Category: Northern Reports

The Kano State Government has dismissed four members of staff of the state Bureau for Land Management from service for selling public landed properties, forging documents, issuing false cadastral information and falsification of official records.

The Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, in a statement yesterday, gave the names of the dismissed officers as Abdulmuminu Usman Magami, Senior Survey Assistant on Salary Grade Level 06 and Abdullahi Nuhu Idris, Senior Land Officer on Salary Grade Level 10.

Other dismissed officials include Audu Abba Aliyu, Press Attendant on Salary Level 05 and Baba Audu, Assistant Chief Land Officer on Salary Grade Level 13.

It was, however, not clear whether the sacked officers would be arrested and charged to court for punitive measures.

“The officials were sacked based on the recommendation of an Investigative Committee set up by the government, following complaints labelled against them, and which found them guilty of the offences,” Malam Garba said.”

The Community Health Practitioners Board of Nigeria has commenced e-registration, licensing and index training for all categories of community health training institutions in the country.

The Board also said it is prepared to migrate all community health practitioners in the country into an electronic database that will make it easier to access data of community health workers and other practitioners within the sector in the country.

In a chat with reporters at the opening ceremony of the training in Abuja, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Bashir Idris said: “The essence of the e-registration of practitioners and institutions offering community health services is to make available ready data for the board and also to try to get rid of quack community health practitioners which will go a long way to improve primary health services at the rural areas.

“With the e-registration, school Head of Departments (HODs), examination officers and accountants and individuals who may wish to enrol for certification may not necessarily need to come to Abuja for such exercise. But will henceforth commence such processes from every region across the country as they would have been trained on such process which they will take back to their various schools.”

According to the registrar, over 600 community health practitioners, community school HOD, examination officers and accountants are attending the three-day training.

He said the e-licensing, registration and indexing training for community health institutions will pave the way to have an accurate database for the numbers of community health workers in Nigeria.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of Chartered Institute of Treasury Management (CITM), Mr Olumide Adedoyin, has identified a lack of proper treasury management as a major problem bedevilling Nigeria’s economy.

Mr Adedoyin who spoke at a breakfast roundtable meeting with reporters in his office in Kaduna noted that assets are dwindling because of improper management of cash and liquidity.

He said: “It has become imperative to put a measure in place in Nigeria to minimise risks by providing ethical training for those managing the resources. If cash management impacts the country’s economy, every other thing would fall in place.

The Registrar further explained that when any organisation allows the operation of treasury management to impact their economy, the resultant effects would be that “firms will operate with a smaller amount of cash.

“Supervision and management of cash flows and its balances will be better managed and impacted. There would be better service from banks, proper allocation of funds will be achieved; fraud and embezzlement would be minimised.”

“Risk of loss in the management of investment in liquid assets will be eliminated; firms would operate at a minimum cost of funds possible within the economy of their domicile constituted authorities and institutions in Nigeria.

“It would promote the study and practice of properly managing the treasury as a safeguard against fraud, outright embezzlement, emasculation, misappropriation/misapplication of scarce resources placed in the care/custody of fund managers.

“It would encourage professionalism in the field of treasury management and conduct researches into the best method and means of developing and applying the research result thereof.

“Would provide opportunities for treasury managers, financial controllers, fund managers, and others to improve and enhance their technical/career skills development as professionals, instill a high standard of professional ability, efficiency and effectiveness through training and retraining activities.

“Maintain professional discipline within the rank and file of practitioners and to regulate and control the practice of the profession in all ramifications and also disseminate professional information on treasury management and other matters connected therewith,” he said.

The regulatory body of the Nigerian polytechnics, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has dragged an Abuja-based firm Messrs. D.B. Mangal Limited to the Court of Appeal over a property situated at plot 445 Maitama, Abuja.

Executive Secretary of the Board, Prof. Idris Bugaje in a statement yesterday said NBTE had directed its lawyers to immediately file an appeal against the ruling of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, which ruled in favour of Mangal over the matter.

The NBTE boss said: “The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has been involved in an ensuing battle, in its bid to retrieve its property, situated at plot 445 Maitama, Abuja, which had hitherto been illegally occupied by Messrs D.B. Mangal Limited.

“Sequel to a petition submitted by our above named Board, the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property had, in 2019, declared that the property rightfully belongs to the NBTE. The Minister for Education had, in 2021, granted approval for the NBTE to recover the said property with the aid of the relevant security agencies.

