Category: Northern Reports

As consultations gather momentum ahead of the 2023 general elections, some women from the Southeast have pledged to support Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group, under the aegis of Igbo Women Forum, pledged to do all within its powers to mobilise at least 25 million votes for Bello in the 2023 presidential election.

As a follow-up to its pledge, the group said it would be holding “a mother-of-all-rallies in Abuja,” to declare its support for Governor Bello.

A statement yesterday by its President, Lady Uju Obi, revealed that “among other qualities Governor Bello possesses is his priority for the country’s unity and security.

“Unlike other aspirants, Alhaji Bello has shown the capacity to quell the rising tide of terrorism, kidnapping and other criminal vices across the country,” Lady Obi said.

She recalled that despite being a devout Muslim, Christians flock the Governor, perhaps the reason he built a chaplain inside the Government House.

She also believes that at 46, Bello would represent a “paradigm shift from the era of old, tired and seemingly sick rulers.”

She said: “Bello isn’t just a youth; he has proven his mettle at the highest level and will need little time to hit the ground running.”

The Katsina State Government has launched a community and social development agency (CSDA), as part of efforts aimed at enhancing the socio-economic conditions of rural dwellers and community development projects in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, who inaugurated the board on behalf of Governor Aminu Bello Masari, said the CSDA was established under the Katsina State Law No.3 of March 26, 2009, in order to tackle challenges which the rural populace faces.

He further described the functions of the board under the leadership of Alhaji Kabir Abubakar to include ensuring appropriate monitoring of project implementations and providing overall policy guidance on the management of the agency.

Other functions, according to him, include the provision of direction and guidance in the interpretation of the government policies, approval of annual work plans and budgets of the agency, as well as ensuring that relevant reports are submitted to the state.

He said he inaugurated the governing board of the agency in accordance with section 9 (1) of the law establishing it, the governor urged members of the board to encourage and increase the capacities of community and groups to participate in community development projects.

The chairman of the board Alhaji Kabir Abubakar assured the state government that the board would put more effort towards the actualisation of the agency’s mandate.

Also, food vendors and other retail practitioners have been advised to ensure quality and hygienic practices on the food they sell to the public to forestall the outbreak of communicable diseases in the state and other health care challenges in the state.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, who made the call in his office in Katsina when he received the leadership of Katsina Food Vendors’ Association, lamented that lack of quality food and personal hygiene by some food vendors has contributed to the spread of communicable diseases in the state.

He said: “Fifty per cent of the sickness being experienced today emanated from lack of food hygiene by some food vendors and this contributes to the spread of diseases. So, ensure personal hygiene.”

While reiterating the state government’s support to members of the association, Inuwa called on them to monitor the activities of their members who sell food by the roadside to ensure hygiene and proper health care.

The chairman of the association Aminu Kabir urged the state government to support members of the association by patronising them in order to boost their commercial activities.

Kabir further pledged the support of the members of the association to various government’s policies and programmes.

The Kano State Executive Council has approved plans to review and harmonise retirement age for teachers. It has also set up a committee to draft the documents for the actualisation of the exercise.

This is contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Information Muhammed Garba which was made available to reporters yesterday.

The statement explained that the exercise would require an increase in salaries and other emoluments of teachers not provided for in the 2021 budget.

It added that despite not being provided for in the budget, there was a need to allow the new policy to take effect from last month.

Garba also said the committee was mandated to constitute the necessary cause for action towards the implementation of the initiative to boost the education sector in the state.

According to him, the committee will also review the scheme and condition of service of teachers to accommodate the new retirement age.

With the new proposal, teachers’ retirement age will increase from 35 service years and 60 years of age to 40 years of service and 65 years of age respectively.

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has directed all political appointees with the ambition to contest any public office in the forthcoming 2023 general elections to resign on or before February 28 2022.

He said the decision was aimed at reducing to the barest, political distractions in governance and to enable such concerned public officers to focus on their aspirations as political activities to take centre stage in the state and the country.

This was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State Prof. Danladi Abok Atu and made available to reporters in Jos. The letter was entitled: “Resignation of all political office holders wishing to contest the forthcoming political election.”

The letter dated January 31, 2022, reads in part: “As the countdown to the 2023 general elections draws nearer and in the face of the heightened political activities, it has become necessary for the government to provide a level playing ground for all political actors, especially those in the government to exercise their fundamental human rights.

“Consequently, I am to bring to the notice of all public officers occupying public offices under this administration that those interested and nursing political ambition to contest in the forthcoming 2023 general elections to resign their appointments on or before February 28, 2022.”

