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Tag: Bauchi

  • Bauchi to distribute kits worth N1.5bn to women

    Bauchi to distribute kits worth N1.5bn to women

    The Bauchi State Commission for Youths and Women Rehabilitation ( BACYWARD ) says it will distribute empowerment kits worth N1.5 billion to women in Small and Medium Scale businesses across the state.

    The commission Chairman, Mr Ahmed Faruq, made this known on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of 800 women and youths in skill acquisition programme in Bauchi.

    The programme was organised by the Future Assured Initiative for Youths and Women.

    Future Assured is the humanitarian pet project of Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The initiative has trained women and youths in various trades including Tie and Dye, Pastry making, Spaghetti and Couscous making among others for a duration of one week.

    Faruq said that the initiate was aimed at boosting the economic activities of women in such businesses.

    “The commission has received approval of the governor for partnership with Jaiz Bank under which more than N1.5 billion worth of empowerment kits will be distributed to women across 20 local government areas.

    “This is in realisation that 80 per cent of small businesses are carried out by women, and no economy will wax stronger without the active participation of small businesses,’’ he said.

    Faruq said that the commission has also registered 2,000 youths and women for the O/level examinations, while another 2,000 were sponsored into various diploma and computer programmes.

    In his remarks, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, lauded the efforts of wife of the President on empowerment of women.

    Abubakar said that the state government has designed numerous programmes for women and youths to be self-reliance.

    NAN

  • ‘Bauchi set to amend tourism law’

    ‘Bauchi set to amend tourism law’

    Governor Mohammed Abubakar has said Bauchi State would amend its tourism law to attract more investment to the sector.

    He said the state’s aim is to make the Yankari Games Reserve a world-class tourism destination.

    Abubakar told The Nation that there was need to amend vital aspects of the law  to make the state a tourism centre of choice.

    He said: “I have been the number one marketer of Yankari. If you follow twitter, you will see that I have been trying my best to sell Yankari Games Reserve .

    “I follow all the current events in Nigeria, even the winner of the last Big Brother. Immediately he won, I sent him an invitation to come to Yankari Games Reserve free of charge. This is all part of the bid to advertise Yankari.

    “But Yankari Games Reserve is not the only tourist attraction that we. We have  a game park called  Sumu Games Park.

    “Sumu is a novelty in the sense that the animals found in Sumu Games Park  are not found anywhere else in the West African sub-region.

    “The reason is that we started Sumu in 2006 with the assistance of Namibia and Kenya. They donated species of animals that are not common to West Africa.

    “We went to the bush, caught the animals and brought them back to Nigeria. The moment they landed in Nigeria, they started breeding.

    “Now, if you go to Sumu Games Park which is about 48 kilometers from Bauchi  to Kano, you will see animals like giraffe, zebra, eland and others that are not common to West Africa.

    “In addition to all these, we have the tomb of the first and only prime minister of Nigeria and it is a must for any visitor who comes into Bauchi to go there.

    “We have various pre-historic rock paintings at Gaji, a small village on the way to Jos from Bauchi but off the main road and then at Shera, northern part of Bauchi State.

    “We have a series of annual festivals that will be attractive to visitors, especially foreign visitors. So, we are doing our best to improve tourism in the state.”

