The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • A council chief’s scorecard in Benue

    A council chief’s scorecard in Benue

    OF the 23 council chiefs in Benue State, that of Okpokwu, Hon. Juliana Obeta is clearly giving a good account of herself. Obeta, one of the two women who chair the third tier of the state government in the Benue South senatorial zone, beat all other contestants to clinch the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ “Best Local Government Chairman in Infrastructure“ award.

    She is said to have committed huge funds into infrastructure:  roads, culverts, schools, electricity and health care delivery.

    Since she assumed duty two years ago, Hon Obeta concentrated on opening up access roads in the hinterland and installing more transformers to make life more meaningful for the residents and check a drift to urban areas.

    She told The Nation that she channelled her energy into connecting every settlement and villages in Okpokwu Local Government Area to public power supply because it is a sure way of creating employment, using small – and media-scale industries.

    Apart from electricity, Mrs Obeta, a recipient of many awards, said that she attaches great importance to the health of his people.

    Within two years of her administration, she built new clinics and upgraded others in every council ward in her council.

    To boost food production, farmers were given loans and fertilisers free of charge.

    While most of the local government councils grappled with payment of salaries in the state, in Okpokwu, under Obeta, all salary arrears have been paid, with the  Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) giving her a clean bill of health with a  vote of confidence.

    Some politicians were said to have tried to cause disaffection between her and the state legislature, but that did not hurt her relationship with the local lawmakers.

    She told The Nation that her achievements in office have been made possible with the support of the local legislature.

    Her modest achievements are said to have surpassed all the council chairmen in office. This probably inspired the council residents to request that Governor Gabriel Suswam reappoint her as caretaker chairman of the council pending elections.

    She said that her success story in office is as a result of prudent application of resources,. With the drop in federation account accruals, she has embarked on a comprehensive internal revenue generation.

     

  • Musicians warned against harmful messages

    An Abuja-based artiste, Ojonogecha Obande-Haruna has urged Nigerian artistes to filter the content of their music, even as she regretted that artistes are ignorant of the power of music.

    Ogecha who prefers to be called an inspirational artiste said people have refused to associate themselves with gospel music because of the title “gospel.”

    According to her, the tag gospel restricts people from the song thereby hindering the growth of gospel music in Nigeria.

    Speaking with reporters in Abuja, Ogecha as she is fondly called said: “I feel there is need for artistes to filter their music regardless of how much money we want to make or how much fame we desire. We should be very careful of what we are telling people.

    “In terms of passing message through music, all musicians have a message they want to pass across, which depends on who you feel you want to pass the message to.

    “Music is a very powerful agent and some people don’t realise that. Some sing what they don’t even believe in, some sing what they would not teach their children to do or what they would not permit their children to do.

    Continuing, she said: “It is very dangerous because children are inspired by watching or listening to you and they quickly align their lives to yours maybe because what you sing about is similar to theirs. They follow what you sing without thinking. They may end up in places they don’t expect because of the kind of music that the industry churns out to the public.

    She noted that when Fela Anikulapo Kuti was alive, he influenced Nigerians and even beyond with his music because he had a message.

    “For me, whatever I will not do that will affect me negatively, I will not sing and whatever I feel would have adverse effect in the lives of the people, especially the young ones, I will not sing,” she said.

    On how gospel music is faring in Nigeria, she said: “I started with the tag: ‘gospel artiste’ but later on, I yanked it off. I have discovered that those who sing gospel music don’t live the kind of life expected of them. When you use the tag gospel, you put restriction to yourself and I feel that the message of the gospel is supposed to be delivered to everyone.

    She added: “How do I deliver the message to everyone if I wear the tag everywhere I go? Some people close their doors because of the tag, gospel. My message is for everybody. God does not discriminate and why should mankind discriminate?

    “I am an inspirational artiste because I sing inspirational music. I want my music to touch and give life, I’m not out to destroy people’s lives with my music. I want people to understand that they can enjoy life within certain limits, in such a way that you will not harm and have regrets later in life,” she said.

  • FCDA bulldozers pull down Kpaduma houses

    Bulldozers from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Development Control have moved into Kpaduma communities, pulling down houses there.

    On hand as the bulldozers moved were personnel of the FCDA alongside armed Joint Task Force team.

    This was said to be in violation of a court injunction restraining the FCDA from demolishing houses in  Kpaduma communities in the  Asokoro district of Abuja.

