The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Capital Territory

  • 40 schools to participate in 2017 Schools Debate League

    No fewer than 40 primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be participating in the 2017 School Debate League, says Mr. Barrow Omagbitse, Founder, Life Skill Experts.

    Omagbitse, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the debate would involve both primary and secondary schools within the territory.

    He said that the group had earlier approached the authorities of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for approval of the schools in the competition and support had been granted accordingly.

    Omagbitse said that the debate would create consciousness in the heart of pupils on the happenings in their communities.

    He noted that the debate would help introduce to the pupils and schools administration some basic learning resources as well as share in the philosophy of a life skill education.

    According to him, the success of a child is depended on the ability to combine both the emotional intelligence or life skills and intelligence quotient.

    “For individuals to achieve sustainable success, they need a combination of academic skills and life skills that is the combination of intelligence quotient and emotional intelligence.

    “Social scientists have argued that as a component of success, emotional intelligence accounts for 85 per cent while intelligence quotient accounts for 15 per cent.

    “This means that the major thrust of our efforts to educate our children should be focused on emotional and life skills that create this form of intelligence.

    “Unfortunately, our school programmes in this part of the world focus almost exclusively on the 15 per cent intelligence quotient.

    “And it is therefore no surprise that we create graduates and school leavers who do not possess the basic skills for value-based leadership, personal effectiveness, creativity and innovation,’’ he said.

    Omagbitse, however, called on school administrations to pay more attention to this so that the children would not grow up with the significant deficit in the particular areas that actually mattered to their success.

    He said that efforts had also been made to develop books and resources in life skill areas.

    “We have also intervened in the academic arena to fill the 15 per cent space by developing an eight-hour long video in mathematics for upper primary school.

    “We also developed a quick reference guild on Nigerian history, civic and current affairs for upper primary schools too,’’ he added.

    Omagbitse said that this would greatly benefit the children in learning experiences that task them to think about real life issues and challenges.

    The schools slate for the debate include LEA Primary School, Galadimawa, Gwarinpa 1 and 2, Area 1, Jabi, Aleyita, Jikwoyi 1and 2, Jahi and Titsal Global School.

    Others include Lead British International School, Model Science Primary School, Garki, Raberto Nursery and Primary School Wuse, Ladela Nursery and Primary School, Creative Learning International School and Greenice International School.

     

  • Negotiations ongoing to free more chibok girls -Minister

    Negotiations ongoing to free more chibok girls -Minister

    The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan Thursday said negotiations is going on to exchange the remaining chibok girls with Boko Haram detainees.

    Alhassan who spoke with newsmen in Abuja on the present state of the recently released 82 girls said they are currently undergoing rehabilitation and reintegration processes in various medical facilities across the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

    “Negotiations are ongoing to exchange the remaining girls with Boko Haram detainees we can’t afford to keep them any longer,” she said.

    The Minister who condemned insinuations that the Federal Government is shielding the parents and the media from having access to the girls said there is the need for the girls to be taken through some process to relieve the trauma they passed through while in captivity.

    “Most of them were having nightmares some days after they were released, we need to keep them away from the media for some time to avoid some questions that they might be asking them, we are not keeping nor hiding them”

    “We are not shielding the girls from their parents, the parents of the recently released 82 girls have already been contacted and they will be in Abuja any moment from now, most of them live in villages very far from Borno town, so it will take some time before they can get to Abuja”

    On the other 21 girls released before now, the Minister said they will be returning back to school in September alongside the recently released ones.

    “The 21 girls initially said they won’t like to go back to school in chibok but after the various rehabilitation and reintegration process they have gone through, they are now set to return to school in September, they are now fit and eager to go back to school”

    “The girls have gone through a lot of reintegration process that will make them fit to return to school, they are now medically fit, they have gone through various vocational skills including ICT training, their parents are always in touch in them

    “I always take them to movies and parks during weekend, they are now fit to return home but we must ensure that they forget all the traumatic experience they passed through while in the Bush before they can go back to Chibok,” she said

     

  • Sokoto to ensure sustainable development

    Sokoto to ensure sustainable development

    The Sokoto State Government says it is committed to ensure a sustainable development of the urban and rural areas of the state.

    Aminu Tambuwal said this at a two-day stakeholders sensitisation workshop in the mining sector for the North West geo-political zone on Wednesday in Sokoto.

    Tambuwal, represented by Prof. Bashir Garba, Secretary to the State Government, said ” before the development of oil, we have been getting all resources from coal which is also a solid mineral”.

