The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Agency pledges partnership with schools

    Agency pledges partnership with schools

    Anambra State Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Agency has said it was ready to partner secondary schools in the state to develop solution-oriented apps and technologies.

    Managing Director, Fred Agbata, spoke at the BossLadyLaw Business Challenge 2023 Finals and Awards Ceremony.

    The event, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, provided a platform for secondary school pupils to showcase their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial projects.

    Agbata assured young entrepreneurs of his support, especially in advancement of technology education in Nigeria, encouraging interested schools to reach out to the agency for collaboration.

    He described Governor Chukwuma Soludo as very supportive of entrepreneurial and innovative ideas, especially among the youth.

    He hailed the entrepreneurs for their courage while presenting their ideas and products.

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    Underscoring that entrepreneurship was not for the faint-hearted, Agbata regretted that a staggering 90 per cent of new businesses failed in their first year, which he identified as a major challenge facing entrepreneurs.

    He, however, encouraged participants not to be disheartened if their schools did not emerge as winners, stressing that success stories often stemmed from perseverance and resilience.

    He added: “It’s important to learn from the experience and build upon the knowledge gained at such events. Don’t forget, the world eagerly awaits the contributions of budding entrepreneurs.

    “Many people go to their graves afraid to try. There is never a special time to start a business, it’s your business, and the time is now.

    “I must commend the organisers for their dedication to nurturing young talents and promoting innovation in Anambra State.

    “I urge the pupils to pursue their dreams. The skills in the technology industry are in high demand with numerous opportunities for those willing to explore the field.”

  • King hails Army for peace in Rivers kingdom

    King hails Army for peace in Rivers kingdom

    The King of the ancient kingdom of Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, His Royal Highness (HRH), Brig-Gen. Bright Ateke Fibionumama (rtd), has lauded the Nigerian Army (NA) for maintaining peace in his kingdom.

    The monarch spoke when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, Southsouth, Operation Delta Safe, Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, visited his palace.   

    The king in a statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director, Maj. Danjuma Danjuma, thanked the GOC for recognising him as one of them.

    King Fibionumama said his kingdom would continue to support the Army in discharging its constitutional responsibilities. 

    He said the visit opened a new chapter of relationship between his kingdom and the Army, adding that the Barracks community in Port Harcourt and the division would always be a part of the Abuloma kingdom. 

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    The GOC said on assumption of command, he considered it very necessary to visit critical stakeholders, as part of his key leadership engagement drive.

    Describing the king as a seasoned senior officer, the GOC remarked that he was at the palace to seek royal blessings and guidance in discharging his responsibility in line with the command philosophy.

    He identified King Fibionumama as one the Army was proud of.

    He recalled that as young officers back in the days, they looked up to him as a role model. 

    The visit had in attendance council of chiefs in Abuloma kingdom, the Commander 6 Division Garrison, Brig.-Gen. Edet Effiong and some commanders of 6 Division affiliated formations. 

  • ‘I’m not responsible for insecurity in Imo’

    ‘I’m not responsible for insecurity in Imo’

    Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has said neither himself nor his government is instrumental to the killings in the state. 

    He spoke at his home town in Ozuh Omuma, Oru East Local Government during the dedication of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church Parish Ozuh Omuma, which the governor solely built and furnished. 

    In his remarks at the end of the service, an elated Governor Uzodimma thanked the dignitaries who came from different parts of the country and took the opportunity of the dedication to inform the congregation that neither he nor his government was instrumental to the killings in Imo State.

    He described the insinuation as evil, devilish and an attempt to smear his image and blackmail his administration.

    He said as a governor, he needed peace to serve the people well and urged those behind the insecurity to have a rethink or be ready to face the wrath of God.

    The governor said despite the accusations and blackmail against his person and his administration, God had proved to be with him, adding: “Power belongs to God.”

    He said as someone who had benefited from God’s grace, he owed God a lot of gratitude, noting that it was unthinkable for anyone to link him or his government to the cause of crises and violence in a state God made him the governor.

