The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOMBE

  • Dankwambo’s impact in Gombe

    Dankwambo’s impact in Gombe

    Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the moderate state of Gombe has demonstrated the immeasurable role of education in the political and economic life of a people or nation. His three points agenda: education,  education and education signposted his worldview in modern governments as the precursor of positive governance.

    The governor’s inclusive construction of over 45 model schools in all the local government areas of the state in conformity to international standards; expansion programme in the tertiary institutions with the purchase of equipment for the College of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science; multi-billion naira building of hostels, classrooms, libraries and laboratories in the School of Remedial Studies at Kumo, are ready testaments of his commitment to the three points agenda.

    The ongoing establishment of several top flight educational institutions like the Gombe State University of Science and Technology, Gombe State College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Gombe State College of Accountancy, Gombe State Institute of Journalism and Gombe State Institute of

    Sports Development perfectly mirrors what to expect from the desert state of Gombe in the near future. The good news is that the governor has been spending N10 billion, more than the 4% UNESCO recommendation for educational sector in annual budget, to arrest the decay in the educational system. This is more so because those recruited into the Boko Haram terrorist group are basically and evidently illiterates, who are brainwashed and radicalized to hate fellow human being for baseless religious reasons.

    Dankwambo’s favorable educational policy  paid off in his first four years bountifully with the establishment of several prestigious tertiary institutions including the Gombe State College of Islamic studies, the Gombe State Polytechnic and the Gombe State College of Education amongst other purpose driven institutions that have provided admission at very low cost to tens of thousands of Gombe State students as well as students from other parts of the country.

    Governor Dankwambo loudly ventilated my position about history and education as the ultimate enhancers of human development. Elsewhere in the rocky Interlaken, Switzerland caverns have been turned into shinning marbles and desert into flourishing glamorous cities in Dubai! These are products of education and philosophy.

    The state earlier known for its unremitting poverty, backwardness and aridity has surgically undergone genuine transformation in the last six years under the stewardship of Dr. Dankwambo, a preeminent PhD holder in accounting in the political life of the nation who, in the past functioned as Accountant-General of the state and the Federation at different times. It would be appropriate to argue that Dr. Dankwambo’s brilliant academy exploit puts him head and shoulder above most of his peers in a country where the first eleven are hardly given a chance to serve.

    During his tenure as Accountant-General of the Federation as well as Gombe State, Dr. Dankwambo introduced landmark programmes towards ensuring accountability, transparency and probity. These included massive reorganisation of the

    Accountant-General’s office to make it more focused, pragmatic and professionally suitable for efficient service delivery. He also commenced the computerisation of the federal government account. Among several others, he also put in place standardisation of accounts of federal, state and local governments in Nigeria while ensuring that all government revenues were captured into the treasury and properly  accounted for.

    Imbued powerfully by world class orientation in governance, his undoubted empathy for the socially displaced and positivity, Dr. Dankwambo needs no prodding for him to appreciate the enormous task office of the governor placed on him to redeem the long suffering people of Gombe. His commitment to the attainment of crucial aspects of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the United Nations (UN); his identification of manpower development as the basic resources for the actualisation of such initiatives has succinctly led to his understanding of the “undeniable potentials of indigenous artisanship to societal and national development.

    His decision to nurture qualitative and quantitative education, the production of quality and adequate manpower for housing construction, automobile repair, steel work, renovation and fabrication works of various shades which currently pose a major challenge to individual citizen, urban managers and development partners across the country has not been equalled by any other state governor.

    Interestingly, the governor has activated the Gombe State Investment Company from obscurity into one of the most formidable profit-oriented agencies among all the parastatals within the state’s public service, with a capital value of over N4 billion. An advocate of wealth creation with pro-poor initiative, his job creation efforts and  wealth creation programme has increased activities in agro-allied and solid minerals sector. Additional increase of N3 billion to an earlier N1 billion partnership deal with the Bank of Industry (BOI), has been disbursed to cooperative groups as soft loans to hundreds of thousands beneficiaries for the establishment of small-scale processing industries. As a result, 12, 000 jobs were created by the 133 Cooperative Societies. This was done with gender consideration.

    In addition to that, precisely 755 trainees in various skill acquisition programme have successfully completed their courses and now self-employed. Gombe state currently stands out as a model on the roll call of 17 states under the BOI partnership programme. As a matter of fact, Gombe market is now saturated with products and brands of various dimensions.

