The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kwara

  • Meningitis outbreak: NAWOJ seeks FG’s intervention

    Hajia Binta Mora, Chairperson, Kwara chapter of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has urged the Federal Government to intervene for states ravaged by outbreak of meningitis, to arrest the menace.

    Mora gave the advice in Ilorin on Thursday at a one-day seminar on Health and Wellness organized by the chapter as part of activities marking its 2017 Week.

    The week has as the theme, “Women Journalists as Agents of Change”.

    Mora also called on the state governments to make treatment on the outbreak of meningitis affordable and accessible to victims.

    She advocated adequate provision of vaccines to prevent further outbreak of the scourge.

    “Permit me to make a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to provide adequate support for states facing the outbreak of meningitis.

    “Vaccines should also be made available for adequate prevention. May the souls of those who lost their lives as a result of the outbreak rest in peace,” she said.

    Also speaking at the seminar, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, enjoined Nigerians to prioritise prevention in place of cure.

    He stressed the need for Nigerians to be more concerned about their health status and act swiftly on early warning signals.

    Ajeigbe said the state government would continue to support NAWOJ and by extension NUJ membersw in Kwara to ensure they perform their statutory responsibilities accordingly.

     

  • Entrepreneurship: Expert laments inconsistency in government policies

    A finance expert, Dr Joseph Falaye, has blamed inadequate entrepreneurship development in the country to inconsistency in government policies and programmes.

    Falaye, a lecturer in the Finance and Account Department, Landmark University, made this assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara, on Wednesday.

    He noted that lack of continuity in implementing government’s long term framework on entrepreneurship development plans was doing more harm than good to transforming the sector.

    “Things must be well coordinated, especially at the level of government to achieve the desired result.

    “There has been lack of workable vision and sustainable development mechanism towards utilising entrepreneurship as a viable alternative for economic recovery.

    “Policies, programmes and ideas of successive governments in the country have been lopsided.

    “They have remained stagnant, subjected to individual influence and inconsistency contrary to what obtains in developed economies,” he said.

    Falaye said appointment into headship of the nation’s financial body such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should be on merit, devoid of any political interference to move the sector forward.

    He also lamented the difficulties in accessing credit facilities and lack of adequate feedbacks on government public intervention programmes to address the grey areas.

    Falaye said that irregular financial regimes as regards the lending rate by successive administrations had continued to dampen the morale of potential entrepreneurs in the country.

    “The problem persisted in spite of the genuine passion, interest and efficient productive mindset shown by these teeming unemployed youths,’’ he said.

    The don called for a synergy between the three tiers of government in the areas of adequate financial backing and infrastructure to boost investment in entrepreneurial and skill acquisition development.

    According to him, such intervention is needed, especially at this critical period to encourage youth active participation in entrepreneurial programmes, thereby promoting self reliance.

     

  • Meningitis: Kwara yet to record any case – Commissioner

    Dr Atolagbe Alege, the Commissioner for Health in Kwara, said on Tuesday that the state has not recorded any case of Type ‘C’ Cerebrospinal meningitis, currently affecting some parts of the country.

    Alege told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Ilorin that the state government is being proactive as regard the outbreak of the meningitis.

    “We are proactive in the state as regards the outbreak of meningitis in other parts of the country,” he said.

    He said the state was closely monitoring developments and had held a meeting with its epidemiology and disease control officers on March 31.

    The commissioner said that the meeting was to ensure all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state are sensitised to the disease and also report any cases that may occur.

    Alege said the state ministry also had meetings with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Department of Public Health on preventive measures and effective sensitisation methods.

    “We are at alert; and we are pulling our resources together,” he said.

    Also speaking with NAN on the issue, Dr Uthman Mubashir, a Public Health Physician at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report symptoms such as fever, stiff neck and seizure.

    Other symptoms Mubashir listed are: moulted skin, cold hands and feet; as well as severe headache among others.

    The physician also advised members of the public to live in well ventilated environments, warning them to avoid over-crowded places.

    Mubashir described meningitis as the swelling of brain and spinal cord membranes, which could be due to viral, fungal or bacterial infection.

    He, however, said the disease was commonly caused by a virus; and that the most lethal strain was the bacterial meningitis.

    The expert also explained that early diagnosis and treatment could prevent complications and potential long-term effects.

