The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kano

  • FG to permanently shut land borders over rice smuggling

    Says Thailand rice is poisonous

    Federal Government has issued stern warning against consumption of Thailand rice saying it is poisonous.

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh disclosed this when he interacted with youths during The Guardians of the Nations International (GOTNI) leadership clinic held on Monday in Abuja.

    He disclosed that the land borders will soon be totally shut, in order to prevent smuggling of foreign rice and other toxic materials into the country.

    His words: “Our other problem is smuggling. As we speak, a neighbor of ours is importing more rice than China is importing. They do not eat parboiled rice, they eat white rice, they use their ports to try and damage our economy.

    “I am telling you now because in a few days, you will hear the border has been shut, we are going to shut it to protect you, us and protect our economy. You will start seeing all sorts of negative things on the internet. Let me tell you why we need to shut the border, I grow rice, I was the first Nigerian to mill rice free of stones, if you plant rice in certain parcels of land, some poisonous materials gets into the rice.”

    Ogbeh lamented that the friendly relationship that existed between Nigeria and her neighbouring African countries was adversely affecting the nation’s economy, hence the decision to shut the borders.

    Read Also: Rice smuggling: FG to shut land border in few days

    According to the Minister,  the federal government in past two years had succeeded in reducing rice importation by 95 percent and increased the number of rice farmers from five to 30 million.

    He noted that states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa have taken advantage of the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) of the Federal government to upscale rice production, and such achievements will not be allowed to fizzle away through smuggling activities.

    “There are three kinds of water in their natural state; there is fresh water from the river, salt water from the sea, blackish water. If you go to the Delta in many countries, in South East Asia where they grow the rice, if you plant rice in the same place like four to six years continuously, the quantum of arsenic begins to increase and arsenic causes cancer and that is what they are dumping for us.

    “Some people say they prefer Thai rice because they are very sophisticated, welcome to poison. We just have to handwork you to prosperity otherwise, this country will not grow. My wish for you is to have a better time than we had,” he added.

  • Eid El Fitr: Be security conscious, Police urge Kano residents

    Kano state Police Command on Thursday advised Muslim worshipers and people attending recreational centres during the Eid El Fitr festivities to be security conscious and report suspicious movements to security agencies.

    In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Magaji Musa Majia and made available to newsmen in Kano, Police said they have put machineries in place to ensure adequate security of lives and property during the Sallah celebrations.

    The statement reads: “worshippers attending Eid grounds are advised to avoid carrying unnecessary objects for avoidance of being suspicious.

    “People attending recreational centers during the Sallah celebrations should be extra vigilant by taking good cognizance of people and objects around, with a view to reporting any suspicious movement or item to security agencies.

    “Under aged children and unlicensed persons are not allowed to operate motor vehicles, during, before, and after the festive period on Public Highways.

    “Parents and guardians should always accompany their children with adults to guide them throughout the festivities. This will checkmate cases of missing children.

    “Kano Police Command is pleased to express gratitude to Allah (SWT) for gracing us with peace and secured environment in the State. We must also extend good-will message to all Sister Security Agencies, Eminent Persons’ Forum (EPF), Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Religious Leaders, Traditional Institutions, and other Critical Stakeholders, for synergizing with the Command in the prevention and control of crime in the State.

    “The Eidel-Fitr occasion is a celebration of peace and the Command would deploy adequate security to ensure that the good people of the State have a hitch-free festivities.

    “With the massive developmental projects embarked upon by Kano State Government, the traffic flow is expected to multiply, thereby prompting the Command to solicit for full cooperation and support of the public in the discharge of its duties, and to call for strict compliance with traffic rules and regulations, by avoiding one way driving, over speeding, unsecured loading and dangerous driving etc. Hence, the Command will partner with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), KAROTA, and other civil volunteers in the State to enforce traffic regulations and ensure free flow of traffic during the celebrations.

    “The good people of Kano are enjoined to bear and be patient with the Police and other sister security agencies during discharge of our statutory duties. This is to ensure a hitch free, and colourful Sallah celebrations.

