The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Edo stops Almajiri school project

    •Muslim women: we used grant judiciously

    THE Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has told the state’s branch of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) to discontinue the building of the Almajiri School in Benin, on which the association said it has spent N7.6 million.

    The project is part of the Federal Government’s Almajiri Education Project.

    A SUBEB official, Mrs. Esther Ogedengbe, in a letter to the Association, said the stop-work order was necessary to prevent the association from “misusing or diverting funds meant for the building of a basic three-classroom block”.

    The letter reads: “FOMWAN should discontinue the ongoing Almajiri project as a result of non-compliance with the implementation modalities of the National Commission for the Implementation of the Almajiri Education Project (NCIAEP).

    “The reason is that the SUBEB monitoring team could not locate the project, which is supposed to be on the premises of the association’s school at Iwogban Quarters on Ikpoba hill, Benin.”

    FOWMAN President Hajia Fatima Hassan said the association is not “misusing or diverting” funds meant for the project.

    Hajia Hassan said FOWMAN is developing a 1,000 x 1,000 plot of land it owns at Uteh on the Benin bypass for a 15-classroom block, which would be the school’s permanent site.

    She said the idea of building and equipping only a three-classroom block is contrary to her association’s proposal to NCIAEP, adding that their stay at Iwogban is at the mercy of the Nigerian Army, which is laying claims to the plot.

    Hajia Hassan said she was not aware that SUBEB was supposed to supervise the project, which she said is being supervised by “a competent five-man team”.

    She said the association spent N7.6 million of the grants on drilling a borehole and laying the foundation of a two-storey building.

     

  • Gunmen kill driver, abduct two children in Edo

    Gunmen kill driver, abduct two children in Edo

    Two children of a Benin- based businessman were on Monday abducted by unknown gunmen while going to school.

    The gunmen shot dead the driver conveying the children to school.

    It was gathered that the incident occurred between 7:30am and 8am at Iguosa along Benin-Lagos expressway.

    Eyewitnesses said they came out when they heard the gunshots and saw the gunmen dragging the children away into their vehicle.

    The driver died before he could get to the hospital.

    Father of the kidnapped children, Juande Iyamu, popularly known as ‘Yaweh water’ was visibly shocked but declined comments on the incident.

    Edo Police image maker, Anthony Airhuoyo, said he was yet to be briefed by the Ekiadolor police station on the incident.

     

  • Edo releases N100m for flood victims

    Edo releases N100m for flood victims

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has ordered the immediate release of N100 million to provide relief materials to flood victims in Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts.

    The money was released to cushion the effects of the flood on some communities in the areas, the News Agency of Nigeria reports, quoting a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Peter Okiria, on Monday.

    He said that some communities in Esan-South East Local Government Area in Edo Central Senatorial District, also affected by the flood, would benefit from the largesse.

    The statement quoted Oshiomole as assuring the people that the government would embark on a long-term solution to avoid the recurrence of the disaster.

    The governor, who visited the displaced persons, said the government would liaise with the Federal Government to ensure that relief materials reached them.

    He attributed the cause of the flood in which property worth billions of naira were lost, to the River Niger overflowing its banks.

    “What has happened is an act of God and no one can challenge the will of God.

    “In other parts of the country, we have heard of the loss of lives, but so far, we have not recorded any death.

    “Let us pray that the river goes back to its boundary.

    “The government we will try as much as possible to reduce the hardship suffered by the people by providing relief materials.

    “What we cannot change we will bear; President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government are concerned about this calamity,” Okiria quoted the governor as saying.

    Oshimole urged the victims to be patient, saying that the calamity would soon be over and they would be able to return to their father land.

