The Street procession of Abuja Carnival, which began on Saturday was temporarily disrupted as the Katsina State float went up in flames.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred when the beautifully decorated float mounted on an articulated truck came in contact with a high tension electric wire at Area One.
The float was very high, while the wire was not that high.
The Katsina State contingent did not notice that their float was too high to pass beneath the electric cables as they and everyone were carried away by the excitement and fanfare that being experienced during the procession.
It took the combined efforts of the contingent, spectators, residents and other good Samaritans to put off the fire.
This they did by pouring sachets of packaged water, popularly known as “pure water’’ on the burning float.
While some were pouring water on the float, others tried to tear off the fabric used in decorating it to save the truck from burning.
However, it was the fire extinguisher brought by a Good Samaritan that saved the truck from burning.
NAN reports that nobody was injured during the incident.
While, there were securities agencies, medical personal and other government parastatals on ground, the Nigeria Fire Service was conspicuously absent.
The carnival continues on Sunday Dec. 4.
Some states participating in the event includes Kwara, Bayelsa, Kogi, Yobe, Delta, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa among others. (NAN)
Tag: Katsina
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Katsina State float catches fire at Carnival
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On Katsina’s ‘child-bride’
Few days ago, Sheikh Yakubu Hassan, speaking on behalf of the Katsina State branch of ‘Jama’atu Izalatil Bidah wa Iqamatis Sunnah’ (JIBWIS) corrected the widely believed mistaken impression that the 14-year-old girl, Miss Habiba Isiyaku, who was allegedly forcefully converted to Islam is married to the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Usman. He announced to the world that, contrary to what was reported, the juvenile was married to “a young man called Jamilu Lawal, and that the “Emir only endorsed the marriage”.
Sheik Yakubu also stated that JIBWIS is in possession of data that puts the teenager’s date of birth as July 20, 1999, as against the extensively recounted date of May 15, 2001, given as her date of birth by her parents.
The mistake JIBWIS made is not in making a resolute effort to protect the Emir and the exalted Emirship position from being rubbished by people who have been misinformed. It is in its affirmation that a girl of that age is capable of venturing into marriage without the consent and blessings of her parents and family.
Generally, marriage has to meet certain requirements and parental consent or permission is one of them. It is clear JIBWIS’ narrative is not about Habiba’s alleged contentious marriage. It is, intrinsically, about defending the act of marriage without parental validation even if it stomps on the right of others.
Interestingly, the Child Rights Act enacted in 2003 typifies the duties and responsibilities of parents, the government and organizations towards children.
Part III Section 22 of the Act outlaws forcing a child into marriage by maintaining that ‘No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person’.
But let’s face it, the right of the girl child, in relation to marriage, is not adequately protected by the constitution. Part III Section 21 of the Child Rights Act which states that ‘No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and accordingly a marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever’ remains at variance with Section 29 (4) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which reads: ‘(b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age’.
As it is, “full age” has civil, customary and religious connotation. The disparity in age in the three laws of the land means that age of marriage, as defined by one, is either silent or subject to open interpretation in another.
We cannot continue to constitutionalize the violation of our constitution and expect reasoning to prevail in our society. Thankfully, the Islamic Republic of the Gambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, are examples of countries with success stories in this area.
This rising act of justifying marriage to minors without the blessings of their parents will not only make it increasingly difficult for parents to make good choices needed to help raise their families peacefully, but it could also lead to disregard for parental authority amongst other moral challenges beleaguering our society.
- David Dimas
Laurel, Maryland, U.S.A
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How we’ll boost Katsina economy, by Masari
Fresh from a trip to China and India, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari lays out his administration’s plan to lift the state’s economy. KOLADE ADEYEMI reports
There is the belief that foreign partners will make a huge impact in the state’s growth. But there is no question that Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari wants much of the growth to be driven by the state’s assests and its people. He laid out his plans
“In the health sector,” he said, “we have already placed order for equipment for three general hospitals. We have also made an advert for the recruitment of over 600 medical staff.