“The NBTE had, accordingly, engaged the services of security agencies and proceeded to recover the NBTE Property Plot 445 Maitama, Abuja on November 11, 2021.

“However, the recovery efforts were thwarted by D.B. Mangal Limited and their thugs, through brazen acts of brigandage.

“The ensuing dispute has resulted in several litigations. One of which was instituted by D. B. Mangal Limited, wherein it is claiming that its fundamental human rights had been breached in the process of the NBTE trying to recover its property.

“The Court gave ruling on February 28 2022, in respect of the suit filed by D. B. Mangal Limited. The ruling of the Court was made in favour of D. B. Mangal Limited,” the statement read.

Prof. Bugaje, however, pointed out that the Abuja Court did not rule on the ownership of the property in contention, as such, the Board is filing an appeal.

“To set the records straight, the Judgment of the Court did not in any way address the issue of ownership of the property in dispute. The NBTE has accordingly instructed its Lawyers, to immediately file an appeal against the ruling at the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja.

“The beauty of our judicial system is that a party that is not satisfied with the decision of a Court can seek redress or relief from a higher Court.

“It should equally be noted that the suit instituted against D. B. Mangal Limited by the NBTE is still pending for which Judgment is yet to be delivered,” NBTE Executive Secretary said.

The Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it will not present candidates for the forthcoming local government area election.

The party said: “From the dishonest  way the state Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) has been conducting the process so far, it is clear that there would be no fairness.”

At a briefing at the end of the party exco and stakeholders’ meeting in  Makurdi yesterday, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Benue State chapter, Austine Agada, said what is going on in the state electoral body is selection.

Agada appealed for understanding from the party faithful over the decision to boycott the council poll.

The state chapter of the party also unanimously endorsed Senator George Akume for National  Chairman of the party at the forthcoming national convention.

“The endorsement for Senator Akume’s candidature is premised on his long and wide political experience, truthfulness, loyalty to the party and detribalised disposition towards every party member irrespective of tribe and religion,” Agada said.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has approved the appointment of Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed Wabi as the Emir of Jama’are, following the death of the former Emir.

Wabi, who was, until his elevation, the Yarima (crowned prince) of Jama’are, is the eldest son of the late monarch, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Wabi III who reigned for more than 50 years to become the longest-serving traditional ruler in Northern Nigeria until his death last month.

Announcing his appointment yesterday in Jama’are, the governor said the appointment of Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed Wabi followed “due and careful consideration of the names recommended by the Kingmakers of Jama’are Emirate Council.”

Mohammed, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Kashim, called on the Emir to discharge his duties in the best interest of his people; without preference among them. He also urged him to copy the exemplary leadership style of his late father.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora has commended the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, Abuja, for successfully performing open-heart surgeries on four patients.

He gave the commendation yesterday in Abuja when he visited the facility for an on-the-spot assessment of the patients and some equipment in the hospital.

Mamora, who commended the team which carried out the surgery, said the procedures were done seamlessly as the patients were already getting better.

He added that it was important for Nigerians to encourage and promote the success stories of Nigerian professionals, as such would discourage medical tourism outside the country.

“This is one feat that must be commended by all, and even as we give glory to God.

“It is a gradual process of improving our capacity to handle cases that are considered impossible because, all along, we have the capacity in terms of personnel.

“What is needed is an environment conducive to carrying out perfect jobs, in terms of facilities. With that, we will be able to fly out trades as health sector practitioners,” he said.

Prof. Saad Ahmed, Medical Director, FMC Jabi, added that the surgeries were conducted with the support of the Save the Heart Foundation.

The medical director called on philanthropists, corporate bodies and well-meaning Nigerians to donate to the facility’s medical fund, so as to generate funds for the treatment of patients.

“The essence is to domesticate it and make it a routine procedure for the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja,” he added.

Dr Alex Tosan, Chairman, Board members, FMC Jabi, commended the medical director, top management and the team that carried out the surgeries.

He added that the surgeries which were done at subsidised costs were carried out by Nigerian experts.

“The patients are doing very fine as most of them are even surprised to find out that the surgery had been conducted.

“Within 48 hours, all of them were up and about.  None of them suffered from any pain, they are not suffering from any post-traumatic stress that accompanies major surgeries,” he said.