    “We tend to have abandoned the huge deposit of coal since the discovery of oil in the country; there are countries which still rely on solid minerals for their survival e.g Copper in Tunisia.

    “Solid minerals have been in utilisation than petrol; in other words, all states in the country should try and discover their own solid mineral.”

    The governor assured that the solid mineral developmental fund would support the stakeholders it it was well utilised.

    Hajia Hadiza Goni, Acting Secretary, Solid Minerals Development Fund, said that the development of the mining sector had been one of the key change priorities of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for economic diversification and growth.

    Goni explained that before the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in Nigeria, mining sector was the mainstay of the economy and one of the major sources of revenue generation.

    She said “unfortunately, in approximately 45 years decline of the country’s mining sector, we have been unable to articulate a framework upon which the sector would viably stand and operate.

    “As such, we have missed out on various opportunities to capitalise on the up-surging of commodity process.”

    Goni said that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had identified 45 different solid mineral types across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

  • ‘Communities in FCT still reject twins’

    A non-governmental organisation, Divine Inheritage Home, Kiyi, Kuje, Abuja, says it has received increased cases of rejected twins and triplets in the community in recent times.

    The management of the home has therefore pleaded with Nigerians to show concern for such babies, noting that they ought not to attach myths to their births.

    Dr Chinwe Steven, the founder of the home, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) when Latiwa Development Foundation, also a non-governmental organisation, inaugurated girls’ empowerment programme in Kuje on Monday.

    According to her, some communities in Nigeria still engage in viewing twins and triplets as mysterious babies, believing that they are evils and gods that should be put away from communities.

    She, however, commended the efforts of missionaries who she said had checked this belief drastically in Nigerian communities.

    The children we have here are not complete orphans, some have one parent and others both parents, we are saving twins in Bassa Komo community in Abuja where they believe twins are not human beings.

    “They believe they are evil and gods; and immediately their mothers give birth to them, they stop breastfeeding them, resulting in the deaths of some of them.

    “They believe by the deaths of such babies, including the albinos, they will have good harvest in their farms.

    “But the home is trying to orient the people in the communities, especially their mothers that the children are gifts from God and not gods.

    She called on Nigerians to support the home in the areas of their healthcare, education and empowerment to make them useful in the society.

    She said that the National Orientation Agency should also create awareness and enlighten those in Bassa Komo, Gbagyi Yama and Ganagana communities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Earlier, Latty Allara, the Founder of Latiwa Development Foundation, said that they were embarking on training of the children in various fields to make them useful.

    She said that the foundation was focusing on improving the lives of orphans, physically challenges and the less fortunate in the society, providing access to education, healthcare and rehabilitation, among others.

    Allara said as part of the foundation’s contribution to the society, it would build accommodation for the nannies in Divine Inheritage Home, renovate the building and train the children in fashion design.

  • FCT Minister urges residents to spread messages of love, sacrifice at Easter

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has urged residents to spread the messages  of love, sacrifice, tolerance and peaceful co-existence as demonstrated by Jesus Christ in his life time.

    Bello made the call in goodwill message to Christians to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday celebration in Abuja on Thursday.

    He advised the residents, particularly Christians to use the period of  Easter  for sober reflection and strive  to emulate the exemplary life of  Christ for the good all.

    “Christ has demonstrated his love for humanity by sacrificing his life for the sins of others’’, he said.

    The minister also appealed to all residents to continue to be their brothers’ keepers, irrespective of their religious beliefs, saying that “the best in the sight of God is the most pious.’’

    He expressed delight at witnessing yet another occasion when  Christians in the territory join their counterparts  in the other parts of the World to commemorate the auspicious day in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.

    Bello assured them that the FCT Administration in collaboration with the security agencies is more than ever determined to protect their  lives and property.

    He, therefore,  congratulated all  residents of the FCT as the World celebrates Easter, which marks the crucifixion and resurrection of  Jesus Christ. (

     

  • FCT Minister solicits investments in waste management, Abuja rail

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has called for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in waste management in the territory.

    Bello made the call when he received a delegation of non-career Nigeria Ambassadors-designate who visited him in Abuja on Thursday.

    According to him, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), provides one of the best economic opportunities for big businesses and the waste management sub-sector has enormous potential to be harnessed.

    The minister advised the ambassadors-designate to always promote and project the various investment opportunities in Nigeria, especially the huge business prospects in waste management in the FCT, to their host countries.

    Bello said the presence of good infrastructure as well as the relative peace and security in the territory combined with its massive population, will surely make Abuja a preferred destination for investors to do business and reap huge benefits.

