The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Reports

Commission applauds Tinubu for empowering the disabled

The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), James Lalu yesterday applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s move to empower the disabled.

He stated this during the Empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Abuja, stating the empowerment (PWDs) will enable them to become financially independent and contribute to national development.

He said: “Over 150 have been given PoS machines and scholarship. President Tinubu promised the disability commission a renewed hope. The renewed hope has started and we are grateful to Mr President. The commission will continue to rise.

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“In fact, the appointment of one of our brothers as Senior Special Assistant to the President is a sign that better things are coming. We are happy to have voted for him. We are looking forward to another four years of quality leadership. Meanwhile, the event today is to empower members of the disabled community, including the distribution of PoS machines. Many will also get scholarships”.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, said the empowerment will enable the beneficiaries to provide for themselves, instead of being provided for.

November 21, 2023
Katagum’s toilet business owners tell residents to defecate for free

In an effort to combat open defecation, some toilet business owners in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State are offering free access to their facilities.

Auwalu Ali, the owner of Sawaba, a toilet facility pivotal in achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) certification for Katagum, expressed excitement about the positive impact.

The hygienic facility, established through the Public Private Partnership (PPP), with the Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA includes bathing amenities and separate areas for male and female users.

Initiated in 2019 with support from UNICEF and RUWASSA under the PPP, Ali’s improved toilet business has effectively curbed open defecation in the area.

Operating from 7 am to 10 pm, Ali’s public toilet serves the community, charging between N50 and N100 based on the services provided. Notably, Ali emphasised a commitment to hygiene, offering free access even to those without funds.

During a facility visited by journalists as part of activities to mark World Toilet Day, Ali boasted that his toilet facility is always busy because of its proximity to the marketplace.

Nation reports that the visit is part of efforts to commemorate World Toilet Day (WTD) November 19, to bring attention to the importance of safe and hygienic toilets.

This year’s WTD, theme “Accelerating Change” highlights the journey towards achieving “SDG 6- Clean Water and Sanitation” – which is about seven years away from 2030 – the global target for the Sustainable Development Goal SDGs.

Ali said “I started my toilet business In 2019, with support from UNICEF and RIWASSA under the PPP.

“This place is very busy because of the market. Since the improved toilet, people have stopped defecating outside.”

“We usually charge between N50 and N100 depending on the type of service rendered,” he stated

“I ensure that the toilet is hygienic because of the large number of people coming to the market in the area.

“Even if you don’t have money you can come, it’s free. Though I charge for usage if you don’t have money, you can still come. We will not say come and defecate and pay later. “

He explained that some of the challenges they face are the non-functional solar boreholes adding that there are also financial constraints due to the shift from traditional pay-per-use models.

He added that support from Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) has aided them in promoting better sanitation practices.

RUWASSA’s Acting General Manager, Adamu Sambo, told journalists that no fewer than 194 Toilet Business Owners (TBOs) were trained across the state, with additional training under the PPP in 2022.

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According to him, despite funding challenges, the state government is actively working to achieve SDG targets by 2030, ensuring regular water supply to communities.

He assured that the state government was working round the clock to ensure Bauchi meets the SDG target in 2030 adding that the agency was working hard to ensure that water supply was regular in communities.

“Most of our communities have 70 percent access to safe drinking water , particularly LGAs that were supported by UNICEF to construct hand pump boreholes.

“We are currently working with the African Development Bank (ADP) project to have access to other LGAs that have not had for now- about eight LGAs”

Also speaking with journalists during the facility tour, Officer-in-Charge, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr Clement Adams said he was aware of the public toilet facility in Central Market Azare.

“This is one of the strategies that UNICEF is supporting the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.

“Economically incentivizing sanitation through the approach of toilet business owners, creates jobs and improves income generation while leading us to our goal to become open defecation free.

“The facility is a Private Public Partnership and you cannot just do it with only one strategy, you have to diversify

“Most of such toilets you will see that this is a private person and they are usually well-maintained.

November 20, 2023
‘Nigeria can do better with protection of children’

Officer in Charge of UNICEF Maiduguri Field Office, Dr Tushar Rane, spoke on the importance of Children Day’s celebration. Excerpts:

The World Children’s Day is celebrated annually. Would you say children in Nigeria have been impacted positively from the annual commemorations?

