The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kebbi State

  • FG approves N60bn for rice subsidy programme – Minister

    The Federal Government has approved N60 billion in support of its rice subsidy programme aimed at bringing down the price of the commodity across the country.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh stated this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the National Food Security Council.

    The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

    He disclosed that a committee would be constituted by the ministry of agriculture in collaboration with ministry of finance for smooth implementation of the rice subsidy programme.

    “There is a subsidy programme coming up. Government has approved some money, N60 billion to support the rice industry to bring down prices. But we are going to handle it differently.

    “We don’t want to get into petroleum subsidy problem, so a committee is looking at it with the ministry of finance.

    “We think that it is better for us to loan money to the millers, farmers and distributors at a very low interest rate, so that the capital doesn’t disappear, and if they have cheaper credit to do their business that should impact on the price of rice in the market.

    “Every country does it for food, we will use a different method to do it and it will be cheap credit to the farmers, millers and the marketers, not outright cash subsidy for their product,’’ he said.

    Ogbeh, who announced that the Bank of Agriculture would soon be restructured, expressed the hope that farmers would be able to buy shares in the bank after the restructuring exercise.

    The minister also expressed optimism that the restructuring process would bring down the bank’s interest rates to five per cent.

    He added that the objective was to make agriculture more attractive so that people could raise capital to invest in profitable business ventures.

    “The Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) is about to restructure the bank of agriculture after which farmers are going to be able to buy shares in the bank, so eventually it will become the farmers bank.

    “And we hope in the process that it will bring down interest rates reasonably maybe 5 percent or a little higher, so that agriculture will become attractive and people can raise capital to invest,’’ he said.

    The minister revealed that the Council called for ban of fertilizer NPK 15-15-15, saying recent research had indicated that the fertilizer had no value for any crop or soil.

    He said: “We call for the ban of fertilizer NPK 15-15-15 which has been used in the country for many years but recent research revealed its not useful for any crop or any soil.

    “Soil differs and so does crop, to believe there is one uniform fertilizer you can spread for every crop is a fallacy.

    “And it’s because we have done soil test and change the formulations of fertilizers, local blenders, that is why some of the yields we are getting now are rising from two tonnes per hectares to five and six.

    “So, the president is looking into that and to see how we can deal with it.’’

    The Deputy Chairman of the National Food Security Council and Kebbi state governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said that the council may subsidize the price of rice with N5 billion.

    He said the subsidy would enable Nigerians to buy rice at a cheaper rate during the forthcoming yuletide as obtained in 2017.

    The governor dismissed the reports by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) World Market and Trade which suggested that Nigeria has been importing rice to the tune of about three million tonnes.

    “Certainly, that is an erroneous report,  in spite of the flooding the upland rice production has been quite strong this year.

    “Even though prices have increase in response to flooding, we still have adequate paddy rice in Nigeria,’’ he said.

  • NDE to train 6,250 unemployed youths in Kebbi

    The National Directorate Employment (NDE) has started the training of 6,250 unemployed youths who are drawn from the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State.

    The Director-General of NDE, Dr Nasiru Ladan, who made this known at a news conference in Birnin-Kebbi on Friday, said that the beneficiaries would be trained in skill acquisition and agricultural ventures.

    Ladan, who was represented by the Kebbi State Coordinator of NDE, Mohammed Zogirma, said that the training was part of the agency’s mandate aimed at reducing unemployment in the country.

    “We are to train 700 unemployed youths in cosmetology, 300 youths in other skills and 50 youths in Advanced-National Open Apprenticeship Skills (A-NOAS).

    Read Also: ‘Nigeria needs innovative youths to drive development’

    “Fifty unemployed youths would be trained under the Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBTS), 50 others would be trained in sustainable agricultural projects, while 50 youths would receive training under the Resettlement Loan Scheme; making total of 1,250.

    “In addition to this, the Directorate will soon embark on its Basic Business Training (BBT) programme in all the 21 local government areas of the state for 5,000 youths.

    “The aim of the programme is to train them so as to enable them have access to loan facilities from the NDE/ Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprise Development Scheme ,’’ he said.

    Ladan said that the agribusiness scheme was a joint venture of NDE and CBN, adding that while agency was handling the training aspect, the apex bank would provide financial assistance for the potential entrepreneurs.

  • INEC to display National registered voters in 2,398 polling units in Kebbi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kebbi will commence the display of National Register of Voters in 2,398 polling units in the state, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made this known while addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi Today.

    According to him, INEC has approved the display of the National Register of Voters across all the 2,398 polling units in Kebbi from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12, for hearing of claims and objections, within the same period in preparation for the 2019 general election. 

    He however added that the commission will deploy personal to all the 225 registration Areas for the success  of the exercise.

    Mahmud explained that the objective of the exercise was to remove the deceased registered voters, non-Nigerians, registrants with still pictures, under aged voters as well as multiple registrants.

    “The commission has also received a total of 178,928 PVCs from INEC National Headquarters, Abuja as at Oct. 30.

