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Tag: FCT

  • NDLEA educates youths against drug abuse in FCT

    NDLEA educates youths against drug abuse in FCT

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), FCT Command,has launched a campaign to educate youths in the territory on the dangers of drug abuse.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Mr Peter Adegbe,who is leading the campaign, said the exercise was  targeted at youths in various strategic locations in the area.

    Tagged: “The Sad End of Drug Abuse”, the campaign educated the students of Veritas University Bwari, on the relationship between drug and crime, violence, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

    Read Also: NDLEA impounds 722.469kg of illicit drugs in Cross River

    Addressing the students, Adegbe, said: “Drug abuse will bring lots of health hazards and that students who are drug-dependent will eventually drop out of school, look older than their age, might end up in jail and even become liable to die young.’’

    Over 500 students of the university attended the function.

    The PRO said the team would move the campaign to Jabi Park in the FCT on Saturday to train the Youth Association of the Anglican Church of Wuse Zone 5, on “drug and crime”.

    He said medical personnel would also be on ground to conduct medical tests and give drugs to the youths.

    NAN

  • FCT yam farmers seek storage facilities to boost exportation

    Some yam farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to create storage facilities in area councils to encourage yam exportation.

    The farmers made the call in separate interviews with reporters  in Gwagwalada, saying that if adequate yam storage facilities were established in area councils, it would encourage farmers to participate in yam exportation.

    MrAjidala Zaka, a yam farmer in Paso village, told NAN that the yam farmers had no storage to preserve their produce for a long time.

    “Farmers are forced to sell the yams at giveaway prices whenever they notice any sign of decay in them. Very large number of yams decay and are wasted due to the lack of storage facilities in the area.

    “The agricultural institutes in the country should create yam storage facilities in the FCT so as to promote yam exportation in the area,” he said.

    Mr Noroka Musa, a yam farmer in Kuje Area Council, also said most yam farmers were forced to sell their yams at giveaway prices due to lack of storage facilities.

    He said:“As a yam farmer with large harvests, you are compelled to dispose off your yams on time or you face the risk of massive crop damage due to lack of storage facilities.

    “We have just started harvesting yams and the price is low due to increased supplies in the market. The price will later on increase and those with adequate storage facilities will benefit more at that time,” he said.

    Mr Samuel Kura, another yam farmer in Abaji Area Council, appealed to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to construct yam storage facilities in the area.

    According to him, there is also a need for the ministry to adopt a quality management system in order to improve the quality of yams meant for exportation.

    He stressed that other countries that exported agricultural produce always put in place a quality control system, which was designed to monitor farm produce — from the seed planting stage to the crop harvesting stage — before export.

    “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should take up the challenge and create yam storage facilities in order to encourage yam exportation and boost production,’’ he said.

    It would be recalled  that on June 29, last year,  Nigeria launched the exportation of yams to Europe and the U.S., as part of moves to diversify the economy and earn the much-needed foreign exchange.

     

  • No confirmed case of Lassa fever in Abuja – Director

    No confirmed case of Lassa fever in Abuja – Director

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA ) said it has not yet recorded any case of Lassa fever in the territory. The FCT’s Director of Public Health, Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu made this known in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Friday.
    He dismissed the speculation on the reported case of Lassa fever in Asokoro General Hospital as “false”. Okoroukwu explained that some samples of the suspected cases were taken to Irrua Laboratory in Edo State and the result was negative, while that of another suspected cases admitted in one of the hospitals in FCT was being awaited.
    According to him, the FCTA has deployed its Health Promotion Education Team to sensitise residents in markets, motor parks, schools and streets on the causes and symptoms on Lassa fever for them to take proactive measures against the deadly disease. He said that his department had begun Facility-Based Clinical Sensitisations in hospitals to educate medical personnel and other health workers about Lassa Fever which had been reported in some states across the federation.

