Category: Northern Reports

The member representing Combe Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Danjuma Goje yesterday began the distribution of 12, 000 bags of NPK fertiliser worth N258 million to farmers, districts and village heads in Akko and Yamaltu Deba local government areas of Gombe State.

During the distribution which took place at his residence in Gombe, Goje said the beneficiaries include emirs, district heads, ward heads, village heads, women, youth groups and farmers in the senatorial district.

According to him, 74 district heads in the central zone would receive three bags of the commodity each, adding that 254 ward heads would get two bags each.

He said there are 2, 537 village heads in the senatorial district and each of them would be given one bag of fertiliser.

“Twenty trucks of fertiliser totalling 12, 000 bags have been purchased. These will be distributed to our constituents. The gesture is meant to bring succour to them, especially in this rainy season when the price of the commodity is high.

“Our desire is to empower our people economically. In recent times, we donated 1, 000 tricycles and many motorcycles free to our youths for commercial use. The gesture was aimed at assisting them to be self-reliant,” he said.

Goje encouraged the beneficiaries to ensure that the fertilisers are used to improve food production in the state and the country.

According to him, people, especially farmers, need to be encouraged to produce more food to alleviate the economic hardship that many are going through now.

He added that when the country is self-sufficient in the area of food production, the biting effect of inflation and economic recession will be largely reduced.

A bill seeking to include teachings against breast and cervical cancers into the curriculum of all senior secondary schools in Nigeria has gone through Second Reading in the House of Representatives.

The Bill is being sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Health care Services Tanko Sununu and co-sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere both of the All Progressives Congress.

It is part of the OCI Foundation’s “Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Anti-Cancer Health Campaign,” an initiative targeting youths in Nigerian Senior Secondary Schools and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Already, in partnership with Nigeria NYSC, the OCI Foundation is annually delivering the same anti-cancer campaign to hundreds of thousands of Nigerian fresh graduates (youth corps members) in all the 37 NYSC orientation camps in Nigeria.

The ArOY Health Campaign enjoys the support of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari whose NGO, the Future Assured Foundation, is partnering with the OCI Foundation on the Bill.

“The second reading of this ArOY Campaign Bill brings the OCI Foundation’s dream and commitment to empowering Nigerian youths against breast and cervical cancers in all the senior secondary schools across the country, another step closer to reality.

“We look forward to this bill becoming law in due course,” the Executive Assistant to the OCI Foundation President, Charles Okoh said.

Also, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Brig-Gen Muhammad Fadah has commended the Benue State Government for providing a 3,000-seater lecture hall for the NYSC orientation camp in Wannune.

The NYSC chief said the hall, when completed, would make orientation course activities more convenient for both staff and corps members while in camp.

He stated this during a working visit to the orientation camp in Wannune, Benue State.

While commending Governor Samuel Ortom for his favourable disposition to the NYSC, Fadah urged other governors to perform their statutory obligations to the NYSC secretariats in their respective states.

The director-general enjoined the corps members to acquire vocational skills from NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, adding that it would make them job creators instead of job applicants.

Fadah added that they would be among the beneficiaries of the NYSC Trust Fund, which is at an advanced stage of being passed into law.

The NYSC Benue State Coordinator, Mr Abe Ashumate said the 1,137 corps members registered at the time of the visit have displayed a high sense of responsibility and discipline.

He attributed the smooth operations of the camp assignments to the teamwork among the entire camp officials.

A Northern group under the aegis of the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) yesterday threatened that there would not be any election in the North next year if Nigerians in the captivity of terrorists are not freed and the region liberated from attacks.

Speaker of the group, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, who issued the warning in a statement, lamented the continuous captivity of the victims of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna-bound train who have spent over 120 days in captivity and still counting.

The group said it was unfortunate that the terrorists holding these innocent Nigerians captive have the gut to celebrate their nefarious activities in a video depicting how they were molesting their victims while the Federal Government continues to give flimsy directives and excuses without results.