Definitely. The joys, promise and impact of children on our world deserve to be recognized and celebrated every day. I cannot imagine what the world, nations and communities would be like without children. Their innocence, resilience and contributions to our world are priceless. The future is bleak without children and that is why their wellbeing is top priority for the United Nations and of course UNICEF. Our work focuses on Children which to us is more than our mandate. Setting a day aside to recognize and affirm their universal rights is indeed the right thing to do. Engagement with policy makers and opinion leaders on the wellbeing of children has helped to put the issues affecting them, in different context, on the front burner. Expanded partnerships, policy changes on child protection, infrastructural improvement, capacitated caregivers are some of the outcomes of past Children’s Day commemoration.

The number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is alarming and girls are particularly behind in terms of education. What is UNICEF doing to change the situation?

The fact is that no society can move forward if its girl children remain behind. Majority of the development challenges we have in the world today would be over if more girls are enrolled and encouraged to stay in school and complete their education. Let us Think of education access as a cycle; it is incomplete if girls are not able to finish their education. In northeast Nigeria, the trend is that more girls are being enrolled in school; but majority of them drop out after their junior secondary education. Poverty is the biggest challenge to keeping girls in school because they easily drop out of school to support household income generation efforts.

Majority of the 1.9m children who are out of school in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states are girls. UNICEF has been working with the state governments in the northeast region to provide vocational skills for vulnerable families and adolescents. In the last three years, more than 1 million women, youth and adolescents have been supported with various skills including shoe and soap production, tailoring, catering, paint production and hairdressing. This was made possible through the support of our donors, including the European Union, German Development Bank, (KfW), and the Norwegian Government. UNICEF is focused on addressing structural and systemic issues that drive girls out of school. With thanks to our partners who have made this possible, we have constructed classrooms and gender-sensitive toilets in more than 200 schools across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in the last two years.

The chances of school enrolment and completion become diminished when classrooms are dilapidated and not conducive for teaching and learning. School completion for girls and boys will remain a mirage where teachers and school furniture are inadequate. The new classrooms constructed with support from the Global Partnership for Education and German Development Bank are helping to facilitate access to safe and effective learning environment in northeast Nigeria. This year, more than 8,500 schoolgirls have been trained in the production of reusable sanitary pads for better menstrual health management with the support of the German Development Bank (BMZ) and the Netherland Government through collaboration with the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). The outcome is that more girls will be encouraged to stay in school and complete their education.

Are northeast states doing well in the areas of immunization and cholera prevention?

Health is wealth, as we all know. Access to antenatal, immunization and malnutrition treatment services is important if we hope to enroll healthy children in school. There are about 100 local government areas in Nigeria with the highest burden of zero dose children. Majority of these local governments are in the north and Borno and Yobe states have 10 per cent. That is high. There are also nine LGAs in Borno State with the highest number of Pentavalent vaccines dropout rate.

The biggest challenge is access to the hard-to-reach locations where these children are. UNICEF initiated a “Flying Midwives’’ scheme in collaboration with the Borno State Government to reach children and women in some of these locations with health and immunization services. The scheme addresses the paucity of health care workers who had to relocate from their original communities because of insecurity. The scheme ensured that health workers are available in these locations to provide essential services for pregnant women, lactating mothers, newborns and other categories of children. State government is taking full ownership of the scheme which is crucial to sustainability of the services. Now the state government has deployed about 1,500 health workers to primary health centres across Borno State. The Flying Midwives scheme bridged this gap prior to the deployment of the health workers and is now focused on on-the-job capacity building, monitoring and mentoring.

Read Also: Inside Zamfara’s gold fields, where children slave for a pittance

What is UNICEF doing to mitigate the challenges been faced by displaced children in northeast Nigeria?

UNICEF has been supporting the Government to meet the basic needs of internally displaced children because they are the most vulnerable group. Through our Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) programme, we are addressing immediate needs of clean water, non-food items and malnutrition prevention and treatment services. We have dispatched hygiene promoters to these locations to ensure that key messages on personal, food and environmental hygiene reach caregivers. It is unacceptable that 56 per cent of displaced children in northeast Nigeria do not attend school. Again, with the benevolence of our donors, UNICEF is supporting religious education centres with volunteer teachers who are providing literacy and numeracy classes for children in IDP camps and communities in Borno and Yobe states.

