The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kaduna

  • Kaduna to conclude teachers’ recruitment this month

    The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) will conclude the recruitment of 13,665 teachers for the public primary schools this month.

    The Executive Chairman, Nasiru Umar, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said of the 65,000 who sat for the examination, 13,665 would be employed.

    He said marking of scripts had ended and names of successful applicants would be announced for interview, adding that the interview would conclude the recruitment process to fill the 25,000 vacancies.

    Umar said 11,335 qualified teachers had been recruited and deployed in public primary schools across the state.

    The chairman added that the board would soon conclude the process for the appointment of 23 Education Secretaries, saying 128 applicants were interviewed for the positions.

    Those employed would be deployed in the 23 Local Government Education Authority Offices.

    He said: “The government will ensure qualitative teaching and learning in its public schools to enable pupils compete favourably with their colleagues in private schools.

    “We are training our teachers and we will continue to retrain them to ensure quality.

    “We recently distributed 104 motorcycles to our school support officers for school monitoring to ensure quality education in basic schools. We have also distributed 525,741 text books to public primary schools for Basic Science and Technology, English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Computer Science.”

  • Fashola: Estimated billings fueling conflict consumer, DisCos conflict

    …says meter providers, bank begin funding talks

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday said that estimated billings have been fueling conflicts among electricity consumers and the distribution companies (DisCos).

    He noted that the easiest means of restoring confidence in the sector is with the provision of meters for the customers.

    The minister pointed out that as power supply continues to increase in generation, transmission and distribution, the demand for meters will increase because more power supply and consumption will likely result in increased  bills.

    He spoke at the 28th Monthly Power Sector and Stakeholders meeting in Kaduna.

    His words: “I want to say what I have said privately and publicly that estimated billings have become a cause of distrust and conflict between consumers and DisCos. And meters in my view are the easiest way to restore confidence and build back the bridge of trust.”

    According to him, the executive and legislative arms of government are already tackling the menace of metering and estimated billings.

    Fashola said that while the ministry is taking advantage of the Meter Asset Provider Regulation (MAP), it has provided a fund of N37billion in a bank for access by one of the meter suppliers what is hoped to be licensed by the MAP to make the fund to provide meters DisCos.

    Read Also: Fashola reassures on completion of Second Niger Bridge

    He said “From the executive side of government, we are responding by taking advantage of the meter asset provider regulation, which was inaugurated through NERC at this meeting. We have provided a fund of N37billion in a bank for access by one of the meter suppliers, whom, we are hoping will be licensed by MAP to use that funding to provide meters to DisCos who willing to take advantage of it.”

    On the legislative side of the issue, the minister recalled that the National Assembly invited him last we to a public hearing on a bill seeking to eliminating estimated billing and possibly criminalizing estimated billings.

    Fashola also noted that the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (Yola DisCo) is discussing with the MAP to benefit 400,000 while the  Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) is also indicating interest in 250,000 meters.

    He revealed that “other Meter Asset Providers are also negotiating with various banks and funding organizations to see how the can get into this business and get licensed by NERC.”

    The minister however said that the consumers have their blame to share from the power sector challenges, stressing that energy theft and meter bypass have become another major sect back in the sector that must be addressed. 

    He reminded the stakeholders that a different season and weather had begun with their challenges, urging them to brace up for the impact of more rainfall, thunderstorms, lightening and windstorms.

    He explained that “all of these will affect regular supply one way or another. Trees will fall and disrupt lines, poles and lines may be damaged, and service will be disrupted.

    In all these situations, we must prepare our staff to anticipate, plan, and respond.

    Most importantly, we must inform the public about the problems and what we are doing to restore service whenever there are disruptions.

    “As a consumer myself, nothing gives me more comfort than when my service provider shares information about service disruptions.”

    Continuing, Fashola said that “Yesterday (Sunday), I visited the historic city of Zaria to commission the 60MVA Transformer added to the Zaria 132 KV substation to increase the transformer capacity from 140 MVA to 200 MVA.

    “This will improve service to customers of Kaduna DisCo, our host, in places like Zaria City, Sabon Gari, Samaru, Giwa, Yakawada, Tudun Wada, Markafi, to mention a few.

    “This morning (Monday), I also visited the Power House 132 KV Transmission Substation in Kaduna to commission 2 X 60 MVA Transformers to increase the transformer capacity from 190 MVA to 240 MVA.

    “This will hopefully improve service of Kaduna DisCo to customers in places like Kaduna Township, Rigasa, Kakuri, Rigachukwu, Chikun, Sabon Tasha, to mention a few.”