“The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) shares in the pain and agony of the immediate families and friends of those in captivity and we pray to God to intervene through His supernatural power and set them free.

“The AYA noted that the growing audacity of non-state actors which led to the invasion of Kuje Maximum Prison, Abuja and subsequent release of numerous arrested Boko Haram commanders showed that even Mr President in the Presidential Villa is not safe. This means that it is just a matter of time; these ragtag elements may draw inspiration from Afghanistan and take over the leadership of our country.

“We have observed that this insult to our country’s supremacy wouldn’t have been possible if the National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno who is supposed to guide Mr President had not run out of ideas.

“Having been appointed the NSA over seven years ago, we strongly believe he has nothing new to offer, hence, the need to vacate the office or get kicked out by Mr President.

“We make bold to state that our youths won’t participate in activities in the build-up to 2023 general election and the election proper if our brothers and sisters in captivity are not released and our communities are liberated.

“In other words, politicians are only welcome to our region when we have every reason to believe that our forests are free from bandits and terrorists.

“The Assembly wish to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the circumstances behind the bomb explosion in Kawo that almost claim lives and come hard on the terrorist elements who are sharing legitimacy of government with him.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has said his administration has commenced the payment of gratuities to retired civil servants. He added that the gratuities had accumulated over a period of 26 years.

Sule stated this at the weekend in Akwanga during a meeting of the Mada Development Association (MDA).

According to him, his administration has cleared gratuities of retired civil servants beginning from 1996 to 2003/2004.

He noted that his administration deployed funds gotten from the World Bank under the State’s Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme to pay the gratuities, as well as pension of state and local government retirees.

“All gratuities up to that period (2003/2004) have been paid. We have continued to sustain the payment of pension at the state and local government levels,” he said.

Governor Sule recalled that for over 53 months before he assumed office, pensioners at the local government level received roughly 50 per cent of their monthly pension but barely a month after his assumption of office; he took pragmatic steps toward ensuring they get 100 per cent of their pensions.

“In the first month of my administration, we started  plugging the leakages so that we will be able to generate enough funds to pay them 100 per cent,” he stated.

He announced that, mostly due to the steps taken by the administration to curb excessive theft of public funds, transparency and accountability in governance, Nasarawa State has continued to receive funds that are being deployed for developing critical infrastructure.

“A lot of people are equating projects we are currently executing with politics. Previously, we lack funds to execute these projects but now that we have blocked most leakages, and out IGR jumping from seven billion to 16 billion, interventions from NEWMAP, and others, Nasarawa State has available funds to execute projects,” he said.

He said his administration has requested the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola to allow the Abuja-Lafia Expressway to pass through the centre of Akwanga, for which the state has expressed readiness to foot the bill.

He said part of the N9.75 billion Lafia Airport refund will be channelled towards constructing the Nunku/Rinze/Agyaga, Bayan Dutse rural roads, and the completion of the Gudi/Moroa Road.

The Chun Mada, Samson Gamu Yare, lamented the security challenges confronting Akwanga Local Government Area, calling for the stakeholders to make security issues top priority.

The royal father decried the activities of some hoodlums, promising that the traditional council will collaborate with relevant agencies, to rid the council of bad elements.

“We will never make Akwanga a safe haven for any criminal or hoodlum. Whoever that is not prepared for peace should relocate to elsewhere,” the Chun Mada said.

Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje yesterday donated N3.8 million to the families of the 19 people who were involved in a ghastly auto crash along the Zaria-Kano Expressway. Each of the families of the victims will receive N200, 000.

Witnesses said the deceased were burnt to death.

Ganduje visited the area where he condoled with the families.

“We received news of their death with shock and we pray that Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala should forgive all their wrongdoings and reward their good deeds with Jannah,” he prayed.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ganduje, Abba Anwar, added that the governor directed the Chairman of the local government area to write to the state government and request for the construction of a primary school in the area. He promised to expedite action on the proposal.

