The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • ‘We’ve not been compensated for demolished homes’

    Indigenous people of Dagbalo community in Apo area of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have said the government has not compensated them for land and houses wrongfully demolished despite the funds appropriated for the FCT administration.

    The indigenes almost staged a protest but spoke with journalists instead, expressing their grievances, saying that the affected indigenes have been living in penury.

    Leader of Dagbalo community, Rev. Danjuma Tanko on behalf of the indigenes, said that the absence of FCT Assembly has greatly encouraged the wings of corruption in the FCDA.

    He further called on President Mohammadu Buhari to consider Abuja natives in sensitive positions of his cabinet who knows and understands names of villages and the direct needs other than those who will only blow trumpet, beat drums in their offices and tabulate peoples land to themselves, families and seedlings.

    “I want Nigerians and the world to know that this day, no compensation has ever been paid nor any fund by government or any authority in that capacity to the original inhabitants. All efforts despite correspondence to replace our father’s houses were not honoured and 2004 during President Obasanjo, there was needed to expand the city, roads were constructed from Gudu village to Apo village.

    “The community called Akpajenya was partly affected by the road for which our houses were affected and up till now no compensation has been paid even though assessment were made with nos GU/05/73 Danjuma Tanko, GU/05/74/David Danjuma, GU/06/Mathias Danjuma, among others names that were omitted by the FCDA officials.

    “After the then minister of FCT and now Governor Mallam Nasir el-Rufai left office, the responsibilities vested on the Director Development Control the former Yahaya Yusuf and 2006 and the same marks and nos were used for resettlement of Garki community, Akpajenya and Apo community and Dagbalo community was not mentioned neither was merged with Akpajenya community,” he said.

    He said that he intend to clear issues before Nigerians to be able to participate and understand why the original inhabitants are against the policies and activities perpetuated by the officials of the FCDA and FCTA.

    “90 percent of names that appeared on the resettlement exercise carried out by the FCDA were unknown names to the communities while the people of Garki has no more lands to expand building or manage the imbalance offer, Dagbalo was worst hit by the direct evil of forceful demolition when at the woke up in the morning of 30th July, 2013 only to be surrounded with armed soldiers led by the FCDA officials and wiped out the entire Dagbalo community without showing any sympathy to our people.

    “All efforts made by our community to stop the inhuman act proved abortive and even as we watched those beats journalists seized tapes and smashed them on the ground,” he said.

    He insisted that his people has been subjected to untold hardship and all manner of unearthed treatment by the past FCT administration and therefore called on President and the Senate and the House of Representatives to intervene.

     

  • Ozolua raises funds in USA for IDPs

    Ozolua raises funds in USA for IDPs

    Empower54 is taking its “Rise Above Terror” campaign to Atlanta, United States of America as a means of raising more money to meet the needs of the millions of Internally Displaced Persons in the Northeastern Nigeria, Princess Modupe Ozolua has said.

    The event which will feature photographic exhibition of communities destroyed by Boko Haram and life in IDP camps in Nigeria is slated for December, in Atlanta, United States of America.

    Ozolua, founder of Empower54, formerly known as BEARS Foundation, is an organisation that has been actively helping underprivileged Africans since 2003. Its campaign, Rise Above Terror, has been empowering women in the IDP camps in Nigeria to be self-sufficient and building schools for displaced children. Empower54 has established schools in IDP camps in Adamawa and Borno States and has completed the renovation of a 6 class school building in Askira-Uba, Adamawa State that was destroyed by Boko Haram.

    The Atlanta, GA event comes against the background of the “Rise Above Terror…What Happens Next?” diplomatic cocktail and art auction which took place earlier this month in the Federal Capital City of Abuja.

    Ozolua’s Abuja exhibition event which was an innovative way of raising funds for the IDPs’ needs featured artworks donated by renowned artists like: Okwwoju El-Dragg Leonard, Damola Adepoju, Bimbo Adenuga, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Abdurazaq Ahmed Akibu and Dimeji Alara.

    Others were: Shonibare Olatunbosun, Amarachi Kelechi, Seyi Morakinyo, Stanley Anyanwu, Olufemi Oyewole and Okpeyowa Moses Marquis.

    The artworks were auctioned to diplomatic Ambassadors, country representatives of donor agencies, top Nigerian Government officials and special guests.