    Witnesses were said to have been confused and did all they could to prevent the demolition.

    The residents were reportedly overpowered by the armed JTF who threatened to shoot them if they made any further move to prevent the sdemolition.

    The JTF which consisted of over 15 officers of the Nigeria Army and about 16 officers of the police, were careful to remove their tags and emblems in order to forestall any identification, before they entered the community to carry out the action.

    They positioned themselves in strategic areas to form a barricade against interference for the bulldozer demolishing the houses.

    Secretary to the communities, Mr. Simon Baba-Yerima, who could not keep his tears from flowing freely, lamented the pains that the residents were subjected to as a result of the demolition carried out by the officials of FCDA, Development Control and the JTF personnel.

    “This is really painful, provoking, disastrous and unacceptable; this is really an act of military cum civilian brutality against innocent Nigerians. Our people are thrown into unnecessary confusion because of this unannounced demolition exercise. This is really wicked and for the fact that our case is still in court.

    “The people who entered our community introduced themselves as officials of FCDA and Development Control, in company of well armed JTF as if they were going for war, just to demolish our houses. This is unacceptable. Our matter is in court and again, they are violating the law of the land. Is it a crime that we are poor? This is our village and we have the right to have a peaceful life, just like we were before the inception of the FCT.

    “I wonder why the FCDA officials are coming to demolish our houses, it is unfair. We do not have any more trust in the government, because, we are living in fear. The JTF had to beat up our youth and arrested over five of them, for no good reason, after they had carried out their assigned duties. This is a democratic government for God sake, not military, why are they treating us like animals?” Baba-Yerima lamented.

    One of the affected residents, Joseph Madaki, explained how the JTF sprayed tear-gas on them and shot in the air to scare them away. “They tied up our people and told them to face the sun, beating them up as if they were criminals. This is very painful, why is this government allowing its citizens to be maltreated this way? We are suffering.

    “The way they are treating us in this FCT is not fair, this is our land, where do they want us to go to? They want to push us out of our homeland, without making alternative provision for us. The worst part of this whole thing, is that the people doing all this things to us, have their villages in their various states and they want to remove us from our own. That is not fair,” he said.

    When newsmen visited the office of Development Control to find out their role in the demolition exercise, one of the senior Staff who preferred anonymity said that the information got to him, but, that he was not aware of any instruction from superior authorities to commence the demolition of the community, knowing that the case between Kpaduma communities and the FCTA is still in court.

    The youth of Kpaduma I, who were arrested by the JTF are Jerry Sarki, Yerima Fajemi, John Danlami, Kefas Tanko, Ishaya Danladi. At the time of filing this report, information about the whereabout of the youth was still unknown.

     

  • A community where idols haven’t gone out of fashion

    A community where idols haven’t gone out of fashion

    The jet age has done nothing to reduce the residents’ love for their gods. GBENGA OMOKHUNU visited Gaba community near Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and captures how the villagers treasure their traditional religion.

    It may well be the jet age, but it matters pretty little to the people of Gaba, a community near Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Speakers from churches and mosques may get louder by the  day; it makes no difference. The only thing that counts is the religion of their forebears, around which everything seems to revolve.

    The residents believe that their gods govern their community better than anyone can. For instance, they hold fast to the notion that no true Gaba native will steal because their god will deliver instant judgement. Nor is any of them complacent about adultery, which attracts a banishment for the man and death for the woman, if she fails to confess and appease the gods.

    Custom and tradition play an important role in the social life of any community. For the inhabitants of Ayenejeyi community and the entire Gaba village, on the outskirts of Bwari council, the traditional lifestyle of the people is regarded as an ancient honour code or an unwritten law for its people. Although, Ayenejeyi’s faith in their idols is believed to date back to pre-Christianity and Islamic period, they believe that their practice does not disobey basic Christianity and Islamic principles.

    Our correspondent’s visit to the community which is about 15km from Bwari town, revealed that to the natives of the community,  their custom and tradition govern, guide, shape their character, and discipline of their lifestyle, and they see it as an all-embracing social code which encompasses the laws, customs, traditions and ethos of their society.

    The village head of Ayenejeyi community, Chief Solomon Azabo, who is also the Chief of Gaba village, explained that they derive a lot of satisfaction from maintaining their custom and tradition, which, he added, have kept them alive since the village was founded in the late 1950s.