  • Polio: UNICEF immunizes 2m children in four states

    Polio: UNICEF immunizes 2m children in four states

    The Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in conjunction with UNICEF said it immunized more than two million children in rural communities of Jigawa, Niger, Taraba and Zamfara states in the past one year.
    Dr. Esther Obinya, a UNICEF health specialist and the National Coordinator of the Hard To Reach (HTR) project, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo on Saturday, that the initiative of reaching rural communities with vaccines was recording a lot of success.
    She disclosed that the HTR project was able to reach more than 900,000 pregnant women in the four states with ante-natal and post-natal services and commodities within the period.
    Obinya stated that the HTR, which is aimed at eradicating polio and strengthening health care in remote communities, is enjoying support from the federal, state and local governments in all the four high-risk states where the project is ongoing.
    She disclosed that more than 3,000 settlements had been visited at least three times since the project began in March 2016.
    She identified security breach occasioned by the frequent communal clashes, hazardous terrains, political interference and getting the right technical personnel, especially, Nurse-Midwives as the major challenges of the project.
    The Bill and Melinda-Gates foundation had carried out similar exercises in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi, Katsina, and Kano with very good results, she said.
    Obinya, who was in Taraba to supervise the Quarter 3, 2017 Review Meeting of GAC/HTR for Jigawa, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara states, also called on the benefiting states to work assiduously to sustain the project which would end in December 2018.
    Delegates from the four states had earlier undertaken field trips to some Hard to Reach communities in Ardo-Kola and Jalingo Local Government.
    NAN recalls that the World Health Assembly had in 2012 asked the World Health Organisation to formulate a programme that would eradicate polio worldwide when it was discovered that Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan had remained the three most endemic countries that were left with polio.
  • NGO donates health equipment to 216 facilities in Bauchi State

    NGO donates health equipment to 216 facilities in Bauchi State

    Plan International, an International Non Governmental organisation ( NGO ), has donated maternal, neonatal and child health equipment and consumables worth N124 million to 261 health facilities across Bauchi State.

    The Country Director of the NGO, Dr Hussaini Audu, stated this on Wednesday at a news conference in Bauchi after handing over the equipment to the Bauchi State Government representative in Dass Local Government Area.

    He said the gesture was aimed at improving maternal and child health, adding that the NGO would continue to partner with government at various levels in that direction.

    He added that “Plan International is working on a four-and-half year project in 216 health facilities in Bauchi State.

    “These equipment are worth N124 million, to be distributed to 216 healthcare facilities.

    “The equipment include delivery kits, family planning kits, examination lights, infants and adults weighing scale, hand gloves and mattresses.”

    Earlier, the Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Christopher Thornley, had expressed satisfaction over operations of healthcare facilities in the state.

    He said the Canadian Government had been working in the state in the past 15 years due to cordial relationship and enabling working environment provided by the state government.

    He commended the state government “for improving healthcare for women and children.”

    The wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar, who received
    the equipment on behalf of the state government, thanked the organisation for the gesture.

    She noted that the present administration in the state has five points agenda on health which has direct bearing to women and children.

    Abubakar, who also handed over the equipment to Dr Mohammed Dayyabu, the Director, Research, Planning and Statistics, Bauchi State Ministry of Health,called for judicious use.

    Plan International has been working in Bauchi State to assist health facilities with the needed equipment to work with, especially in women and children health centres.

    NAN

  • Kano Hisbah Board arrests 65 beggars in one month

    Kano Hisbah Board arrests 65 beggars in one month

    Kano State Hisbah Board said it had arrested about 65 suspected beggars for violating the law banning street begging in the state.

    Malam Dahiru Muhammed, an official of the Hisbah Anti Begging Unit, disclosed this while speaking in the state on Tuesday.

    Muhammed said that the suspects were arrested in different raids in the Kano metropolis in November, adding that eight of the arrested were children, while 57 were adults.

    According to him, 47 of them were from Kano, while 18 were from Bauchi, Jigawa, Gombe, Kogi and Zamfara States.

    Muhammed said the arrests were carried out in areas around Bata, Bompai, Bank and Kabuga roads, all in the metropolis.

    Read also: Street begging: Hisbah arrests 166 beggars

    He said that the Hisbah Board decided to release some of the suspects who were identified as first offenders, as well as those suffering from mental disorder.

    Muhammed said those from neighbouring states were also taken back to their respective states.

    NAN

  • Bauchi to get JAMB test centre

    The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, yesterday laid the foundation for a 500-capacity computer-based test centre of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Azare, Bauchi State.

    Adamu, who was represented by Vice Chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Prof. Saminu Ibrahim, said the centre was part of the government’s effort to upscale the board’s infrastructure in 10 states.