    It’s on record that Dr. Dankwambo’s administration singularly completed the construction of the 54km Kanawa-Kuri-Jorogutel road with some connecting access roads linking all the most agricultural fertile parts of the state. This road is on the priority list of the Dankwambo-led administration in spite of its identification as a federal road, with a total cost N6.8 billion.

    Early life of his government Dr. Dankwambo unveiled 200 fuel efficient mini-brand taxi cabs; 1,100 Keke NAPEP tri-cycles, combined with 80 hummer buses for Gombe State Transport Service through the State Ministry of Finance as a more meaningful approach to alleviating the scourge of poverty among the downtrodden rather than the negative approach of survival of the fittest.

    The main trust of this piece arises from Dr. Dankwambo’s single-mindedness, largeness of heart and leadership by example to engagement in the provision of portable water to the citizens of the state at great cost. At a time public water system has collapsed or completely disappeared across the country, venturing into the area by the governor should be acknowledged. Many people under the age of 40 can not boast of ever using public water system. All we know is private boreholes. All that has disappeared, courtesy of leadership failure, even when availability of portable water was promised to every Nigerian some 40-years before in accordance with the UNESCO recommendation.

    In his effort at improving the supply of potable water to the citizenry, the administration has awarded contract for the rehabilitation and reticulation of pipelines in the state with extension to Kwami, Gadam and Bojude, and of late, extended to cover Kompulata and Tappi at a cost of well over N4 billion; while it has also awarded contract for water sustenance and maintenance of the Gombe Regional Water Supply Scheme.

    Dankwambo told newsmen sometime ago thus: “Fortunately or unfortunately for us, there are some places where you cannot get borehole water. You will dig as deep as 500 meters in some places in Gombe and not get water. So, the only solution is to get a dam or treated water which is piped.

    “Fortunately, we have a dam in Gombe but it is about 45 to 50 kilometres, so we are drawing the water little by little and it is a huge investment. The first one we did; when the water came into Gombe, we had to distribute in and around Gombe and that cost us about N4.2 billion. The next thing was to extend it to certain areas. In these areas, if you drive, it is like you are getting to almost the border of Gombe and in Gombe there is no ground water at all. So, we have succeeded in

    extending up to 78 kilometres of pipeline towards that side and that cost additional N1.8 billion.

    “The Gombe reticulation is almost 90 to 95 per cent completed. Also when you take dam water, you are also adding to the cost of treatment and cost of maintenance. When I came, we ran the dam at about N90 million a month. As at today, the cost of maintenance is about N242 million”.

    This is exemplary leadership.

     

    • Erasmus Ikhide, a social activist writes from Lagos

     

  • Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Bauch, Kwara unfold plans to turn around economy through agriculture

    Some state governments across the country have highlighted some measures aimed at improving agricultural production in 2017, following the current economic recession, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Some of the state governments have concluded plans to turn to agriculture through the initiation of diverse policies to boost their economy and create job opportunities.

    Some respondents, government officials and other stakeholders, made this known in separate interviews with NAN in Bauchi, Maiduguri, Gombe, Yola and Kwara among others.

    They said the move was necessitated by the bitter experience of 2016, when the cost of staple food items rose astronomically beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.

    Most of the state governments in the country have also keyed into Federal Government’s Agricultural Programmes, especially the Anchor Borrowers Scheme.

    Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State said government had concluded arrangements to purchase grains to cushion the effects of price fluctuations on farmers’ income and also store for future sales to people at subsidised rates.

    Abubakar, who stated this while presenting the 2017 budget to the State Assembly, added that there are plans to establish farm training centres and demonstration farms in the state.

    He also said that part of the agricultural programmes of the state for the 2017 was the empowerment of youth in irrigation agriculture at Wata dam irrigation project in Bauchi South, Galala dam irrigation project in Bauchi Central and Adalda irrigation scheme in Bauchi North.

    Abubakar further said that the state government had keyed into the Federal Governments Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

    The Director of Agricultural Services, Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Suleiman Ningi, told NAN that the state government would invest over N150 million to support 30,000 farmers under the ABP.

    ‘’The Bauchi State government would pay the sum of N150 million to commercial banks, so as to ease bank charges and further empower youths and the farmers.