As the world commemorates Children’s Day today, is UNICEF giving Government a pass mark on child protection?

At UNICEF, we are focused on continuous engagement with the Government, community and opinion leaders, caregivers to give children the support and opportunity they deserve. The improvement room is the biggest in the world. We all can do better than we are doing right now. At least 2,000 children die every day in Nigeria and our actions and inactions contribute to that. UNICEF will continue to work with Government and other stakeholders to provide essential education, health and nutrition and protection services to improve the lives and future of disadvantaged children.

November 20, 2023
Media Trust goes in search of ‘missing’ radio tower

The Media Trust Group (MTG) has begun an intense search for a radio tower meant for its newly established radio station in Abuja.

The tower was decommissioned in a village in Niger State, but it disappeared with suspected connivance of some officials of a government security organisation.

The MTG, a Nigerian media conglomerate, which owns Daily Trust, Trust Television, Aminiya, and Teen Trust, recently established Trust Radio, which has started streaming online.

The station is set to go on the terrestrial platform on 92.7FM band for listeners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as some parts of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states.

But the formal takeoff of Trust Radio on the terrestrial platform has stalled due to the delayed delivery of a radio tower that has been acquired on its behalf by a company called Dynamic Kautal Hore Engineering Company Limited.

The Chief Executive Officer of the contracted company, Bello Magaji, had since July this year notified the MTG of the acquisition of the radio tower on its behalf in Maikujeri Village in Kagara local government area of Niger State.

According to a reliable source, based on this, the Media Trust, entered into a formal contractual agreement with Dynamic Kautal Hore.

Read Also: Lagos live camera update and traffic radio broadcasting

The source said MTG advanced to the contractor the sum of N6.25 million out of the total cost of N12.5 million for the acquisition, decommissioning, transportation and installation of the tower in its premises in Abuja.

But more than two months after the formal signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies, and weeks after the expiration of the dateline for delivering on the deal, the tower has yet to be delivered to MTG.

The source said on the 30th of October this year, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Trust Radio, Muhammad Kabir Muhammad notified the management of MTG of a credible information he got that the decommissioned radio tower had been “snatched away” from the contractor by persons suspected to be officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

When contacted, Magaji, confirmed that some persons had swooped on the equipment and loaded its decommissioned parts into a vehicle and moved same to Minna, the Niger State capital.

He said that he had traveled from Maikujeri Village to Kagara town to raise some funds and arrange a vehicle to convey the tower to Abuja, only for him to be told upon his return to the village that some persons in NSCDC uniform had moved the tower to Minna.

The contractor explained further that he immediately returned to Kagara where he reported the matter to the police, after which he proceeded to Minna to engage with the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Elijah Etim Willie.

He said he also laid a complaint to the Niger State NSCDC commandant, who informed him that the Command will investigate the incident.

However, more than two weeks after the report by Magaji to Mr. Willie, the whereabouts of the tower has remained elusive.

But by earlier last week, the identities of the NSCDC officials who allegedly “snatched” the tower became known.

They were said to be attached to its Kaduna State Command.

Some residents of Maikujeri, who were eyewitnesses, informed the COO of Trust Radio that they had tried to stop some of the suspects from taking the tower away, and insisted on extracting a written undertaking before allowing the suspects to move the equipment out of the village.

Meanwhile, some credible sources also informed the COO of Trust Radio that the missing tower had allegedly been sold to a Lagos based businessman who deals in scrap metals.

Series of efforts to get the National Headquarters of the NSCDC to intervene in the matter have failed.

The Ag. Group Chief Executive Officer of the Media Trust Group, Ahmed Shekarau told our reporter that the management of the company wrote an official letter to the Commandant General of the Corps, Mr. Abubakar Ahmed Audi, seeking audience with him on the matter, but up to press time, he has not agreed to meet with them.

He said: “On November 13, when our management realised that this matter appeared to be complicated, and its handling by the Niger State Command of the NSCDC seemed clumsy, I wrote on behalf of the Chairman of our Board of Directors, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, seeking audience with the Commandant General of the service.

