The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Reports

  • Onjeh celebrates Akume at 69

    Onjeh celebrates Akume at 69

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Benue South Comrade Daniel Onjeh has felicitated with Minister of Special Duties and leader of the party in the State Senatorial George Akume on his 69th birthday.

    Onjeh described Akume as his political mentor and a formidable pillar of support to him educationally and politically.

    He fondly recalled that upon his election as President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 2002, Akume was the first Governor that hosted and empowered him financially to commence his activities.

    Onjeh noted Akume’s support for him didn’t just end with his tenure as NANS President but extended to his stewardship as President of the West African Students’ Union (WASU) as well as his venture into partisan politics since 2010.

    Onjeh stated he can’t thank the Minister enough for placing him on Benue scholarship to complete his First Degree at the University of Ghana, Legon, after he was unjustly expelled from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State in 2002.

    The statement added Akume was keenly instrumental to the rebuilding of the foundations of the modern Benue when he served as Governor between 1999 and 2007.

    Describing the Minister as a uniquely humble, generous and purely detribalised Nigerian, Onjeh noted Akume helped to further unite the various tribes and ethnic groups in Benue State through the equitable spread of infrastructural projects and appointments across the three Senatorial Districts of the state, during his eight-year tenure as Governor.

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    Onjeh noted that he takes immense pride in Akume’s resounding legacies as a Senator, Minister and as Leader of the APC in Benue State, adding that Benue was very proud to have Akume as one of its most illustrious sons.

    Onjeh prayed for God’s abiding grace and protection upon Sen. Akume’s life, even as he wished him many happy returns in sound health, peace and joy.

  • Kano to commission 10 megawatts Tiga power station

    Kano to commission 10 megawatts Tiga power station

    Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s Tiga 10 Megawatts Hydro Power Station is completed and will soon be commissioned, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Kano Governor, Abba Anwar, announced yesterday.

    Anwar said the project is Ganduje’s “diligent efforts in taming the energy problem in Kano state for water treatment plants and street lights among others.”

    Governor Ganduje, he said, was satisfied with the progress of work during his inspection visit to Tiga Power Plant and Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant at the weekend.

    Commenting on the power project during the pre-commissioning test visit, he said the governor hailed the state independent power company (KEDCO) contractors and other stakeholders for ensuring the completion of the project.

    Read Also: Obaseki connects communities to uninterrupted power supply

    The statement reads: “As it was designed from the beginning of the process, the 10 megawatts generated from Tiga station, will be used to take care of Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant and metropolitan street lights. With this, our water issue will be dealt with decisively. So also our street lights issues will soon become history.

    “While this project will be commissioned on January 29. We are still on a similar project in Challawa Godge Dam, where we are generating 6 Megawatts.

    “For the generation and distribution of energy, the state government established an independent power company, as the law stipulates. We came up with Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company (KHEDCO), a limited liability company.

    “All the two needed licences for operations were secured since June 2021 by National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Licences for power generation and distribution,” the governor.

    “In the next few weeks, the power generated from Tiga will be evacuated to Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant. As all evacuation lines from Tiga to Tamburawa are fully completed. The power will be generating at 33KV and transmitting at 33KV.

  • Association cautions against border reopening

    Association cautions against border reopening

    From Juliana Agbo, Abuja

    The Forum for Agricultural Commodity Associations Presidents has cautioned politicians clamouring for the reopening of the country’s land borders, noting that it would encourage a massive inflow of small arms and light weapons into the country.

    The forum also stated that it would have a negative impact on farmers who have invested heavily in setting up processing facilities that are already up and running following the ban on the importation of rice.

    Chairman of the forum, Sadiq Umar Daware, said the forum will support any policy thrust that is farmer-friendly and is for the overall best interest of the nation.

    Daware promised to work with any government in power and commit to promoting all policies that would better position all value chain players in the agricultural space to become formidable sources of economic diversification.

    According to him, no nation can boast of being sovereign if it still depends on other nations to feed its population.

    He said: “We received with mixed feelings the news that some of the front runners in the forthcoming presidential elections have been clamouring for the reopening of the country’s land borders and the resumption of importation of rice and other food items that have hitherto been banned by the current administration.

    “While we do not discountenance the merit of such a proposition, our position as stakeholders in agriculture and direct beneficiaries of the positive impact of the well-thought-out policy that led to the closure of the land borders and the eventual ban in the importation of rice, we wish to implore proponents on both sides of the divide to consider the advantages vis-a-viz disadvantages of either position in the overall interest of the nation.

    “It is our considered opinion that although candidates are required to put forward their value propositions to the electorates during campaigns in order to solicit votes, it is not in the interest of the nation for anyone to politicize agriculture as it portends great danger to the wellbeing of the nation and its food security.