    “One area that we want you to consider as you discuss Abuja with your host nations is the waste management.

    “For those of you that are in Europe, we understand there is a lot of funding for green projects of such nature; these are areas that we are very much interested in.

    “Apart from its huge population and location advantages, the territory is well connected to Europe, West, East and South African countries through a number of air carriers that fly in and out of Abuja daily”, he said.

    The minister said although Lots 3 and 1A of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit were well funded by the Chinese EXIM Bank, opportunities still existed in the Lots 2, 4, 5and 6 of the ongoing rail system projects.

    “We have what we call the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System which is under construction on the basis of six Lots.

    “Already, Lots 1A and 3 are being funded by the Chinese EXIM Bank and hopefully that would be completed by the first quarter of 2018.

    “But there is opportunity for investment in Lots 2, 4, 5 and 6. So, these are some of the areas that when you get fully settled, we may be able to communicate with you on some of these issues”, he said.

    Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, leader of the delegation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the visit was to introduce the ambassadors-designate to the minister.

    He said the visit was also to find out some of the economic and investment potential and opportunities in the FCT.

    Enikanolaiye said FCT Administration could furnish the new envoys with necessary information on government’s priority projects, particularly those in the FCT, to enable them to promote such projects.

  • Apo six: Court sentences two policemen to death

    Apo six: Court sentences two policemen to death

    An FCT High Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced two policemen to death and discharged three others over the killing of six traders in Apo, Federal Capital Territory, in 2005.

    Those condemned to death are Emmanuel Baba and Ezekiel Acheneje, while Danjuma Ibrahim, Nicholas Zakariah and Sadiq Salami were discharged.

    The five were among six arraigned over the killing of the traders on June 7, 2005 on suspicion that they were armed robbers.

    The sixth person on the charge sheet, Othman Abdulsalam, who was the Divisional Police Officer in Apo, is currently on the run.

    They were charged with culpable homicide for the killing of Ifeanyi Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwodike and Augustina Arebun.

    The judge, Justice Ishaq Bello held that the prosecution established evidence beyond reasonable doubt to the guilt of the 4th and 5th defendants.

    He held that admission of the commission of the crime by both 4th and the 5th defendants were unequivocal “And I am convinced by the facts coupled with the now notorious extra judicial killing of innocent people by some members of the Nigeria Police, to condemn the inability of the members of the Nigerian Police Force to realise that the foundation of the police institution is perseveration of life and properties.

    “The instance of extra judicial killing by Nigerian Police Force is one too many; the defendants did not only fail in their duty as policemen to protect the people but have no regards for their lives,“ he held.

    He held that they were not only overzealous but reckless in their action,“No one can hide under the order of a superior officer to commit a crime, the 4th and 5th defendants are sentenced to death under Section 221 (a) of the Penal Code.“

    Bello held that there was nothing in form of an evidence to adduce that the girl and the boys did anything that constituted any threat to the defendants.

    The judge said that the 4th and 5th defendants admitted killing the girl and described the action as “a case of impunity of the highest order.’’

    He held that the prosecution did not adduce enough evidence against Danjuma Ibrahim, Othman Abdulsalami (at large), Nicholas Zakaria, and Sadiq Salami to warrant their conviction.

     

  • Cashew nuts on high demand in FCT markets

    The demand for cashew nuts by traders in some markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has drastically increased during market days in the recent time.

    A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in the FCT, revealed that cashew was fast selling more than any other farm produce in the markets.

    Recently on market days, once traders noticed a truck approaching with loaded sacks of cashew nuts, they quickly rushed and started negotiations before the vehicle stopped.

    Mr. Usman Musa, a trader of cashew nuts at Abaji Market told NAN that the business was profitable as the nuts were being exported.

    “A measure of cashew nuts which was formerly sold between N300 and N400, is now being sold for between N800 and N900 because of the high demand.

    “We were told that some countries are using the nuts to produce chemicals while others are using it for clinical substances.

    “Cashew nuts business is more profitable these days than some other farm produce because of its high demand for export,’’ Musa said.

    Mr Collins Obi, a business man in Kwali Market described the recent demand for cashew nuts as a breakthrough for business to thrive.

    He said the nuts often known as “the poor man’s plantation is now sold at high prices and it is used to make mouth-watering and rich curries’’.

    “Both cashew nuts and the fruit have multiple uses in the society and can also be roasted and eaten dry.

    “The nuts are rich in copper, zinc, magnesium, iron and phosphorous which are good in preventing heart diseases.’’

