The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nasarawa State

  • NAFDAC confirms reduction in use of bromate in Nasarawa

    NAFDAC confirms reduction in use of bromate in Nasarawa

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday said that its advocacy had drastically reduced the use of potassium bromate by bakers in Nasarawa State.

    Mr Michael Attah, NAFDAC Coordinator in Nasarawa State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that NAFDAC officials paid repeated unscheduled inspection visits to bakeries in the state.

    Attah said that the agency would not relax in its campaign against the use of the banned substances until eradication.

    “For now, we have not heard of any case of bakers using potassium bromate, which affects the kidney, although I cannot say it has been totally eradicated,” he said.

    The NAFDAC coordinator said that aggressive campaigns organised by the agency enlightened bakers on the hazards posed to human lives by the use of the `improver’.

    “In 2015, we called them, enlightened them and appealed to their consciences. In 2016, there was a general investigation carried out by NAFDAC.

    “We have test kits which we use when we visit bakeries unannounced. All that made them to do the right thing.

    “There are other alternatives with which to improve their products; most of them have embraced the alternatives,” he told NAN.

    Attah also said that the agency had opened an outpost in Karu Local Government Area of the state to provide effective service for the huge population.

    “We will ensure that these two offices in the state effectively cover the 13 local government areas.

    “The agency’s officials will pay advocacy visits to traditional rulers across the state to urge them to sensitise the youth to the hazards of peddling illegal drugs.

    “We noted resistance in Keana, Obi and Awe local governments in the southern part of the state.

    “Their boys are uncooperative. We will visit traditional rulers, then youth leaders to speak to them so that we can penetrate effectively,” Attah added.

    He appealed to the state government to support the agency in the area of logistics so that both offices could work effectively to reduce drug abuse.

  • Carpenter docked over conspiracy, theft

    A 23-year-old carpenter, Bala Abdullahi, was on Friday arraigned in a Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State, for alleged conspiracy and theft.

    The prosecutor, Mr Hamen Donald, told the court that one Kabiru Abdullahi of No. 12 PMF Minna, Niger, reported the matter at the Mararaba Police Station, A Division, on March 5 at about 7 p.m.

    Donald said that the complainant alleged that on the same day, the accused conspired with three others, still at large, and stole his Sony Xperia cell phone valued at N58,000.

    “The complainant discovered that his phone was missing after he made a call with it in the presence of the accused and his accomplices at Gidan Soja, Mararaba,” Donald said.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code.

    The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.

    The judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety in like sum.

    Shekarau said that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned further hearing in the case till April 3.

  • Staff drag proprietor to court over unpaid salaries.

    Members of staff of Olugbemi Unique School, Angwan Makama, Masaka, in Nasarawa State, on Wednesday dragged their proprietor, Jimmy Lagundaye, to a Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court over alleged non-payment of three months salaries.

    The complainants – Eze Susan, Kemi Soje, Amina Obor, Ojo Jumoke, Abonyi Amalis, Patience Ogede, Abdurazak Isah, Uver Charles, Amos Ebhohen, James Tor, Noel Blessing and Pauline Opeh – were all present in court.

    They averred that they were on monthly salary at the school and they worked for three months, but the proprietor refused to pay them their salaries.

    They said that they approached Lugundaye in respect of the issue, but he made several promises to the Education Inspectorate Office, Area 1, Masaka.

    Other bodies, he made promises to pay to were Karu Local Government Area, Social Welfare, Honorable Chairman of Karu Local Government and Masaka Police Station, but failed to pay.

    They alleged that the accused said that even if the School ran down, he had nothing to lose as he would turn it to a mini estate.

    The complainants said that all their efforts for the accused to pay them their salaries totaling N579, 000 proved abortive.

    They prayed the court to help them recover their monies.

    The complainants’ counsel, Mr Innocent Maagi, told the court that the offence of criminal breach of contract and cheating contravened Sections 381 and 322 of the Penal Code.

    Maagi urged the court to use its discretion in the case, stressing that his clients were all family men and women and this was their only source of income.

    Maagi prayed the court to give them a short date to hear the case.

    The accused, however, denied the allegation, stressing that they were not telling the truth.

    The Magistrate, Mr. Victor Manga, admonished Lugundaye to pay them their salaries if really he owed them.

    “There is a saying that the labourer is worthy of his wages; anybody that worked must be paid, if you don’t have money, you can negotiate with them as well because we are all humans,” the judge said.

    Manga granted the accused N500, 000 bail with one surety in a like sum who must be a civil servant on grade level 14.

    He said that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must deposit his two passports photographs in the court.

    The Magistrate ordered that if he failed to meet the requirements, he should be reminded in Keffi Prison.

    He adjourned the case to March 9 for hearing.

     

  • Nassarawa farmers urge govt. to ensure timely distribution of fertilisers

    Nassarawa farmers urge govt. to ensure timely distribution of fertilisers

    Some farmers in Nasarawa State have appealed to the government at all level to ensure early distribution of fertilisers and other farm inputs to farmers in order to boost their productivity.

