President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday blamed the delay in the completion of various road projects across the country on the series of amendments to various budgetary provisions presented to the National Assembly.

Buhari, who spoke through the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami stated this while inaugurating the first phase of the Gombe-Yola Road which terminated in Kaltungo at Kumo in Gombe State.

President Buhari said that on many occasions, because of the power vested in them, the National Assembly often amend the budgetary provisions and that affect the implementation of many road projects.

He pleaded with the citizens living in the Northeast states to engage their representatives in the National Assembly to ensure that there is enough budgetary provision for all these roads in the 2023 budget, saying that if that is provided for, then the road projects will be completed soon.

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He added that the essence of that role is to ensure that any budgetary provision that is for road construction will not be tampered with.

President Buhari said the secret of the road construction depends on the budgetary provision on one hand and the amount of money released on the other hand.

“On the release of money allocated for road construction, we will reach out to the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the money budgeted is released.

“So, budgetary provision is the primary foundation for the completion of all these roads,” he said.

The Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who spoke through the Director of Highways Northeast, Celestine Shausu said the road projects represented the government investment in road transport infrastructure which is a commitment of the Buhari administration as a driver for economic growth and prosperity.

He expressed his gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Finance, the members of the National Assembly, especially Chairmen of the Senate and House committees on Works in the 8th and 9th Assemblies for their support.

In line with the effort to complement state governments and ensure that children receive both qualitative and quantitative education in their respective primary schools as well as Integrated Quranic Schools, the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) said it would upscale e-learning in 400 schools in nine Local Government Areas of Kebbi State.

Mr Isa Usman-Sokoto, UNICEF Representative in Kebbi State, made the disclosure at the presentation of computers, radio sets and first aid kits to Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Birnin Kebbi.

“We are intervening in 400 schools in nine local government areas, UNICEF cannot do everything, but we can complement the efforts of government.

“We are going to distribute 80 computers because the world is not only becoming a global village; it is now becoming a global hamlet. We want somebody to learn what is in Lagos, while he is at Gwandu or Danko Wasago or Argungu.”

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Usman-Sokoto described the donation as a commitment of UNICEF to ensure that children receive both qualitative and quantitative education in their respective primary schools as well as Integrated Quranic Schools.

He noted with satisfaction that visits to such schools showed that pupils could now read, write and even solve simple arithmetic problems, unlike what obtained before.

The UNICEF Representative said the essence of the intervention was also to reduce the number of out-of-school children by creating enabling environment for the children to have access to stay in school and move to the next level of learning and completing their education circle.

Receiving the items, the Executive Chairman, KBSUBEB, Prof. Suleiman Khalid, commended UNICEF for the gesture and assured that it would be judiciously put to use.

Khalid said the organisation had brought state-of-the-art teaching and learning methodologies, assuring that the state would key into the new innovation for the good of the pupils and the state.

The Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar said his seven years administration in the state has culminated in the increase of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from N1.1 trillion to N2.26 trillion, representing over 100 percent.

The governor made the disclosure in a statement signed and made available to our reporter in Dutse as part of the state’s 31 years anniversary.

“The governor met the state’s GDP at N1.1 trillion in 2015. Now according to the National Bureau of Statistics, the present GDP of the state is N2.26 trillion”.

The governor expressed his satisfaction at how the state has significantly and progressively transformed in all sectors of human endeavours.

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The statement further stated that the development achieved in the areas of economic and social development have witnessed significant and positive transformation, particularly in Agriculture, Water and Sanitation, Commerce and Industry and many other fields of human endeavour.

Governor Abubakar maintained that “Our government has worked assiduously to sustain the tempo of ongoing transformations, particularly.”

as regards the provision of infrastructure for economic development, sustained human capital development and most importantly, the pursuit of agricultural transformation as means of diversifying the state’s economy and a means of sustainable livelihoods for the people”.

He applauded the contribution made by the past military administrators and civilian governors and acknowledged fatherly advice and guidance from the traditional leaders in the development of the state.

A process set in motion by some party executives to remove the chairman of Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal, has suffered a setback.

Twelve out of the 36 members of the state executive committee had signed a petition calling for the sack of the chairman, but by the weekend, only one of the 12 was said to have remained resolute about the sack plan.

The process to remove Bilal, which was started last week by the aggrieved executive members who reportedly suspect his loyalty, is seen as the fallout of the party’s gubernatorial primary in the state, following which at least one or two of the aspirants who lost out are still hoping that there would be a re-run.