    At the Abuja event, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila applauded the initiative, adding that the National Assembly is ready to partner with the organisation in the fight against terror.

    His words: “Terrorism is an issue of concern to the global community today, and as we can see, Nigeria is not an exception. We have lost too many lives and valuable property to acts of irresponsible killings by members of the terrorist sects and the present administration is doing all it can to ensure that terrorism become history in Nigeria.

    “We at the National Assembly join in the Rise Above Terror campaign, and we will continue to do everything within the legal,instrument available to us to support your cause. The importance of rehabilitation of victims of terrorism is clear to all.”

    According to Ozolua “the USA event would also showcase an exhibition of donated paintings from Nigerian painters to support Empower54’s rebuilding of schools destroyed by Boko Haram and establishing schools in the IDP camps.”

    Already, the Mayor of the City of Atlanta, Kasim Reed, has expressed the readiness of the City to host the December event.

  • Kebbi, foundation screen 2000 women for cancer

    The Medicaid Cancer Foundation in collaboration with the Kebbi State government has carried out a free breast and cervical screening programme for 2000 women in the state.

    The campaign started with an awareness walk led by the wife of the state governor Dr Zainab Atiku Bagudu. A consultant paediatrician, Dr Bagudu also initiated the foundation which has been in the forefront of cancer advocacy for seven years across the North.

    Speaking at the occasion the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Alhaji Atiku Kende stressed that every patient who tested positive during the exercise would be treated free by the state government.

    He advised women to use the opportunity to disabuse their minds of cultural beliefs and stigma attached to cancer.

    The governor’s wife assured women of the state that the foundation would continue the screening programme through the state. She called on radiologists and radiographer stop consider taking up employment with the state as it currently had none in its service despite having good equipments such as the mammography machine which some states do not possess.

    She also encouraged medical students present at the occasion to go into the speciality more so as to fill up the gap. Over 2000 people attended the program which continues throughout the week across the state. Also in attendance were student bodies, NGOs, wives of Sole administrators, government officials etc.

     

  • Battle against filth

    Battle against filth

    The effort to rid the satellite communities of garbage is not yielding much fruit, as collected waste takes a sizeable portion of the roads. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports on the Kuje scenario.

    Not every part of the nation’s capital is a dream world. In the swanky, glitzy districts, life is pleasurable. In the satellite communities, infrastructure is a challenge. Healthy water is as much an issue as are paved roads and power supply. Now add garbage evacuation to it.

    In Kuje, where terrorists detonated a bomb which claimed souls not too long ago, getting rid of refuse is proving too tough a task for the residents, collectors and the council.

    In the past, residents simply cast their waste into the next undeveloped land. That practice has now been stopped by the authorities. So how do the people dispose of their waste?

    They simply throw it into a stationary garbage van belonging to the council or have private collectors to pick it up. Either way, the garbage often ends up on the road, where it takes up a good portion.

    The residents are fed up, some fearing that the development may lead to an outbreak of epidemics.

    It is not just the residents who dump the waste on the road; garbage collectors also do after waiting sometimes in vain for private or government trucks to collect. When the garbage vans are seen, they are usually left on the road filled with waste dumped by the residents. So the collectors throw what they have into the overflowing van and walk away.

    One of the garbage collectors, Sanni Moses who has been lifting waste products for over two years, said, “Initially, we dumped the collected garbage in the open fields and then it would be picked up by government for disposal, but now since there is no place and government has not taken any action we are forced to dump the collected garbage on the main road next to the drainage and wait for them to pick, we are performing our duty, and we are helpless because they (government) has to collect from us and there is no response from them.”

    John another garbage collector said, “The waste is been collected only if it is segregated, we are working as per the rules but when we give them for disposal they are again mixed and put all together.”

    A resident, Mrs. Anatu Ibrahim who spoke with Abuja Review said: “When the garbage collectors do come regularly, there are more than 15,000 residents in this area and most of them are forced to dump garbage in open area especially on the main road which most of them are doing including the garbage collectors themselves. The garbage vans are left on the road fully filled with waste along with waste that is been dumped by the residents apart from the garbage collectors.”

    Following the sad development, residents have rated the administration of the Hon. Shaban Tete as below standard, coupled with the inability of the administration to execute new projects in the council apart from those he met on ground after the administration of Hon. Danladi Zhin.

