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Tag: Nasarawa

  • I‘ll ensure greatness of Nasarawa varsity, says VC

    The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed has pledged to improve the standard of the institution.

    The VC, in a statement issued yesterday by the institution’s Information and Protocol Officer, Abraham Ekpo, made the pledge when some traditional rulers from the state visited his office.

    The tradional rulers were led on the visit by His Royal Highness, Alh. Halilu Usman (Osu Ojiri), His Royal Highness, Alh. Abubakar Sabo (Mai-Loko), His Royal Highness, Dantani (Sarkin-Ara) and His Royal Highness, Alh. Ahmed Kwanati Guto (Oche Agatu).

    Prof. Mohammed, who commended the monarchs for the “morale boosting” visit, assured them of his commitment to undertaking his duties in accordance with laid down procedures and global best practices, in order to realize the mandates for which the University was established.

    He solicited for their continued prayers and solidarity, promising to do everything within his powers to ensure that the university leaped to become one of the best in the country.

    The VC said his “success will be to the glory of the Emirate, and I will do my best to make you proud.”

    Alhj. Usman who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, reminded the Ag. vice-chancellor of the tasks and responsibilities before him.

    The monarch charged him to use his wealth of experience and years in the academic environment to elevate university to higher heights.

    He prayed to God to guide and sustain the Vice-Chancellor as he embarked on repositioning the highflying citadel of learning.

    In the same vein, Emir of Nasarawa, His Royal Highness Alhj. Hassan Ahmed II, charged the Vice-Chancellor to be a good ambassador of the Nasarawa Emirate in ensuring that he leaves behind enduring legacies.

    “The Vice-Chancellor, who incidentally is a son of Nasarawa Emirate, received royal blessings and solidarity, conveyed on behalf of the Emir by the leader of the delegation, Alh. Jafaru Ango (Durban-Nasarawa),” the statement added.

  • Buhari offers free cataract surgery to 270 in Nasarawa

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s “Restore Vision Project” is offering free cataract surgery to more than 270 visually impaired persons in Nasarawa State in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health.

    Dr James Ajige, a Consultant Orphthomologist at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, told reporters yesterday that  the exercise has commenced with the screening of persons with cases of cataract.

    Read also: Buhari, Nnamani meet in Aso Rock

    He explained that after proper examination, those requiring surgery would undergo the process, and urged all cataract patients to avail themselves of the opportunity.

    “We have already screened quite a number of persons and are expecting more to come forward and get screened in order to benefit from this gesture that will be carried out across the three senatorial zones of the state,” Ajige said.

    He also appealed to Nigerians with any form of visual impairment to visit the hospital and not resort to self-help or self- medication considering the delicate nature of the eye.

    “I will like to encourage anyone with poor vision to go for proper medical check at the hospital to avoid complications given the sensitivity of the eye,” he said.

    Health Minister  Isaac Adewole, had on March 8, 2018, launched the Buhari Restore Vision Project aimed at restoring sight to 10,000 Nigerians with cataract through surgical intervention.

  • Military gives militia December decline to vacate Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa

    Authorities of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have given all militia groups terrorising residents of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states up till December to vacate the states or risk forcible eviction.

    The military operation is responsible for maintaining peace and order in the three states currently facing threats of insurgency.

    The commander of the military operation, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, announced the deadline when he addressed reporters yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    Yekini said insurgents still hiding in areas currently inaccessible in the three states due to rough terrain would be flushed out before December.

    According to him, the rains and the bad roads have halted military advances into the hinterlands where pockets of the insurgents are still hiding.

    He assured the residents that with the dry season fast approaching, there would be no limits to advances and attacks on the insurgents.

    Yekini said: “So far, we have facilitated 150,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes in Benue State.”

    The commander also assured the people that the IDPs would be protected in their villages.

    He said that the herdsmen militia and other militia groups in the state, especially the Gana gang, must vacate the states or risk forceful eviction.

    Yekini attributed the delay in the return of some IDPs to their homes to security and socio-economic challenges.

    The commander urged state governments to support efforts to resettle the displaced persons.

    He said: “It’s not because of security challenges alone that IDPs are not returning home. People are there as economic IDPs because the resources to actually go back on their own without some form of assistance are not available to them.

    “So, I think that the state government should be looking at the model that was adopted by Nasarawa State whereby when the people were going back home, the government provided some seedlings.

    “The government also gave them building materials, and even cash, to enable them go back home.

    “Even those who have returned home, many of them still return to the camps to eat in the day time.