    READ ALSO: NESG canvasses reforms to improve access to education, healthcare

    Okoroukwu noted also that the sensitisation was because some doctors had died as a result of the disease outbreak in other states.
    “We have been going from one hospital to the other to sensitise our medical professionals on how they can identify and handle suspected cases.
    “We have Disease Surveillance Structure in communities, wards and area councils, we have sensitized them and they are on red alert,” he said.
    The director stressed that the proactive measures were necessary because of the territory’s proximity with Kogi and Nasarawa states where cases of Lassa fever had been reported.
    Okoroukwu assured the residents that the administration was doing everything possible to prevent Lassa fever outbreak in the FCT.

    NAN

  • FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD ) says it will empower about two million Nigerian youths and women in the first three years of its new initiative, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise ( LIFE ).

    The LIFE Programme Coordinator, Ms Keke Bongos-Ikwue, disclosed this on Tuesday at the commencement of registration of LIFE cooperatives at Ojokoro LCDA in Ifako/Ijaye Local Government, Lagos state.

    Bongos-Ikwue said that the LIFE was an initiative of the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, targeting unemployed or underemployed women and youths.

    “We have been planning this programme for over two years and this is our first outing.

    “The pilot phase of the outing is being replicated in 24 states plus the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) simultaneously by different groups as we speak.

    Read also: Lagos empowers 150 women

    “We want to empower women and youths along the agricultural value chain of high value commodities like ground nut, palm products, wheat, rice, cashew nuts.

    “Also included are commodities like cassava, honey, cocoa, sugarcane, tomato, sesame seed, livestock dairy and aquaculture.

    “The second phase of this programme will cover the whole country within two years.

    “Research has shown that the major cause of insurgency is poverty and idleness; it has led many of the nation’s youth to look outside the country, causing them to become vulnerable and easily manipulated, and eventually some lose their lives.”

    The coordinator said the programme intended to directly empower approximately three million rural youths and women within five years of implementation.

    She added that it would also produce about 14 million metric tons of food in the 9,975 council wards across the 774 local government areas.

    According to her, the programme starts with registration of youths and women as LIFE clusters at the council/ward level to develop LIFE cooperative database.

    The LIFE coordinator said that all geopolitical zones in Nigeria would be visited, adding that the ministry was working with the state governments and local government authorities to achieve its aims.

    Ms Bongos-Ikwue said that the ministry was partnering with state and local governments, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, international partners and other ministries and agencies on the programme.

    The Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Dr Olukayode Oyeleye, said that the programme was a developmental intervention, targeting an often overlooked and ignored group in Nigeria.

    Oyeleye said that the programme was to deal only with family enterprises, which had potential to grow.

    “This initiative is to help those already into small agribusiness to grow, who are constrained by finance or technology.

    “The team from FMARD has been divided into 12 to cover 24 states.

    “We will register the would-be beneficiaries and on the basis of the questionnaire they fill, we will collate and analyse to determine the kind of specific intervention to be given to each intended beneficiary.

    “The support we will grant them include access to finance, affordable agricultural inputs for sustainable production, agro-processing and packaging.

    “A robust marketing system that connects rural food surplus to urban cities will also be put in place for efficient market linkage and access,’’ Oyeleye said.

    Also speaking to the LIFE group in his office, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau commended the initiative but called for caution by the team.

    “We are in the time of politics and you cannot afford to give these would-be beneficiaries money as past experience shows that they can misuse it.

    “Also the age group you are concentrating on, which is 18 years to 35 years, are still majorly students, you have to ensure that your beneficiaries have tangible, visible existing farms or enterprise.

    “You also have to monitor these farmers very well to ensure success of the programme.

    “On our part in the state, we will work with you to verify and identify your beneficiaries.

    “Once again, I want to thank you for including Lagos in the pilot stage of this intervention,’’ the commissioner said.

    NAN

  • FCT Customary Court of Appeal introduces law report

    The Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has inaugurated its maiden law report, containing its decisions on customary disputes through the interpretation of customary laws applicable in the FCT.

    The court unveiled the report last Thursday at a well-attended valedictory court session held in honour of the court’s President, Justice Moses Abu Bello, who retired on attaining the mandatory retirement age.