    The residents who decried lack of basic infrastructures by the present administration, lamented that their expectations after the last council election which brought in the present administration have been could short, as the Tete’s administration have failed to fulfill his campaign promises to the people.

    One of the residents, Mr. Samuel Dan, told Abuja Review that the only access road in the town is speedily becoming dilapidated and needs urgent repairs, saying that communities in the council have not been enjoying adequate power supply.

    Another resident, Ms. Gloria Usman, also said that they were expecting the present administration to effectively deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Kuje, but they are disappointed at what they are seeing in the council.

    Usman said that the people are expecting to see more developmental structures after the last administration, but that since the present administration assumed office, there have been nothing tangible on ground, to show that the administration means well for the people.

    She said that the only way for the Tete led administration to prove to Kuje people that he means well for the people, he should ensure that it redeems its campaign promises to the residents of Kuje.

    “We the people of Kuje are not happy with the present administration of Mr. Shaban Tete because the administration has not done anything for the people of Kuje, apart from the role the environmental department has been playing to ensure that the council is clean.

     

  • For the love of Jos violence victims

    For the love of Jos violence victims

    Lacking materials and cash, Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau State Specialists Hospital often struggle to cater for victims of violence. Now, N30m relief has come, reports YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU

     

     

    They are not just another pair of hospitals. Owned by the state government, their doors are always open to patients including victims of violence. Immediately, their staff get to work, trying their best to dull patients’ pain, stop bleeding and revive those fighting for their lives. But the hospitals often run into all sorts of problems, including lack of cash and life-saving materials.

    That is the lot of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialists Hospital.

    Help has come. A non-governmental organisation, Victim Support Fund or VSF has provided N30m to be split between them, N20 for teaching hospital, N10m for the specialist facility.

    The two major hospitals in Jos, the state capital, have been bearing the burden of providing medical care to victims of attacks.

    VSF noticed their efforts and challenges. Each time there were such attacks as car or suicide bombings, the hospitals quickly ran out of drugs and other consumables because of the huge number of casualties they treated. The hospital management often appealed to governments and private organisations to assist with necessary health facilities for saving life.

    It was on that note that the NGO sourced funds to assist the hospitals for the sake of victims of attacks. At the end of their search for funds, they came up with a whooping sum of thirty million naira to be donated to the hospitals. Hence,  the NGO came up to formally present the fund in aid of victims.

    But before the NGO made their presentations to the benefiting hospitals, the NGO had to sign a memorandum of understanding with managements of the hospitals so as not to divert the funds for other purposes other than purchasing medical facilities like drugs to be used on victims of insurgency.

    The Executive Director of the NGO, Prof. Sunday Ochoche made the donation to management of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialist Hospital. Of the N30 million, the NGO gave N20m to JUTH and gave N10m to Plateau Specialists Hospital.

    Mr. Ochoche said, “The donation is to compliment the efforts being made by hospitals which bear the most burden of caring for victims of insurgency and other related crisis in the country.

    He said, “Victims Support Fund is private sector-led, in conjunction with and support from government and other well meaning individuals. We have been to different hospitals providing care for crisis and insurgency victims in North East and other areas, the problems and challenges are enormous, we come in to show solidarity and to support in our own little way”

    “The organisation was set up when former president Goodluck Jonathan invited private sector to compliment government efforts following the intensity of attacks in 2014, so as to help alleviate the sufferings of victims, thus the Victims Support Fund Committee was formed under the chairmanship of T.Y. Danjuma who has been the largest individual contributor, haven donated 10 million dollars to VSF at its inception.

    Mr. Ochoche also said,“We have not supported private hospitals because the emphasis is to help build capacity and provide resources for these public institutions to be able to provide free medical care for victims, and we are providing support to help build capacity that will be available for public use. With the limited resources we have, we thought it will be more cost effective to put it in public institutions. Apart from Plateau State, we have provided support for other government hospitals in Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Yobe and Abuja respectively.

    The fund was presented in cheque to management of the benefitting hospitals. The Chief medical directors of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) Dr Edward Banwat received the cheque on behalf of the hospital while Dr. Joseph Golwa, Chief Medical Director of Plateau Hospital recited a cheque of N10,000 on behalf of the hospital. Both of the expressed appreciation for the support by VSF and promised that the funds will be used for what is it meant for and that, that will be judiciously utilised as agreed.

