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Tag: Gombe State

  • Gombe adopts proactive measures against Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM)

    The Gombe State Government says it has adopted proactive measures against the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM).

    Dr Kennedy Ishaya, the state Commissioner for Health, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Friday shortly after meeting with the state committee on Epidemic Rapid Response on health issues.

    Kennedy said the one of the measures introduced by the government was the vaccination of one to six year olds before the commencement of each rainy season. He said government would focus on that particular age group because they are the most vulnerable whenever an outbreak of disease occurred.

    The commissioner noted that with the rainy season fast approaching, there was usually CSM and other communicable disease outbreak.

    “Although we have not recorded any CSM case in Gombe state but we want to take precautions to curtail the problem in case it happens.

    “We have been receiving unconfirmed cases of CSM sporadically but they were treated even before their sample was taken for test.

    “Gombe people travel daily to the North West where cases of CSM were reported.

    “There are the likelihood of importing the case to Gombe hence the need to take preventive measures,” he said.

    “We want to make arrangements of adequate drugs ahead of time, we do not want fire brigade approach,” Kennedy said.

    The commissioner also said the state was considering the possibility of establishing a laboratory in Gombe, instead of taking samples to Lagos.

    He said the meeting focused on four health issues threatening human lives; namely, CSM, measles, Lassa fever and Polio.

    Kennedy advised residents against killing of cats “because they are a natural predator of rats”.

    “Stop killing cats, they are natural predator of rats, and we are all aware that rats cause Lassa fever,” he said.

    He added that the state government has secured about 200 ampoules of Lassa fever drugs in case of outbreak.

     

  • Gombe’s first speaker dies at 75

    The first Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammad-Kwadon, is dead.

    He died on Saturday at the age of 75.

    Alhaji Habu Abdu, a son of the deceased, confirmed this to journalists in Kwadon, Yamaltu-Deba local government area of the state on Saturday.

    He said the ex-speaker has been buried according to Islamic rites.

    He is survived by four wives, 30 children and many grandchildren.

    The deceased was a teacher, administrator at the Local Government Service Commission and manager at Ashaka Cement Company.

    He later ventured into politics and was elected the first speaker of Gombe House of Assembly in 1999.

    NAN

  • Islamic group urges Muslims to embrace farming, shun begging for alms

    Sheikh Abdullahi Balaau, National Chairman, Jama’atu Izalatu Bidi’a Wa’iqamati Sunna (JIBWIS), on Monday called on Muslims to embrace farming to earn a living and shun begging for alms.

    Bala-lau made in Gombe when spoke to journalists about his visit to Gombe State.

    He said that the executive officers of the group were touring the state, as part of their efforts to sensitise Muslims to the need to be self-reliant by engaging in farming, as advocated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said that his advice to the Muslim faithful would aid efforts to boost their income and living standards in particular as well as the country’s food security in general.

    Bala-lau said that if the people took to the proposition, it would also reduce the rate of beggars in the society.

    He said that visit would also enable JIBWIS leaders to interact with members of the group across the country.

    He, however, said that the organisation had instituted a committee to look into ways of empowering members with start-up capital to enable them to set up farming businesses.

    Bala-lau urged the citizens to continue to pray for peace in the country and good health for Buhari to enable him to succeed in his nation-building efforts.

  • Pray for Buhari’s safe return, Yahaya urges Nigerians

    Pray for Buhari’s safe return, Yahaya urges Nigerians

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Gombe State and the party’s governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya has urged Nigerians not to relent in praying for the safe return of President Mohammadu Buhari from United Kingdom.

    Yahaya who led thousands of Gombe residents to offer prayers to God on behalf of the president during a special prayer session in the state also described prayers as key to success in every human endeavor, regardless of their faiths.

    He said fervent prayers of Nigerians for their leaders at a time like this were strong indications of their patriotism and sincerity of purpose in helping to take the nation to the promise land.

    “President Buhari in the last twenty months at the saddle as president has demonstrated purposeful leadership, hence the need to offer prayers for his wellbeing and that of the nation as a whole.

    “It is our fervent prayer in Gombe for President Mohammadu Buhari’s good health and safe return to Nigeria to continue with his good work for the country.

    “We also hopefully prayed that the president will be steadfast in taking decisions that will better the lives of the downtrodden in our society,” said Yahaya during the event organized by a non-overnmental organization, Community for Peace and Corruption free Society.