    “It is a given that no nation can boast of being sovereign if it still depends on other nations to feed its population.

    “We fear that the if the matter of lifting the ban on rice importation is not treated with all the caution it deserves, the current gains by the current administration that has ramped up production, facilitated the establishment of modern processing facilities and led to significant savings on foreign exchange hitherto spent on importation would be reversed or completely eclipsed”.

  • Adamu urges Bauchi people to vote out PDP

    Adamu urges Bauchi people to vote out PDP

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, has called on the people of the Bauchi State to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-government.

    Adamu, addressing a crowd at the Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa Memorial Stadium in Bauchi, during the flag-off of the party’s governorship candidate, Saddique Baba Abubakar’s official campaign.

    He claimed the PDP  has failed to deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizens of the state.

    According to him, Bauchi state is a stronghold of the party, adding that the party would avoid the mistakes of 2019 which led to the PDP take-over in 2019.

    He said: “We made a mistake in the 2019 election when we had a miscarriage of power by losing the governorship seat but that notwithstanding, whatever happened has passed. The 2023 election is around the corner and we have a new set of candidates. We should massively vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu for President and Marshall Sadique Baba Abubakar as governor of Bauchi.

    “The coming of Marshal Abubakar as governor will change the fortunes of Bauchi State because of his wealth of experience and God willing if elected, the people will witness good governance and unprecedented development, especially with the oil exploration of Bauchi.”

    The Chairman then presented APC’s flags to the Sadique, the APC Senatorial candidates, the House of Representatives, and the state assembly candidates.

    Abubakar said if elected, his government will prioritise the welfare of all citizens in Bauchi.

    He claimed the PDP-led administration in Bauchi manifested several incompetence which had stagnated development in the last four years.

    “Our administration will provide skills to our teeming youths, we will open skills acquisition centres across the state where the youths and women will be trained to be self-reliant and employers of labour. We will not give them goats.

    “I urge you to vote for the APC and all its candidates including the presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima. We will enjoy the patronage of the Federal Government if you vote for the APC,” he said

  • Bagudu calls for massive votes for Kauran Gwandu, Tinubu/Shettima

    Bagudu calls for massive votes for Kauran Gwandu, Tinubu/Shettima

    Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has called on the electorate in the state to vote massively for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Kebbi governorship candidate, Dr Nasir Kauran Gwandu come 2023 general election.

    The governor made the call while addressing a crowd of APC supporters in Yauri Local Government during the gubernotorial zonal flag-off of APC campaigns in Kebbi State.

    He said, “President Buhari has given us a message to the electorate to vote massively for Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Kashim Shettima ticket for the presidency during the general election come 2023.

    He said: “Tinubu has the capacity to deliver as president given his track records in Lagos State. Kauran Gwandu will also do better than me in Kebbi State.”

    Governor Bagudu, while highlighting some of the state and  federal government projects being enjoyed by the people of  Yauri, such as the Yauri Kwantagora  roads,  the international fish market,  the GB tomatoes factory,   the Inland Water-ways project and the  appointment of one of their sons as the leader of  Hypadec, among others, Bagudu said President Buhari has done well in various sectors of the economy and needs a successor who has the capacity and knowledge to build on the success recorded by the present administration. 

    He also urged them to vote for the APC governorship candidate in the state, Nasir Kauran Gwandu, whom he said will perform better than him, if elected.

    On his part, Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu and his running mate, Senator Umar Tafida, appreciated the support of APC members and the giant strides of the Kebbi State governor in his quest to develop the state.

    The APC gubernatorial candidate further promised to consolidate on the achievements of Governor Bagudu in the provision of quality healthcare delivery to the people, education, security, water supply and all the sectors of human development.

    The Kebbi APC campaign DG, who is also a former governor of the state, Alhaji Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, in his remarks drummed support for the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu and all APC candidates.

  • Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Benue community

    Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Benue community

    A Catholic priest and chaplain of the St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Mark Ojotu, has been abducted by unknown gunmen.

    The Nation gathered that the cleric was adducted on Thursday evening.

    Adduction of cleric along Okpokwu axis in Benue South Senatorial District has become a recurrent decimal.

    Three months ago a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Amodu, was waylaid and taken away in a similar manner, but later released by armed men along Otukpo–Ugbokolo road while on his way to celebrate the Holy Mass at Okwungaga in the same Okpokwu LGA.

    The latest incident was confirmed Thursday night by the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo in a letter from the Diocesan Secretariat addressed to all priests, religious and lay faithful by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Joseph Aboyi.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the incident in a text massage, said “the command is on the trail of the priest and hoodlums involved.”

  • TCN assures of completion of Makeri-Guratop Panshin 132 KVA line in three months

    TCN assures of completion of Makeri-Guratop Panshin 132 KVA line in three months

    Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has expressed its commitment towards the completion of the Makeri-Guratop-Pankshin 132 KVA rural electricity project in three months.

