The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Reports

  • Group urges DSS to arrest oil marketers over scarcity

    Group urges DSS to arrest oil marketers over scarcity

    A socio-political group, the Natives, has decried the burden of fuel subsidies on the growth of the country.

    The group also called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to go after oil marketers over the fuel scarcity in the country.

    At a briefing in Abuja, Leader of the group, Smart Edwards hailed the intelligence agency for enforcing “sanity and order.”

    He said: “We are glad to hear the DSS is not only restraining or curtailing threats but rising up to enforce sanity and order. It has now become a norm that as every festive season approaches; the gang in the oil industry embark on their evil ride to create artificial scarcity. This has created a hardship for citizens to satisfy their profiteering.

    “How can we explain that the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr Mele Kyari, has not only been seen moving from location to location to ascertain fuel availability all over the country and he even announced that there is enough fuel in the depots to meet the consumption of citizens over this period, then suddenly scarcity emerges to the extent that half of the roads are now blocked creating the emergence of long queues again in the country. This, for us, is absolutely a case of sabotage and requires thorough investigations.

    “Last month the ex-Militant Government Tompolo’s made a grand exposure of the conspiracy in and around Nigeria’s crude oil by powerful forces and locals, the revelation also exposed collaboration by security agencies. This, no doubt, reveals that there are hidden powerful cartels behind this plundering of the nation’s wealth who are economically profiting from national sabotage.”

     

  • Pastoralists congratulate Lawan on investiture

    Pastoralists congratulate Lawan on investiture

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has congratulated Senate President Ahmed Lawan on his investiture as “Champion of Peste Des Petit Ruminants ( PPR) in Nigeria.

    A statement by the National President of MACBAN Bala Usman Ngelzarma said: “This recognition accorded you is an indication of your resolve to address the challenges confronting pastoralism in the country. It is indeed our collective recognition.”

    MACBAN noted with his ” encouraging speech highlighting the total neglect of the livestock subsector in the Nigeria. We now find you to be the voice of the voiceless Pastoralists in Nigeria who over the years have suffered countless loses without compensation or support from the Government or anywhere else.”

    The body lamented the neglect of the livestock sub-sector, which it said is worth trillions of, contributing about 29% to Nigeria’s GDP.

    They expressed assurance that the National Assembly under Lawan will look into the lack of support that pastoralists have faced and the poor budgeting that has stunted the livestock sector from growth and working effectively.

    Read Also: Lawan seeks better funding for RMAFC

    According to the association, “in the last eight years, over 10,000 pastoralist were killed and over two million families displaced as a result of banditry, Cattle rustling, kidnapping and general insecurity in the country.

    “The continuing violence against pastoralists in Taraba and Plateau States in the full glare of security agencies is not only condemnable but is totally unacceptable.

    “We urge the security agencies in the country to take drastic measures against acts of wanton killings by members of the Vigilante and other ethnic militias against Pastoralists in the two states especially and anywhere else where public peace is threatened.

    “With a projected population of about 16 million registered voters, pastoralists are a voice to be reckoned with in deciding who lead this great country for the betterment of all.

    “While congratulating you for this recognition, it is our prayers that you shouldn’t be deterred nor distracted in pursuing the right policies for the livestock sub-sector in the country.”

  • Candidate promises Quranic Research Centre

    Candidate promises Quranic Research Centre

    The Action Democratic Party (ADP) Governorship Candidate in Kano State, Malam Sha’aban Sharada, has said, if elected, his government would establish a Qur’anic research centre in Kano.

    A statement by the spokesman of Sha’aban Sharada Campaign Council, Abbas Yusha’u, said this during a meeting with Islamic scholars.

    He stated that it was extremely vital to meet with them because Ulamas were very important and critical stakeholders in managing and moulding the thinking of the citizenry.

    He said he presented a bill in the House of Representatives for the establishment of a National Centre for Quranic Research in Kano.

    The governorship candidate, who is a member of the House of Representatives for the Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, said the first and second readings for the centre’s creation would be held in the upcoming week.

    Sharada informed the Ulamas that the Quranic Research Centre, where Quranic sciences were supposed to be taught, would be located in Kano given the state’s dominance among Quranic memorizers in Nigeria.

    The lawmaker stated that, if elected the governor, he would make Quranic education mandatory in the state’s primary and post-primary schools.

  • Activities paralysed as workers start 5-day warning strike

    Activities paralysed as workers start 5-day warning strike

    Activities in the government offices in Plateau State yesterday virtually paralysed, as civil servants commenced a five-day Sit-At-Home warning strike.

    This followed the government’s inability to meet their demands of non-payment of three months’ salaries and Non-release of third-party deductions among others.

    Addressing reporters at the Conference Hall of the Labour House in Jos, the Chairman of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Comrade Titus Malau, said it was a result of the failure of the government to meet their agreement.

    He said: “This became imperative in view of the fact that the government reneged in fulfilling our demands and particularly, the agreement reached on November 11, 2022, with the intervention of the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS).