    Engr. Ahmed Zakari Nguroje, convener of the event and National Chairman of the Community for Peace and Corrupt free Society, Nigeria said the idea of the special joint prayer session was conceived out of national interest and the patriotic zeal of his group.

    Notable among those who offered prayers for the president were top politicians and traditional rulers led by the Emir of Gombe Dr Abubakar Shehu III represented by Alhaji Lamido Abubakar (Durbin Gombe)

  • Gov Dankwambo gives Gombe a face list

    Gov Dankwambo gives Gombe a face list

    The Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has been commended for the several good works across the state, especially in the area of road constructions.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary, Gombe People’s Congress, Aliyu Mohammed.

    Representing the Chairman, Gombe People’s Congress, Aminu Abubakar, the statement reads: “On behalf of the entire Leadership of the Gombe People’s Congress and the entire people of Gombe State, We commend the service and developmental strides of His Excellency, the executive Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo for his outstanding achievements in road infrastructure and maintenance since his swearing into office on the 29th of May, 2011.Gombe 3
    “We commemorate His Excellency for his landmark records in road construction in every part of Gombe state. This has largely eased road transportation in the state, increased business transactions by businessmen across the state and greatly reduced the number of road accidents in the state.
    A summary of Governor’s milestone achievements in road infrastructure is listed.
    1- Gombe township road
    2 – Kumi township road
    3 – Biliri township road
    Gombe 4“Within the Gombe City metropolis alone, 87 roads too including 6 dual carriageways have been constructed.
    4 – Over 300kms cumulative length of asphalted roads in the state.
    5 – Over 400kms cumulative length of surface-dressed roads, 53kms cumulative length of walkways with an additional 280kms nearing completion.Gombe 2
    6 – 51Kms of roads have been provided with street lights to light up the city.
    7 – Several bridges scattered across different towns and villages including the six-span Kuri bridge to connect communities that were previously cut off.
    A total estimate distance of roads constructed by his excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo stands at over 3000kms and this is why we have declared his excellency as the best Governor in northern Nigeria.Gombe 1
    “The Gombe People’s Congress will continue to support the administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo who has been the best Governor of Gombe State since the creation of the state in 1996.
    “As a people, Governor has made us very proud to be natives of Gombe State, our Jewel in the Savannah.”

     

  • NCNM grants full accreditation to School of Nursing, Gombe

    Gombe state College of Nursing and Midwifery had been granted full accreditation by the National Council of Nurses and Midwives (NCNM), State Commissioner of Health. Dr Kennedy Ishaya, disclosed this in Gombe on Friday.

    He said that the feat was attained after about 10 years of struggle to meet stipulated requirements.

    “We have never had it like this since the establishment of the school over 10 years now.

    “The first experience, they (NCNM) gave us things that we were expected to meet and they allowed us to admit only 30 in each class.

    “This time around, we met almost all the requirements; we are now permitted to admit 50 in each class and this is a great achievement.

    “With this development, shortage of manpower in the health sector will be a thing of the past,” he said.

    According to him, the institution is now a ‘College of Nursing’ and no longer ‘School of Nursing’ and will start awarding degree equivalent.

    “We are now looking for a university to affiliate to so that the degree will be coming from the university,” he said.

    The commissioner also said that maternal child health records of the state had been diluted following the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    “Initially, we had a very good record but with the influx of IDPs, our statistics has been diluted.

    “Most of the people coming have never attended antenatal clinics; some never took their children for immunization.

    “We are now fully back on mop-up immunization, advertising on media and asking pregnant women to come and access antenatal and post-natal services free of charge.

    “We have also designed an itinerary and will be going from house-to-house to give the best we can for nursing mothers and their babies” he said.

  • Decline in maize yield, due to inadequate extension workers – Gombe

    Decline in maize yield, due to inadequate extension workers – Gombe

    The decline in maize yield in recent times, in Gombe state, has been attributed to inadequate extension workers.

    This statement was made by Mr Sunday Lah, the Director of Agric Extension Service, Gombe State Agricultural Development Program (GADP) in Gombe on Friday that inadequate extension workers in Gombe had reduced maize yield from the estimated 500,000 metric tonnes to 300,000 metric tonnes.