    His word: “For us to exist as one in this village, we depend solely on our custom and tradition which have different festivals associating with different sacrifices. For instance, before farming season every year, we have shrines that we make sacrifices to at every first week of April before we commence farming.

    “The truth is that we inherited this custom and tradition from our forefathers, because, when they were doing it, we saw the efficacy of the sacrifices they made and how it favoured the community during farming season and other things, that was why we vowed to stick to that practice up until today and it has been working for us.

    “For us that are pagans, we indulge in sacrifices, just like Muslims and Christians when they want to start fasting according to their teachings.  They go to church and mosque to pray when they need something from God; that is the same thing for us. We also make sacrifices at our shrines as our own traditional prayers, to appeal to God for progress in farming and other aspects of our lives.”

    On efforts to confirm the effectiveness of their traditional idol worship, Azabo, explained that for guidance and protection, the natives of the community rely on an idol called Zhiba, which he said protects the community whenever there is impending evil.

    “For example, if something bad is about to happen to anybody in this village, Zhiba would inform us and we would prepare or keep ourselves safe. We have different masquerades, but the masquerades in charge of purifying this village are known as Akaka and Momuan. If a witch comes to this community, whenever the masquerades appear, they will perceive the witch wherever she is and expose her.

    “If they catch the witch and she does not want to change, they would use their canes on her, and then she will die. These masquerades still exist till today and their power is still potent.  The period they usually come out to purify our village is during November and June every year.  There is another one known as Agorobe; this masquerade can only be seen by mature men.

    “If somebody steals something from the farm of another person, the spirit behind the masquerade will wipe off the entire family of the thief.  If it was only one person that stole, the entire family will use their heads to pay for it.  But, if the person comes out to confess that he stole, he would be told to bring 100 measures of Guenea corn, white hen and honey for sacrifice at the shrine of Agorobe.  The power of this masquerade is still potent till today,” Azabo said.

    The community head who expressed feelings of excitement when explaining the potency of the community idols, said that he was bold to say that no thief exist in the community, because, everybody knows that stealing will lead to the death of an entire family.

    He said: “But if somebody comes to the community to steal, that person will have himself or herself to blame for whatever happens to their family, he would have carried wahala from this village to his village or community. Also, we do not tolerate adultery in this village, if a woman commits adultery, the man would be banished from the community, while the woman would be told to make a sacrifice with a big dog for the entire community, so that the gods would forgive her.”

    Despite the firm belief in their idols as sources of survival and providence, the community is uncomfortable with its lack of some basic modern amenities.

    An indigene of the community, Mohamed Ody who appreciated the community head for providing them with electricity light and health care centre, said that they are in need of potable water in the community and that they only have one borehole that supplies water for over 3000 people in the community.

    “Also, the other water source we have is our stream which has grown unhygienic for domestic use. So, we are appealing for more water borehole because, since the stream water is bad, nobody wants to go there again.

    “In our health centre, we do not have enough drugs in the clinic; we also appeal that the council should assist our clinic with drugs, because, if we have sickness that they cannot get the drugs here, we would be asked to go to Bwari before we can get the drugs.

    “We are also appealing to the government to complete the road construction that stopped midway before getting to our community, because, during rainy season, our people suffer a lot before they can access the city centre,” he said.

    Other community habitants who spoke with Abuja Review are happy with the idol and are of the view that things are working well without any negative impact on them.

    Little children run around the community with excitement and joy not worried about the needed amenities.    Everyone in the community are pleading that government to extend the dividends of democracy to them.

     

  • ‘Our organisation has empowered 600 women’

    ‘Our organisation has empowered 600 women’

    One organisation leading the campaign for women’s participation in governance is Women in Politics Forum (WIPF). In this interview with JOEL DUKU, the Forum’s founder, an ex-National Women Leader of Labour Party, Mrs Ebere Ifendu, speaks on, among other things, its challenges and successes. Excerpts:

    Why did you set up Women in Politics Forum?

    I initiated WIPF sometime in November 2011 at a programme organised by Women Democratic Network (WDM), International Republican Institute (IRI). So far, we have participated in the Constitution review and went to the House of Representatives and the Senate. We are hopeful that some of the things we presented will be taken from what the Constitution will come out with even though we are not expecting 100% but we are sure that some key issues there will be looked at. After that, we started our mentoring program. The young women that we have gathered here are from the Northeastern part of the country and after this session, we would have empowered 600 young women across the zones. We have also had the opportunity of bringing Smith Craig who is one of Hillary Clinton campaign strategists to Nigeria to talk to women aspirants. We have also plans with IRI to bring in an expert on fund raising from America to teach our women because we realised that funding is one of the major challenges that women face during electioneering.