    Speakers, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN); his FCT counterpart, Muhammed Bello; Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello and Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori hailed the retiring Justice Bello for his contribution to the development of the court.

    Other dignitaries at the event included the Chief Judges of Nasarawa and Kogi states – Suleiman Dikko and Nasiru Ajanah;  Grand Kadi of Kaduna State, Justice Shehu Ahmed, Alex Iziyon (SAN), Israel Olorundare (SAN) and Sunday Ameh (SAN).

    Presenting the law report, the FCT Chief Judge commended the initiative, which he said would help preserve the customary law and serve as a ready reference material for lawyers and researchers on that branch of law.

    He eulogised the court’s retiring president for his contribution to the growth of the court, which now has 44 courts within the FCT and by so doing, assisted it by taking justice closer to the people.

    The FCT CJ noted that the retiring Justice Bello will always be remembered for his development and promotion of the customary court and customary law in the FCT.

    The AGF described the retiring Justice Bello as a distinguished jurist, who has contributed immensely to the development of customary laws in Nigeria.

    Malami said Justice Bello’s dedication to duty and commitment to the growth of his court will serve as inspiration to lawyers and judges alike. Malami described him as a “rare jurist of substance and calibre, recognised by the judiciary and the nation”.

    The FCT Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Christian Ohaa, congratulated Justice Bello for exiting service with his integrity intact, after a deserving service to his fatherland.

    He noted that Justice Bello’s tenure had been an eventful one as he succeeded in weathering the storm and addressed most of the challenges associated with customary laws in the FCT.

    The FCT Minister noted that Justice Bello’s many pronouncements on customary disputes will serve as a ready guide for others, particularly judges and lawyers on issues relating to chieftaincy matters.

    Sani-Omolori, who described Justice Bello as a man who has impacted positively on those around him, said he has discharged himself creditably well as a judicial officer. He prayed God to continue to guide him.

    Justice Moses Bello, who became the court’s pioneer President in 1992, thanked God for the opportunity granted him to serve at that level and his contribution to the court’s growth.

    He said: “I am pleased to state that we now have 44 functional Customary Courts spread across the FCT with state-of-the-art court room facilities.

    “Of particular joy to me is the passage into law, by the National Assembly, of the Customary Court of Appeal of the FCT, Abuja (Jurisdiction on Chieftaincy matters) Act, 2011, which conferred on the FCT Customary Court of Appeal’s original jurisdiction to hear and determine chieftaincy matters in the FCT to the exclusion to any other court.”

     

  • Workers shun offices in Federal Secretariat, FCT

    Workers shun offices in Federal Secretariat, FCT

    Only a few workers resumed duty yesterday at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja after the New Year holiday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that official activities were still at a low ebb due to the poor turnout of workers at their duty posts.

    The Federal Government declared Monday, Dec. 25, Tuesday, Dec. 26 and Monday, Jan. 1 as public holidays for Christmas, Boxing Day and the New Year.

    Commercial activities at the secretariat were equally low, as many traders around the complex had yet to report for business.

    Some of the workers, who spoke with NAN, however, expressed optimism that the country would experience a better turnaround in the New Year.

    Mr Tony Ihuoha, a civil servant said that it was time for Nigerian workers to rededicate themselves to work for greater productivity.

    “If we can work harder to improve on our contributions to national development, Nigeria will be better for it.

    He, however, argued that the low turnout of workers could be because many of them who travelled for the holidays had yet to return.

    At the phase 3 of the secretariat, including the Ministry of Education, some civil servants were seen treating files and attending to people.

    Mrs Dorcas Babatunde, a civil servant, told NAN that the holidays had come and gone and it was necessary for workers to be at their duty posts.

    Babatunde said that though, work had resumed, full activities had yet to pick up in the offices.

    “The year has started on a good note; some workers have resumed work while others are yet to return to office.

    “I believe that by Monday, activities would have taken shape at the secretariat.

    Miss Chinenye Eze, a recharge card seller said that business was dull as many of her customers had not resumed work.