“I equally approached the National PRO of the Civil Defence, Mr. Babawale Afolabi, seeking his intervention to facilitate the meeting, “he said.

The MTG Ag. GCEO added: “When by Friday, November 17th, the PRO did not facilitate our meeting with the CG, our Board Chairman led the COO of Trust Radio and myself to the NSCDC headquarters where we requested to see the CG or any other senior official of the organization, in order to formally table our complain on this matter.

“That effort was yet again unsuccessful, as we were only led to the PRO (Mr. Afolabi), who said none of the top officials was available as at that time, but he made a call to someone he said is the ‘ACG in charge of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure’, and the person advised that we give them more time to investigate the matter”.

Asked what will be the next line of action by the MTG, Shekarau said: “We want to make efforts to see the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Olatunji Ojo, and lay our complain to him, because we have lost confidence in the neutrality of officers and men of the service, including its highest command”.

Earlier on, our reporters in Abuja and Minna had contacted the National PRO, as well as his counterpart in the Niger State Command, for their reactions on this matter. Both simply pleaded that the Corps be “allowed time to investigate the matter”.

November 20, 2023
‘We’ve almost secured all FHA lands, assets’

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) of Nigeria, Senator Gbenga Ashafa said the authority has alosmt secured all FHA lands and assets.

He said they have also almost secured all the authorities estates that have been encroached upon by Nigerians.

The former senator said in places like Festac in Lagos, Lugbe in Abuja and other parts of the country, people are building illegally in FHA estates, including building on waterways and road.

Ashafa said this in Abuja at a briefing organised by the authority to mark FHA’s 50th anniversary celebration.

He said: “We have also secured our land and other assets, especially reclaiming all our encroached estates.

Read Also: FHA to help Tinubu achieve housing target

“Immediately we came in 2020, there was an uproar when there was a joint task force of the Lagos and federal government. We moved into the areas of Festac that had been seriously encroached upon.

“Houses was built without approved building plans, houses were built on the right of way of drainages, houses were built on the right of way of construction of roads. And there were hills and cries by those who were doing these illegal things. However, the strength of the law took its cause. We had to now sit down because they’re Nigerians, some of them claimed ignorance, some said them bought from the traditional rulers in those areas. The first basic thing that you do when you are buying any land is to go and search for the status of that land.

“So we went in there, we were able to recover some, we now gave them the opportunity of regularisation, few came for the regularisation, those that were not on drainages, if you look at some of those houses, they were already sinking and you can see the number of houses that are collapsing on a daily basis.

November 20, 2023
JUTH, UNIJOS to begin kidney transplant centre, says CMD

The Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), has begun collaboration with the University of Jos (UNIJOS), for the take-off of a kidney transplant centre.

Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of JUTH, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday in Jos.

Bupwatda said the project was set to take-off with a N1 billon grant given to the university by the Tertiary Trust Education Fund (TETFund).

The CMD, said that work had already commenced as some equipment had already been supplied.

”The construction of the Tissue Typing Laboratory is ongoing and both institutions are providing human and material resources to start off the kidney transplant centre.

“Currently, we have some personnel who have gone outside Nigeria for training, while some are training in the country,” he said.

On the hospital’s special services, Bupwatda also said that JUTH was one of the Teaching hospitals that the Federal Government had chosen to site a cancer treatment centre, which he said would lessen the burden of those with cancer.

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Bupwatda stated that the process had commenced, and the Federal government was determined to ensure its take-off.

“The coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ail Pate, has taken this seriously, we have had series of meetings concerning that.

”A team has been sent to conduct an assessment, and the Federal Government has provided the funds.

“We are trying to see how we can bring in partners and collaborators for its sustenance.

”By the time it becomes operational, many Nigerians would have relief as the Federal Government is working to have many cancer treatment centres in the country to lessen the cancer burden,” he said.

November 20, 2023
Kebbi Govt, GAIN introduce genetically modified rice to school feeding programme

A total of 500 students, teachers and parents in Kebbi are being fed genetically modified rice in a test to determine its acceptability for inclusion in the menu of the School Feeding Programme.

The test is being carried out by Kebbi Government, Global Alliance for Improve Nutrition (GAIN), and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is part of the Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) project, to address micronutrient deficiency.