    We have to get somebody to teach us how to get these funds and how they were able to do it there in the United States. We have plans sometime next month. We are also looking at launching our organisation properly but so far, our primary interest is to build the capacity of women. We have conducted series of programmes with the support of UNDP-DGD, IRI, women Trust Funds, and WRAPA. We also partner with FIDA and women in business. Most of the women in business are not interested in active participation in politics but they would want to see more women participate so we are talking to them to see how they will help us to sponsor such quality and credible women into politics. Generally, I can say that WIPF has done well within this short period and we are hoping to count our successes after the elections in 2015.

    What are the feedbacks from what you have done so far?

    The feedback has been very encouraging. Women are getting aware that there is an organisation like WIPF in existence. I receive calls from women across the country concerning our activities. Like the programme we are holding here, for instance, a woman aspirant called me yesterday from Niger State. I must commend the press for the visibility they are giving us and with more pressure and achievement we are putting in the system, the feedbacks are very good and we don’t expect to stop but to put in more energy immediately after the general election. We are looking beyond 2015. We want to start early because men have started long before us so we need to begin building our own structures to march the muscles of the men. We have to tell women who have interest in 2019 to start immediately after the 2015 election so that we put the necessary things together but I am not saying that we will not make an impact in 2015 but not as much as we would have loved to.

    What did you present to the National Assembly when you visited them?

    We talked about affirmative action for women. We talked about citizenship. A man that is married to a foreigner automatically confers on that woman a Nigerian citizenship but a Nigerian woman that is married to a foreigner cannot be in the reverse case. We talked about giving us at least one out of the three senatorial seats in the state.

    You want that to be enshrined in the Constitution?

    Of course, what is wrong with that? That is the only way we can achieve what we are asking for. We are talking about affirmative action today but it may be men tomorrow talking about it. When people criticise affirmative action, I give them just one example for instance, if I write an entrance exam with somebody from the North, I must work hard because even if my grade is 70%, I might still not get admission but if the northerner scores 30% he still gets admission. That is still affirmative action because we want to help them come up for the fact that they are seen as being backward education wise if we therefore understand that women have not been participating well in politics because of male dominance and we are struggling to come up now, what is wrong to also use affirmative action to bring up women.

    There should be a certain percentage for women representation at the House of Representatives as well. We are looking at the situation that in future, no gender should be less than 30% representation.  We also believe that independent candidacy will favour women. Most times, we have seen that it is the so called internal party politics that disenfranchise women. If you have these quality women who can stand on their own, they can as well stand as independent candidate and make an impact. I have noticed that some of those things that we discussed were being touched the last time when they were mentioning the constitutional review. We are therefore hoping that in the final amendment, some of our issues will be incorporated in the constitution.

    Apart from finance, what are the other challenges that women face in trying to get elected into political position?

    Apart from finance, genuine internal party democracy is very important. What you hear is that we have internal democracy but I have always challenged it because I don’t think it is existing in any political party in Nigeria today. Every political party in Nigeria is a culprit in this issue. I want to say that most times, these are the things the men use to disenfranchise women like zoning and what have you. We are not against zoning because we are talking about affirmative action but what we are saying is that can we also have it in a transparent manner? You will agree with me that when some of these decisions are being taken, women are not there from the beginning. The men will just take a decision and think it will suit us and most times it does not. They can’t decide for us. If they want to take a decision, they should get us involved to make our own inputs so that if we succumb to superior argument, you won’t feel disenfranchised or short-changed at the end of the day.

    We have also faced other challenges like acceptability, cultural and religious problems. But these are wrong interpretation because I have found out that women are more protected in Islam than in Christianity. Our problem here is lack of proper information and awareness. Because the women are not properly informed, they keep on toying them here and there. I have kept on asking this question how Benazir Bhutto made it to the highest political office in Pakistan, a complete Islamic country. She got the opportunity and she did well. I am sure that the religion is not against women but it is the psyche they are putting in our understanding and we are feeling shy to come out. Again, support from family. And I think the press is also not helping us by asking women questions about her family instead of asking her questions about what she will do when she gets into the office. When the press interviews a man, they ask him questions that will bring out the best in him unlike the women that would be asked: how would your husband and your children feel? How would you cope as a mother and so on? Men are also fathers so whatever hindrances we face within the family so if you have to ask us questions concerning our social life, men should also be asked the same questions and if you are giving them the opportunity to bring the programs they have, we should also be given same opportunities.