    ‘’Farmers are to cultivate rice and wheat during the dry season, while for the rainy season, farmers are expected to cultivate rice and maize,’’ he said.

    The Borno State government said it earmarked about N7.72 billion to enhance various agricultural programmes in the post-insurgency era.

    Goernor Kashim Shettima said at the 2017 budget presentation that the amount would be used to revolutionised farming as well as provide enabling environment for food production, maintenance of plantation sites and introduction of new crop varieties.

    ‘’Government will provide adequate farm machinery and other inputs to boost agricultural activities, while all Counterpart funds for NPFS, IFAD and Fadama III programmes shall be paid to access more fund.

    ‘’We have instituted several agricultural policies and activities in the State in order to encourage farming activities,’’ he said.

    According to him, about 1,000,000 seedlings of cashew, 500 seedlings of Date Palm and 7500 seedlings of improved variety of citrus, as well as 21,000 mango seedlings have been raised.

    He said this was in addition to the cultivation of 35 hectares of ginger crop at Kidang, Biu Zone as a pilot farm

    and the establishment of 200 hectares of plantation each at Tamsu, Kawu, Mainta Kururi, Mainok and Auno towns.

    ‘’Furthermore, assorted seeds of arable crops were procured and distributed to farmers at no cost, while NPK fertiliser was sold at highly subsidised rate to farmers in the Southern part of the state.

     

  • Gombe traditional ruler advises subjects on farm produce

    Paramount ruler of Tangale tribesmen in Billiri Local Government of Gombe State, Abdu-buba Maisheru, has cautioned his people against the indiscriminate sales of their farm produce.

    Maisheru, who gave the word of caution on Saturday in Billiri at the annual Tangle Cultural Festival, said the advice became necessary in view of the current economic recession.

    He advised them to save enough food items that would sustain them till the next harvest.

    He commended the state government for supporting his people, especially in promoting their cultural heritage.

    In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Gashua, in Yobe , Prof. Andrew Haruna, called on tangle community to live in peace with one another for the development of the area and to sustain their mother tongue.

    Haruna, a linguist, said that there were about 7,000 languages in the world, out of which over 500 were in Nigeria.

    He noted that due to lack of effort at sustaining them and passing same to the younger generation, some of the tribes were almost extinct.

    In his speech, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State also called on the people to live in peace and assist security agents by reporting any suspicious character.

    He said living in peace, unity and understanding, would accelerate the progress and development of their community, the state and the country at large.

    Dankwambo urged the Tangle community to sustain the cultural festival, adding that the state government would soon organize the state cultural festival.

     

  • Hope for the old in Gombe

    Hope for the old in Gombe

    I know we are old people and many of us do not have money,” said retiree Salome Melusa. “The strength to be running up and down for the purpose of this verification thing is not even there. I am begging the Federal Government to please try and pay us the money and in good time so that we can at least enjoy the fruit of our sweat while still alive.”

    Ma Melusa had some kind words about this round of verification, describing it as “the best in terms of organisation and…looking more promising than the others.”

    Melusa had gone through four verifications and was on her fifth organised by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) verification exercise in Gombe when our reporter caught up with her.

    The retirees said they see hope, judging from the orderly nature of this exercise and the humane way they are treated by the officials.

    Previous verification exercises across the country were chaotic, sapping and filled with grief. There were reports of repeated but fruitless calls at the verification centres. Some senior citizens were sometimes ferried to the centres on the backs of their grandchildren, relatives and Good Samaritans. There have been slumps on the queues and deaths before pensioners could claim their entitlements.

    Melusa said she hoped that the Federal Government would not disappoint her, and pay the pensions and in good time.

    Even dependents of the pensioners like Abdulkadir Sabo, a young man who accompanied his aged and weak grandfather to the venue of the verification, equally craved timely payment of the retirees’ dues.

    Melusa and Sabo’s grandfather represent thousands of pensioners who participated in the recent verification exercise in the Northeast.

    Sharon Ikeazor, the Executive Secretary of PTAD explained the applause that greeted the assignment.

    She mentioned “compassion, passion, empathy and dedication” as part of why the people are well disposed to the exercise.