    The physician added that vaccination could help prevent infection by the disease, but not all types of meningitis.

  • Kwara youths till the soil

    Kwara youths till the soil

    The message is old: the future of the economy depends on agriculture. What is new is that thousands of Kwara State youths are now championing the cause by taking up farming, writes KUNLE JIMOH

    It has always been difficult talking youths out of chasing ever dwindling white collar jobs, and convincing them to grow food. In Kwara State, the message has sunk in and youths there have no qualms tilling the soil. The state government provided the enabling environment. No fewer than 3,200 youths across the 16 local government areas of the state are members of Kwara Youth Integrated Farmers Organisation.

    Under the state farm settlement scheme at Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East local government, the youth farmers between 2015 and 2016 produced about 16 tons of Soybeans, which were supplied to local processors, feed millers and traders at the local markets, it was gathered.

    Apart from this, the youth farmers embarked on soybeans demonstration trial in 11 local communities in about 10 local government areas in collaboration with national and foreign partners.

    Representative of the youth farmers, Abubakar Ibrahim, said this in Ilorin, the state capital at an award presentation.

    Ibrahim added that the farmers had also embarked on seed production of about one hectare of land which was certified by the National Seed Council of Nigeria.

    However stakeholders at the event, said that the youth farmers are not without some challenges.

    Ibrahim said that about stated achievements could have been higher save for the difficulty in accessing land for production; menace of herdsmen; stringent policies and unfriendly attitude from financial institutions; lack of facilities for irrigation farming; absence of storage facilities and unfavourable government policies.

    He laid more emphasis on the challenges the farmers are currently facing at their Oke-Oyi and Alateko farm settlements.

    Said he: “In recent years, the youth farmers in both Oke-Oyi and Alateko farm settlements have been contending with issues that could lead to losing the land and serious-minded youths already in farming in these areas would be out of job.

    “The current attempt by the government to take some of the land away from the youth would affect the huge investment by the youth over the years. Many of the farmers had purchased over 70 percent of farm inputs (fertiliser, seedlings, herbicides and inoculants etc) in preparation for 2017 farming season.

    “We urge the state government to clear a fresh land for the purpose of expanding farmlands for new farmers rather than driving away the existing youth farmers.

    “Aside, we would like a communication network created that would help us to constantly get in touch to share stories of what is going on in relation to achievements we are making in agriculture in the state.”

    In his remark, Special Adviser to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmend on Agriculture, Anu Ibiwoye said no matter the seeming challenges, the state government is seeing to be supporting the processes of expanding agriculture.

    Said Ibiwoye: “The issue is clear. We have limited land for the youths. There are more people that are coming into agriculture. We cannot have 400 hectares and give all to about when there are people who want to coming into farming. We have to find a way on how to accommodate all the interest together. This is government and government has a responsibility of catering for all.

    “What is important is that we are seeing to be supporting the process of expanding agriculture. Currently we are opening up virgin land in Share, Ifelodun local government area, Oke-Oyi. In fact we have approval to open up 50 additional hectares in Malete. We are also entering into a working partnership with the Lower River Niger Basin as their focus has shifted from agriculture. We are looking at where there is existing cleared land.

    “The problem we have with this set of youth farmers at Oke-Oyi is that they cannot full control over the 400 hectares. It is government’s land. The government is back to say it wants to run a programme with the land. It is either the youth farmers key-in or excuse us.

    “If they leave now we will still bring youth there. We are not saying leave the land but we are saying we cannot leave the entire land to you under the current programme. There is land in other places.”

     

  • Kwara yet to receive London-Paris Club refund

    Kwara yet to receive London-Paris Club refund

    The Kwara State government has said it is yet to receive the second tranche of the London-Paris club refund.

    It described speculations that the government had received the fund as malicious and false.

    Commissioner for Finance Demola Banu addressed reporters in Ilorin, after a meeting of the State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC).

    “There has been no official commitment from the Federal Ministry of Finance as regards when the money will be paid. No state has received any fresh payment at the moment,” he said.

    The commissioner, however, promised that the people would be informed whenever the money is paid.

    Banu added that the gross statutory allocation for the councils stood at N923,374,901.19, Value Added Tax (VAT) at N368,927,474.85 and excess Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) at N219,190, 418.56.

    He said N273,114,949.65 was deducted at source as repayment for the councils’ previous borrowings from banks. Other deductions were N1.5 million for sundry expenses.