  • Gunmen abduct 23 travellers in Kaduna

    Bandits operating in Birnin-Gwari axis of Kaduna State on Friday kidnapped 23 travellers including a nursing mother.

    Five vehicles were raided by the marauders, according to a commercial driver, Mohamed Kebi, who escaped from the scene of the kidnapping.

    Kebi said: “At least five vehicles were intercepted by kidnappers along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna road around 11.00am this morning.

    “At least 23 people were kidnapped, including a nursing mother and one other kid. “The incident occurred at Kwanar-tsauni between Udawa and Labi.”

    He said though security along the Funtua road has improved lately, “we want the government to also provide maximum security to other routes that are haven of kidnappers.”

  • Court remands man in court for enticing a married woman

    A Sharia court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna on Thursday ordered the remand of one Abubakar Mustapha for allegedly enticing and wooing a married woman.

    Mustapha had pleaded not guilty to the charges, which contravened section 226 of the Kaduna State Sharia Penal Code 2002.

    His plea was not taken by the court.

    The judge, Malam Musa Sa’ad however, said the accused should remain in Police custody pending its bail perfection.

    Read Also: Woman pours hot water on husband for allegedly neglecting children

    Earlier, the complainant, Yusuf Sadi had told the court that when his wife went to her parents house at Kafanchan to deliver of a baby, she refuse to go back to her matrimonial home, adding that Mustapha started making advances at Nusaiba.

    He said that the defendant had once called the complainant and told him that Nusaiba was no longer his wife.

    “When I traveled to Kafanchan to see my wife and our baby, Mustapha called my wife to his room and I followed her.

    “Upon reaching his room, he shouted at me saying he only called my wife not me, threatening to deal with me,” he said.

    Sadi pleaded with the court to intervene in the matter and compel Mustapha to stop interfering in his marriage.

    He also prayed to the court to assist him in bringing back his wife to their matrimonial home.

  • Court grants bail to ex-governor Yero

    The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday granted bail to former governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero and three others standing trial over alleged money laundering.

    Yero was arraigned alongside a former minister, Nuhu Wya, ex-PDP chairman in the state, Abubakar Gaya-Haruna and former secretary to the state government, Hamza Ishaq.

    They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) on a four-count charge bordering on laundering over N700 million in 2015.

    The Newsmen reports that when the case came up on May 30, all the four defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The court had remanded them in prison custody and fixed today to consider their application for bail.

    At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, counsel to the defendants, Yunus Ustaz ( SAN ) asked the court to grant his clients bail, saying they would not interfere in any way to thwart the trial.

    “The defendants were early in 2016 invited by EFCC and at no time were they found wanting when they were granted administrative bail as they did not default.

    Read Also: Court sentences 35-year-old to two years jail term for rape

    “If granted bail, the defendants would not jump bail nor commit any offence and would not tamper with EFCC investigation.’’

    The prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi, however opposed the application for bail, saying that the defendants may use their influence to tamper with investigation and prayed the court to remand the defendants.

    The Judge, Justice Mohammed Shua’ibu after listening to the arguments of both sides granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each with two reliable sureties each in like sum.

    He said that the sureties should have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

    The judge also ordered that the defendants should surrender their International passport to the Registrar of the court.

    The case has been adjourned till Sept. 26, for hearing.

    Meanwhile, one of the lawyers for Yero has said that the former governor would sue the EFCC for releasing his mugshot on the social media.

    NAN

     

  • Diarrhoea kills one pupil in Kaduna

    A pupil of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Kawo, Kaduna State, died at the weekend following the outbreak of cholera in the school.

    About 40 others are hospitalised.

    Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Jafaru Sani confirmed this.

    When our correspondent visited the school yesterday, officials of Red Cross Nigeria, who were at the school with other emergency organisations, said 42 other pupils were suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting due to the unhygienic environment.

    As at last night, health workers had been deployed in the school to manage the situation.

    The head teacher and officials of the Ministry of Health declined to comment.

    The Deputy Director, Disease Control Centre, Ibrahim Suleiman, said 39 pupils have been taken to the hospital.

    He said: “We have 39 pupils on admission for diarrhoea and vomitting. We are yet to confirm the real cause but there is a lot of contamination around the water source and this might be a serious contributory factor.

    “Apart from these 39 pupils on admission, we are also investigating another 89 cases not related to diarrhoea and vomiting.”

    The pupils are being treatment at the General Hospital in Kawo, Kaduna North.