     

  • Ex-Kogi governor’s wife trains youths

    Wife of former Kogi State governor, Aisha Audu-Emeje has launched a  free IT training programme for youths.

    No fewer than 1000 will be trained by her A3 Foundation which is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.

    Aisha Audu-Emeje who is the CEO/founder of the organisation, said the free ICT programme was designed to create sustainable employment for high potential but disadvantaged youths in Nigeria.

    She disclosed that the global youth unemployment rate was 13% in Year 2014 and that the pandemic of unemployment does not affect Nigeria alone.

    Her words: “For me I am giving back to the society and at the same time we will give the trainees capital to get to the next stage in life. You can see clearly that we are one of the first private organisations to go after the desire of President Muhammadu Buhari to create jobs for the youths. We have stepped out by doing 1000 and because we believe in Buhari and we know he is willing to succeed in all aspect of his administration.

    “According to a United Nations report released in January this year, an extra 10 million people worldwide are likely to be unemployed by 2019,the report mentioned that slower growth, widening inequalities and economic turbulence as reasons behind the trend.”

    The renowned politician and youth empowerment crusader said with all these daunting statistics, it was imperative for all stakeholders to put all hands on deck to tackle this problem head on adding that:” this is definitely not the time for complacency.”

    The former first lady who described unemployment as situation where someone of working age is not able to get a job but would like to be in full time employment stated that “many youth in Nigeria fall into this category with their intimidating credentials from notable schools”.

    She stated challenges such as finance, absence of good administration and inconsistent policies as factors suppressing the efforts of the Nigerian Government in reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

    “The A3 foundation has taken all these factors into consideration and has sought newer ways to address the rising unemployment rate”

    “And that is why we have embarked on the training of 1000 Youth in Nigeria in the field of ICT with support from Rockefeller foundation to further assist high potential but disadvantaged youth in taking their rightful place in society by securing decent jobs”

    “the training of these youths would not only enable youth take their rightful place but would create an environment where the youth can in turn make meaningful impact in the society at large”

    “it is our believe at the A3 Foundation that the training would go a long way to helping disadvantaged youth in the society by taking them off the streets and putting their individuals skills to good use” Ambassador Aisha added.

    She gave the assurance that based on the Foundation’s high level of commitment; the training would not be an ordinary training as the organization intends to follow up on all trainees to ensure that they are gainfully employed.

    The project manager, Ms Hadiza Emeje who said that the Registration portal was created for efficiency and transparency urged interested youth to log in to www.thea3foundation.org and apply for the training which starts from the 19th October, 2015.

    She also noted that the pilot scheme would kick off in FCT, Nasarawa State and Niger State.

     

  • UK minister’s visit enlivens Kaduna rehab centre

    UK minister’s visit enlivens Kaduna rehab centre

    Everyone in the community and at the centre was excited. The District Head received the visitors himself. The management and inmates were keen not just to hear what they had to say but also share a few bits of information with their guests.

    It was a day to remember at the Kaduna State Rehabilitation Centre, Makera, Kakuri, where people living with disability are trained in skills to help them lead meaningful lives.

    The United Kingdom’s Minister For Africa and the Department For International Development (DFID), Hon. Grant Shapps and top British High Commission officials visited the rehabilitation centre to assess its progress and ensure that the programmes outlined for the inmates meet their needs and standard set to make life more meaningful for the less privileged.

    Shapps was received at the facility by the District Head of Kakuri, Alhaji Shehu Tijjani, officials of the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) and the management of the centre.

    Mr Shapps who interacted freely with the inmates, taking photographs with them, told journalists that the UK government would be paying special attention to the physically challenged people because of the impact of violent conflicts on them and the fact that they would come in handy in peace building.

    Mr Shapps who later inaugurated a 100m pounds public sector accountability and governance programme at the state Government House, said he was impressed by the ability of the inmates to learn quickly and pass the knowledge to those in rural areas.

    The Nation gathered that the centre which was established in 1980 has a population of 150 students who are trained according to each of “the broad categories of the special needs from the visually impaired, physically challenged, to ones with acute mental challenges.”

