The Nation Newspaper

Tag: materials

  • NGO gives sanitary materials to patients

    NGO gives sanitary materials to patients

    Concerned about the plight of patients in the General Hospital, Kontagora, the Sani Bello Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has distributed sanitary materials, toiletries and fruits to over 100 patients.

    The distribution was part of the foundation’s contributions to commemorate the 48th birthday of the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.

    Materials distributed included detergents, soaps, disinfectants, tissue papers and fruits such as orange, bananas and pineapples, among others.

    The materials were received by the management of the hospital that commended the gesture of the NGO. It urged other organisations to emulate the gesture in order to touch the lives of the needy.

    Speaking after the exercise, the Director-General Sani Bello Foundation, Mr. Zakari Ikani said the distribution was part of the organisation social services to the community.

    “This is the character of the Sani Bello Foundation. This year, we decided to celebrate the 48th birthday of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello with the patients in Kontagora General Hospital. We want to touch the lives of the patients on this special day. I believe we have succeeded in doing so. We intend to do more for the less-privileged persons in the state,” Ikani said.

    The Sani Bello Foundation, which was founded by Colonel Sani Bello (rtd) in 2012, has been in the vanguard of youth and women empowerment in Niger State.

  • Akwa Ibom governor’s wife gives school materials to orphanages

    Akwa Ibom governor’s wife gives school materials to orphanages

    The wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel, has donated education materials, such as exercise books, text books, school bags, school boxes and toiletries to the children of the Divine Home, Atan Offuot under her ‘Back to School’ project which signifies the return of the children to their respective schools for the new academic session.

    Speaking at the event, Udom noted that in as much as she had sent her children to school with everything thing they required, it was expedient she replicated same with them by providing their basic needs.

    She advised the beneficiaries to study hard, be obedient to their teachers, elders and most importantly fear God.

    Mrs Emmanuel also urged the children not to indulge in behaviors that could hinder their success but rather concentrate on their studies so as to have a bright future.

    She also appreciated the coordinator and staff of the Home for their commitment and labour of love saying that their reward abounds.

    The Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Glory Edet, thanked the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for his support towards ensuring that every Akwa Ibom child lives a better life. She commended the governor’s wife for being a mother to all Akwa Ibom children.

    Earlier, the coordinator of Divine Home, Mrs. Ime Ephraim Inyang, appreciated the governor’s wife for her benevolence and magnanimity towards the orphanage. She, however, intimated the wife of the governor on their needs such as a utility vehicle (bus), raising the height of the fence and the repairs of the road leading to the facility.

     

  • Wike fails to stop inspection of poll materials

    Wike fails to stop inspection of poll materials

    The Rivers State governorship election petitions tribunal has rejected the prayer by Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the governorship election, Dakuku Peterside, from inspecting election materials.

    The tribunal, yesterday, dismissed Wike’s motion, seeking, among others, an order staying the execution of the June 11, 2015, leave granted the petitioners (APC and Peterside) to conduct forensic inspection of materials, pending Wike’s appeal.

    The petitioners, were, by the June 11 ruling, required to inspect and obtain certified true copies of the materials, to be tendered as exhibits in support of their case that the election was marred by irregularities.

    The tribunal held that Wike’s motion was deemed abandoned because his lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), chose to “dilly-dally” when given the opportunity to move it on Monday.

    “The motion is deemed abandoned. He (Ukala) preferred to dilly-dally with the case. It is our considered view that in the circumstance the motion will not be determined on merit and same is hereby struck out,” tribunal Chairman Justice Mu’azu Pindiga said.

    It also dismissed another motion by Wike, asking the  tribunal to strike out the witness statements on oath made by some witnesses.

    In another ruling, the tribunal refused the petitioners’ motion for an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transfer materials used for the election to Abuja for ease of inspection.

    The petitioners had complained that INEC was working with Wike and the PDP to frustrate their inspection despite the order it granted on June 11.

    It said granting the motion would amount to it (the tribunal) varying its June 11 order allowing the petitioners to inspect materials, noting that they did not file any motion seeking to vary the order.

    The tribunal also refused another motion by the petitioners seeking an order directing that notices of preliminary objections, filed or intended to be filed, by the respondents, should only be allowed in their final written addresses.

    The tribunal held that the motion had been overtaken by event, because some of such notices of preliminary objection had been heard and decided.

    It rejected a motion by INEC for an order striking out the reply of the petitioners to its (INEC’s) response to the petition.

    Justice Pindiga, who adjourned till next Monday, said two pending applications by INEC and Wike would be heard during hearing of the main petition.