    “The demands of the JNPSNC are as follows: non-payment of salaries for three months from September 2022 to date; non-release of salary structure to guide salary computation; non-release of third party deduction from August 2022 to date and non-release of promotion and annual increment with its areas in full respectively.

    “Others include non-payment of January and February 2022 annual increment arrears; the inability of the government to properly constitute and inaugurate the Joint National Service Negotiating Council in the state among others.”

    The council also faulted the White Paper Report of the Staff Audit Committee headed by Nde John Gobak, for failing to upgrade staff who were due for promotions and unduly stagnated, placing it as one of their demands accordingly.

    Plateau State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Eugene Manji, said: “we expected them to have fulfilled the agreement on or before November 14 and August salary was supposed to be paid in full and September/October salaries also were to be paid on or before the end of November, but here we are in December.

  • Buratai, Sheriff endorse Zulum as governor kicks off campaign

    Buratai, Sheriff endorse Zulum as governor kicks off campaign

    • Borno starts recruitment of 3,000 teachers

    Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum yesterday kicked off his re-election campaign, saying Borno is now a peaceful state.

    This is even as the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and Borno political strongman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, have thrown their weight behind the re-election of the governor, describing him as the most ever performing governor in the history of the state.

    Speaking during a rally at Ramat Square in Maiduguri amidst a mammoth crowd of APC stakeholders and supporters, Zulum stressed that Borno is now safe and gone are the days when Boko Haram attacks innocent communities under his leadership.

    According to him, “for the first time in history, there had been no report of Boko Haram attack and kidnapping in any local government area in the state. Now thousands of Boko Haram fighters are surrendering to our Army, we resettled nearly one million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their ancestral communities. We are committed to restoring peace and security for all in Borno because we are winning the war against Boko Haram.

    “My administration is committed to giving a fully secured state to our people and we hope to restore our lost commercial activities by the end of 2023. We are working with security agencies in order to restore night travelling from Maiduguri to Damaturu and from Maiduguri to all the 27 local government areas in the state,” Zulum said.

    He promised to empower Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters and vigilantes in order to strengthen security outfits in Borno State.

    While reviewing leadership and governance in the last 30 years in the state, Buratai and Sheriff, said that Zulum has performed better than the four civilian governors of the state put together since the aborted Third Republic.

    Senator Maina Maaji Lawan governed the state in the aborted Third Republic, while Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and Sen. Kashim Shettima governed from 1999 to 2019.

    “Zulum’s performance in three years is better than the cumulative performance of four of us who governed the state before him,” Sheriff said.

    He urged the people to re-elect Zulum for his second term to enable him to continue transforming the state for post-Boko Haram prosperity.

    “Zulum has performed excellently in terms of the volume and quantum of transformation of the state for prosperity in terms of infrastructural development projects and services,” Buratai, who is also Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, acknowledged.

    “We will give you the support you need in your re-election bid. “Congratulations on a very successful first term; your second term is assured,” the former COAS promised Zulum.

    Meanwhile, the state government has started the recruitment of 3,000 teachers for public schools in the state.

    A statement by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Ali Musa, urged all interested and eligible candidates to apply through the portal link: moeapplication.bornostate.gov.ng

    He said experience, professional education certificate and certified computer knowledge would be an advantage.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the application portal which opened on December 5 would be shut down on December 31.

  • ‘We need technology to cover our borders’

    ‘We need technology to cover our borders’

    The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Alhaji Isah Jere, said yesterday that the Service needed technology to cover border lines.

    He spoke at the handing over of Mobile Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) Devices to NIS, Seme Command by International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    Jere said: “We need technology, logistics and machines to cover our borders line.”

    Jere, represented by Assistant Comptroller General Zone A, Olukunle Osisanya, said NIS would use the equipment effectively.

    The Comptroller of Immigration Service, Seme Border Command, Dr. Emeka Dike, said the IOM conducted training for his officers and men on the operational modalities of Mobile MIDAS about three weeks ago.

    The National Programme Officer, IOM, Mr. Jeremiah Joshua, said the mandate of the organisation was to facilitate smooth migration throughout the world.

    The Comptroller, Seme Border Patrol, Mr. Hassan Shittu, urged the men and officers of the command to make use of the training to build themselves.

  • Pensioners disrupt swearing-in of chairmen in Niger

    Pensioners disrupt swearing-in of chairmen in Niger

    For the third time this year, pensioners in Niger state are protesting at the state Government house over the non-payment of pensions and gratuities in the past seven years.

    The pensioners came to the government house with mats, pillows, buckets, and other personal belongings to occupy the gate until their pensions are paid.

    They blocked the government house gate preventing access in and out as the guests who were on the ground for the swearing-in of the local government Chairmen were not allowed into the venue.

    The pensioners accused the government of being insensitive to their plight for the past seven years while describing the several screening and disbursements of pensions as a scam.

    One of them, Abubakar Abdullahi described the government as wicked, saying “how can you owe people for seven years and still have the mind to be living as if nothing is wrong? He is junketing the county in private jets while we are wallowing in abject poverty and suffering”.

    Another pensioner, Charity Yusuf said the government had not kept its promise in ameliorating the sufferings of the people in the state despite the several funds released by the federal government.