    How do you build trust across political parties in your organisation which you say is non-political?

    You see, we have all tried it within our political parties and failed completely. So we decided have we can do it in another way.  Women in Politics Forum is actually like a pressure group. It is not an affiliate of any political party. It’s open for not just women in politics but women interested in seeing more women participate in politics including organisations working towards that agenda which we regard as associate members of WIPF. Our role as an organization is to visit political parties and demand for more participation and positions for women.

     

     

  • Residents buy nomination form for lawmaker

    Indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have purchased a nomination form for the senator representing the FCT, Senator Philips Tanimu Aduda to run for a second term in 2015.

    The FCT Indigene and Geo-Political Leaders Forum, while presenting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form to Aduda, said they did it because of his remarkable performance since assumption of office as FCT senator.

    The chairman of the forum, Ambassador Ayuba Ngbako, said they jointly took the decision after due consultation with different stakeholders on who will represent them effectively and they came up with a second tenure decision for Senator Aduda as the best among others.

    “This decision was not my own idea, but a collective one from all of us in the FCT. I have also seen what he has done for our people. In fact, he has made us proud, he has work with President Goodluck Jonathan for us and has brought the dividend of democracy to our door step,” Ngbako said.

    He also counselled the FCT PDP executives to be fair and provide a level playing field for all aspirants that will be going for primary under the party.

    However, Senator Aduda who has gotten approval from his people to run for second term in the Senate, expressed gratitude to residents of Abuja and the FCT political leaders for purchasing the nomination form for him.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Aduda said that such gesture will spur him  to improve on what he has been to doing for the FCT people, especially the rural dwellers, advising political leaders at all levels to know that power belongs God, that whoever is given the power to lead, should use it for the benefit of all.

     

  • Corps members’ NGO for indigent students

    To complement Federal Government’s efforts in containing illiteracy and school drop-outs, three members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Batch ‘C’, have set up a non-governmental organisation (NGO) known as Outside Schools Foundations (SOS) to provide grants for students who have financial difficulties in completing their education.

    The facilitators of the project, Ms Hauwa Ibrahim, Ms Halima Ibrahim Abba and Ms Amina Jibrin said: ‘The Bridge Project’ was a personal group community development project deployed by three Corps members and approved by the NYSC.

    They stated this at the Bridge Project Inter-School Competition organised for students of Government Secondary School Jabi, and Wuse Zone 3, with the theme: “Nigeria and Us, A Social Challenge, A possible Solution.”

    In her remarks, Abba said: “The Sponsor -A-Child Scheme is a programme under the SOS that provides funding for participants of the bridge project who require assistance to complete their secondary education or who are unable to further their education to tertiary institutions due to financial and social reasons.”

    She noted that the programme would provide an avenue for individuals and corporate entities to provide scholarships to brilliant students enrolled on the projects through the scheme.

    “We want the programme to continue. This informed our setting up a non-governmental organisation known as ‘The SOS Foundation’ to take over the programme because we will not want a situation whereby the programme dies when we leave the NYSC.”

    Meanwhile, Ibrahim stressed that the Bridge Project, which was the flagship of the foundation, is a skill-building and mentoring scheme for 20 bright and motivated senior secondary school students in Government Secondary School Jabi and Wuse Zone 3 in Abuja.

    The winners, Government Secondary School Wuse Zone 3, which was among the participants comprising four teams of five participants from two schools, received computer tablets and their education sponsored up to tertiary level; while the tuition fees of other participants would be paid by the foundation for a year.

  • Lawmaker’s jobs tools for constituents

    Lawmaker’s jobs tools for constituents

    There  is relief in Plateau North senatorial zone after its representative at the Senate, Gyang Nyam Shom Pwajok provided working tools for the residents.

    The senator purchased and distributed items worth N150 million to the people as aprt of his constitueny economic empowerment programme.

    The launching of the programme and distribution of the items were done to mark the second year anniversary of the senator in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Senator Pwajok was elected in a by-election in 2012 to replace the late Senator Gyang Dantong who was killed by unknown gunmen at the peak of violence in the zone.

    The senator believes that he owes his people a lot for giving him the mandate to represent them in the senate.

