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Tag: Abdulaziz Yari

  • Zamfara awards N3.6 bn contracts for primary schools renovation

    Zamfara awards N3.6 bn contracts for primary schools renovation

    The Zamfara Government on Monday awarded contracts for the renovation and reconstruction of primary schools in the state at a cost of N3.6 billion.

    Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari who presented letters to 351 indigenous contractors in Gusau, said the project would be executed through the State Universal Basic Education Board.

    He said about 500 primary schools in the 14 local government areas of the state would be renovated, supplied with furniture and teaching materials.

    According to him, the contract was awarded to indigenous contractors to spur the economy of the state, reduce poverty and hardship among the people.

    Yari said that all the contractors were given works in their respective local government areas with a mandate to complete the jobs within three months.

    “We are executing these projects to revive our education sector in line with the recommendations given by various stakeholders and various government committees on education,” he said.

    The governor advised the contractors to ensure quality and speedy work in line with the contract agreement.

    Meanwhile, the governor has also awarded the contract for the total reconstruction of the 11 Kilometer Gusau Eastern Bye pass at a cost of N2.2 billion.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contract, awarded to Triacta Construction Company Limited with 50 per cent payment, would be completed within six months.

  • NGF to review report on President’s health

    NGF to review report on President’s health

    Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi last night described the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari as “a miracle” given reports on his health in the social media. He said the social media portrayed the President’s health as “bad”.

    Umahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke after the visit of seven governors to the President in London.

    Others on the team are: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Abdulahhi Ganduje (Kano), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

    The delegation had lunch with the President at Abuja House, Nigeria’s official residence in London.

    President’s wife Aisha, was with him to receive the delegation. Ortom’s wife, Eunice was also in attendance.

    It was the second delegation to visit the President after Sunday’s visit by some All Progessives Congress (APC) leaders and governors led by National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Umahi told the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Network news at 9:00am that he was “excited” to see the president in a good frame of mind adding that he was grateful to God that the prayer of Nigerians for the president’s recovery had been heard.

    Ganduje said the President was in a good state of health. “We believe he will soon be back to Nigeria.”

    In a tweet under the photograph of the visit, Ajimobi said: “My counterparts, the governors’ forum delegation and I were warmly received by His Excellency President @MBuhari in London, United Kingdom.

    Another governor in the delegation said the President cracked jokes with the delegation without any speech inhibition.

    He said: “Buhari walked without support to receive us and he took time to exchange pleasantries with each one of us. We also had a group photograph.”

    “His voice was the usual intonation and he has no speech inhibition in whatsoever manner. He was overwhelmed by our visit.

    “He told us that he is ready to come back to his desk once clearance is given by his doctors.

    “We compared notes on the state of the nation and the tasks ahead.

    “The signs of recovery were visible but not overwhelming on him. He was looking healthier than when he came back the last time. Buhari is back to life.”

    It was gathered that the President’s official photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo, was deployed in London in order to “take many shots and clear all doubts about his recuperation and fitness.”

    There were indications last night that the Northern Governors Forum( NGF) will meet today in Kaduna on the security challenges in the region and to review reports on the President’s health.

    “The insecurity in the North has relapsed, the Federal Government has to bail us out. This is one of the reasons why we are holding a session.

    “Some of us who were not in London will seize the opportunity to get status report on the health of the President.”

  • Full farming resumes in Zamfara – Gov. Yari

    Full farming resumes in Zamfara – Gov. Yari

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara says full farming activities have resumed in the state following government efforts at brokering peace between farmers,  herdsmen and armed bandits.

    The governor said this on Sunday in a Sallah broadcast.

    He said farmers and herdsmen have resumed normal activities without any hindrance.

    He said the reconciliation committee set up by the state government under the chairmanship of the state deputy governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, encouraged the warring parties to embrace peace.

    While urging all communities in the state to remain peaceful, Yari assured that the state government would continue to uplift the lives of citizens.

    He also commended Islamic scholars in the state for preaching peace during the just concluded Ramadan fast and urged people to use the gains of the month in all their dealings.