    He admonished those responsible for the violence and carnage in Imo State to desist, “because they will at the end answer for their sins before God.”

    Uzodimma said his ambition did not worth the blood of any human being.

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    Recalling the genesis of the newly- dedicated church he built for his community, the governor said he was inspired by the commitment of his late mother, Ezinne Rose Uzodimma, to church work, charity and the things of God.

    He expressed fulfilment over the newly- dedicated church, saying, “a fulfilled life does not point to the number of wealth one has, but the number of faces that smile from one’s benevolence.”

    The governor, who expressed joy that with the dedication of the church his mother will be happy wherever she is, said his joy knew no bounds, particularly as he looked at the smiling faces of the guests.

    Explaining that the project was conceived some 16 years ago and modelled after the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama Abuja, Nigeria, he said he was encouraged by the late Catholic Bishop of Orlu, Gregory Ochiagha and the current Bishop, Rev. Ukwuoma, and regretted that Bishop Ochiagha was not alive to see the church completed and handed over to the diocese.

    Governor Uzodimma expressed happiness that the people of Omuma and all well-meaning people of God were part of the dedication ceremony.

    He said the church is but a token of appreciation of the numerous good things God has done for him.

    He thanked the bishops, the clergy, particularly those from outside the state who joined in the dedication service.

    In his Homily, Bishop Ukwuoma congratulated the governor on the uncommon feat of the building and donation of a “magnificent worship place of God to the Catholic Church.”

    The bishop, who cautioned that “with the dedication of the church, it has now become the property of the diocese and the universal church,” warned against any infraction in the church.

    He took the opportunity to appeal to the leaders to lead the people well “because there is a lot of hardship in the country.”

    The ceremony was graced by five Catholic bishops, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, senators representing Imo State, Imo State Deputy Governor Prof. Placid Njoku, members of the Executive Council, traditional rulers and others

  • Foundation gives scholarship to indigent students

    Foundation gives scholarship to indigent students

    To cushion the negative effect of petrol subsidy removal, a charity organisation, Florence Agogo Foundation, has given bursary to over 50 indigent students across the 18 local governments of Cross River State.

    Speaking at a dinner night and the scholarship award ceremony at the weekend in Calabar, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organisation, Mrs. Florence Agogo, said the gesture was an opportunity to positively affect the lives of fellow Nigerians.

    The event was organised in collaboration with the National Association Cross River State Students (NACRISS) worldwide.

    She said the award, which was an annual event, was thefoundation’s modest way of improving the academic pursuit of indigent students of Cross River State origin, “especially at a time like this when Nigerians are going through difficulties occasioned by the petrol subsidy removal by the Federal Government.”

    She said no stone would be left unturned to ensure the sustenance of the award, which cut across the payment of school fees, faculty fees, student house rent, transportation fare, feeding among other gestures.

    According to her, “this is a dinner event of the National Association of Cross River State Students (NACRISS) worldwide, in collaboration with Florence Agogo Foundation. So, it’s a dinner and a scholarship disbursement and award night.

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    “Florence Agodo Foundation is a charity organisation that specialises in the need of children.

    “Our areas of focus are health care, education and empowerment.

    “In the area of education, we looked around the 18 local governments and selected our beneficiaries. I am a Cross Riverian from Obudu Local Government and overtime, I have tried my best to see how we can help to improve the academic sojourn of the indigents in our midst.

    “So, when the president of NACRISS reached out to me, I felt in this kind of event we needed to have the presence of all the benefiting students so that we can assist them in the payment of their school fees, faculty fees, transportation, house rent, feeding and so on.”

    The Special Adviser on General Duties to Cross River State governor, Mr. Ekpenyong Akiba, hailed the organisers and sponsors of the award ceremony for complementing the government’s efforts in the educational subsector.

    Akiba, who was the chairman of the occasion as well as one of the honorary awardees, said the foundation’s bursary award to indigent students was in line with the policy trust of the Governor Bassey Otu administration.