    The farmers made the appeal on Tuesday in Toto, Toto Local Government Area of the state.

    They said that the timely distribution of fertilisers to farmers would facilitate efforts to improve food production and boost food security in the state and the country at large.

    One of the farmers, Mr. Mohammed Haruna, said that the importance of early distribution of fertilisers to farmers could never be over-emphasised, particularly in efforts to enhance the country’s development.

    “As we are all aware, no society can survive without agriculture; farming is the major source of livelihood to many members of our society.

    “Agriculture will not only provide food, fight poverty, hunger and unemployment but it will also improve the revenue base of Nigeria and the living standards of its citizens, while boosting the country’s socio-economic development.

    “For farmers in the state to have bumper harvests in the 2017 farming season, I hereby appeal to the state government to ensure early and timely distribution of fertilisers and other inputs to the farmers,’’ he said.

    Another farmer, Samson Audu, who noted that most farmers in the state were subsistent farmers, urged the government at all level to make available fertilisers to them at affordable prices in order to assuage their plight.

    He also called for the early and timely distribution of fertilisers and other inputs to the farmers.

    He, however, commended Gov. Tanko Al-Makura for providing the farmers with fertilisers at subsidised rates in the 2016 cropping season.

    Mr. Ibrahim Dauda, a farmer, also urged the government to promptly provide fertilisers and other farm inputs to farmers at affordable prices so as to boost food production in the state and the country at large.

     

  • Woman offers to repay dowry to end marriage

    A civil servant, Mrs Victoria Ayegba, on Monday offered to repay the dowry paid on her, in a bid to end a seven-year-old that has turned to a nightmare.

    “I am ready to refund the dowry. I will deposit it with the court registry so that he can go there and collect it,’’ she said.

    Victoria, 37, is however, pleading with the Upper Area Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State to grant her custody of the seven children produced by her crisis-torn marriage to one Ezekiel Ayegba.

    She said that she and Ezekiel had been living separately since the past two years because of their endless quarrels.

    “For the past seven years of our marriage, there has been no peace and harmony between us. Two years ago we separated.’’

    “Ezekiel who calls himself a pastor has over the years made life unbearable and miserable for me.

    “I have never been happy since we got married. He always finds fault in everything I do.

    “To him, I have never done anything good.  All I get from him is emotional pain.

    “He has worsened it by disappearing to an unknown place with our children.

    “The worst is that he has deprived me of seeing and having access to my children.

    “ I do not even know where he has taken them to, because they are no longer with him,” she stated.

    The civil servant pleaded with court to compel Ezekiel to return the children to her.

    “ I cannot live without them,’’ she cried.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ezekiel failed to appear in court, in spite of sermons served on him.

    The Presiding Judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, adjourned the case till March 16 for hearing.

  • Union tasks Nasarawa government on accreditation of university courses

    The Nasarawa State chapter of the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions (JUTI), has urged the state government to put in place necessary measure to ensure accreditation of all courses in its tertiary institutions.

    Mr. Samuel Bashayi, its Chairman, made the call on Tuesday in Lafia, when officials of the union paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner for Education, Ahmed Tijani-Aliyu.

    “If all courses offered in the institutions are given full accreditation, that will enhance the quality of education in such schools,” he said.

    He pointed out that the non-accreditation of some courses was militating against the advancement of the institutions.

    “Lack of accreditation also frustrates the chances of the graduates; it makes it difficult for them to secure admission for further studies in other institutions in the country,” he said.

    He identified Nasarawa State Polytechnic and College of Agriculture, both in Lafia, as worst hit by the non-accreditation of their courses.

    “Both institutions are grossly understaffed, but the major concern is the non-accreditation of their courses.

    “The implication is that the certificates issued to the graduates from unaccredited courses cannot stand the test of time,” he said.

    He appealed to the state government to “do something urgently”, to save the institutions from total collapse.

    Responding, the Commissioner assured the union that the matter would be presented to the state governor for prompt action.

    He expressed government’s readiness to discuss with the union on measures to enhance the quality of education, and advised them to always feel free to meet him over any issue.

     

  • Akwanga residents decry incessant kidnapping, rape

    Residents of Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have called on the government to check the rampant cases of kidnapping and rape in the area.

    Gunmen had recently kidnapped a popular traditional herbalist in the area, Dr Dennis Nakowa, and was later found dead in Gudi in Akwanga.

    Some of the residents urged government to provide a 24-hour security patrol in the entire state to curb criminal activities.

    One of the residents, Mr. Sunday Taka, described the level of insecurity in the area as worrisome.

    Taka urged the police and other security agencies in the state to beef up their patrol to secure lives and property.

    “The incessant armed robbery attacks, kidnapping, rape across communities in the state is worrisome not only to the residents of Akwanga, but to the people of the entire state.

    “The activities of these criminals are adversely affecting our socio-economic development.