On agriculture, he said: “We are making serious progress. The Deputy Governor is the chairman of the Agriculture Team. He is also the Commissioner in charge of Agriculture. We also brought in a professional who was a consultant to various international organisations on agriculture, Dr. Abba Abdullahi. I must tell you that I am impressed by what they are doing now. They are doing a ground work. You know, agriculture is not all about fertilizer; because mere distribution of fertilizer is all about ceremony which the governor s are very interested in doing so that the cameras and media will capture them. Here in Katsina, we are doing the most important work now. We are doing the census because we want to know who-is-who, we are identifying the real farmers, we are identifying the farm lands, we want to know which type of fertilizer is suitable for the farmlands, which implements are suitable for the farmlands. We are doing the basic ground work, we have sufficient money in place; and when we are through with the ground work, we will also start rehabilitating some of the smaller dams.
“When we were campaigning, what we were saying was that given the availability of resources, it is our intention to provide a dam in each of the Wards, intending to open the availability of small steam that can engage between 30 to 50 farm lands on irrigation agriculture. So, for us to that, we need a comprehensive study. Like we said several times, this government is not, and there is no intention of approaching any project blindfolded so that we can achieve quick and unsustainable political gain—that means we want to play to the gallery. No. We want to be realistic, we want to true to our words. Basically, we have to do what is right, we want to lay a solid foundation for a more sustainable agriculture in Katsina State.
“We have also started discussing with some interested people about wood farming, you know, wood farming is new. People did not know that if you have two hectares of wood land, and you are harvesting it every year, you make more money than the farmer. There are certain types of trees that you plant that will give inexplicable returns. So, we are introducing wood farming so that people will know the benefit and the dangers of falling trees without re-planting them.
Masari specifically spoke on rice production, saying, “Katsina State is one of the leading states in rice production, and you know, there is a serious drought on rice. You know that Nigerians have been cultured into eating rice. It is unlike when I was growing up—the stable food then was guinea corn and millet. Later on, maize came. In fact, maize was more of a ceremonious food during our time, but as time moved on; it became a stable food with the coming of the Funtua agricultural project in the 1970s. So, really, I think it is better to eat what you have and what you can produce than to depend on somebody to give you. So, I believe, there is some difficulties initially; but when we are able to cross over the difficulties of this year, by next year, there will be abundance in rice production in Katsina state. In fact, prices of rice has already started going down because the new rice are already in the market; and I am sure, between now and October, the prices of rice will relatively stabilize. You are also aware that Central Bank of Nigeria is organizing one project on the promotion of rice production, and in Katsina state we have 50, 000 participants.
Speaking on the trip to China and India, Masari said, “We were invited to China by some companies that are doing business with Katsina state government; and some that are interested in doing business with Katsina state government. The purpose was for us to see their offices and their capacities outside the country, and to see what connection we have in order to facilitate our developmental projects. Based on our invitation, we met with those companies that are doing business with Katsina state government and those companies who are in Nigeria and have the intention to do business with Katsina state government. There are some of these companies that have their branches here in Katsina state but are doing business with the Federal Government, but due to this visit, we have now opened door for business transactions with those
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Katsina to hire 600 workers
Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has said the state needs a teaching hospital to serve its university and offer courses in medical services.
Masari, who spoke with reporters on his two-week business trip to China and India, added that over 600 workers will be recruited in the health facilities already in place.
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FirstBank, Katsina partner on economic growth
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, has partnered the Katsina State Government in hosting the Katsina Economic Investment Summit with the theme: “Unlocking Investment Potentials for Sustainable Development”.
The summit, scheduled to hold from today till May 11, will showcase the rich opportunities that abound in the state to both indigenous and international investors.
The Summit, which will focus on five priority areas such as Agriculture, Solid Minerals, Power (Solar Energy), Property Development and Hospitality, is aimed at revitalising the private sector to enhance the much needed job creation that will employ the teeming youth. It is also organised to drive consciousness and build a consensus on what is urgently required to rebuild, revamp and reinforce public-private collaboration for an all-inclusive economic growth.