    The intention, according to her, was to make a difference while ensuring the success of the assignment, to let the pensioners know that PTAD and the Federal Government were doing everything humanly possible to make sure they get their payment as at when due and to announce to them that the era of suffering to get their payment is over.

    She said over 2,600 pensioners had been registered across the Northeast as at Wednesday, three days into the five-day exercise, thus indicating that more beneficiaries would still be captured.

    She said the biggest centre had been Yola where a lot more showed up for the exercise, which she said had gone so well.

    “In Yola, we even had a few people coming in from Borno and Yobe states and we are handling them. But by January next year, we will complete Yobe and Borno,” Ikeazor added.

    Lawan Abubakar, representing Yola North, Yola South and Gire Federal Constituency and a member of the House Committee on Pension described the exercise as a really huge success.

    He said the entire exercise reflected signs of seriousness from the government. As you can see, they take care of their welfare, they serve them with food and even those that do not have their BVN, they take them to the bank.

    He said the verification exercise had been planned in a way that pensioners do not have to travel to cut down on their expenses.

    Apart from the assistance observed by Abubakar, wheelchairs were equally provided to assist the aged, weak or sickly ones among the pensioners, just as they were served lunch all through the five days.

    The essence, it was gathered, was to make the pensioners comfortable, and the exercise less burdensome.

  • 1,000 get medical care in Gombe

    1,000 get medical care in Gombe

    A member of the Gombe State House of Assembly representing Billiri East Constituency  Hon Rambi Ibrahim Ayala has lifted his constituency. He provided free medical care for 1,000 less privileged households in the area and also distributed 1,000 mosquito nets to them.

    Health programme which targeted less privilege 1,000 households brought together tens of Doctors from across the country. It created awareness on Hepatitis B and provided free testing due to the increasing Hepatitis B related death, screened and provided counselling for diabetes, did a lot of eye testing as well as various maternal and infant healthcare activities.

    There was also testing and counselling on HIV/AIDS.

    Dr. David Lass who led a team of medical doctors on the health mission said they diagnosed patients with different diseases and gave  them free drugs.

    Gombe state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kennedy Ishaya who was on hand to flag off the activity commended the lawmaker and his collaborating non-governmental organisation, Hope Springs International for the outreach.

    Prior to the health mission, the lawmaker held a town hall meeting with the stakeholders of his constituency, where he interacted with the people with a view to knowing what they needed him to do more and do better for them

    Before this Ayala in collaboration with Hope Springs International had responded to trauma cases at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Yola where they sank a water borehole.

    He said he was now working towards sinking another borehole in one of the schools heavily patronised by internally displaced children on the outskirts of Jalingo in Taraba State.

    Earlier, the Mai Tangle, Buba Maisheru II bestowed on him the traditional title of Gamzaki Tangale as a mark of honour and recognition for his services to the Tangale people.

    He said, “I don’t want to do something just for political reasons, I want to do something that will be sustainable and stand the test of time. We’ve started a skill acquisition centre which we hope will be up and running in no distant time.

    “We will be using that centre to empower our teeming youths, our women. It s a project that is financed by a donor agency, Hope Spring International of which I am a board member

    “My concern is humanity in general, not individuals or just my constituency. But within my constituency, as much as we have the opportunity, we will continue to be helpful at any rate.

    “I don’t want to do something just for political reasons, I want to do something that will be sustainable and stand the test of time. We’ve started a skill acquisition centre which we hope will be up and running in no distant time.

    “We will be using that centre to empower our teeming youths and our women because they deserve a better deal. The Centre is a project that is financed by a donor agency, Hope Spring International, where I am a board member.”

    Some beneficiaries of the one-day medical mission expressed their appreciation of the gesture which they said was the first of its kind by a lawmaker in the area.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Gombe APC factions unite

    Gombe APC factions unite

    Gombe State All Progressives Congress (APC) has extolled the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) to reconcile the warring factions and resolve the lingering crises bedevilling the chapter.

    However, the chapter rejected the activities of the four-man caretaker committee from neighbouring states constituted by the NWC to broker peace due to the non-compliance with the party constitution.

    The Gombe APC Steering Committee and Stakeholders’ Forum called for a “review of the terms of reference of the committee of four appointed by the NWC and convert them to an electoral body to conduct elections into the vacant positions of the State Deputy Chairman and State Secretary.”