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Pioneer chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who came next to the winner, Aishatu Ahmed Binani, has gone to court to challenge Binani’s victory and asked for an order for a rerun primary.

The aggrieved state executives are said to be motivated by the idea to have Bilal out of the way in event of a rerun, but it was reliably gathered at the weekend that Bilal has largely warded off his removal plan by getting almost all the ring leaders behind the plot to shelve their plans.

The ‘one man standing’ among the anti-Bilal plot is believed to be the party’s state Organising Secretary, Mustapha Ribadu, a nephew of Nuhu Ribadu.

Mustapha Ribadu, in response to the development, denied knowledge of it.

When the move to remove Bilal started last week, those behind it alleged gross misconducts against him.

The invasion of the national secretariat of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria by hoodlums led by a former national president, Bola Audu Innocent has continued to generate condemnation from members of the association.

The Niger State chapter and branch of the association said the attack was a move by a drowning man, warning Audu that he and his cohorts would be held responsible if any staff of the union at Lagos or Abuja is harmed in any way.

It was learnt that Audu, who was elected as the national president of the association some few years ago was made to step aside in March last year by the National Executive Council after he was arrested in Abuja by NAPTIP for alleged trafficking in persons and exploitation of vulnerable persons.

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The embattled president was said to have indulged in all manners of unconventional breaches which forced the association to expel him from the union after an emergency NEC meeting in August 2021 but this has not gone down well with him.

In a statement issued by the Chairmen of the Niger chapter and Minna branch of the Association, Comrade Ibrahim Gana and Comrade Garba Salihu Kontagora and the Secretary, Comrade Friday Imiruay, the union regretted that Audu has resorted to thuggery and extra-judicial means in his bid to return to power.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the association of senior civil servants of Nigeria is made up of the cream of educated, knowledgeable and civilised members in the public service of the federal and 36 states of the federation.

“Given the above, the Niger State branch/chapter of the association, therefore, warns Bola Audu and his gang to stay clear of the National Secretariat in Lagos and Abuja to enable the association to continue to pursue its statutory responsibility of protecting and safeguarding the interest of its teeming members across the federation as it has been doing over the decades.”

The Chairman of Shendam Local Government Council of Plateau State, Hon Miskoom Alex Naantuam, on Saturday dismissed reports in the media that the government was plotting to install an emir in the local council, which triggered protests by irate youths in the area.

The Nation reports that on Friday large numbers of youths staged a protest against plans to install an emir in the local government council, which triggered the attack and burning of mosque, shops and large scale looting by hoodlums.

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Speaking to The Nation on phone, the council boss, Naantuam described as false, baseless and unfounded the   rumours making the rounds on the social media that Governor Simon Lalong is plotting to install an emir.

In his words: “This is clearly the handwork of mischief makers and crisis merchants who are determined to instigate crisis and generate a breach of the peace that is currently prevailing in the State.”

Speaking further, the council boss said what happened in Shendam on Friday morning was that there were plans to install a ward head in Yelwa and this did not go well with citizens of the local government and some youths stormed the palace of our traditional ruler to protest. Unfortunately the protest was highjacked by hoodlums who blocked some major roads to the council.

Naantuam further added that peace has been restored to the council and no curfew was imposed.

At least four persons including a pastor and his wife have been confirmed killed by flood at Nyelleng and Gwabi communities of Pankshin Local Government Area of plateau State.

Chairman of Pankshin Local Government Council, Audu Kak’mena who visited the communities expressed sadness over the incident that occurred as a result of heavy downpour between Monday 22nd and Wednesday 24th August.

The only bridge linking the area with the outside world was submerged, causing the victims, who tried to wade through while returning from a neighbouring local market to lose their lives.

Kak’mena while sympathising with the victims’ families also seized the occasion to access the level of damage caused by the flood.

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This, he said, is with a view to develop an intervention template and recommend same to the state and the National Emergency Management Agencies.

The chairman advised people to be cautious while crossing rivers during the rainy season to avert further reoccurrence and assured them of the council’s support.

At the residence of the late pastor and wife, Evangelist and Mrs Daniel Gomab, the eldest son, Jonathan Daniel thanked the Chairman for the condolence visit.

The chairman also visited the house of Nendirmwa Kamshinen, a pregnant woman who sustained injuries as a result of the flood.

Members of the community, Danjuma Philip and Amos Goyit, who took the chairman to the affected areas solicited assistance from the government and other spirited individuals to construct the Fwor-ching Nyelleng bridge, which has been a problem for the community every rainy season.