    He reassured that his administration would continue to ensure prompt payment salaries while making sure that basic amenities were provided.

    The governor celebrated this year’s Eid-el-Fitr with project visitations at his home Talata Mafara Local Government Area.

    Yari also hosted 340 orphans to a lunch at his private residence.

  • Zamfara approves recruitment of 56 midwives

    Zamfara approves recruitment of 56 midwives

    Zamfara Government has approved the immediate recruitment of 56 additional midwives as part of measures to address shortage of manpower in health facilities in the state.

    Muhammad Adamu, Secretary, Hospitals Services Management Board, made the disclosure in Gusau on Tuesday at a training on Sustainable Health Financing organized by Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH2 ) Project.

    According to him, the approval for the recruitment by Gov. Abdula’ziz Yari is in response to various recommendations by stakeholders on the need to address shortage of health personnel in the state.

    Adamu stressed that the additional staff would encourage access to healthcare services in rural communities.

    “The board has started receiving applications for the recruitment after which the successful candidates will be posted to general hospitals especially outside the state capital.

    “The recruitment of the midwives will facilitate improvement of the state health indices in the near future,’’ he said.

    Mr Isah Ibrahim, Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, Save the Children International, said steps taken so far by the government would enhance access to health care services at the grassroots.

    Ealier, the state team leader, MNCH2 Project, Mr Yusuf Lawal said the training was aimed at sensitising stakeholders on the implementation of Health Insurance Scheme.

  • Governors to pay workers’ salaries with Paris Club refunds

    Governors to pay workers’ salaries with Paris Club refunds

    Governors of the 36 states in the country have resolved to pay outstanding salaries and pensions of workers in their states with the next tranche of the Paris-London Club loan refunds.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    The statement issued by Head of Media and Public Affairs at the NGF Secretariat, Abulrazque Barkindo, said the governors took the decision at the end of their meeting held in Abuja on Thursday night.

    The governors, according to the statement, met in anticipation of the release of the money, which had been approved for payment by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Out of the N522.74 billion owed the states, N388.304 was paid to them in December last year.

    Yari said the governors were not oblivious of the workers’ plights over the non-payment of their salaries and pensions.

    He said the governors deliberated on the matter and concluded that something immediate must be done to ameliorate the workers’ plight by paying their outstanding salaries and emoluments.

    “We all agreed that a substantial amount from the next tranche of the Paris-London refunds be used in the settlement of workers’ salary and pension arrears,” Yari said.

    NAN

  • Governors, Customs to collaborate on rice production

    Governors, Customs to collaborate on rice production

    Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in the early hours of Thursday backed the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in its anti-smuggling drive to boost local production of rice in the country.

    Reading the communique’ at the end of the meeting held at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, the NGF Chairman, Abdulaziz Yari, said the governors’ collaboration with Customs is to ensure self-sufficiency in rice production by 2018.

    The Zamfara governor said: “Members commended Customs for the renewed effort in strengthening anti-smuggling activities and pledged to collaborate with the Customs to ensure that the country achieves its target of self-sufficiency in rice production by 2018.”

    Apart from the prohibition of rice importation through Nigeria’s land borders, Yari also said the governors received update from the Acting Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Dangaladima Aminu Alhaji, who represented the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (retd).

    He said the World Bank Country Director, Rachid Benmessaoud, also briefed the Forum on the implementation of the Bank’s portfolio partnerships with states.

    In this direction, he said members pledged to strengthen coordination mechanism and consensus on replicating and exchanging reviews across the states, to resolve implementation challenges and achieve project development objectives.

    The Forum, the governor added, also received a presentation from Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on the challenges and prospects of the hajj pilgrimage.

    “Members pledged to collaborate with the Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that existing agreements of air carriers are renegotiated with the involvement of states as key stakeholders,” Yari stated.

  • No money is stolen from Paris Club refunds – NGF

    No money is stolen from Paris Club refunds – NGF

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Monday said no money was stolen or embezzled from the Paris-London Club refunds to states or from any other source.