“FirstBank supports initiatives that create opportunities for the advancement of inclusive and sustainable growth,” said Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, First Bank of Nigeria Limited and Subsidiaries MD/CEO, adding: ‘We will continue to drive the discourse on how best to achieve competitiveness and inclusive growth through measurable outcomes, which are crucial in defining the agenda that will help make Nigeria’s socio-economic environment a globally competitive one.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to flag off the three-day Katsina State Economic and Investment Summit. The event will have technical and breakout sessions to be chaired by notable personalities such as the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Ahmed Tinubu, and the President of ECOWAS Investment Bank among others.
The Bank’s Executive Director, Public Sector, Mr. Dauda Lawal is also expected to lead the FirstBank delegation to the event.
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Party chieftain to Katsina gov: empower all
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Malumfashi, Malam Aminu Zaria, has advised Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State to initiate meaningful empowerment schemes.
During an interview in Malumfashi yesterday, Zaria criticised the cash gifts the governor recently made to support youths in Malumfashi and Kafur Local Government Areas of the state.
“Instead of cash gifts to youths across the area, the governor should concentrate on channelling the funds to creative empowerment programmes capable of lifting the people’s well-being rather than token stipends. The money is attracting hatred to party officials and breeds disunity among loyalists as every member tries to satisfy the interest of people closer to him.”
He also advised aides of the governor to assist the government by giving sound pieces of advice that would lead to credible programmes that would impact positively on the lives of the people. Zaria suggested that those appointed by the governor should regularly consult with leaders in their various areas to know the peculiar needs of their people and ensure physical and human development.
He urged Masari to ensure proactive stewardship and always consult people with vast experience in formulating viable policies. The chieftain said that empowerment of the people deserved adequate attention through the creation of good programmes.
According to him, the state is blessed with fertile land for all forms of agriculture as well as other areas that could contribute to state and national development.
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Improper conduct: Six elderly drunks receive 120 strokes in Katsina
A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State, on Wednesday sentenced six elderly persons to 20 strokes of the cane each for constituting nuisance while drunk.
The convicted persons were, Nomau Akwai, Yusuf Bature, Salisu Abdullahi, Sani Rabi’u, Sa’idu Abdullahi and Musa Yusuf, all residents of Malumfashi Local Government Area.
The prosecuting police officer, Cpl. Joseph George, told the Senior Magistrate, Mannir Shehu that the convicts were arrested by a team of policemen on patrol at Marabar Kankara, a suburb of Malumfashi on March 13.
George said the convicts were found wondering and intoxicated with alcohol at Gidan Mariya and Gidan Coach, an act that constituted nuisance to the public.
He said the offence contravened section 183 of the penal code law and urged the court to try them summarily.
When the offence was read to the accused, they pleaded guilty to the charge.
In his ruling, the Senior Magistrate, Salisu Shehu sentenced them to 20 strokes of the cane each to serve as deterrent to others.
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Gunmen kidnap Lawmakers’ stepmother in Kano
The stepmother of Salisu Ibrahim Ririwai, the member representing Doguwa constituency at the Kano State House of Assembly, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
Confirming the incident to The Nation through a telephone conversation on Monday in Kano, Ibrahim said the hoodlums stormed Ririwai town, near the notorious Falgore Forest on Thursday night, and abducted his stepmother, Hafsat Abubakar.
“My stepmother, Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar, was in her room when they invaded the house on the fateful day”, he said.
He said the suspects had since demanded for N50 million ransom from the family.
While confirming the incident, Muhammad Katsina, Kano state police commissioner, noted that four suspects had already been arrested in connection with the incident.
“We have arrested four persons in connection with the issue and they are cooperating with us.” Katsina said.
“Their intention was to kidnap the member because of his closeness to the big shots in the state.” He said all the suspects were Fulanis who hitherto engaged in cattle rustling. “We are making efforts to rescue her alive,” he added.