    Other benefiting states include Bayelsa, Oyo, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Kebbi, Osun, Edo and Ogun.

    Adamu said the centre would serve candidates in the Northeast.

    He solicited support to enable JAMB compete favourably with world examination bodies.

    The minister lauded JAMB for remitting N8 billion to the federation account, and assured the outfit of adequate funding.

    JAMB’s Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said the board would continued to introduce new devices to improve quality of exams.

    Oloyede, represented by Director for Test Admnistration, Dr. Yusuf Lawal, said the board perfected the computer-based test system in 2015, prompting the need for more centres, to ease challenges faced by students.

  • Bauchi moves to amend Trust Deed

    Bauchi State Government has begun the renegotiation and restructuring of long-term loans taken by previous administrations.

    It is part of efforts to reduce spending while increasing revenue.

    Among them is a  seven-year bond contract entered by the previous administrations

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communications, Mr.  Shamsuddeen Lukman Abubakar, said the state sought the support of bond holders to restructure the terms by increasing the tenor to five years and adjusting the coupon to a competitive current market rate.

    “It would be recalled that in 2014, the previous government issued a N15 billion seven-year bond from the capital market for the completion of specialist Hospital and  Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport (ATB).

    “Recall, the drop in crude oil prices from $95 per barrel in September 2014 to circa $59 per barrel currently and decline in Nigeria’s oil production, Federal allocation to all tiers of government has declined by as much as 62.2 per cent.

    “Considering the fact that this allocation makes up the bulk of the revenue of most states, the drastic reduction has put a significant strain on the finances and cash flow of many Nigerian states, Bauchi State inclusive.

    “Accordingly, as part of the strategy towards ensuring that government delivers the much needed services to the good people of Bauchi State and continually meet its financing obligations, the cooperation of the bondholders was sought to support the state’s intention to restructure the Bond for better cash flow management.

    “Therefore, the state proposed to amend certain provisions of the Terms of the Trust Deed, especially the tenor of the Bonds. The tenor of the Bonds is to be extended by five years, resulting to a modification in the maturity of the Bonds from 08 December 2021 to 08 December 2026. This amendment will have reductive implication on the monthly Debt service. The reduction from the cashflow will enhance the states ability to effectively pay workers salaries and implementation of capital projects across the state

    “The meeting was attended by  Governor Mohammed Abubakar; the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Hashimu Abubakar Dori, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Haruna D. Mohammed and Director-General, Debt Management Office, Bauchi, Nura Danmadami.

    Professional bodies  present were: “Planet Capital Ltd., United Capital Plc, Boston Advisory Ltd., ARM Trustees Ltd., FBN Trustees Ltd., STL Trustees Ltd., United Capital Trustees Ltd., UTL Trustees Management Services Ltd., PAC Registrars Ltd., George Ikoli & Okagbue.”

     

  • IPMAN lauds FG’s commencement of oil exploration in five states

    IPMAN lauds FG’s commencement of oil exploration in five states

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) in Kano State has commended the Federal Government for starting oil exploration in Sokoto, Benue, Borno, Bauchi and Nasarawa states.

    The IPMAN chairman in the state, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, made the commendation while speaking to newsmen shortly after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association in Kano on Wednesday.

    “The oil exploration which the Federal Government had started in five states mentioned above will ensure their economic growth and development and that of the country at large,” he said.

    The IPMAN chairman, who called for continued support to the NNPC, also applauded the Federal Government for sustaining regularity in petrol supply across the country.

    He said with the present administration’s commitment toward addressing challenges facing the sector and exemplary leadership of the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, fuel scarcity had now become history in the country.

    “Before now, people used to accuse marketers of fuel crisis in the country but scarcity of petroleum products has become a thing of the past due to the Federal Government’s commitment toward addressing the problems facing the sector,” he said.

    He said the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari deserved to be commended for tackling the various challenges facing the oil and gas sector and ensuring steady supply of petrol in the country.

