Leader

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader in Katsina State, Hajia Halima Othman, has lauded President Bola Tinubu, for giving appointments to many indigenes of the state.

     Hajia Othman, who stated this during a chat with The Nation in Katsina, described the President’s action as commendable.

    Hajia Othman, a  former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Lands and Survey, said: ‘’Tinubu has been fair to Katsina people, especially to the female gender, he is moving in the right direction. Baba, we thank you.

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     ’’Katsina People stood solidly behind the President during electioneering campaigns, I was a member of the women campaign team and we did our best to ensure the president emerged victorious.

     ‘’Like the proverbial Oliver Twist, Katsina women will continue to ask for more from our amiable President, he should do more for us, Katsina is not a small state.’’

     The former education administrator further called on Katsina women to support girl-child education and ensure better health care practices.

  • Catholic Church confirms kidnap of priest in Taraba

    Catholic Church confirms kidnap of priest in Taraba

    The Catholic Diocese of Wukari in Taraba State has confirmed the kidnapping of one of its priests, Rev. Fr Thaddeus Tarhembe, in the early hours of yesterday at his parish.

    The Communications Director of the diocese, Rev. Fr John Jerome Laikei, in a statement, also called for prayers for the safe release of the priest.

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     “I am directed by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, Most Rev. Mark Nzukwein, to inform the public of the kidnap of one of our priests, Very Rev. Fr Thaddeus Tarhembe. The sad event occurred in the early hours of Sunday 29th October 2923 in the Rev. Father’s rectory of his parish.

    “He is the Parish Priest of St Ann’s Parish, Sarkin Kudu in Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba State.

    “We solicit for prayers from all people of good will for the safety and quick release by his abductors,” he stated.

  • Group to APC: caution Deputy Speaker over ‘anti-party activities’

    Group to APC: caution Deputy Speaker over ‘anti-party activities’

    Some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from Abia State have called on the party to caution the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, over alleged anti-party activities.

    The members on the platform of Progressives League of APC Youths Voters are asking President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to call Kalu in the interest of the party.

    At a press conference in Abuja, National Coordinator of the group, Usman Shuaibu, said it had become an embarrassment that some leaders of the APC engage in anti-party activities, castigating the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who has given her all to ensure the victory of the party in the last general election in the state.

    But the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Levinus Nwabughiogu, denied the allegation.

     Kalu said he shared a healthy relationship with the minister.

     Addressing reporters, Shaibu said: “The most recent is the sponsored campaign of calumny against Hon. NKeiruka Onyejeocha who flew the party’s flag in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State in the February 25, National Assembly elections. She is the Minister of Labour and Employment (State).

     “It is no longer news that Nkeiruka, who is our party’s flagbearer, was robbed of her victory by the Labour Party in Abia State, where they deployed unethical means during the Presidential and National Assembly elections against the APC. Recalled that some APC groups raised the alarm calling for the restoration of her mandate which she vigorously pursued at the tribunal and won.

    “Since her victory at the tribunal, which is the ultimate triumph of APC in Abia State, some highly placed persons in the National Assembly have unleashed a campaign of calumny against her person using mushroom Organisations to blackmail Hon. NKeiruka Onyejeocha and the APC in a bid to bully her to abandon her victory at the Appeal Court.’’

     “We make bold to say that we have identified the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Benjamin Kalu, who sees the victory of the Minister as a political threat instead of a blessing as the sponsor of the blackmail against Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

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     “Kalu has become so desperate that he has resorted to using the name and office of the President Tinubu to blackmail the Minister who is currently focused on her national assignments.

    “Kalu has done everything possible to set even the Speaker of House Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and other highly placed members of the party against her.

     “Everytime he fails in his bid to raise dust where there is none, he deploys new evil machinations to bring Nkeiruka down.

     “We are worried that, why should the victory of the APC and Hon Onyejeocha in Abia State become a nightmare for Benjamin Kalu? Is there something more to it that he is not telling the APC or his political associates?

    “We know how some highly placed persons who are the major beneficiary of the APC worked against the party in the last Presidential elections in the guise of religion and tribal sentiment, thereby reducing the winning votes of our great Party.”

    Warning against the implications of such a campaign against committed APC members, Shaibu said such will grow to affect the success of the party in the 2027 general elections.

    “We recommend a disciplinary action against the deputy speaker, Mr Kalu and his accomplices to serve as a deterrent to others who may wish to indulge in such dangerous anti-party activity in the near future.

     “We call on the National Chairman of our great party, Dr bdullahi Umar Ganduje, who is reconciling and repositioning the party for a better tomorrow to immediately call Mr. Benjamin Kalu to order before he destroys the party completely in Abia State.

    “Kalu is not from Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency neither is he a member of the Labour Party. One wonders what is His problem with the victory of Nkeiruka and the APC. This has proven that some members of the party actually engaged in anti party activities to subdue the APC from being declared winner of the House of Representatives election in Abia State.

    “We equally call on President Bola Tinubu to call the deputy speaker to order as the APC remains one united family, a united force that will lead us to victory in 2027.

