The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hailed

  • Ayade’s leadership style hailed

    The United Nations Development  Project (UNDP) has hailed Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade’s style of leadership.

    The UNDP Country Director, Mr. Samuel Bwalya, spoke in Calabar when he visited the governor in his office where he also sued for improved areas of partnership beyond the United Nation’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (UN – REDD) programme.

    Bwalya said: “There is a lot of transformation and whenever I talk about transformation, we are talking about technology, and about the means of moving the economy forward. The use of technology and innovation to drive development is what we have seen in Cross River State and why Cross River State is succeeding in that direction which we have come to add value to what you are doing to enable you succeed the more.

    “What you are currently doing is what we are implementing in Ethiopia and we are making effort to invite the Nigerian government over to (Ethiopia) to understudy what they are doing but I can tell you, Cross River is already far ahead. Your policies transcend the borders of politics.

    “Cross River State is already succeeding in the area of industrialisation which is extremely important to development, for poverty reduction and the creation of job opportunities.”

    On Ayade’s leadership role, he said: “We have seen your leadership role from when you were a senator but most importantly, your leadership and global role in terms of championing environmental sustainability of Nigeria.”

    The governor said: “The real development which is what United Nations has said today is the people. The indices for measurement of the performance of government are the happiness of the people; it is the sustainability, the inclusiveness of your policies and programs, otherwise you would have failed. And any program that is not people-centered has failed. In Cross River, we have placed an absolute ban on deforestation and 80 percent of our citizens are forest dependent… they live in those forests but we have dislocated them from their dependence on those forest resources.”

  • Dogara hailed in constituency

    Dogara hailed in constituency

    “To me, today is just like Christmas or Sallah celebration,” said Mariam Garba Bagel, representing Dass constituency in Bauchi State House of Assembly.

    “Dogara is the governor we know in this part of the state because we have never felt the presence of the present state here, only that of Dogara. He is the one doing everything for us,” said Iliya Habila of Kwara village in Bogoro local government of the state.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara was visiting his home state Bauchi to flag off three federal road projects in his  Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa constituency and part of Plateau State. He was also in town to launch some projects he and some of his friends completed. Then came the praises. Even the immediate past governor of the state, Isa Yuguda could not contain his joy.

    He said: “Thank God we have our son (Dogara) up there, without which it may not have been possible to do these great works. There is nothing we have to say to him than thank God and to thank him. We also pray that God should continue to lift many of his types that they will continue to come to our rescue in Bauchi State. This is the first major intervention of the Federal Government in the whole of the state in the past 16 years of our democracy.

    “I worked here for eight years (as governor) and was all the while dreaming of how I could construct these roads that today the fourth citizen of this country has come to open up and also to open up the environment, which we could not do for years.”

    On the visit, Dogara also donated over N3 million on behalf of himself and his friends to patients at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital for their medical bills.

    He said the hospital gesture was necessary because most of the patients were commoners who found themselves seriously ill at a very difficult time.

    He said, “Last year, I had cause to send a team of medical doctors who stayed here for over a week to attend to the health needs and challenges of people. Fortunately, we had patients even from Kano, from Yobe, Gombe, Plateau and other nearby states and thousands of operations were successfully carried out.

    “So it is in that spirit that we came here again, realising that health is wealth, it became absolutely necessary for us to pay this visit so that we can also access the facilities here and the working condition.

    “I was able to secure some level of funding for this institution and Federal Medical Centre at Azare. I called for their Chief Medical Directors in Abuja, and I handed over the allocation to them. Now it is up to them to decide which critical area they will use the money to intervene and we are waiting for them to finish that so that as soon as possible, the projects will be executed.”

    Speaking on the road projects, Dogara said, “The road project from Burga to Sum in Plateau State is not the only road that will be done. We will complete these roads in the next two years. We are flagging off another one from Pankshin to Tapshin to Gambar to Sara and then to Mangu in Plateau State so that they can connect with Lere Road in Bauchi State. We have also the road from Bauchi to Gombe. That has been awarded and it will be done as well.