    The Yakubu James Laubakta-led Steering committee called for the review of the sack of the State Chairman and State Legal Adviser, Magaji Doho and Duda Manu reviewed.

    The Forum said the crises rocking the party were multifaceted and has implored the national secretariat to investigate the root causes with a view to proffering solutions.

    The forum said the crises should be resolved in good time to enable the pary strategise for the forthcoming local government elections.

    It called on the APC National Secretariat to stop the Governor Danjuma Goje from parading himself as the leader of the party in the state.

    It also alleged a misappropriation or diversion of the N200 million deployed to prosecute the party’s presidential campaigns.

    The forum said the party should not condone corruption.

    It commended efforts to encourage people with political clout that can brighten the party’s chances in subsequent elections to defect to the fold.

  • NAICOM canvasses compulsory insurance in Gombe

    NAICOM canvasses compulsory insurance in Gombe

    The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is enforcing compulsory insurance products in Gombe State.

    Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari, stated this during a  visit to Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, at the Government House in Gombe.

    He said the objective of the visit was to seek the support of the Governor for the implementation of compulsory insurance products in the state.

    He said the commission was not unmindful of the fact that the laws establishing these products are federal laws, but that they can easily be domesticated by the states and enforced within their boundaries.

    He appealed to the governnor to kick off the process of domesticating the laws if it had not already done so, especially for buildings under construction and public building insurances for easy enforcement.

    He said while the collaboration would result in increased insurance penetration and written premium income for the insurance industry, it would also create another veritable source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the government.

    He said: “It is our intention to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with the state. Our proposed collaboration will hopefully stem the proliferation of fake insurances in the state and ensure the people enjoy the benefits inherent in the consumption of genuine insurance products.

    “Another disturbing issue is that of apathy to insurance by the government and its agencies at all levels. We have discovered that most government fails to insure their assets and property even when funds are provided in the budget for it. This has become something of great concern to us in NAICOM and I want to use this medium to solicit the support and understanding of the governor in ensuring that the government of Gombe provides adequate insurance for its assets and property.’’

    “We have indeed established a dedicated committee in NAICOM to assist various governments in insuring their assets and property accordingly. This committee will be ready to work with your people once we receive your nod.”

    He disclosed that the insurance sector in Nigeria has under gone many reforms which have significantly changed the face of insurance in the country. The reform efforts have also attracted significant Foreign Direct Investment in the sector.

    He stressed that as at today, no fewer than 10 companies have one form of foreign investment or the other with many more still waiting to come in which has brought about efficiency, prompt payment of claims and most importantly, healthy competition amongst operators.

    With an estimated population of over 170 million people and given the present level of insurance penetration in Nigeria, the potential of the market is yet to be fully explored, he noted.

  • Gombe APC lauds peace moves

    Gombe APC lauds peace moves

    The Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) to reconcile the warring factions and resolve the lingering crises in the chapter.

    It however rejected what it described as the meddlesomeness of the four-man caretaker committee from neighbouring states constituted by the NWC to broker peace, saying the development is not in line with the party’s constitution.

    Against this backdrop, Gombe APC Steering Committee and Stakeholders’ Forum have called for a “review of the terms of reference of the committee of four persons appointed by the NWC and converted to an electoral body to conduct elections to fill the vacant positions of the Deputy Chairman and Secretary.”

    The Yakubu James Laubakta-led Steering Committee also wants the issue of the sacked Chairman and Legal Adviser, Magaji Doho and Duda Manu, respectively reviewed.

    The forum believes that the crises rocking the party is multifaceted and has therefore implored the national secretariat to investigate the root causes, with a view to proffering solutions.

    It also wants the crises resolved in good time, to enable the party strategise properly for the forthcoming local government elections, with a view to sweeping the polls; having failed to clinch the governorship in the last general elections due to the crises

    The forum has also implored the APC National Secretariat to stop former Governor Senator Danjuma Goje from parading himself as the leader of the party in Gombe State.

  • A youth blueprint in Gombe

    A youth blueprint in Gombe

    Back in 2014, the Gombe State government rehabilitated once dreaded youths; now that development plan has deepened with more acquiring various skills, reports VINCENT OHONBAMU

    Residents of Gombe State once had a healthy fear of a group of youths called Yan Kalare made up of political thugs. They roughened up targets, inflicted mortal injuries and even killed sometimes. What happened after the crime? Nothing, because they had powerful sponsors.