    Eze, who was hopeful that things would get better as soon as many of the workers return, said sales were very low on resumption of work.

    Also Mrs Iyabo Agbaje, a food vendor, said it was a normal thing eon the resumption of work to experience low sales.

    “I have learnt from experience that there would always be a low turnout of workers the first day of work,” she added.

    NAN also reports that the ever busy car park at the Eagles Square was empty, as few vehicles were parked there.

    A car park attendant, Mr Abdul Ilori, described as unimpressive, the resumption of work by civil servants after the New Year holiday.

    Ilori admitted that patronage was also low, blaming the situation on the fact that most civil servants had yet to resume

    There was low turn-out of workers have been recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, after the New New Year holiday.

    The Federal Government had declared Monday, Dec. 25, 2017; Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017; and Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, as public holidays for the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year celebrations to enable Nigerians enjoy Yuletide.

    Workers were expected to resume normal duty after Yuletide holiday.

    However, activities at the Federal Secretariat and various Ministries, Departments and Parastatals (MDAs), Abuja, was low as few workers resumed for duty.

    NAN correspondents who went round the MDAs yesterday reports that the majority of the workers were yet to resume.

    Commercial activities around the secretariat were low as many people who engaged trading were also not present.

    At the Phase 3 of the secretariat, housing the Federal Ministry of Education, civil servants were seen treating files and attending to their schedule of work.

     

  • Petrol still scarce in Edo, Kogi, FCT

    Petrol still scarce in Edo, Kogi, FCT

    The fuel crisis was critical yesterday in Edo State, Kogi State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The queues around petrol stations were long as intending travelers struggled to buy the product. The stations still retained the official pump price.

    Although the situation in NNPC affiliate stations on Kubwa expressway and Olusegun Obasanjo expressway of the capital city recorded shorter queues, black marketers sold petrol for N250 per litre into  jerry cans.

    Our reporter who travelled from Edo State in the early hours of yesterday to Abuja saw a long queue at Danco Petrol in Okpella, Edo State.

    He however bought petrol from Nipco in Okene for N126 per litre.

    The NNPC affiliate stations in Okene that were yet to open to customers already had more than a kilometre long queues waiting for them.

    In Lokoja, the situation was not better along the Abuja-Okene road as some of the queues extended to the highway.

  • Power: NNPC plans 4,600mw plants in FCT, Kaduna, Kano

    Power: NNPC plans 4,600mw plants in FCT, Kaduna, Kano

    Nigerians may soon enjoy better electricity, courtesy of the three plants being planned for three cities by the the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the proposed expansion by a private company in Lagos, reports  AKINOLA AJIBADE

    WITH a plan by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to establish power plants in Kaduna, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), there is hope for improved power supply.

    The NNPC put the megawatts (mw) capacity of the plants at 4, 600.

    If achieved, power generation may rise above 9, 000 megawatts.

    The development came yesterday  on the heels of plans by Egbin Power Plc, near Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, to raise its generation capacity from 1,250mw to 1,800mw.

    According to a report by the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President, power generation figures in the first three weeks of this month were: 5, 156mw, 5, 077mw and 5,103mw.

    In a statement in Abuja by NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu, theoil giant said additional 4, 600mw will be generated through the recently-approved contract for the construction of the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, dubbed the AKK Pipeline.

    According to the statement, the AKK pipeline has started yielding early benefits with the commitment by the corporation to build power-generating plants with combined capacity of 4550 megawatts in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano states.

    The power plant in Abuja is expected to generate 1,350 mw, Kaduna (900mw) and Kano (2,350mw).

    Quoting the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr Maikanti Baru, Ughamadu said the corporation, in partnership with private investors, would build power-generating plants to support Federal Government’s effort to providing stable electricity in the country.

    The statement quoted the GMD as saying: “As part of the drive to establish power plants to augment the power supply to the nation, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has recently approved the AKK Gas Pipeline project to be financed through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

    “The project comes with other auxiliary ones which include: 1,350 megawatts, 900 megawatts and 2,350 megawatts of power generation plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano respectively.”