    Engr. Shehu Abbah Aliyu, the TCN General Manager (Engineering), together with officials of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED), gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, at the Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos yesterday.

    Engr. Aliyu explained that the Pankshin-Makeri line is a 122-kilometer long high tension line that is expected to provide energies to 14 local governments of the state when completed.

    According to Aliyu, “The honourable Minister of Power and Mines is passionate about the project and wanted it to be counted among projects completed under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    On our side as TCN, we can assure the state government that we shall ensure the project is completed in the next three months. This is because everything needed for the project is already on ground in terms of funds and equipment.

    “TCN is full of appreciation to the state government for seeing to the resolution of the conflicts out of court. But we still have the challenge of vandalism.”

    He therefore called on benefiting communities to take charge of the security of the equipments.a

  • Over 2.5million Benue IDPs to celebrate Yuletide in camps

    Over 2.5million Benue IDPs to celebrate Yuletide in camps

    Over 2.5million Benue Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), will celebrate Christmas and New Year in camps.

    This, according to the Executive Secretary of Benue  State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Emmanuel Shior, is due to the failure of the Federal Government to assist them return to their ancestral homes.

    There are over 3million Internally Displaced Persons spread in 12 camps across Benue State, following suspected herdsmen attacks on farming communities since 2018.

    Addressing journalists during the monthly distribution of relief materials to IDPs by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the SEMA Executive Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, who represented Governor Samuel Ortom, said all efforts by the governor to get Federal Government’s intervention to enable IDPs in the state return to their ancestral homes fell on deaf ears.

    Dr. Shior said rather than the attacks to abate, they are increasing because the dry season has set in and herdsmen are looking for green grass to feed their cows.

    “We want the Federal Government who has the responsibility of protecting lives and property to provide security for the numerous IDPs to go back to their homes and spend the yuletide with their families,” the SEMA boss said.

    “It is unfortunate that the Federal Government has neglected IDPs in Benue State, to the extent that not even food items are provided to them as they keep dying of hunger on daily basis,” he stated further.

    Shior commended Gov. Ortom, who has over the years provided food and shelter for the millions of IDPs in Benue and appealed to the next administration to meet the challenge of the Benue IDPs by returning them to their ancestral homes.

    In the month of December alone, SEMA has distributed 5,000 bags of rice, 4,000 cartons of noodles, and other food and non-food items like plates, mosquito nets, sleeping mats and blankets.

  • Varsity to represent Africa at global competition

    From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

    An Abuja-based private university, Veritas University, has won the just concluded All African Universities Debate at Stratford University Nairobi, Kenya.

    The university beat over a hundred other universities from different parts of Africa.

    The institution said the team would now represent Africa in the Intercontinental Debate in New York on April 1, 2023, and the World Universities Debate in Madrid, Spain in June respectively.

    Read Also: NAUS warns against increment in varsity fees

    Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, said: “It is great news for us; it is great news for Veritas University; it’s excellent news for Nigeria, it’s great news for our students and everybody. It underlies the fact that yes, we cry about the quality of education in Nigeria, the falling standard of education, and challenges in the education sector. Still, it also means that things are happening and we are excelling in some areas and so this is a glorious moment for us.

    “Winning the championship opens a new set of opportunities for us because these students will be representing Africa in the intercontinental debate that will happen in New York from April first and furthermore go to Madrid in Spain to represent Nigeria in the global universities Championship. That will also take place in June.

    “Despite the challenges confronting tertiary education, a remarkable feat like this coming from the private sector is a giant stride in salvaging the nation’s education system thereby retaining its place as the giant of Africa.”

  • Ibeto warns youth against electing bad leaders

    Ibeto warns youth against electing bad leaders

    Former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Ibeto, has warned youths on the dangers of electing bad leaders.

    Ibeto said the youth had the majority number to elect good leaders.

    He spoke at the grand finale of a reality TV show in Abuja.

    The former deputy governor said: “The strength they have is what should make them determine who leads this country and if they misuse it, they will regret it. It is the right time for the youth to take their place in the history and political development of this country. We don’t have to believe the idea or notion that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, no, they are the leaders of today because they are the ones that determine who leads them.

    “We believe that with the number of youths in the country, a decision on who governs the country is made and their interests are protected for today and tomorrow.”

    Ibeto, who was one of the awardees at the show, assured that he would not relent in working for the development of the country, especially those things he did in office that earned him the award.

    Chief Executive Officer, Blueprint Newspaper, Mohammed Malagi, who was also an awardee, said numbers remained a great factor in the country’s democracy from 1999.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SRTV, Daddy Kris, represented by Head of Operations, SRTV, Kenneth Paul said the essence of the show was to prepare the youths for leadership positions.