    “It will get to a point you need to express appreciation to, not only God but also to people who gave you the mandate, those who gave you support when you needed them,” he said. “I could not have been a senator today without the consent of God and people of my constituency. I have to consider the fact that, just as I went to my people to ask for their favour to become a senator, these people also has some needs that requires my intervention. They had stood behind me to make me solve my need at that time, it is now my turn to help them solve their own need as well.

    “To that extent, it is a way of giving back to the people. The slogan of our great party the People’s Democratic Party is power to the people. So what I am doing is giving back the power to the people. My belief is that the people need a certain measure of economic empowerment for their individual or personal development.

    “Again, God has blessed me through these people, and I need to also share part of this blessing with the people. So this empowerment programme was designed to say ‘Thank You, my people’

    “Basically, as a lawmaker, we are not executive; our basic role is different from that of the executive. We make laws, appropriate government expenditure and carry out oversight functions. So our performance as law makers is supposed to be measured based on quality contribution to law making as well as protecting and defending the yearnings and aspirations of your constituency. But the kind of democracy we practice in this country is such that our people tend to measure the performance of lawmakers like the executive arm of government.

    “So, as lawmakers, we try to find a way of bridging the gap, considering the fact that our constituencies are lacking various needs of life like house, food and clothing. Then I thought that if you give them economic empowerment, they will feed themselves, cloth themselves and provide shelter for themselves with proceeds of economic activities you introduced them to through these facilities.

    “Apart from that, I see it as a way of bringing federal presence to the common people since we are part of the federal government. We just need to impact on the lives of the people that elected us in a positive way. I have lasted two years in the senate, and I thought the best way to mark this eventful two year is to provide one or two things to them.

    The items presented to people of the senatorial zone includes tricycles, sewing machines, wheelchairs, vehicles, water pump engines, computer sets, hair-dryers, electricity power generators, etc.

    This is not the first time of this gesture from Senator Pwajok, right from day one of his admission into the senate, he has developed a plan to touch the lives of his constituents in a positive way. He embarked on capital intensive projects like provision of power transformer to several rural communities, community hall, construction of primary schools, construction of primary health clinics and rural water projects.

    Some of the benefiting communities from the capital projects sponsored by the senator are Vom, Gurra Top, Bisichi, Loh, Mr Ali, Dorowa, Ganawuri, Maza, Forbur, Rahol Kanang, Vwang, Rantiya etc.

    The senator said, “I was inspired into this economic empowerment scheme because, I inherited two things from the predecessor, security challenges and challenges of poverty. And from day one, I made up my mind to tackle the two challenges together.

    “But the happy thing in spite of the security challenges is that our efforts has paid off because we have been able to address the sources of conflict, re-unite the people and restore the needed peace. And at the same time I have been able to provide certain basic social amenities for the people of my constituency.

    “So, with some efforts here and there, the spate of bloodshed has reduced significantly, people can graze their livestock and farmers can cultivate their land without any fear of attack. The next efforts are to continued to cement the prevailing cordial relationship existing among the people, so as to sustain the current peace and make it a permanent one” said Senator Pwajok.

    According Mr Chuwang Davou, Chief Press Secretary to Senator Pwajok, “The senator believes that though his constituency is located within the state capital and cover areas of the Greater Jos Master Plan, the satelite communities lack some basic social infrastructures. He also believes that it is obvious government cannot cater for all needs of its citizens considering the lean reassures at its disposal, “hence I began to look at areas where I can intervene with my own little resources. That was when I discovered my people’s needs are vast. You will be scared to know the level of poverty around you.

    Chuwang said, “Other innovations that have made positive impact on the people of the constituency was the construction of Ultra-modern town halls installed with high capacity generators in all the six local government within his constituency for social and recreation activities, some of the halls which have the capacity of accomodating over 3000 people can even serve as examination centres and seminar venue for youths of the communities.

    “Jos Township Primary school has benefited with the construction of 3-classroom blocks and VIP toilets. That project has been completed and already been put to use by students. Then a Computer center was constructed for youths of Vwang district of  Jos south LGA.

    Communities like Fobor in Jos East LGA, Mazah in Jos North Local Government Area, Rantiya in. Jos North, Rahol Kanang of Jos South, Dorowa Vilkage of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area and Gyel, Agingi, Mr Ali of Bassa Local Government Area as well as Ganawuri, Ali Kazaure are some of the communities that benefited from the Installation of 300KVA transformer or 500KVA transformers as part of his rural electricity program.