  • SEMA provides relief materials

    The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has provided relief materials for victims of Sunday’s morning flood at Wuro-Dole in Akko Local Government.

    The SEMA Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Mohammed Garba, who presented the materials yesterday, said they were at the village the previous day to take stock of the damage and sympathise with the victims.

    He said the agency’s findings showed that the flood affected 46 houses.

    Garba, who spoke on behalf of the SEMA Executive Secretary, Dr. Danlami Arabs Rukujei, urged the people not to see the relief materials as compensating their losses, but an attempt to meet their needs.

  • BATNF lifts Ote farmers’ spirit with materials

    BATNF lifts Ote farmers’ spirit with materials

    To promote sustainable development in the rural areas, through agriculture, the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), has flagged off Cycle 2 of its BATNF-Ote Community Cassava Enterprise Value-chain Development Project.

    The occasion which held at the project farm, Ojutaye Village, Ote in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, was highlighted by the distribution of agricultural farm inputs to some farmers in the locality.

    In his opening remarks, the Managing Director, Kwara State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Dr. Sunday Atanda, thanked the BATNF for providing support to small-holder farmers in Ote. He noted that the project, which the Kwara State Agricultural Development Project is the implementing partner, is a collaborative effort in bringing the much-needed assistance to the 30 selected small-holder cassava farmers in the community through land preparation, trainings, inputs distribution and market linkages which are very critical to the sustaina-bility of the project.

    He enjoined the farmers to be committed to the project so as to have the desired and expected results at the end of the season.

    He assured them that if they “Work hard and produce the expected tonnage per hectare, with the support of BATNF, we will identify markets to sell your produce to.” He said this would further “Encourage the Foundation to support other smallholder farmers in other local government councils.”

    Delivering an address on behalf of the Foundation’s General Manager, Ms Abimbola Okoya, the foundation’s Project Manager, Remi Adewole, said that the gathering of the dignitaries, benefit-ting farmers and community attests to the premium value of the project. He lauded the smallholder farmers for their unwavering commitment in ensuring that the set goals of the Foundation, such as poverty alleviation and wealth creation, are met.

  • SEMA distributes relief materials

    The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) yesterday distributed relief materials to the victims of a flood, which ravaged more than half of Ngelzarma community.

    SEMA’s Executive Secretary Idi Musa Jidawa, in an SMS to our correspondent, said the agency had loaded 100 bags of rice, 200 bags of maize, 200 cartons of Indomie Noodles, 300 pieces of wrappers, children’s wears, 100 bags of beans, 25 gallons of vegetable oil and 50 cartons of Cerelac for delivery to the victims.

    Thousands were displaced and millions of property destroyed at Ngelzarma and Jajere after a heavy rain on Monday night, which lasted seven hours.

    Although nobody died, the villages were submerged.

    Our correspondent learnt that most of the victims are taking refuge at a primary school.

  • Labour kicks against lift of ban on textile materials

    Labour kicks against lift of ban on textile materials

    • Warns of impending job losses

    Textile workers have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the recent lifting of ban on textile materials.

    Acting under the aegis of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), they said the decision to lift the ban on textile materials would lead to massive job loss.

    The General Secretary of the union and Deputy President of the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Issa Aremu, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, said the decision to remove the ban on textile materials remained illegal because it did not follow due process.

    Aremu regretted that the decision to lift the ban remained counterproductive to government’s efforts in promoting the growth of local industry, saying the latest decision would sound a death knell for the textile sector.

    Aremu stated that the decision to relax the ban on the importation of textiles into the country was not in the interest of the masses, adding that the first test of Buhari’s ‘Change Initiative’, would be to reverse the decision.

    “Lifting the ban is illegal as it did not follow due process. Before the ban came into force, there were lots of discussions with all the stakeholders. Recall that the ban was put in place so that African prints can have comparative advantage because we have the capacity to produce locally as well as huge market,” he said.

    He lamented that the textile sector, which had been the leading employer of labour is now operating in the shadow of its old self with over 20 companies shut down.

    The Labour leader said former President Olusegun Obasanjo, after deliberations with the stakeholders, decided to put the ban in place, adding that the policy was equally retained by late President Musa Yar’adua and to some level, Goodluck Jonathan.

    “The same process it took to put the ban in place is the same process we expect the government to take into consideration to lift the ban. It cannot be done casually. All the stakeholders must be called for deliberation”, he stated.

    Aremu said the Federal Government should give the sector the kind of support given to local cement manufacturers, which has made them to thrive through the total ban on importation of cement.