    For about one and half to two years, students in the centre have learnt various skills that are designed to take them off the streets, reduce the incidence of stigmatisation against them and make them to be more useful to themselves and the society. Besides the skills they have acquired, they have also become change agents in their communities as others who are not as privileged as they are run to them to learn about the school in the centre.

    Queen Davids, one of the visually impaired students at the centre, said she has learnt about the rights of women through various advocacy programmes initiated by the school.

    Davids said she also learnt cake baking, weaving and knitting, keeping the home and environment clean and her communication ability has improved since she came to the school. She said parents of physically challenged people in the rural areas are always sceptical releasing their children for training, but that on several occasions, she has become a reference point as they now listen to her whenever she visited the rural areas and talked about her experiences in the school.

    Zainab Ahmed from Makarfi who has spent one and half years in the school called on government to improve the facilities. She recalled that she was always moody and unhappy about her condition (physically challenged) before she was brought to the Centre, but haven met with people and interacted with them, she now sees life from different perspective.

    The Nation learnt that based on the commitment of the teachers and the students, there has been a reduction in the number of gender-based violence in the centre, teenage pregnancy and pregnancy rates within students have dropped drastically, while the students have learned about self esteem, entrepreneurship, human rights, safety and security.

    The NSRP supported by DFID has Inclusive Peace Club in the Centre to deal with gender issues, advocacy programmes and capacity building for the vulnerable and marginalised sections of the communities. Other non-governmental organisations such as Alpha Care, coordinated by Hon. Hassan Abubakar, it was learnt also play significant roles in peace building initiatives in Kaduna state.

    Hon Abubakar told The Nation that the collaboration between NSRP and DFID has benefitted so many non-governmental organisations in the state especially on peace building initiatives and support for the physically challenged.

    Alpha Care, he said, has been able to use drama presentation (Magawatta) on radio and television to promote conflict resolution, democracy and good governance besides creating health awareness and respect for the rights of women and children. He commended the NSRP and DFID for supporting its advocacy programme, saying youth restiveness would reduce if there is adequate investment in capacity building, and free education.

    He urged Governor Nasri el-Rufai to build on the achievements of past administrations in the state, especially in sustaining peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups by bringing stakeholders together. Hon Abubakar said noted that the government should not wait until crisis situation before building on the relative peace in the state.

    He said the governor should support initiatives that would make the local government councils’ authorities work together with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths, women groups and other non-governmental organisations in other to confront the problems of insecurity, unemployment, drug abuse, armed robbery, etc.

     

  • Snakes attack Plateau communities

    Snakes attack Plateau communities

    The flood this year came with snakes whose bites have left residents of two communities jumpy. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU reports

     

    The rains came with floods and the floods with strange snakes. The worst days of the floods are over in Plateau State and the people are happy that it was not as devastating as the previous ones. Still, the fear of snakes persist in the Angas communities of Kanke and Kanam councils of the state. In two weeks the venomous snakes have bitten 50 people, five of whom have died, many still being treated.

    The residents said the reptiles came with the water and now seem to have found a home in their communities, but the reptiles are not merely settling down quietly; they are frequently sinking their teeth and venom in their hosts.

    As flood waters receded, strange species of snakes found their way to bushes, farms and homes in the communities. The snakes, found to be highly poisonous, are attacking any living thing they see in the community including animals and humans.

    They have attacked no fewer than 50 people at home and on the farms in both local governments.

    Their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Timothy Golu who raised the alarm over the snake invasion when he visited his constituency, said, “We have records of over 50 members of my constituency with cases of snakebite, we are battling to save their lives the best way we can.

    The federal lawmaker said, “Out of the over 50 persons affected, five of them have died of the snake poison; many others are still in critical condition as I’m talking to you now, they are currently on admission in various hospitals. Some were taken to traditional medicine homes within the locality, 13 of them are currently receiving treatment at Zamko clinic in Langtang, 20 in native doctors home, while some visited the centers for daily treatment owing to lack of bed space the hospital.

    Among victims of the snake invasion, Hon Golu said, “Some were lucky to survive it, they have been treated and discharged. I discovered that the severity of the effect of the venom of the snake differs in individual victims, some have strong antibodies that resist the power of the snake poison, in some other individuals, the poison can kill them within an hour after bite. There is the case of one woman from my village is a different one, she was bitten by the snake, she was taken to the hospital, treated and discharged. But it was later discovered that pus is gushing from the wound and we have to return her to the hospital for checks. The woman is limping with that leg because of the pains.