    In Kuje Market, the situation was not different as farmers from neighbouring villages brought sacks loaded with cashew nuts to large scale buyers of the produce.

    The National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) says cashew nuts have a lot of health benefits.

    Studies consistently show that the nut intake has a cholesterol-lowering effect, prevents oxidative stress, inflammation, vascular reactivity and heart diseases. (NAN)

  • FCT Minister: Give education priority

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, has underscored the need to give the education sector priority and to harness all energies to develop it.

    Bello said this at the closing ceremony of the 2nd Level Workshop for Teachers of the proposed Nigeria-Korea Model School, Abuja, on Thursday.

    Represented by Dr Adamu Noma, the Director, FCT UBEC Board, Bello noted that education is the best legacy the present administration could leave for the next generation of Nigerian leaders.

    “Our present economic challenges have shown very clearly that natural resources are subject to all kinds of variables that are sometimes beyond our control.

    “Human resources on the other hand, does not diminish. We, therefore, must refocus our energies to developing this vital sector.’’

    Bello said that the FCT administration was working hard to ensure that all education systems in the territory operate on the same page of innovation, creativity and discipline.

    He noted that the workshop for teachers of the proposed school was of the highest standard both in Nigeria and in South Korea.

    The minister urged the education secretariat to harness the knowledge garnered to improve teachers who were not privileged to participate in the training.

    “You can organise a series of train-the-trainers programmes to ensure that as many teachers as possible benefit from what you are learning from this series of workshops.’’

    He urged the teachers and education administrators to remain committed to their calling as teachers.

    “Nothing can be more rewarding and fulfilling than the Knowledge that you are indeed the building blocks of our nation’s future.’’

    Bello pledged the continued support of the FCT administration to the completion of the school and thanked the people and government of the Republic of Korea for the project.

    In her address of welcome, Mrs Rosemary Umana, the Director, Department of Science and Technology, Education Secretariat, FCT, said the secretariat was fully committed to the completion of the project.

    Umana pledged that the secretariat would make the best use of the opportunities the establishment of the school in the FCT would provide.

    She thanked the six professors from Korea, who were resource persons, and said she hoped they would return home with fond memories of Nigeria, especially the FCT.

    In his remark, Mr David Gyaube, the Head Teacher, Primary Section of the proposed school, said that he and all the teachers had learnt so much from the training and were going to practicalise them.

    “We are going to begin to practicalise what we have learnt in our present schools so that our colleagues will be in tune with more developed ways of teaching.’’

    Gyaube urged the FCT administration to give full priority to the completion of the school as it was designed to serve as a model school to others in the country.

    The 10-day workshop organised by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), had 72 teachers and six school administrators in attendance.

    KOICA, a government-owned agency responsible for grants and technical programmes for development partners, started operations in Nigeria in 2008 at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

    The construction of the Nigerian–Korean Model School estimated to cost 15 million dollars and located on Abuja Airport Road, is ongoing.

    Awards and gifts were presented to the top three outstanding teachers both in the primary and secondary school categories.

     

  • 36 in Psychiatric hospital for beating traffic

    Thirty six drivers in Abuja have been subjected to psychiatric evaluation for beating traffic lights in the Federal Capital Territory.

    All the drivers that where conveyed to the hospital in ambulances were made to undergo psychiatric test, with doctors certifying their level of fitness.

    Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary FCT, Muhammad Sule made this known in a press statement, he stated.

    “The FCT Police Command in collaboration with officers of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services have so far arrested 36 motorists for beating traffic lights in the Federal Capital Territory and have been subjected them to psychiatric evaluation at the Karu Psychiatric Hospital.

    “This is sequel to the directive of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, for the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command to arrest any motorist that beats traffic lights in the Federal Capital Territory and be taken to psychiatric hospital for immediate test.

    “All the motorists so far arrested and conveyed in ambulances to the hospital have undergone psychiatric tests at the hospital but were certified by the doctor to be medically fit.

    “Those arrested have been made to face the consequences of their actions as they have been made to pay fine to serve as a deterrent after bearing the cost of the psychiatric test.

    “Meanwhile, the culprits have also been made to attend a compulsory three-day lecture at the headquarters of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services on the importance of complying with traffics signs and road markings.

    “The exercise that commenced about 5 days ago (5/10/16) by the Police on the directive of the Minister is a continuous one as it has entered week two.

    “It would be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force recently deployed very senior officers within the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police and Inspectors to man the speed bikes to ensure high level of discipline from them to curb impunity and work in disciplined, efficient and effective manner.”