    “The general public is advised to continue cooperating with all security agencies in the State especially the Federal Road Safety Corps, Civil Defense Corps, KAROTA, Hisbah, Vigilante group and other civil volunteers who are out to maintain law and order.

    “The public is also urged to use the occasion to pray for the State, the Nation and all our leaders for Allah’s guidance. We should also pray for continuous peace, tranquility and economic development of Kano State and our dear nation, Nigeria.

    The following emergency lines are for distress calls. They are: 08032419754, 08123821575 and 08075391163.

    “Rigorous Patrols and raids are ongoing to avert any breach of the peace by miscreants. Finally, the Commissioner of Police CP. Rabiu Yusuf psc+ on behalf of officers and men of the Command wishes the good people of Kano State a Happy Eid-El Fitir in advance.”

  • EID EL – FITR : Kano approves payment of June salary

    Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has approved the payment of June salary to all workers of the state from Wednesday (today).
    The early payment of the salaries according to the government is to enable civil servants and their families fully enjoy the festivities of the Eid El – Fitr.
    All banks were directed  to ensure that workers  access their salaries with ease.
    The gesture it also stated is also in line  with Governor Ganduje ‘s pledge to  improve the welfare of workers in the state.
    The state governement therefore hoped that the workers will reciprocate the good gesture by being more dedicated and hardworking in the discharge of their duties for the overall development of the state.

  • Kano declares war against codeine, raids 20 suspected locations

    Kano state Pharmacist Inspection Committee, under the Ministry of Health, has commenced retrieval of all codeine containing preparations from pharmaceutical outlets and individuals in the state.
    This is part of efforts to sanitize the state against any syrups or tablets containing codeine as directed by the federal government.
    The Chairman of the committee who is also the Director Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry of health, Abdu Umar Madaki said the committee visited about twenty premises in the state in order to retrieve such products and some preparations have been retrieved with proper documentation.
    The chairman enjoined all pharmacies and individuals in possession of any codeine containing preparations, as a matter of urgency, to contact the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria,  Kano office to collect the recall form to assist in mopping up codeine circulation in the state.
    Meanwhile, the state government has assured that it would step up collaboration  with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, NAFDAC, NDLEA and other stakeholders in the state towards tackling the menace of illegal drug sale and abuse.
    In the past few months, substantial amount of illegal and expired drugs were confiscated even as the government is pursuing the prosecution of the arrested culprits.
    The government urged well meaning people to support the government in its anti drug war by giving useful drug related information to the relevant authorities.

  • Cholera outbreak: Four die in Kano

    At least four persons have reportedly died of a fresh cholera outbreak at Wailari settlement in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

    One of the parents of the deceased, Mallam Muhammadu Auwalu said two of his children, Uzairu Auwal, (11) and Abdullahi Auwal (10) who were hospitalised were discovered with the symptoms of the outbreak.

    Due to the frequent stooling and vomiting, they eventually gave up the ghost at Yusuf Maitama Hospital in Kwanar Dawaki.

    One Sulaiman Jingir confirmed to our reporter that the cholera also killed two of his children, Aisha Jibril (3) and Jibril Sulaiman (4).

    He explained that Aisha died at home shortly after developing the symptom of the disease, while Jibril died at the hospital.

    Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Council, Kabiru Ado Panshekara confirmed the incident.

    According to him, he was briefed about the death of three children.

    He noted that urgent measures have been taken to halt the spread of the disease in the area.

    He said he has already communicated  the development to the State Ministry of Health for urgent attention.

  • Boy drowns in a well in Kano

    An eight year-old boy in Tamburawa Gabas town of Kano State, Sadi Yusuf, on Tuesday, lost his life after falling into a well.

    Spokesman of Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, told our reporter that the incident occurred at about 7.30 am.

    He said the deceased was sent by his mother to go and fetch water in the well.

    “We received a distress call in the early hours of today (Tuesday) from a ward head, Isa Garba, at about 7:30am that a boy had fallen into a well.