    Members of the communities described the strange snakes as plague, they said the snakes move in pair, where one is sighted the other will be very close, they can be found on trees, in holes, in grasses, and any other available place that can contain them. The villagers described the snake to have black color like the black mamba and can be between two to five meters long.

    Hon Golu is expressing fears that the snake is capable of wrecking havoc in his constituency unless there are concrete measures put in place by the state and federal governments. “I want the federal government to send immediate intervention to my constituency; with what I see on the ground, victims now depend on luck to survive these poisonous snakes. The federal government need to treat this case with the kind of attention given to the Ebola case. This snake can multiply and spread to other local governments, so something urgent should be done to contain them”

    The lawmaker suggested that the federal should send in anti-snake venom drugs, we are also crying to the world Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to come and help, the anti-venue drugs are beyond the reach of the common man. NEMA should also come in because many residence are fleeing the affected villages for fear of the snake. The immediate and urgent solution we need now is to fumigate the entire communities and the entire environment. If not so, people cannot go to farm, women cannot go to the bush to fetch firewood, residents cannot come out at night, most people are indoors, they have been made prisoners in their own homes”

    But beyond the strange snakes allegedly brought into the communities by flood, there is something attractive to poisonous snakes in Kanke local government. The people have been battling with issues of poisonous snakes for several decades. The snakes of Kanke local government have their season to operate, and when it is their season, the snakes go out to look for whoever to bite, and once they bite, your chance of survival is very slim. The people and government of the area have been advocating for the establishment of special hospital for the treatment of snake bite.

    Hon Golu said, “Yes, my local government Kanke has been experiencing incidences of snakebite for a very long time. But what we are experiencing this time is different. We have been crying to government to do something about the peculiar situation in Kanke, I tried my best when I was a state law maker from that constituency, but nothing was done. But now the situation is getting worse because a strange species of dangerous snakes have invaded the area, they were transported here by flood, I don’t why they decided to remain here, now they people cannot sleep, me need help fast.”

    Hon Golu has advised his people to use rain boots and hand gloves if they must go to farms or go out at night as the only preventive measure against the rampaging snakes.

     

  • Moving forward with governors

    Few can doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire and passion is to gow the country.

    That much was clear even from the electioneering days.

    Now in the saddle directing the ship of state, he does not want any part of the country to be left behind as he projects and plans.

    His focus is beyond governance at the federal level as he tries to carry every state government along towards ensuring total and even development and progress across Nigeria.

    He is putting the opportunities for economic growth he has seen at the centre at the doorsteps of state governments.

    To this end, President Buhari last Tuesday created a forum through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja for all the 36 state governors to experience reawakening that will place their states on a path of genuine economic growth.

    The ultimate aim of the session is to boost internally generated revenues of state governments and make them less dependent on the centre.

    The state governors, during the session, were briefed by many federal government agencies and international organizations which enlightened them on the various opportunities available to them and how to run an efficient economy at the state level.

    Their eyes were opened to some developmental funds they could easily access from world bodies and potentially rewarding partnerships they could go into with some federal government agencies and international organizations.

    During the session, for instance, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health briefed the governors on how to access $500 million human development fund from the World Bank. The fund had always been there untapped by the state governments.

    On the novel initiative by the President, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari said:  “Today, this meeting was with heads of so many agencies which made presentations to us. Some of them were ordered by Mr. President to do the presentation so as to make us understand where they are and what they are up to.

    “We were supposed to take eight but because of the time constraints, we were only able to take three. We have taken United Nations Population Fund, we have taken the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health on human development.

    “And we have also taken the GMD NNPC. By November we would take those that we are not able to take such as National Mathematical Centre and the Nigeria Communication Commission on the issue of digitalization and also NASENI. This is for the betterment of Nigeria. They have briefed us about the way forward.

    “We are going to continue with other departments so that we can understand and see how to move the nation forward.” He said

    Also commending the President for the initiative, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi said: “I think that for the first time in the history of my being a governor, this is a very commendable effort.

    “First and foremost, we now discover that many states can partner with the NNPC. We are having dwindling resources, can we not expand our resource net to be able to bring in money?