  • Etisalat trains sanitation workers in Kwara

    GSM provider, Etisalat has trained no fewer than 10 waste management officials in demonstration of its commitment to community development and environmental preservation.

    The firm also donated waste disposal bins and other ancillary items to Adewole-Adeta community in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    Etisalat affirmed this during the launch of its Community Sanitation Support Programme (CSSP) in Ilorin, in conjunction with HEDA Resource Centre and the Kwara State Government as part of the company’s continued efforts to promote community health and environmental preservation across Nigeria.

    Speaking at the event Head, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Mohammed Suleh-Yusuf said the key objective of the CSSP initiative was to promote the culture of hygiene and environmental preservation among residents of the state so they can continue to live healthier lives and be more productive at all times.

    He said, “Through our CSSP initiative, Etisalat is not just providing sanitation support to communities; we are empowering Nigerians to understand the benefits of maintaining a clean environment. This is why we have gone the extra mile by training 10 young people as waste

    management champions in Adewole-Adeta community, and also providing them with the equipment to function. We also provided them with phone lines and airtime so they can reach out to one another and provide feedback on their progress from time to time.”

    Commending Etisalat Nigeria for the CSSP initiative, Kwara State Commissioner for Environment, Otunba Taiwo Johnson, who was represented by the Deputy Director on Environment, Gabriel Towoju, enjoined other private sector companies to emulate the telco by being more committed to the environment. “This is laudable, and I encourage others to join hands with government in promoting clean and healthy environment. Through effective synergy, we will all ensure our society is in perfect state of harmony with nature where all of us live together peacefully,” he said.

    Coordinator, HEDA Resource Centre, Sulaiman Arigbabu, stated that the non-governmental organization (NGO) partnered with Etisalat to promote community health and environmental preservation at the grassroots across Nigeria because poor sanitation and unsafe environment can cause illness thereby affecting people’s productivity.

    “The prosperity of communities is linked with people’s productivity, and there is a linkage between how healthy the people are in carrying out their daily activities. Toa large extent, the state of health of the people is linked to the sanitary condition and well-being of the environment”, he noted.

     

  • Man remanded in prison for assaulting police officer, court clerk

    An Ilorin Magistrate’s Court in Kwara on Monday remanded a man, Ogbechukwu Ogbe,  in prison for allegedly slapping a police officer, Sgt. Adisa Akinjide, and a court clerk, Ishola Rotimi, during court proceedings.

    The Prosecutor, Abegunde Elijas, said that the accused was disturbing the court during proceedings when he was cautioned not to make noise, but he bluntly refused.

    Elijas said that in the process, he was asked to move out of the court, but he refused and started fighting the police and the court clerk.

    He alleged that the accused tore the policeman’s uniform and threatened to deal with both of them.

    The prosecutor said that the accused was standing trial on a four-count charge of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, interruption of judicial proceeding and intimidation.

    He said the offences contravened Sections 267, 155 and 396 of the Penal Code.

    Magistrate Babatunde Immam ordered that the accused be remanded at Okekura Prison in Ilorin.

    He adjourned the case till March 27 for further mention.

    NAN

  • Make KWASU software research-based institution – VC

    Make KWASU software research-based institution – VC

    The Vice Chancellor, Kwara State University, (KWASU) Malete, Abdulrasheed Na’Allah has advised its Software Development and Innovation Team to make the university a software research-based institution.

    Na’Allah gave the advice on Friday in Malete, Kwara, while inaugurating the university’s 22-member Software Development and Innovation Team.

    He said the team should among other things conduct research and develop software in advanced technological areas possible.

    “This should be in service to KWASU and the larger Kwara, Nigeria and the global community.

    “We want people to be coming in and out of KWASU to get solution to their problems in terms of the software you will produce.

    “So, you have the mandate to acquire grants in support of your activities and boost KWASU’s Internally Generated Revenue drive.

    “Your mandate also includes collaboration with I.T. providers, such as Google, Oracle, SAP and Microsoft and also collaborate nationally and internationally with educational institutions,” Na’Allah said.

    He said that the team should be able to impact on the immediate environment by creating original and patented softwares that would relate to people’s social way of life.

    “I am charging the team to act local and think global, then think global and act local in the sense that, they should put our social way of life into consideration.