    The Head of Media and Public Affairs at NGF Secretariat, Mr. Abulrazque Barkindo, said this in a statement in Abuja.

    Barkindo denied allegation that the Chairman of the Forum, Abdulaziz Yari, was building a $3million hotel from money stolen from refunds to states.

    Barkindo said the false allegation gave cause for worry.

    He said, “The reports contain harmful, damaging and libelous insinuations which remain largely unsubstantiated, despite the fact that it attributed the leaks to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials in Lagos.

    “Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar has said emphatically said he does not even own a plot of land in Lagos not to talk of a hotel.’’

    He said some EFCC officials in Lagos claimed that “they have found a hotel being constructed by Governor Yari with $3million he stole from London-Paris Club loan refund to Nigerian states.”

    He also quoted the report as saying that “apart from the $3million, Governor Yari also diverted N500 million from the Paris Club refund to pay off a loan.”

    Barkindo described all the claims as wrong, harmful, libelous and misleading disclosures.

    “Governor Yari is not building any hotel in Lagos nor were any money stolen or embezzled from the Paris-London Club refunds to states or from any other source,’’ the NGF spokesman added.

    NAN

  • Minister inaugurates two command secondary schools in Zamfara

    Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Sunday, inaugurated two newly established command secondary schools in Gusau and Talata-Mafara local governments of Zamfara.

    The schools were built by the state government and handed over to the Ministry of Defence to establish command secondary schools in Gusau and Talata-Mafara towns.

    The Science Command Secondary School Talata-Mafara is for boys, while the Command Science Secondary School in Gusau is for girls.

    The inauguration of the schools was part of activities to mark the six-year anniversary of Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari in office as governor (2011 to date).

    Dan-Ali commended the state government for providing the structures quickly to enable the command secondary schools to run in the state.

    According to him, the history of command secondary schools in Nigeria started over 40 years ago but only four are located in the northern part of the country — two in Kaduna for the North-West and two in Benue for North-Central.

    The minister said that the command schools were established to improve the educational development of the state.

    He added that apart from the two command schools in the state, the ministry had also established Air Force Girls Secondary School in Kaura-Namoda, to be inaugurated soon.

    Responding, Yari commended the Federal Government and the Ministry of Defence for establishing the school in the state.

    He said the state government welcomed the gesture without wasting time, considering its importance to education for the people of the state.

    He added that the schools would assist indigenes of the state with basic education of military and that would further assist the state to fill its gap in the Nigerian Army in future.

    Yari explained that the two schools were initially constructed by the National Universal Basic Education Commission in collaboration with the state government during the past administration.

    He noted that Government Girls Junior Secondary School Gusau was converted to Command Girls Science Secondary School, while the Almajiri School in Talata-Mafara was converted to Command Science Boys Secondary School.

    “We remodeled the schools with additional structures, including classrooms, student hotels, laboratories, staff quarters and furniture, among others.

    “The state government spent over N335 million to improve the standard of the schools as required by the Nigerian Military.’’

  • We must resolve North East humanitarian crises, says Osinbajo

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Monday said the country could not wait for another generation of leaders to resolve the humanitarian crises in the North East.

    He said this while receiving a delegation from Borno which came to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent release of 82 Chibok girls from the Boko Haram captivity.

    According to him, it is this generation of leaders who must do what it takes to resolve most of the issues that face the country in the North East.

    Osinbajo said that the Federal Government would re-strategise with all the agencies involved in the rehabilitation of victims of insurgency in order to address their most urgent problems.

    “Perhaps it might be wise for us to take a look first about how to save the children and to save peoples’ lives and then begin to address questions of infrastructure as we go along.

    “But I think it is important that people don’t die while we are thinking, people don’t die while we are planning to ensure that we are able to provide for them.

    “So what I will suggest is that we take some time out to look at this, the Borno State government, the Federal Government, and then of cause the PCNI, PINE and all the other government initiatives that are working out there.

    “And then plan things better, outline what is priority and then determine what it will cost us and then we can work from there.