    Presenting an honorary award to the chairman of the event and other awardees, the NACRISS President, Worldwide, Akpeke Peter, said the award was to recognise ‘Cross Riverians’ that had impacted positively in the lives of students.

    One of the beneficiaries, Precious Asuquo, thanked Florence Agogo Foundation and NACRISS for providing a platform where students were offered scholarship to support their upkeep in school.

  • Grace High School, others win Kuye ICT competition tickets to Abuja

    Grace High School, others win Kuye ICT competition tickets to Abuja

    Oyawa Oluwanifesimi of Grace High School, Gbagada, Lagos led his school to emerge winner of this year’s Kuye ICT Competition for Secondary Schools in Shomolu LGA and Bariga LCDA, Lagos.

    Grace High School was closely followed by Bishop Howells Schools, Bariga and Laoye College, Akoka in the two-day competition that held between September 26 and September 28.

    The six schools that participated in the competition: Bishop Howells Schools, Bariga; Laoye College, Akoka; Grace Schools, Gbagada; Lanre Awolokun Senior High School, Gbagada; Wuraville College, Pedro and Ajayi Crowther Grammar School, Bariga, also won tickets to fly to Abuja to observe proceedings at the National Assembly.

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    At the finale held at Angus Memorial School, Shomolu, sponsor of the competition, Hon. Demorin Kuye, lawmaker representing Shomolu Federal Constituency, congratulated all the finalists, especially the winning school, Grace High School.

    The winning school went home with a laptop, while the two runners-up went home with GSM phones, alongside other consolation prizes.

  • 75% pass, as NBAIS releases 2023 SAISSCE results

    75% pass, as NBAIS releases 2023 SAISSCE results

    No fewer than 25,500 candidates passed, as the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) released the 2023 June/July Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination [SAISSCE] results. 

    The Board in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna by its Ag. Head of Information and Protocol Unit, Muazu Sambo, said, a total of 33,931 candidates sat for the examinations and 75%, (representing 25,500) passed the examination.

    It also stated that the Board has announced commencement of the November/December (SAISSCE) registration, starting from 21st September 2023 to 15th October 2023.

    According to the statement, “The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) on the 21st of September 2023 announced the official release of its June/July 2023 Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination [SAISSCE].

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    “Registrar of the Board, Professor Suleiman Yahuza Imam in his speech during the official presentation of the result, explained that a total number of 33,931 candidates sat for the examinations and 75% passed with credits in the four core courses viz; Arabic, Islamic studies, English and Mathematics.”

    “The NBAIS remains grateful to all its stakeholders for the cooperation it enjoyed during the conduct of the year 2023 June/July Examinations, especially the Federal Ministry of Education, State Ministry of Education, Arabic boards, Department and Bureau, the FCT Education Authorities, Security Personnel and the Media.”

  • 32-year-old man nabbed for defiling minor in Adamawa

    32-year-old man nabbed for defiling minor in Adamawa

    A 32-year-old man in Adamawa State, Mike Bitrus, has been arrested for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old girl.

    The state Police Command said the incident was reported to the Police by the little girl’s mother, Fatsuma Abdullahi.

    “The suspect was arrested during a confidence building patrol by operatives of Girei division,” the Police said.

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    A statement released to newsmen by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje, said the suspect is a carpenter and a father of one who took advantage of the victim who happened to be his neighbour.

    The Commissioner of Police, CP Afolabi Babatola, said the suspect will soon have his day in court.

  • Humanitarian group to launch health response against diphtheria in Kano, Yobe and Katsina

    Humanitarian group to launch health response against diphtheria in Kano, Yobe and Katsina

    A humanitarian group, Save the Children International (SCI), has said it was launching a wide-scale health response against diphtheria in the three most impacted states of Kano, Yobe and Katsina.

    It noted that its Emergency Health Unit was deploying expert health and supply chain staff to help over-stretched clinics to detect and treat diphtheria cases and to support with mass vaccination campaigns across the worst hit areas.