The pupils, teachers and parents are from 23 schools in Argungu, Kalgo and Birnin Kebbi Local Government Areas of the state.

Prof. Oluwatosin Adu, the Fortified Rice Cooking Programme Facilitator, said yesterday in Birnin Kebbi that Kebbi was chosen for the pilot project because it was the hub of rice production in the country.

According to him, the campaign is to introduce the micro-fortified rice to Nigerians and weigh its acceptability.

“After this acceptability test, we will take the feedback to the federal government.

“It’s expected that rice millers in the state would start producing fortified rice and it would be integrated in the school feeding programme, so that school children and households can now eat fortified rice and stay healthy,” he added.

Read Also: FG to expand school feeding programme

Adu explained that the cooking demonstration and sensory acceptability test were integral components of the PRiFN project.

“This is by raising awareness of the benefits of fortified rice while showcasing its adaptiveness to cooking methods and local rice cuisines as well as its deliciousness,” he said.

Earlier, the state Coordinator of GAIN, Mr Seun Elere. stated that 23 schools were selected to participate in the cooking and eating demonstration.

Also speaking, Dr Yusuf Abdullahi of Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, said the introduction of the fortified rice would help to tackle malnutrition and anaemia.

“About 40 percent are said to be suffering from anaemia in Kebbi; with the fortified rice, the number will reduce and more people will live healthier life,” he said.

In her address, Wife of Kebbi Deputy Governor, Hajiya Maryam Umar-Tafida, commended GAIN and WFP for the initiative.

She said the fortified rice contains the necessary nutrients needed to keep the body safe from diseases.

“The event provides a unique opportunity to sensitise the general public on the benefits of fortified rice and how to cook it,” she said.

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November 20, 2023
Investment drive: Another chinese conglomerate set to invest in Gombe

Another group of industrialists from China under the aegis of China National Building Materials Group indicated intrest to invest in Gombe state.

The group is made up of industrialists who deal in manufacturing of building materials, fireproof cement boards for ceilings, underlay, furniture among others.

The prospective investors visited the Deputy Governor in his office where they expressed interest and willingness to be part of the development story of Gombe State through investment.

Led by the General Manager, Sinoma Nigeria Company Limited, Mr. Jackie Dai, the team explained that their products are globally recognised and that they have already impacted in over 192 countries across the world.

He noted that their concern is to be sure of the market of their product and to also find out about all the available mineral resources in the state so as to liaise with their colleagues in China to come and invest in the state.

Mr. Jackie Dai also said that their company is based in Abuja, Lagos and Kano and willing to extend to Gombe State if given the needed support by the state government.

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

Receiving them in his office, the Deputy Governor, Manassah Daniel Jatau, noted with emphasis that Gombe is ready to welcome all investors coming to establish businesses.

He intimated them that it was for the purpose of wooing investors to come and invest in the state that the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya came up with the idea of establishing the Industrial Park and making available the necessary facilities for ease of operations.

He assured them of available market, taking advantage of Gombe’s centrality in the North East as well as the nearness to Kano, a Mega City in the country and also the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon among others.

Shading light on the security of the State, the Deputy Governor said Gombe is rated as one of the most peaceful and secure states in Nigeria, assuring them of a conducive environment for investment.

November 20, 2023
Gombe’s transformative journey andInuwa’s strategic engagements in Abuja
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, recently had a series of strategic engagements in Abuja, demonstrating his commitment to driving economic growth and propelling Gombe State into a new era of development.

These proactive efforts underscore his resolve to prioritising the interests of Gombe above all else, cementing his position as an exemplary leader focused on progress and advancement of his state.

One of the key discussions involved a high-level meeting with the management of the Raw Materials, Research and Development Council (RMRDC) led by the Director-General/CEO, Professor Hussaini Ibrahim.

The strategic session aimed to explore and forge collaborative opportunities between the RMRDC, the Gombe State government, and Michigan State University (MSU) United States of America with the objective to harness Gombe’s vast raw material resources, specifically by bolstering projects such as fortifying the Dairy value chain and implementing Solar/Renewable energy-powered fish drying technologies in rural communities.