    ”On receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team to the scene at about 7:42am.

    Read Also: Two die, three Injured as borrow pit collapses in Jigawa

    “Yusuf was rescued unconscious and later confirmed dead; his corpse was handed to the Ward Head, Isa Garba,” the spokesman said.

    Mohammed therefore advised parents who had wells in their homes, to raise their height and provide covers for same, to protect children.

  • We have concrete party financing system, says Ganduje

    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has said that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano has a concrete system of financing the party at all levels which according to him makes the party stronger and dominating.
    “Our great party in Kano, is not being funded by the government. It is rather being supported and funded by individuals at all levels of the party. From ward level to local government up to state level,” he said.
    He made the statement immediately after the inauguration of the newly elected party leadership at the state congress, at Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kofar Mata, Kano.
    Prince Abdullahi Abbas emerged as the State Chairman of the party, with 2,982 votes alongside Ibrahim Sarina, who has also elected as the State Secretary  with 2,817 votes and Hajiya Habiba ‘Yardalla, Woman Leader with 2,876 votes among other newly elected leaders.
    Ganduje further explained that Kano has special arrangement for financing the party in the state, emphasising that, “We shall continue to finance our party and we shall continue to accept new entrants.”
    The ruling party in the state, the governor said, had been succeeding because they always believe and accept dialogue at all levels of the party.
    On the issue of internal democracy, governor Ganduje said that, “we are very serious about internal democracy of our great party. I am assuring you that there will be no marginalisation, we say no to impunity, we say no to vandalism, we say no to snatching of ballot boxes,when it comes to any other election in the party.”
     “No to impunity, no to laziness, no to imposition, yes to transparency and accountability, yes to playing the game by the set rules and regulations, yes to total participation and yes to the observance of the doctrine of the party.”
    For the upcoming general election of 2019, the governor declared that his state would give President Buhari over 5 million votes.
    In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman  assured that his team would work harmoniously with the state government.

  • lmpeachment Saga: Kano Assembly gets new Principal Officers

    The kano state House of Assembly has appointed new principal officers, following moves by 24 aggrieved members to impeach the incumbent speaker Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.

    Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at his personal residence, he said, ” following the intervention. of the state Governor Abdullahi umar Ganduje over the saga,certain changes have occurred with regards to the leadership of house.”

    Ata said the six positions of the principal officers of the House has been distributed among the two factional parties.

    He said,”Ata remains as the speaker, the deputy Speaker Hamisu Ibrahim chiidari has been replaced by the former speaker Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, the majority leader Abdulaziz Garba gafasa has been replaced by Mohammad bello butu butu.

    Others affected were the chief whip labaran Abdul madari, was replaced by BAFFA BABBA Danagundi, the majority whip Kabiru Hassan Dashi was also replaced by Ayuba Labaran Kabo, while Sunusi bataiya emerges as the new deputy majority leader.

    Speaker Ata said the decision was taken to allow peace to reign in the Assembly.

    He added that the house would conduct a special session on Thursday to formalise the agreed decision.

  • Kano speaker’s impeachment fails

    …Two principal officers removed

     

    The move by the Kano State House of Assembly to impeach the speaker, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata on Tuesday failed to be actualized, as 24 aggrieved members could not meet the required 27 signatories to form the 2/3 majority to impeach the speaker.

    However, the 24 aggrieved members of the State Assembly, who stormed the assembly complex to announce the immediate removal of two principal officers, the chief whip, Hon. Labaran Abdul Madari (warawa constituency) and deputy majority leader, Hon. Muhammad Bello Butu-Butu (Rimin Gado/Tofa constitutency), to pave way for the eventual impeachment of the speaker, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.

    However, the state house of assembly which is still under siege, when the convoy of the members, led by the former speaker, Alhassan Rurum arrived at about 11:00 am, swung into action in their attempt to gain entrance into the complex, but were barred from gaining access by stern-looking security operatives.