    “They’re not permanently in the camp; many of them are just there because of lack of resources for them to return to their homes and not because of security.”

    Yekini confirmed the killing of the wife of Gana and 12 members of his gang, saying the operation had neutralised at least 100 criminal elements in the state.

     

  • Military to militia groups: Vacate Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa

    Authorities of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have given all militia groups terrorizing residents of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa up to December to vacate the states or risk forceful eviction.

    The military operation is responsible for maintaining peace and order in the three states currently facing threats of insurgency.

    Read Also:Blame military for lopsided political structure -Akande

    Commander of the military operation, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, announced the deadline while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Makurdi.

    Yekini said that insurgents still hiding in areas currently inaccessible in the three states due to rough terrain, would be flushed out before December.

    According to him, the rains and the bad roads have halted our advances into the hinterlands where pockets of the insurgents are still hiding.

    He, however, assured that with the dry season fast approaching, there would be no limits to advances and attacks on the insurgents.

    The commander said “so far, we have facilitated a total number of 150, 000 IDPs to their homes in Benue State” and assured that the IDPs would be given adequate protection in their various villages.

    He said that the herdsmen militia and other militia groups in the state, especially the Gana gang, must vacate the states or risk forceful eviction.

    He attributed the delay in the return of some IDPs to their homes to security and socio-economic challenges and appealed to the various state governments to support efforts to resettle the displaced.

    “It’s not because of security challenges alone that IDPs are not returning home, people are there as economic IDPs because the resources to actually go back on their own without some form of assistance is not available for them.

    “So, I think that the state government should be looking at the model that was adopted by Nasarawa state whereby when the people were going back home, the government intervened and provided some seedlings.

    “The government also gave them building materials, and even cash, to enable them go back home.

    “Even those who have returned home, many of them still return to the camps to eat in the day time.

    “They’re not permanently in the camp; many of them are just there because of lack of resources for them to return to their homes and not because of security,” Yekini explained.

    He also confirmed the killing of the wife of Gana and 12 members of his gang, adding that the operation had neutralized no fewer than 100 criminal elements in the state.

  • Air Force targets 500 Special Forces for Nasarawa, Benue

    THE Nigerian Air Force is targeting the deployment of 500 Special Forces personnel and construction of an Helipad for helicopter gunships for the Nasarawa-Benue states corridor as parts of Federal Government efforts to enhance security in the area, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has disclosed.

    According to Air Marshal Abubakar, the development was necessitated by the need to curb the spate of attacks in the area and sustain the current peace.

    The Air Chief made the remark yesterday during the inauguration of the 21 Quick Response Wing (21QRW) at Agatu, Benue State

    Air Marshal Abubakar said the unit, which is under the control of the 211 Quick Response Group, Owerri, was established to further enhance NAF’s ability to respond to internal security threats within the Nasarawa-Benue states corridor, working in synergy with other security agencies.

    The Air Force boss, who inspected the renovated office and residential accommodation at the 21 QRW Base and handed over a borehole constructed by the NAF to the Obagaji Community in Agatu, was welcomed to Agatu by the Chairman of the local government, Hon. Comfort Echida.

    Abubakar was accompanied by the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command (AOC SOC), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Samson Akpasa, and other senior officers from NAF Headquarters.

    In a statement signed by the spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Air Marshal Abubakar was quoted as saying that he was delighted to be in Agatu to personally activate the 21 QRW.

    He noted that the decision to establish the QRW in Agatu, as well as the QRWs, established at Nguroje in Taraba State and Doma in Nasarawa State, was taken following thorough analysis of the threat environment in the area.

    Based on this, a request was made to the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD), who graciously approved the establishment of the unit.

    The CAS therefore thanked the C-in-C for approving the establishment of the unit and providing the necessary resources to make it a reality. He noted that the establishment of the unit would contribute immensely towards curbing spate of attacks in the area while ensuring that peace is sustained.

    The Chief of the Air Staff stressed that the NAF would continue to emplace additional facilities, equipment and manpower in the QRW to enable it function effectively and fulfil its mandate.

  • FG to commence N5000 cash transfer through NIPOST in Benue, Anambra, Nasarawa

    The Federal Government would soon commence payment of N5, 000 to vulnerable Nigerians in three states using the newly introduced financial services of the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) for the cash transfer.

    The government said the package is under the present administration’s social welfare programme to help the poor and the needy in the society.

    Under the new contract, NIPOST is expected to dispense the N5000 cash to the poor in three states including Nasarawa, Benue and Anambra.