Lalong further explained that “the essence is to reduce to the barest, political distractions in governance and enable such concerned public officers to focus on their aspirations.”

While wishing such people success in their future endeavours, the governor assured them of his assurances and high regards.

The American University of Nigeria (AUN) Yola has taken 100 children off the streets into its “feed and read basic literacy programme.”

In pursuit of its social responsibility obligation, the university identified 50 girls and 50 boys who have not had any formal education programme and enrolled them on the exercise.

The feed and read programme in which the enrolled pupils will eat a square meal each day as they are put through basic reading and writing course over a one-year period, was re-launched at the weekend along with Global Centre for Out-of-School-Children, a new department in the AUN to coordinate the Feed and Read programme and generally carry out advocacy for out-of-school-children.

They were inaugurated at the AUN’s North Campus in Yola Town by their initiator and President (Vice-Chancellor) of the AUN, Dr Margee Ensign, who recalled that the feed and read programme began in 2015 with the desire to reduce the number of out-of-school-children roaming the streets and begging for alms.

She said the relaunch started with 100 pupils drawn from host communities and their surroundings.

Dr Ensign said available statistics put the number of out-of-school-children in Nigeria at 11 to 18 million and indicted education stakeholders and the government for such a huge number.

“The fact that we have difficulty in finding precise data about how many beautiful children are out of school means we have not taken the issues seriously.

“There are an estimated 2.8 million out-of-school-children in our region, the Northeast and, in addition to that, 802 schools remain closed, and another 1,392 schools are damaged and can’t be used,” Ensign added.

She, however, said although the picture is bleak, the AUN community is poised to ensure it achieves its aim of reaching out to many children and teaching them basic literacy and numeracy.

Dr Jacob Udoh-Udoh Jacob, the Dean of Graduate School and Research of the AUN, said the alarming number of out-of-school-children has made it a global challenge that should be treated as such.

He said the AUN, through its new Global Centre for Out-of-School- Children will liaise with other institutions across the globe to share data as well as enhance its teaching models and processes.

The Emir of Jama’are in Bauchi State, Alhaji Muhammadu Wabi III is dead. He was 84.

Our correspondent gathered that he passed on in the early hours of yesterday after an illness.

He was the longest-serving Emir in the history of Bauchi State, having spent 52 years on the throne.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed had visited Jama’s Local Government Area on a condolence visit to his family.

A brief biography of Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad Wabi all (OON) indicates that he was born in 1938 to the royal household of Jama’are.

Ahmad was appointed as the 9th Emir of Jama’are on May 11, 1971, as a second-class Emir.

He was formally given a staff of office by the then Military Governor of the defunct Northeastern State, the late Brigadier Musa Usman.

The Coalition for Peace in Nigeria (COPIN), a peace advocacy group, has urged Nigerians to resist the enticement to engage in any form of religious intolerance, electoral violence, and other tendencies that may threaten the electoral process in 2023.

The group gave the advice on Friday during an awareness campaign in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The awareness campaign took the group to the National Mosque, the popular Wuse Market, as well as the Gudu area of the FCT.

In a chat with reporters, the National Coordinator of COPIN, Mr Akwuobi Emeka promised the coalition’s readiness to remain apolitical, nationalistic and forward-looking.

“We are not a political organisation. We promote peace, and we believe that with peace and stability, Nigeria will be better for us all.

“So, let us join hands to make it conducive,” Emeka stated.

Continuing, he said: “We should shun all forms of violence, as well as actions that will threaten our corporate existence.

“And we believe our strength lies in our diversity and culture; I believe we will equally visit all churches and mosques.”

Some of the inscriptions on the leaflets read: “Nigeria is our beloved country, and the only country we have; let’s join hands to make it better for us all.

“Let us shun all forms of violence, and actions that will threaten our corporate existence.

“Do not join forces with terrorists, bandits and kidnappers. Above all, do not be part of secessionist agitations.”

Nasarawa State Governor, Engr Abdullahi Sule has disclosed that any injustice done by the state Teachers Service Commission in the ongoing recruitment of 550 teachers will not be approved by his office.

He said the dream of his administration to reposition education in the state will be a mirage unless competent teachers are recruited to teach in schools.

The Governor directed that only competent and qualified persons should be considered for employment in the on-going teachers’ recruitment exercise in the state.

He stated this yesterday in his office in Lafia during a meeting with the chairman and commissioners of the State teachers service commission.

According to a press statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra said the governor’s directive is coming on the heels of reports reaching his office that some unscrupulous individuals are extorting money from applicants with the promise of offering them employment.

