The Nation Newspaper

Tag: KOGI

  • ‘Pay Kogi teachers two-month salary arrears’

    the Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday demanded the payment of the September and October salary of teachers.

    NUT Chairman Suleiman Abdullahi, who spoke in Lokoja, the state capital, was reacting to claims by the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) that all teachers’ entitlements had been paid.

    Hailing Governor Idris Wada’s pledge to commit N5.4 billion to the development of primary education, Abdullahi said his efforts might  not produce results if teachers’ welfare was not taken seriously.

    He said contrary to claims that teachers had been paid, they were being owed two-month salary and other entitlements.

    Abdullahi said though the striking teachers had resumed, the union directed them to attend classrooms without teaching until their salary arrears are paid.

  • Kogi audits council accounts

    Kogi audits council accounts

    kogi State Governor Idris Wada has ordered an audit of the accounts of local governments, it was learnt at the weekend.

    At a closed door meeting with council chairmen on Friday, it was gathered that the governor accused some of them of financial recklessness.

    A source, who was at the meeting, said Wada warned the chairmen, some of who are aspiring to contest the National Assembly elections, “not to allow their political ambitions to becloud their mandate to the people”.

    The source quoted the governor as saying: “We are going to sanitise the local government system. A situation where most chairmen cannot pay the full staff salary is not healthy for development and efforts must be made to reverse the trend.

    “We cannot allow this sorry situation to continue. Any local government chairman found to be fraudulent at the audit would be prosecuted. They will be handed over to the appropriate authorities to face the wrath of the law.”

  • Kogi West, Central demand power rotation

    The people of Kogi Central and West have called for power rotation among the three senatorial districts.

    After a meeting yesterday in Kabba, representatives from both areas said they had not been treated fairly since the creation of Kogi State in 1991.

    They came together under the aegis of West-Central Coalition for Equity and Justice to work together to redress the “injustice”.

    In a statement by its Chairman, Prof. Yusuf Aliu, and Secretary Chief J. Yusuf, the group said: “The people of Kogi Central and Kogi West have not been fairly treated since they came to the state in 1991; they have been reduced to second-class citizens in a state that is supposed to be theirs.

    “The task now is how to liberate ourselves and become full citizens. The starting point for this liberation, freedom and democracy is power rotation among the three senatorial districts.”

  • Kogi West youths back Smart Adeyemi for third term

    Youths from Kogi West senatorial district, under the auspices of Smart Adeyemi Continuity Movement (SESACOM) has commenced rally for the re-election bid of Senator Smart Adeyemi for the third term.

    Thousands of youths at a rally held at the Children’s Amusement Park, Lokoja extolled the achievement of the senator in the house and promised that they were going to work for his re-election.

     In his welcome address, Comrade Oladele John Nihi, said the youths are committed to the continuation of Adeyemi as he has represented his constituency well and should be allowed to continue to enhance development in  the constituency.

     The Director General of Senator Smart’s campaign organization represented by the former Chairman of Ejumu local government area, Mr Fehinti Dada, said Senator Adeyemi has performed up to expectations.

    According to him, having Senator Smart for the third term will strengthen his capability to adequately advocate for the constituency at the National Assembly.

     “We need someone to help us spread development to our area. If we have a third term senator in the national assembly, he would be strong to advocate for things that would bring development to his people because his voice as a senior senator would be respected and nobody can be principal officer in the national assembly if he is coming for the first time.”

    Dada who ruled out any form of rotation in the area, said there was no rotation formula for contesting for the seat adding that where such arises, it should be amicably settled among the leaders.

     “Even if the seat is zoned to another federal constituency, nothing stops others from contesting. So our leaders most address this issue, our leaders must seat down to settle this issue of rotation from this tenure. Let this person go.

  • Kogi, CBN sign N2b MoU for agriculture

    Kogi State government  has signed a N2 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for agriculture.

    Governor Idris Wada said this at the opening of a four-day-training for cashew farmers in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area.

    He said the government has provided the will for farmers to succeed, adding that the N2 billion would be spread across agricultural areas where the state had comparative advantage.

    Wada, who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Zacchaeus Atte, said N300 million would be voted for cashew farmers.

    The President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Mr. Tola Fasheru, urged  the  governments to provide incentives for cashew farmers.