    “The collection of PVCs by the registrants is ongoing at the INEC offices across the state,’’ he added

    In a related development, the Kebbi State Resident Electoral Commissioner  of INEC  Ahmed Bello Mahmud have disclosed to newsmen that they have received  a total number  of 79 nominated candidates for presidency, 46 for Senate and 74 candidate for house of Representatives  who filled form CO 00 which have been pasted at both INEC headquarters and INEC Area offices respectively for public  Scrutiny.

  • Bagudu assures corps members of adequate security, welfare

    Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi has assured corps members deployed to the state for the one year mandatory national service of adequate security and welfare during their stay.

    Bagudu gave the assurance at the swearing in ceremony of the NYSC Batch C Stream 1 corps members at the Orientation Camp in Dakingari, Suru Local Government Area on Thursday.

    Bagudu who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Samaila Yombe said: “Kebbi State has been known for Peace, your safety here is well assured, already, various security agencies in the state have been directed to double their efforts towards giving maximum security to corps members.

    ” The state government on its part will continue to do every thing possible to see to your general welfare and wellbeing.”

    Bagudu said the NYSC had contribute immensely to the development of the state in the areas of education, health, environmental sanitation and other key sectors of the economy.

    He advised the corps members to distance themselves from unhealthy practices such as bigotry, cultism, corruption, violence and other social vices.

    Read Also: NYSC: Educationist seeks end to age barrier

    ”The orientation programme is specially designed to instill in you the right attitude and arm you with the leadership qualities required in our future leaders.

    “ With this in mind, you should distance yourself from unhealthy practices such as bigotry, cultism, corruption, violence and other social vices,” Bagudu said.

    The governor also urged them to respect the social and cultural beliefs of the community they are posted to serve.

    Earlier, the state Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Barde Usman , said that 2,350 corps members had registered for the three weeks orientation.

    Usman said that the corps members would undergo orientation on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship during the programme.

    He added that the aim was to make the corps members self reliant and employers of labour rather than job seekers at the end of the service year, as the county is facing daunting challenges especially in the areas of unemployment and security.

  • Strike: Partial compliance in Sokoto, Kebbi

    The nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has recorded partial compliance in Sokoto and Kebbi States.

    In Sokoto, that work is going on at federal and state government owned hospitals, as well as higher institutions.

    Although courts visited were not sitting, primary and secondary schools were operating while some offices remained opened at the federal secretariat.

    According to our reporters, commercial banks had opened for business in spite of attempt by labour leaders to make them stop operations.

    However, Aminu Umar, State Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), said the strike had recorded substantial compliance and would be total in next coming days.

    Umar told our reporters that substantial compliance has been ensured in government agencies including the state Secretariat.

    He said a team had been constituted by labour leaders in the state to monitor compliance.

    Meanwhile, in Kebbi public schools have been shut in compliance with the strike order.

    A teacher in one of the public schools in Birnin Kebbi, Mrs. Richeal Ngozi told our reporters that they had to send back pupils after the state branch of Nigeria Union of Teachers ordered teachers to remain at home.

    Read Also: FG brainstorms to halt labour strike

    A student of Gwadangwaji Government Secondary School, Birnin Kebbi, Aliyu Bello said,” the reason we are going back home is that we have been waiting for our teachers to come and none of them came, and we were later told by an official to go back home.”

    When our reporters visited a branch of Keystone Bank, normal operations were going on.

    However, a staff of the bank, who sought anonymity, said, “We are just waiting for an email message from the bank head office in Lagos,  by 12 noon, we will close and join the strike.”

    Also, activities at the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, have been paralyzed as staff joined the strike.

    At the state secretariat, normal official work was going on as at the time of this report.

    NAN

  • Ambode urges state govts to imbibe legislature harmony 

    Gov.  Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Friday attributed the massive development going on in the state to the harmonious relationship between the state executive and legislature.
    Ambode said this when he received the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria at the Lagos House, Alausa,  Ikeja.
    The News Agency  of Nigeria  (NAN)  reports that Lagos is hosting the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly between Aug. 3 and Aug. 5.
    Ambode urged the speakers to take the lessons from Lagos to their various states and work harmoniously with the executive arms, for the good of the people.
    ”This visit is a very significant one for Lagos State.  The last time we hosted speakers like this was during the administration of Sen. Bola Tinubu.
    ”It is very significant for us to have been able to bring together speakers from the 36 states inspite  of the various movements in our polity. It means there is still hope  in Nigeria.
    ”I want to implore other state governments to emulate Lagos State by ensuring harmonious relationship  between  the executive and the legislature.
    ”Such relationship helps us perform better by  carrying  out our constitutional  roles as elected officers and reaching out to the yearnings of the electorates,” Ambode said.
    Earlier, Mr Isamaila Kamba, speaker of Kebbi  State House of Assembly  and Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria,  thanked the governor for the grand reception.
    Isamaila said that the Conference  would, among other things, deliberate on how  to implement  the recently assented bill granting financial autonomy to state legislative and judicial arms of government.
    He urged Gov. Ambode to liaise with other state governments on their behalf,  to give them a soft landing in the implementation  of the law.
    Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 8, assented to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Alteration Act (4th Alteration Act 4, 9, 16, and 21) which grants financial autonomy to the State Houses of Assembly and the Judiciary.
    Isamaila also commended the governor for the huge investment on security  and infrastructure development in the state.
    ”Gov. Ambode, we want you to know  that your name has been written in gold in the history of governance  in Nigeria, ” he said.
    In his remarks,  Mr Mudashiru  Obasa,  the host speaker, said the conference would discuss latest developments in the country, to chart the way forward for the benefit  of Nigerians.
    Obasa  thanked Gov. Ambode for providing the necessary support needed for the success of the conference.