    The state government’s response, in 2014, was unique: train them in worthwhile ventures. It was a demonstration of its commitment to ensuring that young people are taken off crime and given a sense of belonging. The plan also helped to tackle restiveness.

    The Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo administration has launched yet another youth empowerment programme tagged G-Hope.

    The administration had in its first term launched, among many other empowerment programmes, the Talba Youths Rehabilitation and Re-Orientation Programme which captured over 3,000 youths, most of whom used to be Kalare, rehabilitated and trained them into useful elements of the society.

    It also launched the Talba Empowerment Scheme (TBS) in which about 1,000 taxicabs and tricycles were distributed to youths on revolving loans.

    Unveiling the programme in Gombe, the Commissioner for Youths Empowerment in Gombe state, Malam Farouk Yarma said G –Hope would capture and train 5,000 youths across the state in skills with the aim of alleviating their suffering.

    He said these 5,000 beneficiaries of the programme were drawn from across the 114 wards that make up the 11 local government areas of the state.

    He said the scheme which comprises three components: Ward Vanguard, Educational Corps and Youths for Skills Acquisition, is aimed at making the youth self-reliant, build their trust and enable them play a positive role in the state’s growth.

    “One of the agenda of this administration is entrepreneurship and skills development and it has thus far shown commitment in this direction.

    “In line with this, the government is helping the youths of Gombe State to identify their areas of strength so as to be trained and help the economic transformation of the state through locally made products.

    “Therefore, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment has since the assumption of office by this administration in 2011 gone through rejuvenation. Through its various youth orientation programmes, the Ministry has been able to change the fortunes of the youths of Gombe state by making positive impacts in their lives.

    “With this and all the previous youth empowerment activities, His Excellency, Alhaji, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has fulfilled his campaign promises he made to the youths of Gombe state, which is to change their lives in a positive manner. The inclusion of youths in his cabinet is also another,” Yarma said.

    The Commissioner opined that graduates roaming the streets without jobs are mostly those without skills. This, he said: “informed the Ministry’s decision to change the trend to ensure youths are empowered through entrepreneurship and skill development while hoping that the programme would change the mindset of young people towards being their own bosses and masters of their own fate.”

    Also at the event of unveiling the G-Hope project at Pantami Stadium in Gombe, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said each beneficiary would receive a monthly stipend of N5,000 monthly. This amount does not include the cost of monitoring and evaluation of the programme.

    “The essence is to keep the youth fully engaged to enable them contribute their quota to the development of the state as well as humanity in general.

    “It is a job that will make them job creators rather than job seekers and contribute positively towards poverty and crime reduction,” Governor Dankwambo said while placing on records that the peaceful coexistence the state enjoys today, despite being surrounded by insurgency infested states emanates partly from the commitment to youth empowerment.

    While commending international donor agencies which he said mobilised the youths towards peace building as well as entrepreneurship, Dankwambo equally extolled clubs, associations and NGOs for rendering selfless service geared towards the growth and development of the state and county at large.

    He said government in the bid to weed out dormant and ineffective associations, and for the state to improve its internal revenue, ratified the upward review of registration fees charged on associations operating in the state, with the exception of all associations belonging to physically challenged persons.

    The governor warned that henceforth any association that failed to register would not benefit from any incentive in terms of grants, interest-free loan, fertilisers, etc; urging commercial banks operating in the state to always demand certificate of registration from clubs and associations before opening new accounts.

  • Pillars, Gombe target coach Amapakabo

    Pillars, Gombe target coach Amapakabo

    Four-time Nigeria champions Kano Pillars and newly promoted Gombe United set their sights on Rangers championship-winning coach Imama Amapakabo.

    Pillars chairman Kabiru Baita has made Imama top target after Mohammed Babaganaru quit his post this past season.

    Baita was personally in Abuja  on Monday to discuss with Imama, who featured for Pillars in his playing days.

    “The Pillars met with Imama at the Eagles Bolton White Hotel in Abuja and there was a discussion,” a source disclosed.

    Heavily funded Pillars finished this past season in seventh place and are under pressure to be champions next term.

    Gombe United have also contacted Imama, but it appears their offer is not attractive as his handlers may wish.