    “This is because many things done in technology these days are copied in such a way that they are not reflected to the local reality, hence they are short-lived.

    “So, it is important that when one is innovating anything, you look at the social way of life of the audience.

    “Think out of the box to develop softwares that can help villagers, market women and other members of the community as a whole,” Na’Allah said.

    Prof. Bayo Lawal, the Coordinator to the VC on Research and Industry, also told  the team to encourage students, especially the exceptional ones.

    He advised the management to try and send some members of the team for training out of the country.

    In her acceptance speech, the Chairperson of the team, Hajia Hassanah Bello, said the they would work together as a team to achieve the best for KWASU, Nigeria and the world at large.

    “We promise that we will be an African ICT Hub where original softwares will be produced.

    “We will be as interactive as possible with people within and outside this community to encourage interaction,” she said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that among the 22 member-team, five are Alumni of the institution, while four of them are students.

     

  • Three die in Customs, auto dealers clash in Kwara

    Three persons reportedly died in a clash between men of the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) and auto dealers in Bode-Saadu, Moro Local Government of Kwara State.
    But the police said only one person died and three others sustained injuries.
    It was gathered the injured are receiving treatment in a private hospital. An eyewitness said the clash caused pandemonium as residents ran to safety.
    It was gathered the auto dealers were coming from Cotonou, Benin Republic, when they ran into an ambush of the NCS.
    The auto dealers sped off to evade arrest and men of the NCS chased after them. An exchange of fire ensued and three persons were hit.
    Police spokesperson Ajayi Okasanmi said the clash happened Monday evening and that only one person died. He, however, said no arrest has been made.

  • Kwara, SON make case for made-in-Nigeria products

    The Kwara State government, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and an industrialist have pushed for made-in-Nigeria goods as a recipe for the country’s economy development.

    They said this in Ilorin, the state capital, at the presentation of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)’s certificate of mandatory conformity assessment programme (MANCAP) to the managing director of an Ilorin-based Forgo Battery Company Limited, Joseph Offorjama.

    The state Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Abubakar Rifu said Nigeria does not need to rely on imported products to grow its economy.

    The commissioner, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Hajia Aisat Abubakar said, “We are happy that SON is ensuring standard for us to have value for our money. If we can get value for our money we don’t need to consume imported products. The campaign for buy Nigerian-made products would have started a very long time ago so that we will appreciate ourselves.

    “I want to congratulate Forgo Battery for doing the right thing. We are indeed very happy with you. We will always support you; we will always be there for you when you need our services. The government is very happy with you. I encourage you not to compromise standard in

    your production. Let the customers recognise you.”

    Kwara state Coordinator, SON, Sunday Yashim said “patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods is the only way to grow the country’s economy.

    “The impression that made-in-Nigeria products are substandard is the mentality of the black man. He does believe in himself. The truth about it is that any product that is manufactured has minimum requirements and almost all the products we have certified have met those minimum requirements.

    “Any product that has our logo, it is assumed the product is of high quality. And SON is an autonomous parastatal. If the product falls short of the minimum standard members of the “public is at liberty to see redress in the law court.”

    Speaking with reporters shortly after receiving the MANCAP certificate, Mr. Offorjama listed some of the challenges confronting manufacturers in the country as “difficulty in sourcing foreign exchange to import some vital materials that are not available locally; difficulty in getting spare-parts for some of the machines as they are not made here; unavailability of technical-know-how. So have to pay through our noses to import experts periodically to handle some things for us.”

    He admitted that locally produced goods are far better than imported ones in some instances, adding that “the local products are good and even much better, because battery has a life. The modern batteries now which are maintenance free start the day they are sealed. If you buy batteries that have been regulated by SON-Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) freshly made then you have got true value for your money.”

    He urged the Federal Government to help local manufacturers to get foreign exchange with ease.

    “This should be urgently attended to because most factories still need foreign exchange to get spare parts and some raw materials that are not available here”, he said.

    In the area of power cost, we think government should stop the upward revive of tariff until supply improves. Presently too, there are clamours for other sources of power which we highly encourage.

    “So having other sources of energy through gas and solar is welcome development.

    With that energy cost can be competitive. Over time, as the economy improves we will see how to source raw materials from research institute that available to make these materials known and where they are. And we will explore them to reduce the cost of importation.”