    “For instance, each state can now partner with the NNPC in the area of downstream business activities, even to some extent, distribution activities and refining activities.

    “The Ministry of Health also made presentation. We discovered also that state governments can partner with the ministry.

    “In all, we are taking about nine stakeholders and development partners who are exposing the opportunities available for the states to leverage upon. I think it is commendable.” He said

     

    Living with terror

     

    Last week Monday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was on one of his rare visits to the seat of power.

    His visit, on that day, was for two reasons. One of the reasons was to lead Colombia experts to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Their coming was to make presentation to the President with a view to learning how the Colombians live with and survived insurgency for more than fifty years and why Colombia failed three times in its effort to seek peace.

    Obasanjo said: “I brought a delegation of those of us who visited Colombia last year under the auspices of a foundation which I am the chairman.

    “We went to Colombia to see how all the Colombian authorities were handling the issue of insurgency which had been with them for more than 50 years.

    “As a result of that visit and the experience we had, a book was produced and I said to them that it will be interesting for us in Nigeria to learn as much as we can learn from the experience of Colombia.

    “The specific thing is that they have been fighting insurgency for 50 years. They celebrated their 50 years in existence in May last year, in fact, we went there in June.

    “So, we want to see what has kept them going, what has kept insurgency going? What has made the government of Colombia to make three attempts to seek peace, to end the war and insurgency and they failed. What is the new efforts that they are making? How likely are those new efforts going to succeed?” He said

    From the visit, it is clear that Nigeria will try to learn from Colombia how to ensure peace by quickly crushing Boko Haram, and if that fails, how to live with insurgency with minimal damages to lives and property and keeping Nigeria one like Colombia.

    Two days after the presentation was made to him, President Buhari was optimistic that Boko Haram will be defeated latest by December this year.

    Speaking in an audience with the Commander of United States Africa Command, Gen David Rodriguez, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari said: “”We must thank the United States of America for sending training teams and equipment to us. The positive results of our collaboration are evident.

    “Structured attacks by the insurgents have reduced and by the end of the year, we should see the final routing of Boko Haram as an organized fighting force.” He said

    That, definitely, is the option majority of Nigerians want as they want to be able to live in their country without any element of fear or threat to their lives.

     

  • FRSC to increase surveillance in ember-months

    FRSC to increase surveillance in ember-months

    The Kubwa Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Abuja has worked out a special plan to control end-of-year road crashes.

    The command said that the ember-months season has always been a challenging period characterised by peculiar traffic offenses in Kubwa and on the expressway.

    Assistant Corps Commander, Yusuf Abdullahi said the unit will deploy its men and logistics early to identified areas around Kubwa and environs to ensure an improved presence of FRSC operatives.

    Abdullahi condemned the way drivers overload their vehicles, violate speed limits, commit lane indiscipline and disregard traffic rules and regulations.

    He said that part of the units strategies towards a safer road during the festive season includes stronger collaboration with relevant stakeholders such as the National Union of Road Transport Owners, the Nigerian Police (NURTO) and fleet operators in addition to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)ý and other sister agencies.

    He also added that the strategies will be complemented with 23 Emergency Ambulance Service Centres code named ZEBRAS, a toll free line 122 to enable the unit respond promptly to traffic emergencies and embark on robust public enlightenment campaigns and the strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations in Kubwa.

    He also said, “It was in the effort to deal with this challenge that the Corps came up with the initiative of the Special Ember Months Patrol which involve massive deployment of staff and logistics to the road as build up towards effective management of traffic and to contain the peýrennial obstructions, gridlock and other accompanying hazards that have been witnessed within this period over the years.

    “The tendency for drivers to overload their vehicles, violate speed limit, commit lane indiscipline and disregard other traffic rules and regulations is always higher in this period and these violations heighten the spate and fatalities of road traffic crashes within the period. Tackling the challenges, therefore, has always been the task before the FRSC, as the lead agency for road traffic management and Administration in the country, over the years.

    “This year presents yet another challenge that we have to tackle head-on and we are committed to tackling them to save road users especially within Kubwa and its environs from dreadful experiences, and I want to assure you that the Corps has drawn a robust road map towards addressing these challenges.

    “In line with our pro-active drive, we have embarked on early deployment of men and logistics to the identified areas to ensure improved presence of FRSC operatives at designated blocks.”