  • 3 people killed by suspected cattle rustlers in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Police Command, on Tuesday said that three people were killed and four others injured by suspected cattle rustlers in Kurega village in Chikun Local Government areas which shares boundary with Birnin Gawri local government in Kaduna State
    The Command’s  Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhktar Aliyu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),  that the incident happened Tuesday afternoon around 2:00pm.
    He said that the criminals carted away some cows after the attack, but added that the police were on the trail of the rustlers.
    “So far no arrest has been made, but we are doing everything humanly possible to arrest the suspects and recover the stolen cows.
    “Based on the  report the suspects are cattle rustlers, so the issue of eight people killed is not true, only three  people were killed and four injured,” he said
    Aliyu appealed to residents of the area with  useful information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects to volunteer such information to the police.
     The PPRO said that the police remain committed to protecting lives and properties of every citizen. (NAN)

  • NiMet predicts cloudy skies, heavy rains on Friday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the Central states of the country on Friday

    It also said there were high chances of thunderstorms over Abuja, Lafia, Kaduna, Jos, Bida and Makurdi in the morning hours.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Thursday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 25 to 37 and 16 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that thunderstorms were likely over Lokoja, Bauchi, Mambila plateau and Jos later in the day.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy skies over the inland cities with chances of thunderstorms and moderate rains over Awka, Enugu, Akure, Benin, Ado-Ekiti, Abeokuta and Osogbo.

    It further predicted prospective thunderstorms and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the morning.

    It said there were greater chances of heavy rains over the region later in the day with day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 35 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience cloudy conditions throughout the forecast period with thunderstorm activities over Sokoto, Gusau, Katsina, Kano and Yelwa in the morning hours.

    “Northern states will also have day and night temperatures in the ranges of 36 to 43 and 24 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively throughout the forecast period.

    “Cloudy conditions are expected over some selected cities with prospects of thunderstorm activities and moderate rains in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicts.

    NAN

  • Kaduna warns of flash floods in five councils

    Kaduna State Government has warned of imminent flood in five local government areas of the state.

    Malam Abdullahi Rigasa, the General Manager, Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), made this known at a news conference on 2018 flood outlook projection on Tuesday in Kaduna.

    He listed Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Soba and Kaura Local Government Areas as the councils to be affected.

    He urged residents of the five flood-prone areas to be at alert.

    Rigasa said the mandate of KEPA was to prevent the occurrence of flood and ensure that residents were well prepared for any imminent floods.

    “Last year, the expectation of flood was 14 local councils but recorded in Kaduna South, North, Kaura and Chikun local government areas with no casualties.”

    He advised residents of the area to take proactive measures such as clearing water channels and avoid activities that could block the free flow of water.

    He further advised relevant agencies to perfect their emergency evacuation plans and activate them as quickly as possible.

  • ‘Make Kaduna Dry Port attractive’

    Importers and clearing agents have urged the Kaduna Dry Port promoters to make it attractive for business.

    An importer, Alhaji Yahya Ibrahim, told The Nation that such  move would enhance economic activities in the area.

    He praised the Federal Government for providing an enabling environment for the export of agricultural products and made-in-Nigeria goods, saying he would be happy if the state and the Federal Government could provide loans for importers, industrialists and farmers, to boost the purchase of farming equipment and increase revenue generation.

    He said: “Before President Muhammadu Buhari-led government inaugurated the Kaduna Dry Port early this year, we depended largely on import and export of some of our goods.

    “After its commissioning, we expect the dry port to fast-track the importation and exportation of goods. And that is why we are calling on the operators of the facility to introduce incentives that will make it attractive to importers, exporters and clearing agents.

    A clearing agent, Mr Segun Ogunsanu said there are over 25 shippers’ associations in the country which the promoters of the Kaduna dry port need to partner with to boost activities at the port.

    “It is pertinent to note that from our investigations, there are over 25 shippers associations  in the country and the operators of the dry port need to live up to the expectation to meet the expectations of the Nigerian Shippers Council, the Federal Government and Nigerians.

    He said keeping the port empty after its commissioning is not appropriate for the health of the economy.

    He urged the operators not to pursue a path that would not be in consonance with the objectives of the Federal Government and the NSC, urging the operators to be above board.

    He said the maritime industry remains a key gateway to the nation’s industrial growth and the pivot on which even the oil and gas industry stands. At the centre of operation in the industry, are the shippers whose cargoes are the major attraction to both the shipping companies and the terminal operators. That is why the promoters and the operators of the Kaduna dry port need to partner them.

    Another importer, Chief Samson Adegoroye, said the shippers’ associations were expected to play critical roles that would enhance the economic activities at the dry  port  and seek their support in boosting efficiency at the port.

    Adegoroye said the dry port would assist the NSC its drive to restoring sanity and regulating the charges being imposed by the terminal operators at the seaports.