    In  another  vein, Faseru, said   Nigerian cashew is becoming one of the best in the world as it  reached consistently 51Lbs and 52Lbs/ 80kg, with nut count around 180-185 per kg as the intensive training in good farming practices, harvest and post harvest handling practices  conducted for farmers and local buying agents and  produce inspection officers are beginning to pay off.

    According  to him,  efforts are also being put in place to provide infrastructure such  as storage facilities and drying platforms for  farmers.

    Faseru  noted  that  farmers are being trained on how they can conduct quality test for their cashew particularly with respect to moisture,out turn and the nut count. All of these, he  added,  are geared towards achieving increased cashew productivity and quality.

    Currently, he  noted   that  the  annual production for the raw cashew nuts is put at 125,000 metric tonnes valued at N24 billion  ($160,000,000).

    He  said the  sector has the potential for an annual output of about $2 billion  within the next five years.

    Already at the moment, he  said   the cashew industry  provides livelihood for over 300,000 families directly employing over 600,000 people.

    He  noted  that  efforts are ongoing to increase the level of processing and value addition to  cashew nuts and cashew apple for  local consumption and export to the international market.

    Faseru  said  an increase in the volume of the cashew being produced would impact directly on the jobs being created and this would in turn impact positively on the economy of the cashew producing states.

     

  • Kogi Governor honours six corps members

    Governor Idris Wada of kogi State has conferred state awards on six Batch C corps members who distinguished themselves during their National Youth Corp Service (NYSC) programme.

    They are: Dr Ohaeto Osita Cosmas, Kolawole Ayodeji Amos, Gana Jemina Stella, Dr Opara Emmanuel Chinedu, Ndubisi Stella and Ozor Ifoma Celestina.

    The Kogi State NYSC Co-ordinator, Mr Sam Udolisah said the awardees made sacrifices and contributions of “monumental dimensions in their host communities and places of primary assignments” and were identified by the NYSC Honours Awards and Screening Committee based on prescribed criteria.

    The governor presented the awards at the Government House Lokoja ahead of the nationwide Passing out Parade (POP) of the Batch C corps members.

    He described the recipients as worthy ambassadors of the youth and great citizens of the nation.

    Wada, who was represented by his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, praised the corps members for their patriotism and perseverance, and counseled them to make use of the entrepreneurial skills acquired during the orientation programme of the scheme so they can be employers rather than job seekers.

    The corps members were presented with cash awards and promised more largesse when the governor returns.

    Over 1,749 corps members served in the batch C in Kogi State.

    Udolisah said the NYSC decided to decentralize the POP due to the security situation in the country.

     

  • When APC leaders stormed Kogi

    When APC leaders stormed Kogi

    Tony Akowe captures the rhythm of the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) political rally in Kogi where many chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party defected to APC

    As early as 10.00 am, they began to arrive at the Lokoja Township Stadium bearing different banners and campaign posters of party chieftains and chanting the praises of the party while denigrating the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. It was a rally organised by the party to receive members of the PDP who were dumping the party for the APC. All roads leading to the stadium were practically taken over by the supporters, while the police had a hectic time controlling the crowd.

    Campaign posters of former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President,  Atiku Abubakar, and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso were everywhere in the stadium and so were those of the aspirants to the various political offices in Kogi State, from the State House of Assembly to the Senate. Surprisingly, there were no campaign posters for the position of the governor at the stadium.

    While the people waited for the dignitaries to arrive for the rally scheduled to begin at 12.00 noon, they sang, danced and made caricature of the PDP.

    The arrival of Governor Kwankwaso threw the stadium into excitement which grew stronger as other personalities arrived the stadium. Atiku Abubakar, General Muhammadu Buhari and the leader of the party in the state, Prince Abubakar Audu, all arrived at the stadium almost at the same time to the admiration of the people.

    But with the event ready for a smooth take off at about 1.35, The Master of Ceremony and former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, announced that the plane carrying one of the national leaders of the party and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was on his way to the event with two unnamed governors from the South-West were prevented from landing at the Obajana Airstrip. He announced later that former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, was also prevented from landing in the state to attend the event.

    The Nation gathered that the present PDP government in the state has practically frustrated some of the party leaders in the state, including a former party chairman of the PDP for eight years, relegating them to the background in the administration of the state and failing to heed advice to develop the state.