    “But I think it is important that we take a second look at what we have organized so far so that we will be able to do something more.’’

    Osinbajo said that the crises in the North East had grown deeper but noted that it was gratifying that more people were freed from captivity by the armed forces and international partners.

    He said the government must determine what needed to be done and do everything that it would take to hold the officials to account for the lives of the children and vulnerable people.

    “That in my view is the whole point about leadership, otherwise I don’t see how we can justify our leadership in any other way,’’ he said.

    The Acting President acknowledged that a lot of what happened in the release of the Chibok girls were largely because the international community and development partners believed in the integrity of Buhari.

    He said the partners “recognize his genuineness, forthrightness and felt the need to help,’’ adding that they did not have to wonder if there was any other thing else going on.

    “We are thankful for that kind of leadership that has showed so much integrity.’’

    Osinbajo observed that so many people made sacrifices in the course of insurgency, especially in Borno, and said the disaster in the region was unimaginable.

    He said the administration did not know how long it would take to restore all that were lost in physical infrastructure not to talk about the lost lives.

    Osinbajo said that Buhari noted that the arrival of the 82 girls to the Villa had boosted his health.

    He said Nigerians should rejoice that the release of the girls had taken place and expressed optimism that the remaining girls and others in captivity would regain their freedom.

    Borno Gov. Kashim Shetima, who led the delegation, said the state was surprised in October 2016 with the release of 21 Borno daughters by the Buhari administration.

    He added that the record-breaking negotiation also secured the release of another 82 female students.

    Shetima said that his state was in the Villa to thank Buhari, his team, the armed forces, the Swiss government and the International Red Cross committee for the feat.

    The governor whose wife, Nana, was also at the event attributed the feat to the integrity of the President.

    He said the President inherited a battered economy and that with his determination the country would attain greatness again.

    He thanked the parents of the girls for their patience waiting for the girls and urged parents whose girls had yet to return to remain hopeful and prayerful for God to turn the situation around.

    The Chairman Governors Forum, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara , commended the efforts of the President and Vice President for the release of the Chibok girls.

    He also thanked God for His intervention and expressed the hope that more captives would return and that insurgency in the North East would be routed out.

    The former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, noted the personal interest shown by Osinbajo in the plight of the people of the North East.

    He said that the humanitarian crises in the region were beyond anyone’s imagination in spite of the efforts made by the international community.

    The Senator noted that the budget of Borno could not take care of the problems, adding that the budget of N45 billion for the PCNI was grossly inadequate and urged the federal government to boost the allocation.

    The Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan said that all the released girls were in good shape and thanked the Acting President for being thorough in the identification of the girls.

    She also thanked the Borno governor and the UN system for their special interest in the rehabilitation of the released school girls.

     

  • Zamfara to employ 1000 primary school teachers

    The Zamfara State Government on Monday said it would employ 1000 teachers this year to address the problem of inadequate teachers in primary schools.

    Gov. AbdulAziz Yari announced this at the 2017 May Day celebration in Gusau, saying that only candidates with National Certificate of Education (NCE) would be employed as teachers.

    Yari, who was represented by his deputy, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, said that the mass recruitment would enhance teaching and learning in state schools.

    According to him, the recruitment would also create employment opportunities for unemployed graduates in the state.

    On the 2017 Workers Day, Yari said the celebration was timely as negotiations between state government and labour over workers’ rights had been concluded.

    “The state government will pay all workers’ outstanding promotion and annual increment in this month of May.

    “The state government has also reached agreement with the labour to pay N100 million monthly for payment of gratuities to retired civil servants.

    “We have agreed to form a committee that will review the issue of pension to ensure attainment of the minimum wage on pensions,” he said.

    Yari commended the labour union in the state for their cooperation and understanding in addressing the demand of workers in the state.

    Earlier, the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Bashir Mafara, commended the state government efforts at addressing workers’ problems.

    Mafara said that the labour in the state would continue to cooperate with the state government to ensure that workers’ grievances were resolved in a peaceful manner.