    SCI in a statement issued Friday by its Interim Country Director, Faton Krasniqi, said prior to the pandemic, Nigeria already had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world, with efforts to strengthen routine immunisation coverage and reduce under-five mortality having limited success.

    Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease that has largely been eradicated across the world, although periodic outbreaks happen in places where large groups of children have missed this routine vaccination, such as the disruptions to vaccinations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    However, diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can be fatal without treatment.

    Nigeria has recorded 7,202 cases of diphtheria and 430 deaths since the outbreak started in May 2022.

    The statement said: “There have been 453 deaths confirmed since the outbreak started in May 2022, with most cases recorded in the past three months.

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    “The vast majority of the confirmed cases (6,185) were recorded in Kano, the second most populous state in Nigeria, located in the north of the country.

    “Three in every four confirmed cases – or 73.6% of all cases – are of children under 14, with those aged between 5-14 years bearing the brunt of the disease.”

    Krasniqi warned that a mass vaccination campaign will only be successful if the vaccine shortage is urgently dealt with.

    He noted: “Severe shortages in Nigeria of the required vaccine and the antitoxin needed to treat the disease mean the situation could continue to escalate, placing many children at risk of severe illness and death,” said the child rights organisation.

    “The entire humanitarian community is alert to the crisis here. We are coordinating closely together and working alongside the Nigerian Ministry of Health to ensure we reach everyone who needs treatment and to contain the spread of the disease.”

  • Maharaj Ji to Timi Frank: Stop ‘unguarded’ statements against Tinubu

    Maharaj Ji to Timi Frank: Stop ‘unguarded’ statements against Tinubu

    Founder of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj Ji, has cautioned former deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank against what he described as his unguarded statement against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President, Kashim Shettima.

    Frank recently reacted to a statement by Shettima in which he said he would “retire Atiku and teach him how to rear goats and broilers,” following the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Court on petitions challenging the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

    But Maharaj Ji has disagreed and cautioned him in a statement released through the One Love Family Minister for Information, Ojo Mogbadewa, personally signed by Maharaj Ji himself in Ibadan.

    The Living Perfect Master posited that “Timi Frank has become another Bible and Quran by telling us that Atiku and Peter Obi remain the heroes of democracy in Nigeria and Nigerians will never forget their struggle for a free, fair and transparent democratic system.

    According to Maharaj Ji, “Tinubu has won. Tinubu has come to lay legacies that other Presidents were not able to achieve. Be careful of false information which you know is tantamount to dishonour of our revered President Tinubu.

  • Plateau partners UNDP on security, capacity-building and data processing

    Plateau partners UNDP on security, capacity-building and data processing

    Plateau State governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has initiated a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to enhance rural security, technical education, data processing, and strategic development planning.

    Governor Mutfwang met with the team at the UN House in Abuja, led by Resident Representative, Mr. Mohamed Yahya where he sought the UNDP’s assistance in human capacity development, mineral exploration and e-governance in the state.

    Explaining his administration’s vision, Governor Mutfwang said the UNDP has a role in training personnel for efficient service delivery.

    He also highlighted the state’s efforts to address security challenges, including the approval for the construction of two Mobile Police barracks in volatile areas, which are yet to take off.

    The Governor, in a statement by his spokesman, Gyang Bere, disclosed that some diligent youths have been recruited across local government areas of the state to reinforce the state security outfit, Operation Rainbow and safeguard communities, adding that their training is expected to begin next week.

    He expressed readiness to leverage UNDP’s expertise and international partnerships to drive development programmes of the state.

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    The Governor outlined plans to organise an economic summit to discuss development strategies and propel development. He emphasised the use of technology for security and peace-building efforts, including early warning systems.

    UNDP’s Resident Representative, Mohamed Yahya, expressed gratitude for the visit and affirmed UNDP’s willingness to collaborate with Governor Mutfwang.

    He highlighted UNDP’s investments in police reform and data-driven development initiatives across Nigeria.

    Yahya urged the Governor to consider signing a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise the partnership.