    “And for this constituency, you don’t have to be told. Anywhere you move, you see primary school being built, you see health centre being built or being renovated. If you see any solar light in Dass, Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro for instance, I brought it.

    “It is all on the account of representation and if we don’t represent you well, you cannot have those projects. Those projects are testimony to the work that we do today.”

  • Ambode hailed for Alimosho’s transformation

    Ambode hailed for Alimosho’s transformation

    A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Otunba Ladi Olo, has described the infrastructure inaugurated by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in Alimosho as commendable.

    He said investment by the government in roads would improve socio-economic activities.

    Olo, addressing reporters at the inauguration of roads, bridge and primary health centre built by the Lagos State government in Alimosho, said Ambode should be praised for developing the area, “even in this era of recession.”

    He said: “This achievement is a testament to the fact that with proper leadership and management of resources, Nigeria can witness abundance once again.”

    The APC chieftain said it was commendable that Governor Ambode used his accounting acumen in managing the state’s resources.

    He hoped the infrastructure would solve flooding and insecurity.

    His words: “These areas used to be flooded whenever it rained.  Life and property have been lost following torrential rains. Motorists dared not take their vehicles home. They parked somewhere and trekked home.

    “I can tell you that residents have even raised the fear of mass demolition in this area. Some landlords have sold their houses, some have abandoned theirs because of years of neglect. So, the coming of Ambode has brought a great relief. It is an achievement Alimosho residents  will forever celebrate. We didn’t know it would happen; especially this Aboru-Abesan link bridge. But it has happened. We can’t wait for the completion of Abule-Egba bridge.”

    Olo said Alimosho people would be grateful and loyal to APC.

    He hailed the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for giving Lagos State Governor Ambode, a great manager of resources, who has changed the face of the state despite the recession.

    “Little wonder personalities gathered to celebrate Asiwaju Tinubu on Tuesday at the colloquium. See the  leaders that gathered,  local and foreign, to celebrate him. You cannot have someone like Ambode as a son and not celebrate the man who produced him. It is a great honour inaugurating  roads in Alimosho, to mark his birthday. He deserves even more,” Olo said.

  • CHILE 1-5 NIGERIA: Chukwueze, Nwakali, others hailed

    CHILE 1-5 NIGERIA: Chukwueze, Nwakali, others hailed

    THE GOLDEN Eaglets blistering start to the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup has been hailed by Prince Martin Apugo, the President of Diamond Football Academy, Umuahia which produced the Eaglets duo of Samuel Chukwueze and skipper, Kelechi Nwakali.

    Nigeria’s cadet side trounced USA 2-0 in the first game played last Saturday before another blockbuster performance against hosts, Chile on Wednesday morning at the Estadio Sausalito Vina Del Mar which produced a 5-1 win.

    Two goals from Chukwueze in the first and 61st minutes, additional brace from Victor Osimhen in the 66th and 86th minutes and a goal from the captain of the side, Nwakali in the 17th minute from the penalty spot put the Eaglets five goals up while Marcelo Allende’s 81st minute strike was only a consolation for Chile.

    Apugo pointed out that the performance of the Golden Eaglets and especially two  products of his academy shows that talents abound in the country and that if they are properly annexed they can go places.

    He said he was specially impressed with the form of Chukwueze who produced a man of the match performance to score two goals including a strike after 25 seconds which is till date the quickest goal of the current competition, and also assisted  the Eaglets additional two goals.

    He said the form of Nwakali, Chukwueze and the rest of the Golden Eaglets’ players at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup is serving as inspiration to other young players  and in his academy who are now eager  to train all day in their attempt to emulate them and also become stars of tomorrow.

    “I am happy with the feat of the Golden Eaglets in Chile and I want to specially congratulate Samuel Chukwueze and Kelechi Nwakali who are players of my academy. They have set a good example to emerging players that hard work pays. They have distinguished themselves, especially Chukwueze who scored two goals and was felled three times in the 18 yard box for three spot kicks to Nigeria.

