The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has held intensive capacity building workshop for Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) across commands and formations in the country.

The workshop on ‘Strategic Communication,’ organised by the Presidential Committee on Police Reforms in partnership with UNDP and CLEEN Foundation, was held at Tahir Quest Palace, Kano.

Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, represented by the Kano State Commissioner of Police Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, said the workshop centered on “understanding of the roadmap to Police reform.”

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“Police Spokespersons play vital roles in managing information related to crime and criminality, and in ensuring that the public is kept abreast of required information that will ensure public safety, peace and stability,” the IGP said.

He noted that there was need to equip police spokespersons with “dynamic strategic communication skills.”

Usman said: “This workshop will avail the participants with skills and expertise in communication. It will also enable participants to acquire advanced relevant skills to give appropriate response to enquiries from both the public and the media on the reform agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria…

“However, participants must be reminded that to succeed as police image-makers, they must be versatile and have deep theoretical and practical knowledge of all aspects of policing, covering administration, operations, investigations, and forensics, amongst others.”

Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong has challenged eligible citizens of the state who are yet to register for their Permanent Voters Card to take advantage of the 2 work-free days declared for Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th June 2022 to register.

Governor Lalong, who was speaking at the monthly prayer and fasting held at the Government House Chapel Rayfield, Jos, said participating in the democratic process is not just a civil responsibility but a spiritual one because God has given people the power to elect their leaders through choices in the ballot box.

He said it is not good for people to sit back and complain on the social media and elsewhere about bad governance and yet fail to take part in the process that brings in new leadership that will change the situation.

He said: “Beyond prayers and fasting, we should also participate and do our part in ensuring that the right people are elected. Part of this is the performance of our civic duties of voting.

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“That is why I approved work-free days on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th June, to enable eligible citizens who have not yet obtained their Permanent Voters Card to do so.

“I charge all civil servants to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that they register so as to be able to choose their leaders during the elections. Failure to participate automatically means that you will live with the choices of others whether it is good or bad.”

He called on political actors and their supporters to go about campaigning and seeking electoral support in a civilised manner and according to the laws of the land, even as he urged them to shun toxic campaigns that promote fake news, hatred, division, intolerance and incitement.

He said the prayer and fasting which is a very important spiritual exercise has been sustained over the years and continues to be of tremendous benefit for the well-being of Plateau State and Nigeria.

Deputy Chaplain of the Government House Chapel, Rev. Dewan, charged the people to always depend on God no matter the circumstance, adding that they should never be discouraged or think that God does not hear or care.

North East Development Commission, NEDC, yesterday disclosed that 1, 800 teachers of the Basic Education segment from the six states of the North-East have been trained to improve their skills as part of efforts aimed at addressing the insecurity problems in the region.

The Acting Board of Trustees’ Chairperson, Hajiya Asmau Mohammed made the disclosure in Gombe at the launch of the NEDC Education Endowment Fund NEDC-EEF to support education development in Gombe and the North-East in general.

“I’m pleased to inform you that the fund has early this year commenced the implementation of its planned programmes.

“Already, 1,800 teachers of the Basic Education segment from the six states of the North-East, have been trained to improve their skills so as to impart knowledge in their respective areas of competence. Another batch of 1,800, including school administrators will soon be selected across the states to benefit from the same training. Similarly, a total of 115 schools have been selected and contracts have been awarded for the construction of one of three classrooms each, with the supply of school desks and learning materials,” she said.

She said the management and board of the North-East Development Commission considered it necessary to put in place a special purpose vehicle to address the educational needs of the six states of the North-East.

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According to her, this noble objective of the commission came to fruition when its governing board approved the establishment of the Education Endowment Fund on the 12th of December 2019 and inaugurated its Board of Trustees in August, 2020.

She said, “This is to chart a robust support trajectory for the recovery of our decaying education infrastructure and human resource base. Since then, the Education Endowment Fund has embarked upon this daunting task through skilful planning and programme development in the following critical areas.”