During the meeting, Governor Yahaya highlighted Gombe State’s conducive business environment, citing its Ease of Doing Business status, central location, peaceful nature and abundance of raw materials as attractive factors for potential investments and partnerships.

The governor reiterated the state’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for collaborations that will drive industrial growth, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the socio-economic development of Gombe State.

He emphasised the state’s openness to welcome research and development initiatives while affirming its readiness to facilitate the establishment of necessary infrastructure and provide support for capacity building programmes aimed at enhancing the skills of stakeholders in identified sectors.

The discussions concluded with a mutual commitment from both parties to further explore and advance the collaborations proposed by the RMRDC with the aim to create tangible socio-economic impacts through innovative projects and partnerships in Gombe State.

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

Another significant engagement saw Governor Yahaya advocating for comprehensive road infrastructure development during discussions with the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi.

Stressing the importance of robust road networks in fostering socio-economic progress, the governor urged for Federal Government intervention to address the existing road infrastructure challenges in Gombe State and the wider Northeast region.

The governor of Gombe State, who is also the Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) pleaded for comprehensive federal road networks in Gombe State and all six states of northeastern Nigeria.

The governor believes providing comprehensive federal road coverage is critical to the socio-economic growth and development of the Northeast, calling the federal government to construct roads in various trunk A routes across the subregion that have made movement of goods and services difficult over the years.

In response, Engr. Umahi assured the governor that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda will address road deficits in the subregion.

He shared his words of encouragement with the governor and commended him for his passion to make a great difference in his state.

The minister’s positive response further reinforced the potential collaboration between the states and federal government in tackling these crucial challenges.

Also, the governor’s visit to the headquarters of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) echoed his determination to advancing digital literacy and E-governance initiatives in Gombe.

He is exploring potential areas of partnership with NITDA with the aim of equipping youths and women in the state with essential digital skills and advancing e- governance to enhance efficiency and productivity.

The meeting was particularly significant as Gombe State was recently recognised by NITDA as the ‘Most Digitally Compliant State’ in Nigeria.

Gombe State, under the leadership of Governor Yahaya, has set an ambitious goal to automate all government operations to align with broader national efforts towards a more digitally inclined governance structure.

Gombe, known for its skilled manpower, proudly holds the position of the ‘Best State in Ease of Doing Business’ in Nigeria. The collaboration with NITDA will further amplify this reputation and facilitate the integration of cutting-edge technology into various sectors in order to ensure that Gombe remains at the forefront of digital transformation in the country.

Also in Abuja, Governor Yahaya participated in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting where the states chief executives had fruitful discourse with various development partners across diverse sectors with the Gombe governor leveraging the opportunities for his state’s holistic advancement.

Governor Yahaya’s purposeful engagements in Abuja exemplify a leader determined to unlock Gombe’s potential and address critical developmental challenges in its transformative journey towards greatness.

His proactive pursuit of partnerships, focus on infrastructural development, commitment to digital transformation, and proactive engagement with stakeholders reflect a visionary leadership aimed at positioning Gombe at the forefront of progress and development in Nigeria.
- Misilli is Director-General ( Press Affairs), Government House, Gombe.
November 20, 2023
175 trained Adamawa artisans receive startup kits

Artisans who received training in various trades in Adamawa State have received free startup kits to practise their respective trades.

The beneficiaries are 175 adolescents, among them 100 girls and 75 boys who were trained in computer appreciation, catering, fashion designing, carpentry, shoe making, and barbing.

The Save Our Children International who organized the training and empowerment programme with funding from another NGO, Education Cannot Wait, said the beneficiaries were adolescents who concluded their basic education but could not go further and need vocational skills and business funding for sustainable livelihood.

Read Also: Adamawa workers yet to join NLC strike

During the graduation ceremony of the vocational training program in Yola, the Adamawa State Team Leader of Save the Children International, Abdulrashid Muhammed, said, “Young people who have come out of basic education and cannot go further along the western education line must not stay idle, hence the decision to bring them into this program.”

He said the intensive vocational training which took the beneficiaries several months and the startup kits advanced to them were intended to make the adolescents self-dependent.

The Adamawa State Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Garba Umar who represented Governor Ahmadu Fintiri during the graduation ceremony of the vocation skills training, said the organisers had helped the government to remove many citizens from joblessness.

November 18, 2023