    He said one extension worker was supposed to serve 800 farmers by global standards, adding that only one was serving 4,000 farmers in Gombe.

    “We have less than 100 extension workers in the state because since the creation of Gombe state in 1996, extension workers were not recruited,’’ he said.

    He said Gombe State Government needed to recruit 2,000 extension workers.

    “But with the current economic situation, even 300 will serve the purpose to some extent, ” he said.

    “Farmers are equally ignorant of the problem; they do not know where to go and whom to contact,’’ he said.

    According to him, the stembora pest has also affected maize, particularly in the southern area of the state.

    “The stembora also affected guinea corn and millet, but maize was largely affected. This is because maize does not stand the stress,’’ he said.

    Lah, who described the problem as minor, said chemicals and spray would have solved the problem.

  • Promise James, Yarhere join El Kanemi

    Promise James, Yarhere join El Kanemi

    El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri have secured the services of Kano Pilllars defender Promise James and Warri Wolves striker Efe Yarhere, SportingLife understands.
    The club’s media officer, Anthony Obaseki said James and Nyarere’s experiences in the league attracted the Borno Armies interest to bring the duo to Maiduguri for the next soccer season.
    It is understood that the pair have reported at the team’s training camp in Maiduguri.
    “Nyarere and James are few of the players that have shown interest to play for us this season. The technical crew look at their experience before invited them and the club have started process of signing them. They are with us now and training with the rest of the squad,” Obaseki said.
    Obaseki also disclosed that both players and officials of the club will move to Yobe State next week for pre-season camping.
    “We wanted to camp in Gombe State but we changed our mind because Gombe will host NNL Super Four. So the team will travel to Yobe next week for our pre-season preparation,” he said.

  • Robbery suspects kill lecturer, one other in Gombe

    Robbery suspects kill lecturer, one other in Gombe

    The Police Command in Gombe State has confirmed that a gang of armed robbery suspects killed a lecturer and a Cameroonian at Kashere junction on the Gombe-Kumo Road.

    This is contained in a statement issued by DSP Ahmed Usman, the command spokesman, in Gombe on Monday.

    The statement stated that the incident occurred at about 11:45p.m., on Sunday night.

    It named the lecturer as Malam Sulaiman Umar of the Department of Arabic Studies, Federal University, Kashere and the Cameroonian as Malam Zainab Mahmuda without giving further details.

    The statement stated that the suspected robbers were about eight in number, adding that investigation into the incident had commenced.

     

  • Crisis mars Gombe PDP ward congress

    Crisis mars Gombe PDP ward congress

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Congress in Gombe state ended inconclusive following the crisis that engulfed the exercise in Billiri local government area of the state.

    As a result, election that was initially scheduled for Saturday could not hold in four out of the ten wards in the local government three days later (Tuesday).

    Reacting to the situation, Rambi Ibrahim Ayala of Billiri East constituency said it is so disheartening; so regrettable that party leaders in the state were responsible for the action.

    He said the crisis was a result of interests by some members who have insisted that the party guidelines for the congress, which is consensus be set aside for election.

    “It is so disheartening; it is so regrettable that our party leaders in this state brought us to this particular sorry stage. The party gave a directive for the Wards Congress which was actually done on Saturday.

    “To our greatest dismay, some few individuals are the ones championing the course,” he said.

    Honourable Kardi Tulfugut of Billiri West, Gombe House of Assembly said it was a mystery that elections were not conducted.

    “I can’t tell what the delay is, but our people have been on ground since 8:00 O’clock

    To the best of my knowledge, the delay is deliberate

    Encourage the people to be patient, stay to the end and know exactly what is going to happen.

    The PDP has a laid down guidelines for this exercise. The stakeholders met and did exactly what the National headquarters wanted. But just a few people’s action resulted to this election

    Dr. Jacob Audu, Secretary for PDP Congress Committee for Gombe said he could not go rounds all the wards because he was assigned to just one but had received pockets of reports from other wards.

    “There are some interests. Some people want consensus; some want elections because they have their interests. Has been talking to them since Friday to have consensus bet some people felt they have some interests,” he added.

    The Ward congress was successfully held in the remaining ten local governments of the state and six Wards in Billiri, leaving Tanglang, Baganje North, Banganje South and Tudu Wards of Billiri LG.