She listed the areas to include: Teachers Training, Resource Mobilisation, Scholarship and Grants, Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET), Special Projects; which will involve campaign against drug abuse, cultism as well as the promotion of sports in the schools.

Others are Basic Education Intervention component focusing on renovation of classrooms infrastructure, building of new ones, provision of desks and teachers’ furniture as well as other instructional materials, training for nurses, midwives and community health workers and welfare support for women and girls.

The Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali said the commission is reconstructing the Gombe Abba to Kirfi road in Bauchi State in order to enhance socio-economic activities between Bauchi and Gombe states respectively.

He said the NEDC is committed to achieving a secure, healthy, prosperous and peaceful Region.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Manassah Jatau commended the commission for its various intervention in the state but added that more still needs to be done to improve the lives of the North East people.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, in Borno State on Friday inaugurated a reconciliation committee that will reach out to all members aggrieved by outcome of primary elections to national and state assemblies seats across the state.

Ali Bukar Dalori, Chairman of the APC in Borno State, inaugurated the committee at the party’s headquarters in Maiduguri, giving them mandate of working towards APC’s unity, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

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The committee is chaired by Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Barrister M.T Monguno.

Dalori, during the inauguration, said the committee was crucial, given the need to reach out to party members who aspired for offices but are unhappy with the outcome of the primaries.

“Constitution of the committee becomes necessary, following the just concluded primary elections by our great party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the need to meet all aspirants and make all necessary efforts in order to keep the party united, strong and in one piece,” Dalori said.

Aside Monguno and Adamu, the committee members include QS Mohammed Makinta, Alhaji Kaumi Damboa, Babagana Malarima, Sani Kuli Askira, Modu Kawu Ngamdu, Babagana Tijjani Banki and Zakari Dali Bayo.

The Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu has stated that power supply will soon be restored to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

He made this known when the Vice-Chancellor of the Borno State University Prof. Umar Kyari Sandabe led his management team on a visit to the minister in Abuja yesterday.

Chronicling the operations of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), Abubakar said efforts are being made to restore power to Maiduguri.

This is expected to be concluded in about six weeks’ time. He said Independent Power Plants projects are being handled through the policy on off-grid and mini-grid. He said further that the mini-grid will adequately cater for all renewables.

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The minister further directed the Rural Electrification Agency to explore ways in which state universities will benefit from the Energizsing Education Policy of the Federal Government.

The ministry’s Assistant Director Odutayo Oluseyi made this known in a press statement yesterday.

The statement said the Vice-Chancellor of the Borno State University, Prof. Umar Kyari Sandabe appreciated the minister for his unrelenting efforts at reforming the power sector. He said the institution has been out of power supply since 2020 due to insurgency.

The university has been operating on a power generating set which takes a huge sum of its funding. He added that the generators, despite consuming a huge sum of their funds, do not provide the needed electrical power for the university operations.

He craved the indulgence of the minister to ensure that the power supply is restored to the university, promising that the institution will secure all power projects within its premises.

Managing Editor (Editorial Services) of The Nation Newspaper, Lawal Ogienagbon, has lost his father.

Pa Sadiku Okhifo Ogienagbon died on May 27 in Lagos. He was 89. He was buried in Jagbe, Edo State, on May 28, according to Islamic rites.

The 40th day Fidau and final burial rites will hold in Jagbe between July 4 and 5.

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The late Pa Ogienagbon is survived by his widow, Aisetu, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Born in Jagbe in 1933, Pa Ogienagbon came to Lagos in the 1950s. He worked and did part-time studies at the Yaba College of Technology.

He joined Lever Brothers as a middle level officer before crossing over to Cadbury, and was with the company until he retired in 1985.

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) has bestowed its most prestigious medal of honour on the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono.

Echono received the award in Accra, Ghana, at the extraordinary Steering Committee Meeting of the Agricultural Research, and Innovation Fellowship for Africa (ARIFA) for his outstanding support and vision for implementing the blueprint of Agricultural Research and Development by the African Union for Nigeria.