    Communities that benefited from Primary Health Care projects includes Bisichi and Fan. The communities were provided with medical facilities at their various health centers. As for communities like Vom, Makoli, Riyom, Ugwuan Galadima, Nuku, Prison service, St. Morumba, Ondus, Bakin Kogi, Rabin Biu, Bimbop etc all benefited from hand pump borehole for their peculiar water need.

    Members of the Plateau North zone were full of praises and appreciation to Senator Pwajok. One of them who got a free block moulding engine to establish a block producing factory during the launching of economic empowerment scheme, Mr Markus Azi said,

    Mrs Ladi Markus from Mazah Vilkage said, To me, I ve got a life lime today, this machine, I have been looking for a loan to buy it, but the senator has provided it for me free of charge. I am going to start my business right away”

    Miss Lydia Choji, a physically challenged member of the zone who got a wheel Chair has this to say; “I have been praying for this, as you can see, I don’t have legs to move, I can only move about on wheel chair, the only one I got from government five years ago has parked up, I kept spending money to repare it. God knows I need a new chair and God has provided for me through our Senator”

    Some young girls who got Hair Dryers to commence a hair saloon business said, “The senator gave us these equipment and the most important thing, he gave us a generator to provide us electric light to run our saloon, he has done everything for us.

    The event was witnessed by local government executive of the People’s Democratic Party, state executive of the party and deputy governor of Plateau State as well as his teaming supporters and beneficiaries.

    The constituency economic empowerment programme of Senator Pwajok was witnessed by the Senate President, Senator David Mark who presented some of the items to the beneficiaries.

    The senate president called on people of the zone to continued to support the senator in all his political endeavors. Senator Mark said, “This is one of the youngest senator in the senate and he has spent just two years. But the contribution he has made in the senate within the spate of two years is outstanding and remarkable. He made me to belief that it is not how long you stay in the senate that counts but the impact you made within a short period.

    “I will advise people of Plateau North to continue to support him because that is the kind of senator the country needs to grow our democracy,” said Senator Mark.

    Senator GNS Pwajok has been  endorsed by Governor Jonah Jang and other stakeholders in Plateau state to succeed Gov Jang in 2015 as governor of the state.

     

  • 200 women trained in agri-business management

    200 women trained in agri-business management

    To get more women involved in agri-business, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has trained about 200 women in agriculture entrepreneurial skills and business aptitude. The women were drawn from Kwara, Kogi, Ondo and Oyo states. Director of Agriculture in the ministry, Damilola Eniayeju said the training was designed to train participants on farm business management and vocational skills to enable them impart such skills on wives of farmers within their domain. Represented by the Kwara state Director of the federal ministry of agriculture, Buhari Adebisi said the workshop “is one of the several lined up to educate officers and farmers wives on how to develop on-farm agribusiness using different value chain.”

    He said further that “the goal is to ensure that the beneficiaries impart the knowledge acquired to wives of farmers in their locality, so that they can identify, plan, develop and manage alternative means of providing economic opportunities for their families, particularly post harvest season.

    “It is also to provide an avenue to diversify away from land farming during off season. It is for these reasons that farm business consultants have been invited to deliver lectures on development of on-farm business entrepreneurship focusing on identification of various cooperative enterprises, identifying profitable and manageable enterprises, among others.”

    Deputy Director, Nutrition and Women in Agriculture, Mrs. Zainab Towobola corroborated her boss, saying that “the programme is aimed at empowering women by training the women in agriculture officers so they would be able to train rural and village women to empower them on entrepreneurship programme.”

    Mrs. Towobola who told The Nation at the sideline of the event added that the “ministry has always encouraged even young women graduates to train in agricultural practice like aqua culture to be self reliant. There are examples of success stories like that. We need women to be able to do things on their own because when they are empowered, you have empowered the whole family.

    “Women do not have to wait on their husbands for salt or Maggi. I remember my mother was selling food from where the whole family eat. So, when you are well equipped with all these training programmes, you put poverty behind us.”

    She the beneficiaries are usually trained in “aquaculture, snail breeding, livestock, seedlings for fish-50-500, depending on member of states involved, feeds, fibre glass tank, all free to enable them start well. In case of livestock, we also give cage for chicks 200 day old chicks and we expect them to come and give success stories when next we have another training, so they could encourage other people and benefit from the programme.