He warned that due process must be followed at every stage of the exercise and only the best should be considered, adding that the exercise is free and the commission should not collect any kobo from applicants.

Engr. Sule noted that having conducted a Baseline Survey, the dream of his administration of repositioning education in the state will be a mirage unless competent teachers are recruited to teach in the schools.

According to him, “One of the ways we intend to achieve qualitative education is to completely insulate our teachers’ recruitment process from political sentiments and undue interference”.

He challenged the management of the Teacher’s Service Commission to resist pressures from any quarters to favour unqualified candidates.

Governor Sule added that “there are qualified and competent prospective teachers in each LGA of the state and so the recruitment of 550 teachers must reflect a fair distribution, so that every constituency is represented. If the TSC is found guilty of unfairness, the exercise will not be accepted”.

At least 20,014 patients in Qua’an-Pan LGA of Plateau State and environs have benefited from the Free Comprehensive Medical and Surgical Services organised by Qua’an-Pan Local Government Council, under the leadership of Hon. Ernest Abner Da’a, in conjunction with Eden Compassion and Health Mission (ECHM).

The general report presented by the medical team showed that 20,014 people were attended to in the four zones located at Doemak, Kwalla and Namu, where 90 persons underwent Obstetrics and Gynaecological Surgeries (Myomectomies, C/S, TAH, DELUENIES); 210 went through eye surgeries, while 470 received eye glasses and 2,621 received consultations and other eye treatments.

In the same vein, 630 persons benefited from General Surgeries, which include Appendicitis, Hernia Hydrocele and Lymphoma; 9,713 had Professional Consultations, while 415 persons were scanned for various ailments.

The exercise, which lasted seven days, saw 5,865 persons benefitting from Laboratory Investigations, with emphasis on Hepatitis, H/Pylori, Malaria, Rvs, Rbs, High Value, Urinalysis, transfusions, among others.

The Executive Chairman and Leader of Qua’an-Pan Project Administration, Hon. Ernest Abner Da’a, speaking at the official closing ceremony, reiterated his administration’s desire to provide services that have direct bearing on the lives of the common man.

The chairman stressed that the idea of the medical and surgical intervention was to help the populace access medical services, especially, the less privileged.

Da’a stated that the management will study the report of the medical team and follow expertise recommendations and come up with further interventions in areas of prevalence.

“Generally speaking, outreach services are the possibilities to enhance access to health workers and to improve overall retention at a particular level. It is in line with this assertion that the Qua’an Project (Endless Possibilities) saw the need to mobilize urban health workers to serve our remote or underserved areas as a strategy to improve access to health to the population in this blessed locality,” the Chairman noted

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) under its Public Education on COVID-19 Vaccine Project has alleged that vaccine administrators in Kogi State are demanding money from people before vaccinating them, thereby reducing the uptake of the vaccine.

CITAD, therefore, appealed to the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to as a matter of urgency, direct the immediate stoppage to what it described as “pay to get vaccinated” by providing data and another form of support to vaccine administrators in the state.

The disclosure was made by the Coordinator of its Public Education on COVID-19 Vaccine Project, Hamza Ibrahim while briefing journalists in Bauchi on Friday on key hindrances to the COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the states.

The Nation reports that the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from the MacArthur Foundation, is implementing a “Public Education on COVID-19 Vaccine” in six states of the north. The states are Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kogi, Kano, and Plateau.

The project is aimed at creating awareness around the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ibrahim said, “Having monitored COVID-19 vaccine administration in the six project states for the last two months, we are displeased to note that we have identified both general and specific issues that are hindering the uptake of the vaccine, thereby further risking the efforts at addressing the pandemic.

“This, we must say, is unfortunate, particularly at a time when new variants of the virus are emerging. While we noticed that misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine is still prevalent, we also regret to note here that state governments are in some ways aiding non-acceptance of the vaccine by not fully supporting the vaccination exercise where people who want to be vaccinated are required by the vaccination officials to make the payments for their details to be captured and uploaded online. This, we particularly found happening in Kogi.”

He added that “the issue of requesting people to make payments to be vaccinated will not only hamper the vaccination exercise, but make people stay away from taking the vaccine, and this potentially renders more people insecure.”

He said further that “Our observation also discovered a serious lack of coordination in the vaccine distribution by agencies responsible within the healthcare chain.”

“While in Borno State, people going for second doses of AstraZeneca and Moderna were told the vaccines are not available. In Plateau State, 45,288 doses of Pfizer had to be recalled after distribution to local communities for nearing expiration. Again visits to some vaccination spots in Plateau indicate the non-availability of the vaccines.”