    “The players in my academy have derived additional motivation from the performance of the Eaglets in Chile and they have started coming to us daily for training even though we are on break,” Apugo told SportingLife.

    The Golden Eaglets are top of Group A with maximum  six points from two matches and are through to the second round but they will play their last group tie against Croatia on Friday also at the Estadio Sausalito Vina Del Mar.

  • Cross River, Kogi, five others hailed for polio eradication

    Receiving the final report of the Nigeria Immunisation Leadership Challenge on governors’ commitment to polio eradication, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday named seven states that have done very well towards eradicating the disease.

    According to the Forum, one winner emerged from each of the geo-political zone on the ‘Best performing category’.

    They are: Southwest (Ondo), Southsouth (Cross River), North Central (Kogi), Southeast (Anambra), Northeast (Borno), Northwest (Zamfara).

    Niger State emerged as the winner of the ‘Most improved category’.

    The governors also received the Peer Review Reports of Anambra and Ekiti states from the Steering Committee, headed by Justice Muhammed Uwais(rtd)

    Reading the communiqué at the end of the meeting, NGF Chairman and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi said: “We, the governors of the 36 states, at our fourth meeting of the year held on March 20 at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, deliberated over a number of policy issues and resolved as follows:

    “Forum received the final report of the Nigeria Immunisation Leadership Challenge on Governors’ commitment to polio eradication, which involved recognition of the best performing state in each geo-political zone and the overall most improved state in the campaign for the eradication of polio in Nigeria.

    “Best performing categories are Southwest (Ondo), Southsouth (Cross River), North Central (Kogi), Southeast (Anambra), Northeast (Borno), Northwest (Zamfara). The most improved category is Niger.

    “Forum received the Peer Review Reports of Anambra and Ekiti states. The main findings were presented by the Steering Committee, led by the Chairperson, Justice Muhammed Uwais (rtd) during which many key findings and commendable practices were highlighted. The steering committee also outlined few areas that require improvements.”

    “Finally, members renewed their commitment to the State Peer Review Mechanism process and directed the Secretariat to make reports of these states available to the public.”

    Two members of the independent judging panel of the Polio Challenge, Dr. Oyewale Tomori of Redeemer’s University and Mr. Shehu Sule, a retired Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health had earlier briefed the Forum.

    The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Mohammad, was also with the team.

    According to them, the scores of the leading states are Ondo (91 per cent), Cross River (83 per cent), Kogi (81 per cent), Anambra (76 per cent), Borno (72 per cent), Zamfara (60 per cent) and Niger (58 per cent).

    Each of them is to get $500,000 for the award.

    “Ondo State demonstrated the highest performance nationally, achieving 91per cent of the maximum possible score.

    Four of the six top performing states in this category did not report any wild poliovirus cases last year.

    Although Borno reported eight wild poliovirus cases last year, the state’s high level of performance despite facing significant security challenges in 2012 was particularly commendable.

    “All of the highest performing states reported over 70 per cent measles coverage last year and many showed significant improvement over 2011 coverage rates.

    “Commendable best practices were evident in the high performing states as well as in Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos and Ogun states.

    “There were 122 cases of wild poliovirus reported in Nigeria last year, up from 62 in 2011 and just 21 in 2010.

    “So far, eight cases have been reported in Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory.”

    Speaking on the reports at the end of the meeting, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said: “They are positive reports. One says there has been a cut in the increase in polio affected- people in the country and that all states are doing very well, even though there is room for improvement.

    “With respect to the Peer Review process, Anambra and Ekiti put themselves forward.

    “The Steering Committee, led by Justice Uwais, came to brief us on the result of that exercise which has taken them one year to compile.”

    “It clearly indicates that there are a number of commendable practices that are worthy of emulation in those two states just as there are areas of improvement.