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Katsina gives interest free loan to the physically challenged
Katsina State Government has commenced the distribution of N30, 000 interest free loan to each physically challenge person selected from the 34 local government areas in the state.
Speaking at the disbursement yesterday in Funtua, the Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Masari on Poverty Eradication, Alhaji Abdulkadir Nasir, said that the scheme was part of government’s effort to empower people.
Nasir said that the fund was part of the N2billion loan secured from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to facilitate the growth of small scale businesses across the state, adding that various categories of people would be empowered in the scheme.
He said that the state government would pay the interest required in the loan and beneficiaries would pay the exact amount they collected within 12 months, which would then be given as a revolving loan to another set of beneficiaries.
“All categories of physically challenged persons are enlisted from the local government areas aimed at discouraging streets begging and to ensure that they engage in viable businesses within their capacity that will contribute to the nation’s growth.’’
Nasir said that government needed to enforce laws that would prevent indiscriminate begging in the society, hence, beggars needed to be empowered before preventing them from begging on the streets.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds with caution to be of benefit to them.
A beneficiary, Malam Sani Kuturu from Funtua, expressed appreciation for the gesture, saying he would invest in firewood business.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said beneficiaries were from Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa, Bakori, Danja, Malumfashi and Musawa.
Others are Matazu, Kafur, Kankara and Funtua local government areas and at least 11 persons benefited from each of the council.
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Katsina: Masari walks tight rope over new policy
Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, is under intense pressure to reverse a new education policy his government has put in place to curtail financial wastes, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan
Pressure is growing on the Government of Katsina State to abandon its newly introduced mock examination for students in secondary schools and continue to purchase West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) forms for free distribution to final year students.
Divided opinions continued to trail the decision since Governor Aminu Masari confirmed the determination of his administration to save the state’s scarce resources by enrolling only serious students for external examinations. This followed what he described as the shocking outcome of the first state-wide mock examination conducted by the Ministry of Education.
While some educationists and analysts are in support of the government’s decision, others, largely parents and opposition politicians are accusing the new administration of reneging on its pre-election campaign promise to introduce free education in the state.
It would be recalled that the Katsina State Ministry of Education recently released what observers and ministry officials have described as the gory and discouraging statistics of students’ performance in the mock exams where out of 46,000 students that sat for the exams, only 10% or 4,600 students passed while 90% or 41,400 students failed woefully.
Trouble started last October when the government, through the state Ministry of Education, introduced the mock examination and announced that the state government will only pay the West African Examination Council/National Examination Council examination fees of secondary school students, who passed their schools’ mock examinations.
“My administration has no plan or intention not to continue the payment of examination fees for students sitting for WAEC, NECO and NABTEB. Being a governor on the All Progressives Congress platform, education, agriculture, water supply and health care are our key priorities,” the governor had said back then.
The governor, who lamented the poor performance of students in the state in external examinations, said the decision was part of the administration’s determination to ensure the state regains its position as a centre for learning, excellence and peace. He assured the people that the government would give all the support needed by students ready and willing to excel in their academics.
Protests
However, in a swift reaction to the policy, hundreds of secondary school students staged peaceful demonstrations on the streets of Katsina State to condemn the re-introduction of mock examinations by the new APC administration as a condition for government to pay their WAEC and NECO fees.
The protesting students, who converged in the heart of the state capital, moved to the Government House where they were received by the Chief of Staff, Dikko Radah. Displaying placard with various anti-government inscriptions, the students demanded to be attended to by the governor.
According to eye-witness accounts, the students who participated in the protest in Katsina town came majorly from four secondary schools, including Katsina College, Government Day Secondary School, Yandaka, Government College Katsina, and Government Pilot College.
Speaking on behalf of others, one of the students, Kabir Hassan, said many of the students in public schools came from poor homes, and that outside government help, it would be difficult for them to pay the WAEC and NECO fees. He therefore urged Governor Masari to rescind his decision in the interest of the students.