     

  • Nigeria will tackle Cameroun over flooding – Mark

    Nigeria will tackle Cameroun over flooding – Mark

    Senate president David Mark has assured victims of flood disasters in the country that the Federal Government has put in place measures that would compel cameroun not to release excess water from Lagdo dam or Lake Nyios.
    Speaking with journalist after monitoring settlements affected by floods in Makurdi, Benue State,Senator Mark,who was in company of the former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Barnabas Gemade and Minster of Interior,Comrade Abba Moro, said the government would address the challenges of flooding in the country.
    He noted that since the creation of Benue State,this year’s flood is the most devastating and pledged the assistance of the senate in bringing succour to the victims who are scattered in various camps in the state capital.
    The senate president donated N4 million naira to the victims,while Morro and Gemade coughed out N2million and N1 million respectively.
    Governor Gabriel Suswam on his part said the state and federal government are working out modalities to compensate the victims of the disaster and appealed for calm.
    Meanwhile, residents of several communities in Udaba, Osomhegbe, Ofukpo and Agbazi in Anegbette and Udochi in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State have been sacked following overflow of the River Niger occassioned by heavy rainfall.
    The affected persons struggled to move to dry land even as many relocated to their relatives in neighbouring villages.
    Farm lands, houses and property worth millions of naira were washed off.
    The lawmaker representing Estako Central at the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Johnson Oghuma, raised the alarm during plenary session on Thursday.
    Oghuma, who drew attention of his colleagues to the plight of the affected communities said his people were in dire need of aids.
    Other lawmakers who spoke on the matter urged relevant agencies to provide relief materials for the affected communities.
    Edo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Osikhena-Boih Donald, who hails from the area also visited some of the affected villages for an on-the-spot assessment of the damages done by flooding.

     

  • Edo begins free immunisation

    Edo begins free immunisation

    •Oshiomhole urges contractors to work at night

     

    The edo State Government has begun this year’s Immunisation programme.

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole urged the people to take advantage of the free exercise.

    At the ceremony in Evbonogbon, Ovia South West Local Government Area, Oshiomhole said: “I am happy to see the number of women that have turned out in this rural community. It shows many realise that their children need this vaccine.

    “Every child must be immunised against polio and it is totally free. We must sustain this programme and take it to every village. Those of you here should tell those at home that the children must have this vaccine.

    “There are no side effects or danger for the child. It is a win- win situation. It is good for the child, good for the family and good for the society.”

    Commissioner for Health Dr. Cordelia Aiwize urged parents to present their children aged zero to 59 months for vaccination.

    She said the eight childhood killer diseases are preventable through immunisation.

    Dr. Aiwize assured parents that the vaccine is safe. The highlight of the ceremony was the administering of the vaccine on some children by the governor.

    On his way to the ceremony, Oshiomhole stopped on the Benin-Ore Road to direct traffic.

    He urged the Federal Government to expedite work on the road.

    The governor urged the contractors to work at night to ensure the free-flow of traffic during the day.

    He said: “When you are working on a federal highway, you must do it fast and preferably at night to avoid unnecessary traffic and accidents.”

    Oshiomhole was stuck-up in the traffic for over an hour.

  • Accident claims 11 lives in Edo

    Two accidents that occurred on the Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway last weekend claimed 11 lives.
    The accidents occurred barely three days after the car conveying four lecturers of the Igbinedion University, Okada, fell into the Ovia River, killing the occupants.
    On Saturday, eight persons died in an accident involving a Delta Line bus.
    Three persons died on Sunday in an accident involving a Benin transport company.
    The bodies were deposited at an undisclosed hospital, while the survivors were taken to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
    National Coordinator of the Save Accident Victims of Nigeria (SAVAN) Dr. Eddy Ehikhamenor urged drivers to be careful.

  • Edo warns on posters

    The Edo State Government has said residents must take permission from the Ministry of Environment before pasting posters and erecting billboards across the state.
    At a stakeholders’ meeting at the weekend in Benin, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji A. H. Ikhelowa said the indiscriminate pasting of posters across the state.
    The consultant on outdoor media adverts to the state government, Mr. Roland Oriakhi stated that for the good of the state government in creating a better environment to be realized, there was need for the people to key into the vision of government.