    He also commended the NNPC for planning to make available petroleum products, especially, petrol in  all the 21 depots ahead of the forthcoming Christmas and New Year festivals.

    “This singular action is worthy of commendation in view of what we used to experience in the past at the end of every year in the country.

    Dan-Malam said with the current positive development in the sector, the country would soon commence exporting petrol to other countries.

    NAN reports that the meeting was attended by members of the association from Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe states that made up IPMAN Kano unit.

    NAN

  • Bauchi to partner USADF

    Bauchi State is set to partner the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) on development projects.

    Governor Mohammed  Abubakar’s spokesman, Abubakar Al Sadiq, said the state’s representatives and the USADF’s team met in Abuja.

    “A strategic partnership in agriculture, energy, youth enterprise and key development projects was discussed.

    “A special team of experts and officials of the foundation are expected to visit the state next month to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the governor.”

    Sadiq said the foundation’s team was led by Regional Director African Development Foundation, Tom Coogan, Country Programme Co-ordinator Andrew Echono,  and Programme Analyst Ellington Arnold, while that of the Bauchi State government was led by Mr. Ibrahim Bala Hassan and assisted by Mr. Mamman, who is the state’s liason officer in Abuja.

    USADF is an independent US. Government agency established by Congress to  support African-owned enterprises to improve lives.

    Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar had breakfast with primary school pupils at Saadu Zungur model school in Bauchi State.

    According to Sadiq, the governor  did this to test the quality of food and service being offered to the school children.

    “Having satisfied the requirements of the Federal Government and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect, Bauchi State Government under the leadership of Governor  Abubakar commenced  implementation of the programme on  August 1,  2017.

    “Bauchi State is also ranked the second largest beneficiary of the programme with the engagement of over 5,000 cooks for the feeding of 501,399 pupils in over 2,000 public primary schools.”

  • Bauchi moves to amend terms of trust deed

    Bauchi State Govern ment, within the  week in Lagos, held extraordinary meetings  with the State bond holders to renegotiate terms,  conditions,  restructure  and possibly increase  tenure  to five years in respect of  long term loans  taken by the previous governments in the State  and dwindling state allocations from Federation accounts.

    Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State said that this was part of  efforts by the state government  which has  continued to look for innovative ways to reduce spending while increasing revenue in the face of current economic reality.

    One of such ways he said  was the renegotiation of a  seven year bond contract entered by the previous administrations in the state.

    A release signed by the Special Adviser to (SA) to the Governor  on Media and Communications, Mr.  Shamsuddeen Lukman Abubakar  reads in part: “

    “The purpose of the meeting  was  to seek the support of the bondholders to restructure the terms of the Bond by increasing the tenor to five  years and adjusting the coupon to a competitive current market rate. It would be recalled that in 2014, the previous government issued a N15 billion seven  year bond from the capital market for the completion of specialist Hospital and  Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport (ATB)  international Airport.

    “Recall, the drop in crude oil prices from $95 per barrel in September 2014 to circa $59 per barrel currently and decline in Nigeria’s oil production, Federal allocation to all tiers of Government has declined by as much as 62.2%. Considering the fact that this allocation makes up the bulk of the revenue of most states, the drastic reduction has put a significant strain on the finances and cash flow of many Nigerian states, Bauchi State inclusive.

    “Accordingly, as part of the strategy towards ensuring that government delivers the much needed services to the good people of Bauchi State and continually meet its financing obligations, the cooperation of the bondholders was sought to support the State’s intention to restructure the Bond for better cash flow management.

    “Therefore the State proposed to amend certain provisions of the Terms of the Trust Deed, especially the tenor of the Bonds. The tenor of the Bonds is to be extended by five (5) years resulting to a modification in the maturity of the Bonds from 08 December 2021 to 08 December 2026. This amendment will have reductive implication on the monthly Debt service. The reduction from the cashflow will enhance the states ability to effectively pay workers salaries and implementation of capital projects across the State.”