Responding, the Chief of Staff, Dikko Raddah, promised to deliver their protest letter to the governor. He however told the protesting students that of the 17,000 students the state government paid for last year, only a little over 300 got three to five credits or more.
No going back
But the governor said no amount of protest can kill the new policy given its importance to the survival of the state. Masari even vowed to sack any teacher found to be behind the recent protest by students over the reintroduction of mock examinations in schools.
Speaking when he met with principals, vice principals and teachers recently to discuss the tension being generated by the policy, Masari said there was no going back on the policy as wastes can no longer be condoned. He urged parents in the state to support his administration’s effort to re-invigorate learning in the state.
The visibly upset governor told the gathering of educationists that it was disheartening to see that billions of naira was spent on the payment of WAEC and NECO examinations without commensurate benefits, adding; “We must tell ourselves the truth that government cannot continue to afford sponsoring failures”.
According to him, instead of paying for pupils to come back with bad results, government would channel such funds to fixing the deplorable condition of the sector with a view to adding value to the system. He condemned a situation where hundreds of secondary schools students across Katsina took to the streets to protest over the policy.
According to Masari, only those who pass the examinations would be eligible to benefit from payment of WAEC/NECO fees. He said aside saving cost for the government, the policy is also capable of forcing students to pay more attention to their studies as only those who study well and pass the mock examination will benefit from government sponsorships henceforth.
Diverse opinions
Speaking on the development, a Funtua, Katsina State-based public analyst, Ibrahim Mohammed, said while it is expected that the beneficiaries of this scheme must cry foul, it will be economically unwise and counterproductive for government to continue to spend scarce resources on unserious students.
“If just concluded mock examinations were the actual exams where the state government would have paid an average of N10,000 per candidate, it then means the sum of N460m would have been expended and since only 4600 students passed the exams, it means N414m would have been wasted with only N46m expended for good cause. Imagine the quantum of funds already expended by the state government for eight years with no tangible results!
The policy of paying the external examination fees of all students was initiated by the immediate past governor of the state, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, where the state government used to purchase West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) forms for free distribution to final year students.
The new governor explained that the purpose of paying the examination fees is defeated because students are unserious. “You pay exam fees for a student who spends four years at home not attending school only to come and sit for the examination”. He said the state faced a bleak future in education if it continues to record dismal performance in critical examinations, predicting that the situation would soon get to a point where students from the state would no longer pass qualifying examinations to universities.
By insisting on qualifying mock exams, the administration will be saving a lot of money that would have gone down the drain if spent on the wasteful expenditure given the poor performance of the students in past examinations,” Mohammed argued.
But according to the President of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria chapter of National Association of Katsina State Students, Al-Amin Usman Funtua, the re-introduction of qualifying exams to SSIII students of public secondary schools in Katsina State by Masari is a good policy but at the wrong time.
“How will you expect the students to pass the examination when there are vigorous problems in the states own secondary schools where students that are supposed to learn are denied the opportunity of learning. Katsina State Government owned secondary schools are characterized by infrastructural insufficiency, infrastructural decay, and incompetent manpower, Poor attitude by teachers, non sustainable funding and inadequate resourcing among many other challenges. These are but a few of the challenges handed over to Masari by his predecessor over which he must pause and ponder before deciding his best approach to the much needed change,” he said, adding, “the governor should instead concentrate in confronting all these challenges he inherited by providing the schools with standard and modern learning facilities, sporting facilities, upgrade the infrastructure, massive recruitment of competent manpower, and ensure sustainable funding and adequate resourcing.”
According to him, “lack of competent teachers has remained a clog in the wheel of qualitative education service delivery in Katsina State. The government has to embark on a massive recruitment drive that will ensure only competent teachers are employed – not certificate based alone but practical evidence of what the certificate holders claim to have should be tested via a demo class interview,” he said.
With the arguments for and against still raging and the government insisting that the policy has come to stay, observers of the politics of the northwestern state say the last may not have been heard of the furore generated by the policy.