    “People are advised to form themselves into groups or cooperatives. They write to the ministry telling that they’ve seen the programme done in a state and want our group to benefit, including your certificate of incorporation to show your application is genuine. And send to the minister who gets it to the official in charge to carry it out.”

    The deputy director urged the women folk “to come out, sit up and get rid of poverty and be self sufficient. For instance, when it’s time to pay school fees, mothers can do so of the husband’s are incapable. And you will be happy you can do something. Time is gone when you say you are ignorant of this or that.”

  • Kogi’s antidote for violence

    Kogi’s antidote for violence

    How is Kogi State responding to violence and other social challenges in the state?

    It is providing jobs for youths, reasoning that their joblessness is much to blame for the vices.

    The state’s Youths Advancement and Development for Kogi (YAD4KOGI) introduced in September 2012 is seen to be making a difference. It encompasses training in skills, sporting activities and environmental cleaning exercises, among others.

    The result is that more and more idle hands are engaged in productive activities, culminating in a more peaceful environment.

    There are several other spin-offs from the jobs scheme. The programme has generated  employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths and reduced rural-urban drift, in addition to creating wealth for the people. It has also helped to thin down thuggish behaviour and youth restiveness in the confluence state.

    In keeping with its mission to positively manage the zeal and energies of the youths, the beneficiaries are usually subjected to a two-week training exercise to ensure a disciplined lifestyle. The training which covers morning drills and parade, environmental cleaning exercise, lectures and sporting activities in the evenings, is targeted at secondary and primary school leavers and school dropouts. The trainees are issued uniforms and other kits. They are trained to carry out environmental sanitation in their various local governments, their activities including complementing the state sanitation and waste management board. The state government wants a clean state.

    The public works component of the YAD4KOGI programme has engaged and empowered about 10, 000 youths as direct beneficiaries in the 21 local government areas of the state with more enrolment on a quarterly basis. The volunteers are encouraged to spend the remaining part of the day acquiring skills.

    The trainees suffer the scorching heat, but many say it well worth it and the sacrifice of the past one year is yielding harvest. The youths have been undergoing skill acquisition training for the past one year, courtesy of the YAD4KOGI. When the organizsers decided on a military-like graduation ceremony for them, they were well prepared. They were trained at Ashaya, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of the state, receiving a stipend of N7000 monthly.

    The state governor, Capt. Idris Wada, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Pastor Tayo Aremu expressed happiness that the programme initiated two years back was achieving the desired result of addressing youth unemployment and reducing poverty to its barest minimum in the state. The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to “youth training for economic development and self-esteem”. He promised continuous government support and patronage for the participants even after their training and skills acquisition programme.

    Yemisi Omotonose, one of the trainees, said that the exercise will change her for good. Yemisi who said she hails from Ijumu area of the state, said: “Before my coming here I had almost lost hope but things have now changed and very soon I am going to establish on my own. I have acquired skills in the making of confectionaries, and by the grace of God I will start my own business together with my sister. I will not be a burden to anybody and I can even support the husband that I will marry in future. Before now, some of my friends were making jest of me saying how can I be taking part in YAD4KOGI after finishing secondary school education. But now level has changed and they are having a rethink. Competition is now stiffer and they all want to join”. Abdullahi Safu, another beneficiary of the training said “I am good to go now, and my plan is to work and make money, while at the same time using the money of my handiwork to further my education career at the College of Education. I have learnt a lot and I don’t intend to waste the opportunity”.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Women Development, Mrs. Temitope Sinkaye said the graduation of the 1090 participants brings the total number of those trained under the scheme to 7,731 males and females. She said “Within the last two weeks participants had the rare opportunity of acquiring various skills of their choice. This skills includes shoe cobbling, beads production, ear ring production, ladies’ handbag production and hat production. This effort is geared towards ensuring that these youths become self-reliant and eventually employers of labour upon their exit from this programme. I wish to bring to Your Excellency’s attention that technical skills have been incorporated into the training activities. At this junction, I wish to reiterate the basic philosophy behind this programme. YAD4KOGI programme is not just about equipping youths for economic development but to rebuild self-esteem in the youths and to re-invent in them the dignity of labour, discipline, as well as ethnic and cultural values. This programme has been a veritable tool in fostering unity and promoting peaceful co-existence in the state, in addition to providing a rare opportunity for youths to interact with each other from different tribes, religions and background.”