Category: Northern Reports

The Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has presented a proposed 2022 budget of N106,807,267,642.12 to the state House of Assembly.

While presenting the budget tagged: “A Budget of Economic Recovery And Consolidation of Inclusive Infrastructural Growth 2” to the House, the governor said the 2022 proposed Appropriation Bill is tailored towards the completion of on-going projects and activation of new ones that will impact on the lives of the people.

He said the proposed 2022 budget estimate consists of N76,263,701,644.62b as recurrent expenditure representing 71.4% of the total budget while N30,543,565,997.50b is earmarked as capital estimate representing 28.6% of the total budget.

This, according to him, indicates a decrease of N40,730,552,208, 88b on the 2021 total approved budget.

He explained that the budget will be funded from following sources: Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): N24,199,475,222.12, Statutory Revenue Allocation (SRA), N55b, Aids and Grants: N3, 982, 339, 584b, Capital Development Fund (CDF): N3,625,452, 836b, Domestic Loans: M20b.

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Governor Lalong said: “In addition to continuing work on completing on-going infrastructural projects across the three Senatorial Districts of the State, we intend to break ground on new ones. Among them is the construction of the British-American Junction Flyover and dualisation to Lamingo Junction Roundabout. Similarly we shall carry out the design of Master Plan for some selected urban areas in Plateau State namely: Heipang, Mangu and Shendam”.

He said while the Government hopes to complete the building of High Court Complex Phase 1 in Jos, it shall also embark on the renovation of old High Court Complexes and 35 Magistrate Courts to provide conducive environment for the Judiciary to perform its duties.

“We shall also establish a Microfinance Development Fund to propel entrepreneurship and accelerate the growth of the Micro and Small Scale Industry in the State for job creation, youth empowerment and poverty reduction. I also wish to re-assure this Honourable House and indeed the citizens of Plateau State, that the Legacy Projects will be completed and delivered as envisaged. Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the people enjoy the benefits of those projects” he said.

The Governor said he hoped that the House will give the proposal necessary attention it deserves.

In his response, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba said the House will look at the budget critically and do justice to it in the interest of the citizens of the State.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has described the killing of innocent people and destruction of property by bandits at the Goronyo Central Market in the Sokoto State as painful and shocking.

CAN commiserated with the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the people and the government of Sokoto State on the killing.

The Christian body called for a total overhauling of security architecture with a view to injecting fresh energy and ideas into the system, adding that the security architecture has been compromised.

CAN urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ask the National Assembly to amend the constitution with a view to allowing State Police as is being done in other climes.

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According to a statement issued on Friday by CAN’s General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola: “The existing system can no longer handle this situation effectively. Nigerians are no longer sleeping with two eyes closed because they are all living in fear. This is too bad.

“The bitter truth is we have never had it this bad. The earlier the government realised this, the better for us. We are shocked, pained and disappointed with the reported attacks and the loss of many lives despite all the efforts being made by the government to stop these criminal elements amidst us. CAN condemns in strong terms the operations of these criminals and tasks security agencies to rise up to this menace before it’s too late.

“The fact that the bandits struck when the Chief of Army Staff, a prominent indigene of the State, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya, was visiting Sokoto State, speaks volumes about the evil intentions of the criminals.

“We join the Sultan and Governor Aminu Tambuwal in appealing to the Federal Government to deploy more troops to the state to stop these criminals and their criminalities. While still counting the losses of lives and property at the Goronyo market, the criminals also attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train line. According to Senator Shehu Sani, who was among the passengers that escaped the attack, the bandits planted an explosive that damaged the rail track and shattered the windshield of the train’s engine on Wednesday evening.

Laurium Mining Company Ltd has presented scholarship to 37 students of three schools in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.

The schools include Government Secondary School in Sho, Islamic Comprehensive Secondary School Exland and Alibras Unity Academy Old Kwork Road.

The scholarship is a financial token to assist with the payment of the students’ Senior and Junior Secondary School Examination registration.

The scholarship is part of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) signed between Laurium Mining Company LTD and Sho community where mining activity is being carried out, in April this year.

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Speaking at the event at the Government Secondary School in Sho, the Chairman of Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) Plateau State District, Senator Davou Zang, said the gesture is well appreciated and a welcome development.

He urged the students to use the money for the purpose it was given and not for any other, adding that the gesture should spur them to more academic effort and studies.

In his remarks, the National President of Sho Development Association, Pam Samson, said the community will reciprocate the kind gesture by the mining company by cooperating with them and offering whatever support they could as the host community, so that the business of the company can flourish.

The Zonal Mines Officer, North Central Zone, Engineer A. R. Muhammed, called on the community to guard against the activities of illegal miners that would hamper or inimical to the activities of Larium Mining company.

Managing Director of Laurium Mining Company, Ayo Kusamatu, in his speech, said the Chairman of Laurium, Mr Desmond Bloom, personally donated the majority of the scholarship, stressing that he is not a Nigerian but has deep love for Nigeria.

The leadership of Nigeria Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has hailed Founder and CEO of When In Need Foundation worldwide, Dr. Chetachi Ecton for reaching out to communities affected by insecurity in Southern Kaduna.

The students’ body noted that she has constantly reached out to cities, towns and villages affected by insecurity through her donations.

NAPS said this in a statement issued by its president, Sunday Asuku, on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Ecton, who is also the founder of Kay Medicare Hospital Abuja, has constantly donated food items, clothing, seedlings and many more to her fellow Nigerians.

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The statement added that the “Southern part of Kaduna would never forget this great Amazon for the magnanimous show of love.”

NAPS therefore charged influential Nigerians at home and abroad to emulate the selfless leadership skills of Ecton who doubles as NAPS National Matron.

“The leadership of the second largest student movement in Africa have charged other Nigerians to follow suit by reaching out to the less privileged regardless of tribe, religion, geo-political zone, etc, most importantly regions that have been paralyzed by insecurity.

“Chetachi Ecton is a native of Imo state but she never allowed herself to be clouded by ethnicity or tribalism. It’s on record that she has constantly reached out to cities, towns and villages affected by insecurity.”

Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has commended the Nigerian Army for its efforts in securing the lives and property of the citizens as well as protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The Governor said despite the challenges faced by the Nigerian military, they are doing well in providing security for the citizens.

Bagudu spoke at the Government House, Birnin-Kebbi when the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Farouk Yahaya visited him yesterday.

Bagudu acknowledged the patriotic efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

He noted that no country is 100 per cent without challenges.

Bagudu promised to continue the provision of the needed support, goodwill and morale boost for the military and other security agencies.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Farouk Yahaya told the governor that the visit was to pay respect and homage to him, even as he said “we are getting feedbacks for everything you are doing for us, our troops and other security agencies.

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“The governor has sustained his commendable goodwill to us even during the most trying times,” he said.

Also yesterday, Governor Bagudu called on Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) to take dredging of River Niger into consideration to solve most of the challenges of recurrent flooding in the affected communities in hydroelectric power producing areas.

Bagudu made the call at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on the dissemination of reports on the outcome of the Needs Assessment Exercise organised by the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), in collaboration with its technical partner,   the New Approach which was held at the Presidential Banquet Hall in Birnin-Kebbi, the state capital.

Bagudu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Babale Umar-Yauri, said the dredging of River Niger and de-silting of water bodies will go a long way in solving the perennial problem of flooding in the hydroelectric power producing areas.

The Managing Director of the commission, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, said the commission came on board when the country was going through financial and economic challenges.