    “Apart from stealing people’s property, farm produce, harassment and killing of people, at times they even go to farms to rape women who are doing their farming activities,’’ he said.

    Taka said that gunmen had also kidnapped an herbalist popularly known as Dr Nakowa, in Moroa, an area close to Akwanga.

    “They killed one of his aides who tried to resist them and the body of the herbalist was later found.

    “The rate of kidnapping, rape and other crimes in the state is increasing daily,” he said.

    He called on the people of the area to be security conscious and to report any suspicious movement to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

    Another resident, Mrs. Laraba Akaga, said the situation had created fear in the minds of people of the area, especially women.

    The Commissioner of police in the state, Abubakar Sadiq-Bello, urged the people of the area to be providing the police with information that would assist them to effectively tackle the menace.

    Sadiq-Bello also called for more logistic support to the police such as patrol vehicles, to enable them to achieve the objective.

     

  • Federal University Lafia appoints Abubakar Mamuda as new Registrar

    Federal University Lafia appoints Abubakar Mamuda as new Registrar

    The Governing Council of the Federal University Lafia in Nasarawa State, has appointed Dr Abubakar Mamuda as the new registrar of the university.

    The university’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abubakar, made this known on the sideline of a news briefing and handing over ceremony that took place in Lafia on Thursday.

    Mamuda was the university’s Deputy Registrar Council Affairs before his present appointment.

    He took over from Dr Idris Jibril whose tenure ended on February 15, 2016.

    Abubakar explained that Mamuda’s appointment takes immediate effect and will last for five years.

    Mamuda expressed gratitude to the council for the appointment while pledging to do his best to justify the confidence reposed in him.

    He said that as a pioneer staff member, he understood perfectly the core values of the university, adding that he would support the university’s Vice-Chancellor’s efforts at achieving academic excellence.

    Earlier, Dr Jibril thanked the entire staff for supporting him throughout his tenure as the university’s registrar.

    He urged them to extend their support to the new registrar so as to enable him to succeed.

     

  • Nasarawa: Council boss bans night movement of residents

    Mr Adamu Agulu, the Overseer, Udege Development Area of Nasarawa State has banned the movement of people in the night to check insecurity in the area.

    Agulu made this known on Tuesday during the peace and security meeting of the area in Mararaba, Udege.

    He said that the restriction of movement from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. had become imperative in order to curtail the activities of men of the underworld.

    According to him, this will enable people of the area sleep with their two eyes closed as well as to go about their normal businesses without fear of attack.

    “The aim of this security and peace meeting is to brainstorm on ways of ensuring peace in the area and the state at large.

    “Because, no nation or society can develop in an atmosphere of rancour, confusion and security challenges.

    “It is unfortunate that there are incessant cases of armed robbery attacks, rape, destruction of farm produce, kidnapping and others security challenges in this local government.’’

    According to him, this has created fear and panic in our people and affected our lives negatively.

    “The security challenges facing our area and some parts of the country is not only affecting our lives, but also affect agricultural production and the socio-economic development of the people and the country negatively.’’

    Agulu said that it was in view of this, that the ban was imposed in the area.

    He said that from Mararaba, people were allowed to move from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., while 6 a.m. to 10p.m. for people living in the surrounding villages in the interest of peace and National development.

    “The incessant robbery attacks in the local government have become a serious concern, not only to the residents of this area, but to the entire Nasarawa State, people no longer sleep with their eyes closed.’’

    Angulu said that the council had also put machinery on ground in order to curtail the activities of men of the underworld and other insecurity in the area.

    He added that beefing up security in the area would help in curtailing the activities of armed robbers.

    According to him, it will also help in checking the influx of criminal elements who may disguise as good people in the area.

    He reinstated the council’s determination to continue to initiate more people oriented projects in order to fight poverty, unemployment and youth restiveness in the state for the overall development of the country.

    The meeting was attended by representative of the Osu Ajiri, Alhaji Halilu Bala-Usman, district, and village heads of the area, among other stakeholders.

     

  • Court evicts three tenants for non-payment of house rent

    Court evicts three tenants for non-payment of house rent

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Nasarawa State on Monday ordered three tenants to vacate their apartment before Feb. 29 for disobedience to court orders.

    They were David James, Anthony Igoche and Chijoke Onuh.

    The Magistrate, Mr. Vincent Gwehemba, held that the tenants violated the orders of court by not paying the house rent arrears to their landlady Elizabeth Oduh.

    Gwehemba ordered them to vacate their apartment and pay their rent arrears as well.

    The judge added that the defendants did not look as people that were passing through recession.

    Onuh, one of the tenants, blame his inability to pay on the economic recession.

    “For me, my job is not the way it used to be, I find it difficult to do what I use to do before.”

    The second defendant, Igoche told the court that he gave the landlady N18, 000, stressing that he was not owning her anymore.

    The landlady had in December 2016 filed a suit against the defendants and begged the court to help her recover with possession of her apartment and seven months arrears of rent.