The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Birnin Kebbi

  • Kebbi Govt. to plant 1m trees

    Kebbi State Government says it has procured over one million varieties of seedlings for planting in an effort to combat desertification in the state.

    The state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Muhammad Marafa, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

    Marafa said that the seedlings would be distributed in all the 21 local government areas of the state, especially areas bordering Niger and Benin Republics, to prevent desert encroachment.

    “We are making all necessary arrangements to invite concerned stakeholders to take part in the planting exercise before rainy season commences.”

    Marafa advised the people to desist from unnecessary cutting down of trees and to reciprocate government efforts in that direction.

  • 2017: Kebbi presents N139.3billion budget

    2017: Kebbi presents N139.3billion budget

    Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has presented N139,334,317,97 billion as 2017 budget before the state’s House of Assembly.
    Governor Bagudu, who presented the budget said the last year’s budget was full of challenges but the 2017 budget focuses on agriculture, empowerment, education, health and infrastructural facilities.
    The Governor also said that his administration would settle all the outstanding pensions and gratuities inherited by his government before the end of the year.
    He promised that the 2017 budget would ensure that into Kebbi people’s hand and ensure that they were independent citizens.
    While analysing the 2016 budget, the governor said, the state has recorded great achievement in agriculture, provision of electricity, water supply to the people of the state and rehabilitation of selected Primary and Secondary schools in the state.
    In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Samaila Kamba, assured the governor that the lawmakers would deliberate on the budget and ensure it speeding passage.

  • Agency to sanction environmental law defaulters in Kebbi

    The Kebbi Urban Development Authority (KUDA) has vowed to sanction defaulters of environmental laws in the state.

    The General Manager of the authority, Alhaji Malami Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that the authority would no longer condone unhygienic attitude of residents.

    He said that the body would commence sanctioning of those involved in indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains and other bad sanitation habits.

    “In conjunction with a magistrate court, we will be sanctioning anyone involved in unhealthy practices, as well as those who pay deaf ears to our sensitization campaigns on the effect of dumping refuse in drains.

    “Many lives were lost in the past as a result of flooding which was attributed to indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains and waterways,” Muhammad said.

    The general manager added that the authority had been sensitising residents to avoid habits that would lead to flood and endanger people’s lives.

    According to him, the authority is evacuating refuse and clearing drainage in flood prone areas within Birnin Kebbi metropolis and other major towns in the state, as part of measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the state.

    He however lamented that some residents have continued to erect structures along waterways, thereby exposing people to danger.

    “People should consult the authority concerned before embarking on erection of any structure to avoid destruction of households and property as recorded in the past,” he said.

    Muhammad stressed that the authority would continue to collaborate with the media to enlighten the public on the importance of environmental protection.

    The general manager commended the efforts of traditional rulers in encouraging their subjects to clean their environment.

    He called on the general public to report to the authority, any un-cleared drains and refuse dumps in the state, for prompt evacuation. 

  • How breast feeding reduces death toll of children under five

    How breast feeding reduces death toll of children under five

    The Kebbi State EU- UNICEF C4D Consultant, Mr Idris Nagia has called for improved awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding in the state.

    Nagia made this known on Thursday while addressing pressmen in his office, stressing that Breastfeeding is directly linked to reducing the death toll of children under five, yet only 36 percent of infants less than six months old are exclusively breastfed in Kebbi State.

    “With so much at stake, we need to do more to reach women with simple and powerful messages like: Breast feeding can save your baby’s life.

    “No other preventive intervention is more cost effective in reducing the number of children who die before reaching their fifth birthdays,” he said.

    However, he called for more advocates to be cultivated using new and innovative ways to communicate with mothers and families, adding that raising awareness beyond the confines of the maternity ward is critical to reach these broader audiences.

    According to him, “initiation of breastfeeding within 30 minutes after birth saves mothers from the risk of maternal death and exclusive breastfeeding on demand in the first six months of life without water or any other food will start every baby on healthy path in life, providing all the nutrients the baby requires for optimum growth and development.

    He further noted that UNICEF has embraced the idea of using all possible means of communication and encourages others to do the same, using the opportunity of World Breastfeeding Week to trigger actions throughout the year.

    He said this year’s world Brest feeding has emphasised the role that every member of the society can play to raise awareness about breastfeeding – a natural and best way of feeding babies.

  • Kebbi releases N314m for students’ scholarship

    The Kebbi State Government on Thursday said it had released N314 million for the payment of registration and tuition fee for indigent students in national and foreign institutions.

    Dr Sahabi Yauri, the Executive Secretary of the state’s Scholarship Board, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

    Yauri said that out of the amount, N147 million was for tuition, registration and tenancy for 30 indigent students studying medicine in Indian universities.

    He added that N97 million was for the fees of 30 students studying medicine, dentistry and surgery in Sudanese universities, while N70 million was for 5,000 indigent students studying in tertiary institutions in the country.

    The executive secretary said some of the beneficiaries were studying in the country in six institutions that included Federal University Birnin Kebbi, North West University Kano, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Alqalam Islamic University Katsina and Sokoto State Polytechnic.

    He explained that the amount had been released to the bank accounts of the benefiting institutions, stressing that payment was approved after scrutiny of students to avoid misplacement of priority.

    Yauri then urged the students to reciprocate government’s gesture by studying hard to justify the investment made on them and commended the conduct of the students, especially those who were studying abroad.

    He said the board had never received any complaint of misconduct from the students from any school.

  • Photo: Flooded government house

    Photo: Flooded government house

    Kebbi state government house
    Kebbi state government house

  • Kebbi governor in minor cabinet reshuffle

    Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi on Wednesday appointed two new commissioners “to add vigour to the state executive council and ensure proper implementation of policies.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new commissioners were sworn-in in Birnin Kebbi by Justice Abbas Ahmed on behalf of the state Chief Judge, Justice Bala Mairiga.

    The commissioners are Alhaji Samaila Kamba who replaced Alhaji Abdullahi Kamba as Commissioner for Education, and Alhaji Isa Mera who took over from Alhaji Sani Kanya as Commissioner for Agriculture.

    Kanya was moved to the Ministry of Information to replace Alhaji Sani Kangiwa who died recently.

    The governor charged them “to improve on the administration’s performance in the education and agriculture sectors.”

    He directed the commissioner for education to ensure that academic activities resume in all the new secondary schools built by the state government, and to improve on the students feeding programme.

    “Don’t hesitate to sack any school principal colluding with feeding contractors to derail the feeding of students,’’ the governor ordered after the two commissioners took the oath of office.

    Dakingari also advised the new agriculture commissioner to focus on commercial agriculture, especially rice production in the state.