    The situation prompted the former speaker, Rurum who engaged the security agents in an argument over why they would be barred from performing their constitutional rights of sitting.

    An argument then ensued, in which the commissioner of police, through a telephone conversation with the former speaker, instructed the security men to allow the members to address the press outside the assembly complex.

    The spokesperson of the aggrieved members Alhassan Rurum, said “we are still gathering momentum in ensuring that we get the required members as such ‘no retreat no surrender’.

    “We have removed the two principal officers, that is the chief whip and the deputy majority leader. We have gotten the required number of signatories, 24, to that effect as such we have simple majority.”

    “we have therefore replaced them with the following members of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Iliyasu Yaryasa (Tudun Wada Constituency) as chief whip, while Hon. Ayuba Labaran Durum (Kabo constituency) as new deputy majority whip.

    “We also reaffirmed the appointment of Hon. Abdulaziz Garba Gafasa (Ajingi constituency) to continue as the majority leader and made Hon Kabiru Dashi to be deputy majority leader.”

    Read Also: Ondo riverine community gets Monarch

    According to the spokesperson, “as law abiding citizens and the representatives of the people of Kano State, we have gathered here to do what we deemed necessary to remove the speaker of the House. You would recall that there was allegations leveled against me when I was a speaker which led to my honorable resignation to enable the House carryout it’s investigations.

    “That led to the emergence of Atta as the new speaker. And recently there have been calls for the impeachment of Atta as the speaker. These we have gathered here today, but as you can see the assembly complex is been barricaded by the Police and men of the civil defense Corps.

    “To impeach the speaker, we need 27 out of the 40 members of the House of the assembly to do that, so far so good, we have 24 members whom have endorsed for the impeachment of the speaker. That is below the number needed but with that number we can impeach other Principal officers and we hereby announce the impeachment of the Honorable Labaran Abdul representing Warawa constituency as the chief whip of the assembly, as well as honorable Muhammad Bello Butu-butu, deputy majority leader and honorable Iliyasu.

    “And we have unanimously agreed that Honorable Abudullahi Iliyasu Riyasa of Tudun Wada assume the seat of the chief whip while Ayuba Labaran from Kabo is to act as the new Deputy Majority Whip, Right Honorable Abdulaziz Garba former speaker to continue as the majority leader while honorable Kabiru Dashi Kiru is now the Deputy majority leader.

    “Although we are not in the assembly complex, but we are within its premises. As law abiding citizens we won’t engage the security men. The speaker Abdullahi Atta came into the assembly last night and took away the Mace. But that wouldn’t stop us from carrying out our statutory duties as you can see we have provided another Mace”.

    It could be recalled that the embattled speaker has been accused of incompetence, financial embezzlement and localizing the proceedings of the Assembly as well as not carrying other members along.

  • kano approves N345M for Ramadan Feeding

    Kano state government has earmarked the sum of N345 million for this year’s Ramadan feeding programme.

    The state Commissioner of Information, Youth and Culture, who is also the state chairman Ramadan Feeding Monitoring Committee Malam Muhammad Garba disclosed this while flagging off this year’s Ramadan feeding programme at the premises of Kano printing press.

    Garba stated that the present administration has sustained the annual feeding programme in order to alleviate the suffering of the less privileged in the state.

    He said the committee would monitor the preparation and distribution of the meals to ensure the success of the feeding programme.

    Garba however, warned that the government would not hesitate to terminate the contract of any cook or distributor found to be sabotaging the programme.

    He also  appealed to the wealthy people in the state to complement government’s effort by contributing their own quota to ensure the success of the programme.

    He listed food items distributed for the first 10 days for 130 centres to include 3,000 bags of Rice, 1,170 bags of Millet, 780 bags of Flour, 1,170 bags of sugar, 1,950 cartons of pasta 2,340 jerrycans of groundnuts oil, 780 Jerry cans of palm oil and 390 bags of dates fruits among others.

    He said each centre will be  receiving N10,000 daily for the purchase of cooking ingredients for the whole month of Ramadan.