Recall that FARA has been in partnership with TETFund since 2020, working together to build a strategic competence through ARIFA with the goal of systematic infusion of a new crop of professionals in Nigeria for the delivery of commensurate competencies in Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D).

The partnership leverages the best practices of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) strategy for FARA to contribute to building the knowledge-based economy through TETFund Centres of Excellence (TCoE) across the country.

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TETFund has sponsored close to 100 fellows drawn from a cohort of Nigerian academia to undertake tailor-made master’s degree programmes in various fields of sciences related to Agriculture in Brazilian universities led by a consortium of the Brazilian Federation of International Education (FAUBAI) and the Federal University of Vicosa.

Echono expressed his commitment to expanding the number of fellows to at least 500, given the encouraging footprint of the programme.

Presenting the award on behalf of the Chairman, FARA Board of Directors, Dr Alioune Fall, Executive Director of FARA, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo stated that the award was in recognition of the Executive Secretary’s continued effort to support agricultural transformation in Nigeria through Science.

He said: “An Architect by training and well-established agribusiness entrepreneur, he comes to his current position with strong accolades and solid footprints in the Agricultural sector. As the erstwhile Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Arc Echono demonstrated commendable support for the efforts of FARA as the Capacity Development Cluster with accelerated vigour.

“You are the first recipient of this kind of honour, so it is my pleasure to give it to you in recognition of what you did for us in the past and what you are doing now. It is very inspiring for us.”

The FARA Executive Director noted that the Medal is an insignia of honour bestowed on deserving laureates to promote leadership in African Agricultural Research and Innovation.

The Yobe Geographic Information Service (YOGIS) has sealed off the state headquarters of the Property Agents and Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (PALDAN) over failure to obtain an operational licence.

The operation was led by YOGIS Director-General Dr Abdullahi Gana.

He said Section 4 (2) (j) of the law that established YOGIS clearly stated that the agency is authorised by law to approve and register all land vendors operating in Yobe.

Gana added that the agency failed to comply with the directive despite receiving two letters from YOGIS, informing it about the June 20 deadline for the registration.

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“YOGIS decided to officially shut down all operations of Paldan/Vendors across Yobe State with immediate effect.

“Henceforth, any unauthorised or unregistered vendor caught engaging in any land transaction shall face the full force of the law.

“We are not acting in bad faith against any individual; our goal is to ensure compliance with the provision of the law,” the director-general said.

He expressed concern that from the targeted 10,000 vendors across the state, only about 30 have so far registered with the service.

Gana warned all estate agents and agencies against operating in the state without registration, saying defaulters risked arrest and prosecution.

Peoples Democratic Party chieftain (PDP) in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Dr Mohammad Uwawamaka yesterday, faulted the sacking of over 2,000 primary school teachers by the Kaduna State Government.

He said the sacking of teachers, means denying them their means of livelihood, which is worse than kidnapping.

He said kidnappers may pity the kidnapped victim and release him after payment of ransom, but once you are sacked, for life, you may not be opportune to secure the same job in the state again, even to pay your entitlement, becomes a problem.

Read Also: NUT lambastes Kaduna over sack of 2,357 teachers 

“Without a job, and no payment of your gratuities and pension, sickness sets in, BP rises, financial hardship sets in, and the person begins dying while alive. He becomes useless to himself and his family before he finally gives up the ghost,” he said.

Dr Uwawamaka, who said Governor El-Rufai’s government is adding more injuries to the pains he had created in the state, noted that with the sack of those teachers, El-Rufai has again created room for criminals, bandits and all forms of evil in the state.

Dr Uwawamaka who wondered how the sacked teachers will survive said it is even difficult for those working to survive, talk more of those without jobs at this difficult time of inflation, food scarcity and lack.

He noted that Governor El-Rufai has forgotten that whatever decision he takes, positive or negative will have a direct bearing on the 2023 general election.

“It’s a difficult task for every household to survive in this period of inflation, and scarcity, yet, someone, somewhere is there sacking workers for unjustified reasons,” he said.