“To help the people of this area in dry season farming, I assure you that this town will be included in the Federal Government’s intervention for dry season farming,” he said.

A coalition of religious groups and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund passed by the National Assembly into law.

The coalition noted that the Trust Fund Bill is aimed to deliver world-class skills acquisition and entrepreneur centres across the country to fight unemployment and grow the economy.

In a statement by Bishop Abel Kings (College of Bishops), Sheikh Shehu Auwal Musa (College of Imams) and Comrade Solomon Semaka (CSOs), the coalition hinted that the NYSC Trust Fund is one of the few bills that received the greatest support from all stakeholders, a pointer to its acceptability as can be seen in its speedy passage.

The statement reads: “The NYSC Trust Fund is one of the few bills passed by the National Assembly that received the highest number of memoranda from the public in support of its passage.

“This mass appeal towards the bill points to the acceptability of the trust fund chiefly because of the role the NYSC scheme has played in shaping the Nigerian economy and the lives of average Nigerians amidst scarce resources.

“The Trust Fund, therefore, comes in handy in consolidating funding lacuna in order to actualise the vision and mission of the scheme, especially in the area of job creation and skills acquisition.

“It is known that those who choose not to acknowledge the modest legacies this administration is leaving in the various sectors of Nigerian society, especially in the area of youth development have deemed it fit to attack and bring to disrepute, the impeccable image of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and by extension the Trust Fund, without which the scheme will be bankrupt and unable to meet its obligation to Nigerian youths in the nearest future owing to the increasing number of youths enrolling annually.

“It is our position that this scheme has benefited every Nigerian and family, therefore, anybody trying to tarnish the image of the scheme is out for mischief and must not be taken seriously.”

The Labour Party (LP) Senatorial candidate for Plateau North, Mr Gyang Zi has said the party has a better structure than the other dominant parties in the country.

Zi, a legal practitioner stated this yesterday in a chat with reporters in Jos.

The senatorial candidate said the youth and ordinary Nigerians who want the best for the country, were the structure of the party.

According to him, the popularity of the party is spreading like wildfire because of its unique structure and the quality of its presidential candidate and his running mate.

Zi said the other parties, apart from their abysmal performances over the years, have divided Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.

He said the other parties had failed in addressing the  challenges bedevilling the country.

“They failed in tackling key challenges such as insecurity and the sorry state of the country’s economy.

“The LP Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has proven that he has the capacity to address the issues if elected.

“Nigerians, particularly the youth, are aware of his performance and credibility, and that is the reason for the massive support the party is enjoying,” he said.

The senatorial candidate said his experience as a legal practitioner would be invaluable in delivering quality representation to his constituents.

Zi said his chances of winning the election were bright because of the overwhelming support he and the LP were enjoying from individuals and groups.

Stakeholders of the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have nominated former Minister of State for Niger Delta Dr Sam Ode, as running mate to the APC governorship candidate Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.

Ode, who contested for the governorship primaries, is expected to be unveiled as running mate to Rev. Fr Alia at a later date.

He hails from Otukpo Local Government Area in Benue South Senatorial District.

He was Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, and later Special Adviser to then Governor Gabriel Suswam on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He was later appointed Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Sam Ode is a member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru Jos and a lawyer.

The nomination of Ode as running mate to the APC governorship candidate was heralded with excitement because he is regarded as a grassroots politician with a lot of experience.

Ode also commands massive followers among the youth, women and the less privileged whom he empowered with skills and education.

There was the massive publication in his Benue South Senatorial District when his name filtered into the air as the deputy governorship candidate.

The announcement was made by the Zonal APC Chairman (Zone C)

Rev. Pinot Ogbaji.

Those who spoke to The Nation described Sam Ode as a perfect match for Rev. Fr. Alia to deliver Benue in 2023.