    Speaking at the event, the APC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, said the day marked the end of the PDP in Kogi State and Nigeria. Ametuo expressed the belief that with some of the top leaders of the ruling party joining the main opposition party in the state, the state was set to witness a tremendous transformation. He said that under the PDP government, Kogo has suffered from what he called leadership kwashiorkor. According to him, the APC was the best party for Nigeria and Kogi State, saying “we have to vote the PDP out in the forthcoming election”. He told the decampees that “as you join the APC, you have become equal partners with the founders of the party. We must join hands to push out the party that has saddled us with insecurity and lack of development for a long time”.

    National Chairman of the Party and former Edo State governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who arrived the stadium alongside some national officers of the party just as the Deputy National Chairman was receiving the decampees, told the gathering that they had remained out of power and allowed Idris Wada to mismanage the state because they failed to protect their votes. He said “As I drive to this stadium, I saw serious mismanagement of resources as the road was virtually impassable. Look at the roof of this stadium, it is an eyesore. We must not allow what happened during the election into the Niger East Senatorial  election to happen again. I will tell you a story. I was at an event during the election and the chairman of the occasion was a PDP member. When the results were coming in, he left his seat and came to show me the results he had received. From that result, it was clear that where we were winning because there was nowhere they got up to 25 percent of the votes. But we started celebrating and went to sleep; but they did not go to sleep and that was how we lost that election.”

    Oyegun said further that “the APC is growing so fast. Many of you know I have been here three times in the past and I tell you this is the greatest number of crowd I have seen. The PDP is finished anyway. Have we forgotten the N20 billion? Have we forgotten the N225 million armored tank? Can we forget the $9.6 million? Can we forget Boko Haram? And, look at it here in Kogi State, look at the very stadium we are standing, where the government cannot fix its roofs. But, I want to tell you that as soon as APC comes into power, we will change all these for the better. Teachers are not paid, workers are not paid and it is a challenge for you to ensure that they do not rise again. It is not an easy job, but we shall not make the mistake we made in the past. I want to assure you that APC is the only party with vision, dependable and willing to do the needful.”

    The Deputy National Chairman, Senator Lawal Shuibu, who received the decampees which include two former Speakers of the Kogi State House of Assembly and a two time PDP chairman in the state, said the event marked the end of the PDP in the state with the exit of some of the former leaders of the party since 1999. He explained that the APC believes in good governance which has been lacking in the state, pointing out that since the inception of PDP government, the state has witnessed total lack of development and insecurity.

    Other speakers emphasised the need to vote out the PDP in the next election, especially in the state which has suffered from lack of development since the inception of the present administration. Buhari told the gathering that the only way they can vote out the PDP was by ensuring that they collect their voters cards, while those who have lost theirs, or destroyed them should take advantage of the update of the voters register to go and register. He assured them of the determination of the APC to secure and effectively manage Nigeria, promising that the party, if elected, will provide good healthcare, security and qualitative education which had eluded Nigerians since 1999. He said “the APC will stop the stealing of the money that belongs to all. This is the only opportunity we have to get the only country we have back into good reckoning. Let those who cannot perform give way to those who can do the job”. He reminded them of the task ahead saying “in the next five months, there will be no sleep, there will be no rest until we take over Aso Rock”.

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who stole the heart of the audience with his Change Wada and Change Jonathan slogan told them that they lost the government house to the PDP because they failed to defend their votes in the last elections and enjoined them not to allow the same thing to happen in the next elections. In the next election, he said the people must be prepared to defend their votes if they hope to have a quality government in place in the state, pointing out that both Governor Idris Wada and President Goodluck Jonathan have failed Nigerians.

    Atiku, who had his supporters in good numbers displaying his campaign posters, expressed confidence that APC will emerge victorious at the next presidential election in 2015.

    Kwankwasiyan exponent, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, expressed worry about the rising rate of corruption, insecurity and total lack of development in the country. He assured that the APC was prepared to give the country a new type of leadership and free it from bad leadership. The Kano state governor said: “There is corruption in the land, in the air and water, crude oil theft, Boko Haram in the north, kidnapping in the south, no electricity and no jobs. This is why we need change in the country. APC is prepared to make the country a better place”.

    While welcoming the defectors to the party, he urged all those who may have left the APC to make a detour in order to join hands with the progressives to salvage the country.

    Other dignitaries at the rally included, APC Deputy National Chairman, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, National Deputy Chairman, South West, Engr. Segun Oni, former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, former

    Minister of State for Petroleum, Shuaib Abdullahi, APC National Treasurer, Bala Muhammed and National Organizing Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, among.