    “We are not afraid of competition, if it’s done in good faith. If importers of textile materials pay the right duties and come in with quality products, our local industry can compete favourably with them. But a situation where they come in with inferior products through the back doors and saturate the market, thereby making it impossible for the local industry to break even is not good for our economy,” he argued.

    While calling for better funding of the Customs in order to combat smugglers, whom he said now have more sophisticated weapons, the textile union scribe said seized goods should be burnt as they often find their way back to the local markets.

    He also charged the state governments to look inward to grow their economies through agriculture and industrialisation as it was the case in the 60s and 70s, rather than going cap in hands begging for bail-out from the Federal Government.

  • Fed Govt distributes materials to 112,000 in Northeast

    The Federal Government has begun the distribution of materials, including food and non-food items, to 112,000 displaced persons and 16,000 households to victims of Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    The government, under the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE), will deliver the relief and humanitarian materials to victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

    PINE Chairman, who also chairs the Special Committee on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Prof. Soji Adelaja said the ongoing effort by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Red Cross and other partners was meant to reduce the suffering of the displaced persons in the region.

    Adelaja, who was represented by Dr. Tukur Ingawa, spoke during an assessment tour of the distribution of the materials in Borno State, according to a statement by PINE’s spokesman Odutayo Oluseyi.

    The statement said: “The Federal Government has developed a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Northeast.

    “The materials being distributed are of two categories: food and non-food items, such as rice, spaghetti, salt, vegetable oil, maize, buckets, blankets, detergents, nylon mats, raincoats, sanitary pads, multi-vitamins.

    “The items are estimated to reach 16,000 households and about 112,000 individuals in IDP host communities and home communities in the Northeast.

    “Prof. Adelaja said NEMA and the Red Cross, in collaboration with PINE, have put in place a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure that the materials reach the right people.

    “He urged private organisations, the international community and others well-meaning individuals to support the Federal Government in strengthening the Northeast.”

     

     

  • Corps members give pupils writing materials

    Corps members give pupils writing materials

    No fewer than 40 pupils of L.G.E. Community Nursery and Primary School in Iyano-Share in Ifelodun Local Government Area Kwara State have received writing materials from Corps members serving in the town.

    The materials were donated  as part of the Corps members’ Community Development Service (CDS).

    The Corps members said they felt the urge to respond to the pupils’ need through charity. Their leader Onyedikachi Ibezim advised his colleagues to continue to promote peace and development in their places of primary assignment.

    He said: “We must promote peace and harmony in our area of assignment. By doing this, we will promote development, because when we love and care for one another needs, we exhibit love to our nation.”

    The Headmaster, Mr. O. Ojibo, said he was overwhelmed by the  gesture, noting the Corps members showed rare kindness and care. He said the school had been battling with dilapidating infrastructure and teaching facilities, among others.

    The school, he said, need  classrooms and teaching materials that would enhance learning. His words: “The roofs of some of the classrooms have been blown off by wind and we expect the government and good-spirited individuals to come to our rescue, so that the pupils can learn in a conducive environment. The government only promised to do it but nothing has been done.”

    A teacher, who did not want her name in print, hailed the Corps members for the gesture, saying it was a good way to give back to the society. She said the pupils’ parents would be happy about it.

    A pupil, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Corps members for their gesture.

  • Sensitive materials distributed ahead of elections in Kano

    Sensitive materials distributed ahead of elections in Kano

    Ahead today’s governorship and state assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano said it it had distributed sensitive and non-sensitive materials to all the 44 local government areas in the state.

    The newly posted Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Hussaini Halilu Pai, who succeeds the late former REC, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi, told reporters in Kano yesterday that sensitive materials had been conveyed to the registration area centres (RAC) in the various local government headquarters for easy distribution to the polling units, adding that the materials had been customised according to the local government areas.

    Pai explained to reporters after the stakeholders meeting with security agencies, that all was set for today’s governorship and state assembly polls in the state.

    He said the timely distribution of the ballot papers and the result sheets would facilitate early commencement of accreditation and voting.

    The new REC said the Commission would not fold its arms and allow any ad hoc staff to to put spanner in the works of the Commission, adding that any of them who indulged in any anomaly would not be spared.

    Speaking on some of the malfunctioning card readers, the REC explained that those discovered to be faulty had since been replaced, adding that all the card reader machines had been re-configured and re-charged for a successful accreditation process during the election.

    Pai said all arrangements for the conduct of today’s elections was on course in Kano State, adding: ‘’We are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure the successful conduct of the exercise.

    ‘’I have come here to conduct an election. I hope and pray to deliver a free, fair and credible election.”

    A total 22 candidates are contesting for the seat of Kano State governor, while 239 candidates are contesting for the 40 House of Assembly seats.