    “The Federal government released Paris funds and other funds to this state but we can’t see anything that was done with the funds neither did they deem it fit to reduce the backlog of our pensions and gratuities,” she said.

  • Coalition to Nigerians: vote leaders that will end poverty

    Coalition to Nigerians: vote leaders that will end poverty

    A coalition of civil society groups has asked Nigerians to vote for leaders with programs on how to end poverty.

    The coalition said it had observed the tendency for politicians to make social protection programs an instrument for political enticement to citizens, but they have been sensitising citizens to know that whatever they get is their right and not to cover up for the ills of government in power.

    The Chairman of the National Technical Working Committee Electoral Advocacy Campaign for Social Protection Forum, Taiwo Benson made the call at the launch of the advocacy forum yesterday.

    While lamenting the magnitude of the poverty level, Benson stressed the need to vote in leaders that will tackle the challenge through social protection programs.

    This is against the backdrop of the recently released Multidimensional Poverty Index by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics indicating that 130 million Nigerians are experiencing different dimensions of poverty.

    “Nigeria should be aware that social protection is their right and when voting any of the candidates, they should take note and cognizance the candidate’s ability to provide social protection in terms of health, and education among others,” he said.

    Benson said the coalition had observed a delay in social protection intervention, noting that the coalition has been sensitising the youth, women and the entire citizen on what they should demand so as to reduce multidimensional poverty in the country.

    He stressed the need to sustain social protection programs beyond the current administration so as to reduce the number of people who are poor.

    Benson further noted the need to increase coverage of social protection programs across the country, especially at the state and local levels.

    Country Director of Save the Children, Mercy Gichuhi said the Expanding Social Protection for Inclusive Development (ESPID) project was funded through support from the United Kingdom government to support the federal and state.

  • Buhari presents environmental award to 16 organisations

    Buhari presents environmental award to 16 organisations

    President Muhammadu Buhari has presented the National Environmental Compliance Award 2022 to 16 organisations for their voluntary compliance to environmental standards, rules and regulations.

    President Buhari who was represented at the maiden edition of the National Environmental Compliance Awards by the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, used the opportunity to reinstate the commitment of his administration to a healthy environment for all citizens.

    The President announced the elevation of NECA to a Presidential Award in order to “underscore the importance of the environment, its sustainability and because of the belief that a healthy and sustainable environment can improve the security of the country in the face of global security challenges triggered by the impact of climate change on livelihoods, employment, food systems and agricultural land.

    “The agency and ministry are encouraged to continue working in the set direction knowing that the work of the agency is indispensable within the context of the local and global climate change initiatives and architecture.”

    Minister of the Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi said the awardees who cut across different sectors were selected through a standard process.

    NESREA’s Director-General, Prof Aliyu Jauro said between 2019 and 2022, the agency has undertaken compliance monitoring of more than 10,000 corporate facilities, out of which over 260 facilities were sealed for various offences.

  • Sokoto PDP candidate meets Akwa-Ibom, Cross River stakeholders

    Sokoto PDP candidate meets Akwa-Ibom, Cross River stakeholders

    Sokoto Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Mallam Saidu Umar has met with Akwa Ibom and Cross River Indigenes residing in the State.

    At the meeting with the residents, under the canopy of Akwa-Cross, an amalgamation of groups of stakeholders from the two sister States, Umar said the main aim of the meeting was to interface with the group and to give assurances of a new lease on life under the new PDP administration, pointing out that the PDP is positioned to reclaim the country at the center while in Sokoto, the party is also gearing up for its consolidation mission of the present administration’s achievements.

    He pledged that his administration, if voted into power will run an all inclusive government that will guarantee equal opportunities to all the residents of Sokoto State regardless of tribe, religion or political affiliation.

    He said Nigeria belongs to all of us, stating there’s no need to discriminate against each other.

    Read Also: Sokoto PDP Gov candidate assures on business-friendly environment

    He maintained that for other resident communities to continue prospering in Sokoto, and Nigeria, PDP was the way forward.

    According to Umar, his nature, coupled with the interactions he had from other parts of Nigeria, has provided him with the requisite knowledge to address the challenges confronting the non indigenous communities in Sokoto State.

    He assured that he will continue from what the present administration has been doing to identify their needs and wants.

    “I will do all that must be done to make sure Sokoto State continues to bloom and shine, ” he stressed.

    Going down memory lane, he reminisced on the robust and heartwarming friendship he enjoyed with an illustrious son of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Uwem Essien, and other classmates at secondary school which eventually turned out to be an age long relationship. He said his acquaintance with his former colleagues across Nigeria made him to be always at home wher ever he found himself. The governorship candidate promised not to disappoint in his drive to develop Sokoto State.

    Essien, who facilitated the meeting, called on the Akwa-Cross movement in Sokoto to turn out en masse to vote for PDP in the forthcoming elections.

    He assured them that his friend of four decades will never let them down. The Presidents of Akwa-Cross assured the PDP Governorship Flagbearer that the votes of Akwa-Cross old and young, men and women will go to the PDP.