    Those who joined the party with their supporters are two former speakers who at one time or the other acted as governor, Clarence Olafemi, Abdulahi Bello, Alhajj Ibrahim Aliko, Chief John Odanwu, Amb.  Isaac Onu, former members of the state House of Assembly, including,  a member representing Kogi Constituency, Salihu Akawu, and  10 former chairmen of local government councils.

  • Kogi varsity goes tough on sale of handout, sexual harassment

    Kogi varsity goes tough on sale of handout, sexual harassment

    The Management of Kogi State University (KSU) in Anyigba has warned staff, that textbooks, and harass of students to desist or face the law.

    The management said it would not condone any form of extortion of students by lecturers and non-academic staff.

    In a statement by the Registrar, Mr J.A. Zhizhi, the university noted that the warning had become necessary in view of several allegations bordering on exploitative sales of unauthorised hand-outs, journals and books before, during, and after registration of students.

    Other activities frowned at included deliberate delay of project assessment by supervisors in order to extort gratification, collection of unauthorised levies during defence of thesis and dissertations.

    While stressing that the reported cases were being investigated, the management appealed to students and members of staff who may have been affected by these activities to promptly report to management.

    Our investigations revealed that aside from money extorted from students on the sale of the hand-outs, journals and text books at exorbitant rates, names of such students are written for undue advantages

    “Some members of staff give assignments to students and make them  contribute several thousands of naira each. The staff will then direct the unsuspecting students to town to hire equipment and facilities owned by them to do the assignments.The staff’s private equipment and facilities are poor and substandard, but are hired by students at exorbitant costs, compared to the state of the art equipment and facilities owned by the university, which are never made available to students to use for assignments,” some sources lamented.

  • Kogi teachers shun work

    Kogi teachers shun work

    Primary and secondary school teachers in Kogi State have vowed not to resume for the 2014/2015 academic session as directed by the government.

    In a statement yesterday in Lokoja, the state capital, the Basic Education Staff Association of Nigeria (BESAN) said teachers would not resume until the unpaid N18,000 national minimum wage is resolved.

    The association called for a stop to the irregular payment of salary to its members and the payment of leave allowance arrears from 2011 till date.

    In the statement, signed by BESAN Chairman Suleiman Adomu, the teachers urged the government to look into promotions without monetary rewards.

    They lamented the devastating effects of infrastructural decay and poor welfare to teachers on the education sector, adding that they won’t resume until the issues are resolved.

    The teachers decried the “incessant, inconclusive and fraudulent screening of workers”, urging the government to release the results of previous exercises.

  • One dead, 1,200 displaced in Kogi attack

    One dead, 1,200 displaced in Kogi attack

    About 1,200 people have been displaced in Ette, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, following an attack by gunmen suspected to be from neighbouring Enugu State.

    One person was killed. Several were injured and over 35 houses burnt.

    Ette Community Development Association (ECDA) spokesman Abdullahi Sani alleged that the attack was sponsored by a member of the Enugu State House of Assembly “in his bid to forcefully cede Ette to Enugu State and realise his second term ambition”.

    Sani said: “Hundreds of armed thugs were ferried into Ette from Enugu State to eliminate any obstacle to his (the lawmaker’s) political ambition in 2015 and take over Ette. At least, one life has been lost. Several people injured and about 1,200 displaced.

    “Homes and businesses, including the only hospitality facility in the district, have been burnt. Vandalism, looting, robbery and arson are ongoing as we speak.

    “Education, health and social services, including the General Hospital, have been looted and the resumption of schools has been aborted. The palace of the Onu-Oda-Adogo of Ette, Chief Aaron Ako, was also burnt.”

    Sani alleged that the lawmaker was working with the Enugu State government and Southeast governors, “who want to reclaim Ette land and have ensured that the closed Ette Police Station is not reopened”.

    He called for the re-opening of the station to stem violence.

    The association urged the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and other northern interest groups to assist in ensuring that the Enugu State government respects the Supreme Court judgment which “mandated both states to return to the status quo until the issue of land was settled by the National Boundary Commission”.

    It said: “We urge ACF, the Middle Belt Forum and the Northern Governors’ Forum to collaborate with the Kogi State government to galvanise our regional machinery, resources and citizenry to resist and abort the plot to remove Ette district from the North and make it part of the Southeast, an exercise that will grievously alter the geo-political, historical, cultural map and original territorial boundary of northern Nigeria forever.”