  • … Commiserates with Kebbi State over flood disasters

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy with the people of Kebbi State on the flood disasters that destroyed farmlands and engendered considerable losses of crops and homes.

    Reacting to the latest outbreak of the natural disaster that has affected a number of states in this year’s rainy season, Buhari said he was “highly touched by the sheer scale of the losses suffered by our hard working farmers in Kebbi State.”

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “This sad news couldn’t have come at a worse time for this administration because of the role of Kebbi State farmers in supporting the government’s initiative to promote local rice production as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on importation of the commodity.

    “This flood disaster represents a setback for the efforts to boost local rice production in the country, for which Kebbi State is playing a leading role.” he said

    Apart from creating job opportunities and decent incomes for farmers, Buhari noted that agriculture plays a key role in the economy of any country.

    He urged the affected farmers not to despair, assuring them that they will not be forgotten by the federal government.

  • Man kills wife for cheating on him

    A 25 year old man, Bello Muche has been apprehended by the Niger state Police Command for allegedly killing his wife. 

    Bello who is from Gautan Fadama village, Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State said he warned his wife,  Husse Ali to stop sleeping around with other men but she refused. 

    According to him,  he was angry with her disobedience and with anger, he used matchete on her. 

    “I used matche to kill her for refusing to adhere to my instruction, I told her to desist from sleeping around with other men she disobeyed me and I blew my top and killed her.

    “My wife was stubborn, I sat her down and told her the implications of what she was doing,  she ignored me and she had to pay the price dearly. “

    Muche was trailed and arrested by the police operatives while he was trying to escape. 

    The Command ‘s Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar said that the suspect was apprehended based on a tip-off adding that the matter would be charged to court. 

  • Mob kill man, 42, for killing mother in-law

    A man, 42, identified as Tambaya Manu, was on Tuesday killed by a mob after allegedly killing his mother in-law in Kebbi State.

    The incident reportedly occurred at Bangu village in Mahuta town of Fakai Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

    A witness, who pleaded anonymity, told our reporter that Manu had allegedly committed the offence after his in-laws refused him access to his wife, Aisha, who was domiciled with her parents after he had divorced her.

    “The couple had a disagreement which led to divorce a month ago. Following the divorce, the wife had to relocate to her parent’s house.

    “Several efforts to resolve the crisis and reunite the once-happy couple yielded fruitless results.

    “Tambaya decided to storm his in-law’s house to retrieve his wife but her family members refused. This prompted him to brandish his machete and he slaughtered his mother in-law,’’ the source said.

    Read Also: Police arrest six ‘bank robbers’

    The source further told our reporter that the mother in-law died instantly, adding that “he also attacked two other members of the family but they were rescued by their neighbours.

    “After committing the offence, he attempted to flee the scene but a crowd that had gathered overpowered him and mobbed him’’.

    Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mustapha Suleiman, said his men found the village deserted when they got there.

    “Two people died in the incident – mother in-law and son in-law,’’ Suleiman said.

     

    NAN

  • Kebbi Police rescue pregnant woman from kidnappers’ den

    Kebbi State Police command says it has rescued a pregnant woman, Hajiya Sadiya Tsoho, from kidnappers’ hideout in the state.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mustapha Suleiman, who confirmed the release of the victim on Sunday said, the police rescued the victim and no ransom was paid.

    Hajiya Sadiya, wife of Malam Anas Sha’aban, owner of the popular Sha’aban Supermarket in Birnin-Kebbi, was reportedly kidnapped last week by unknown gunmen.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pregnant woman was kidnapped from her home and taken to a desert area in Mahuta village, Fakai Local Government Area of the state.

    A source who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the suspected gunmen had laid ambush for the husband, Malam Sha’aban at Rafin Atiku Area in Birnin -Kebbi for hours on that fateful Sunday, July 1.

    They were said to have decided to go to his house instead when they did not get him.

    “On getting the house, they only met his pregnant wife, and they kidnapped her. We were told that the kidnappers made contact with the family and demanded for N200 million.

    “Whether they paid the ransom or not is what I cannot confirm,’’ the source said.

    Efforts by newsmen to get the husband for comments were unsuccessful as he was said to be unavailable.

    Suleiman said the woman, who was rescued successfully and in good health, had been reunited with her family.

    He said though none of the kidnappers was apprehended, but the Police were on their trail.