    “And if this campaign of calumny continues, we shall have no option than to occupy the National Assembly to demand the resignation of the deputy speaker, an action that would last until we achieve our demand. The APC belongs to all of us and we shall continue to maintain its supremacy.”

  • Kogi Accord candidate mourns Ohinoyi of Ebiraland

    Kogi Accord candidate mourns Ohinoyi of Ebiraland

    The candidate of Accord in the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election, Vice Admiral (rtd) Jibrin Usman, has described the passing of the Vice Chairman of Kogi Traditional Council and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland Dr Ado Ibrahim, as “sad and painful” occurrence.

     Jibrin, who made said this yesterday in a statement by his Youths Spokesperson, Comrade Samuel Danjuma, noted that he had a good relationship with the 94-year-old paramount king of Ebiraland who passed on in the early hours of yesterday in Abuja while undergoing treatment for an age-related illness.

    The former Naval boss said  he received the news of the death of the king with shock and sadness, but prayed that God grants the deceased eternal rest.

     While sympathising with the bereaved family, Ebira land and the people of Kogi,  the Accord flagbearer said: “Our hearts ache, and we share in the collective grief of our beloved Ebira people.”

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    Danjuma also said the Youth Wing of Accord condoled the family of the late king and the Ebira people of the state.

    “We, the youth, stand in solemn solidarity with the Accord Governorship candidate, as he too grapples with the shock of this loss. In this trying time, we offer our deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers for the repose of the soul of our departed leader, ‘’ he said.

    “We beseech the Almighty to grant strength and fortitude to the family, the good people of Ebira land, and our entire state as we navigate this painful chapter. Together, may we find the resilience to bear the weight of this great loss,” Danjuma said.

  • Lecturer murdered in her residence

    Lecturer murdered in her residence

    A lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Dr Adefolalu Fumilola, has been murdered in her residence in Gbaiko area of Bosso in Minna, Niger State.

    Adefolalu who is a Lecturer with the Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences of the university was discovered dead in her house by her church members. The Nation gathered that worried about her absence in the church where she is a Pastor, the church members went to her house only to discover her in a pool of blood.It was learned that she said stab wounds and the knives used to stab her were found beside her.

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    Chairman, Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) OF the school, Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin confirmed the incident.

    Police authorities later moved the body to the mortuary.

  • Nordica chief calls for IVF practice regulation 

    Nordica chief calls for IVF practice regulation 

    • Nordica plans first HIFU centre in Abuja

    An In Vitro  Fertiliser (IVF) clinic, the Nordica Fertility Centre is set to introduce High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to its clinic in Abuja, the first of its kind in the nation’s capital.

     It has also re-echoed the need for the regulation of human organ donation and IVF practice in the country, while condemning the misconceptions being peddled against the IVF practice.

     The Medical Director of the clinic, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, said the HIFU technology was deployed in Nordica’s Lagos clinic in July 2021 where 385 patients have been treated.

     According to him, the HIFU technology, which is a minimally invasive medical procedure that uses ultrasound waves, would be deployed mainly to treat uterine fibroids without surgery.

      Speaking with reporters in Abuja over the weekend, Ajayi said Nordica is the first and only IVF clinic in the West African sub-region that is deploying the HIFU technology to treat uterine fibroid without surgery which also comes very helpful for IVF patients with such conditions.

    Ajayi said the introduction of HIFU in the nation’s capital was in furtherance of his commitment to provide solution alternatives and relief to people undergoing complicated and complex medical care.

     He said the Centre is also using the extension of the technology to Abuja to mark the11th anniversary of Nordica Fertility Centre in Nigeria.

     According to him, the HIFU technology would be launched in Abuja in the first quarter of next year.

     Ajayi, who spoke on IVF, however, advocates knowledge of the medical procedure.

    He said Nordica is embarking on a massive awareness campaign about IVF in Nigeria because of the lack of knowledge about the issue and the secrecy surrounding it.

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     He said the failure or success of IVF is a delicate issue that must be fully understood by intending patients and couples.

      “We know that infertility is one of the toughest challenges couples can face.

     “No matter how strong anyone is, it tests your relationships, it tests who you are, it tests your faith in God. And when you do the IVF treatment again it fails, it tests everything again. So it’s important to understand that patients are also prepared for this.

     “We have gone beyond the days of whether IVF is possible in Nigeria, we know it is possible, we know we have thousands of babies through the process but the next step will now be how to make people understand that there’s a failure rate.

     “This is because we have people who have seen couples whose marriages break down even after a successful process, which shows that not only practitioners but also the consumers that we are not paying enough attention to mental health to the effects on relationships,” he added.

     While regretting the unsuccessful passage of a bill to IVF regulation at the National Assembly, Ajayi said the lack of knowledge of the issue, the reality of unscrupulous persons that might want to take advantage of it while putting the career and lives investments of the practitioners at jeopardy, has made it imperative to regulate the sector.

     He, however, acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Lagos State branch of the association, and others to see the laws birthed.