    It said the NNPC in partnership with private investors would also build fertilizer plants in some parts of the country, one of which would be located at Izzon, Niger State.

    The NNPC spokesman said that in line with the presidential mandate on oil exploration in all the frontier basins, the corporation was well-focused on the exploration in the Bida Basin.

    “We have contracted the geological mapping of the Bida Basin to Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai and the job would be completed in three months,” the statement said.

    Ughamadu said the corporation would go into more detailed seismic data acquisition in the Bida Basin by August 2018, to be followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) exercise.

    He said as part of the corporation’s effort to decongest the highways, the NNPC would encourage private investors to build tanker parking facilities around Minna Depot, Suleja Depot, Tegina, Mokwa, amongst others and charge the users of the facility appropriately.

    The statement said talks were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to re-introduce weight bridges on the highways to checkmate the issue of excessive loading by tankers above the recommended 46, 000 ton gross weight.

    “The NNPC on its part has already directed all its depots nationwide to stop loading tankers with loading capacity above 40, 000litres,” he said.

    In Lagos, the Egbin Egbin Power Plc, spoke of plans to shore up its capacity from 1, 250mw by 550 mw with through the use of modern technologies and renewable energy sources.

    Its Chairman, Chief Kola Adesina, said the decision to achieve the feat was part of the Phase II of the project, initiated and contained in the maiden sustainability report of Egbin in 2015.

    The report had “Securing the Future” as its theme. It contained the highlights of the efforts of made by the company to ensure a satisfactory management of its assets, operations and relationships and to achieve growth.

    According to Adesina, the report has helped the firm in putting in entrenching solid structures towards becoming the biggest thermal plant in the sub-region.

    He said: “Sahara Group (owners of Egbin Power Company), has in conjunction with Korea Energy Limited, acquired majority shareholding in order to complete Egbin’s privatisation in 2013. Following its privatisation, Egbin has invested in human, capital and infrastructure upgrade to enhance efficiency.

    “This is evident in its planned investments in additional gas pipelines, the proposed Floating Storage & Regasification Unit (FSRU) project, Egbin Phase II project with an estimated capacity of between 1,350mw and 1800mw, using modern technologies as well as the deployment of renewable energy sources to boost the Plant’s productivity.”

    According to him, Egbin Power Plc, has collaborated with other stakeholders, with a view to drive the adoption of a strategic direction that would reposition the sector for optimized performance.

    The chairman said the company was leveraging on the recently declared eligible customer regime and mini grid regulations to advance system stability and improved service delivery.

    He said the plan would enable power sector operators establish various resolution mechanisms to deal with critical challenges within the system to increase generation capacity.

  • Lagos, FCT get 470 trucks of petrol

    Lagos, FCT get 470 trucks of petrol

    The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has increased the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to cities, with Abuja getting additional 100 trucks and Lagos 300, it was learnt.

    NNPC assured Nigerians that it has enough products to last 21 days, almost 750 million litres.

    The PMS stock is boosted by supplies from Port Harcourt Refinery and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.

    Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, spoke in a statement yesterday: “With the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) calling off its warning strike, NNPC wishes to assure motorists that normalcy would soon be restored.

    “NNPC enjoins motorists and other consumers to desist from panic-buying, and warned marketers not to hoard as defaulters would be prosecuted.”

  • Police: adequate security in place for PDP convention

    Police: adequate security in place for PDP convention

    The Police Command in the FCT has warned that it would not tolerate any acts that would cause trouble at Saturday’s convention of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) scheduled to hold in Abuja.

    The Spokesman of the Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, gave the warning in an interview in Abuja.

    Manzah said the command had made adequate security arrangement for the convention.

    He said police personnel had been adequately briefed to effectively carry out their duties during the event.

    “The officers deployed have been briefed to effectively carry out their duties at the convention,” he said.

     PDP is holding the convention to elect its national officers.

    Read also: PDP convention: Jittery Atiku runs to IBB

    NAN