    The Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of NIPOST , Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi made these disclosures  in Oyo town during the 2018 World Post Day celebration.

    He said NIPOST was able to win the contract due to its innovative programme and use of technology to advance its services to the people across the country.

    He said: “For instance, the National Cash Transfer Office which caters for the vulnerable, the poor in the society awarded NIPOST the job to transfer cash to the poor.

    “They give them N5000, every month and because NIPOST has transformed and leveraging on technology, we were awarded the cash disposal of N5000 in Benue, Nasarawa and Anambra.

    “Who are we serving, we are serving the poor, the post is ready to deliver the goods to bring happiness.”

    Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi commended NIPOST for its giant strides in recent years, describing the event as very significant in the history of the agency.

    Speaking through his representative, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Adeyemi said NIPOST has remained the only agency that has continued to connect the people, facilitating communication and enabling the people to stay in touch.

     

  • Nasarawa to get 1,138 housing units

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has committed about N3.7 billion through its Estate Development Loan (EDL) product to build 1,138 housing units in estates across Nasarawa State.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FMBN, Ahmed Dangiwa, stated this yesterday in Lafia at the ground-breaking for the collaborative housing projects for workers who are contributors to National Housing Fund (NHF) under the National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme (NAHDEP).

    Dangiwa named estates to benefit from the scheme as Chipa Housing Estate, Lafia; Walida Estate, Keffi; Zaina Estate, Uke; Lape Housing Estate, Mararaba and Imani Estate, Mararaba.

    He added that the bank has also advanced N255.7 million to 294 NHF contributors under the FMBN Home Renovation Loan in the state.

    “The bank has also approved N464.02 million as Cooperative Housing Development Loan (CHDL) for the Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, to build 90 units of three bedroom bungalows for its members.

    “The FMBN will deliver 100 units of houses in each state of the federation, in a mix of 3, 2 and 1 bedroom semi-detached bungalows and block of flats, with a focus on affordability and adjustments to suit location peculiarities.

    “This programme is designed to be implemented in phases, and what we are witnessing today is the first phase to be run as a pilot.”

  • UNDP Human Devt. Index: Obaseki targets best-performer status for Edo

    The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has said that the ongoing reforms in education and health sectors would put Edo in the league of the best performing states in subsequent human Development Indices of the United Nations Development Programme.

    Obaseki gave the assurance in Benin City, the Edo State capital, following the release of the UNDP HDI Report 2018, on Friday, using year 2016 performance in: Access to decent living; access to knowledge and health.

    Edo State was ranked 12th by the UNDP  2016 Report with a value of 0.5299, followed by Imo, Osun, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ondo, Anambra, Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Oyo, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Kaduna, Gombe, Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa and Kano states.

    The top performers, according to the report, are Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti states.

    Obaseki said: “The National Human Development Index released by the United Nations Development Programme which placed Edo State in the 12th position, is an eye opener but our target is to be the best-performing state using the criteria set by the UNDP.

    Read Also: Obaseki inspects new Specialist Hospital, High Court

    “It is instructive to mention that the performances used were those of 2016 and we have since scaled up our activities in education and health sectors to earn us the top spot. We are ready to unveil 7000 digital primary school teachers soon, to transform the way teaching is conducted in our basic education sector.

    “We have commenced the construction of primary health centres across the state to take healthcare to the door steps of our people, no matter how remote their locations are.”

    The governor added: “It is our hope that all these efforts would be captured in subsequent UNDP Human Development Indices to reflect Edo State’s current standing among the comity of states in the country.”

    According to media analysis of the report, with a value of 0.6515, Lagos outperformed all the other states. It also retained the title as it had placed first in the 2013 HDI with a value of 0.6716.

    “The FCT ranked second with a value of 0.6289. It jumped six places as it had placed seventh in the 2013 HDI, with a value of 0.5112.

    “With a value of 0.5909, Bayelsa placed third, stepping a place down from the second place it occupied in 2013, with a value of 0.621.

    “Akwa Ibom ranked fourth with a value of 0.5641. The state retained its placement as it had also occupied the fourth position in the previous index, with a value of 0.5698.

    “Ekiti, occupying the fifth position with a value 0.5608, was one of the highest performers in terms of ranking, as it moved 11 places by jumping from the 16th position it occupied in 2013 to the fifth in the latest ranking.

    “Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe and Zamfara states are at the bottom of the National Human Development Index, according to the National Human Development Report 2018 released by the United Nations Development Programme.”

    The UNDP explained that HDI represents a geometric average of normalised indices for each of the three dimensions of health, knowledge and standard of living.

  • Centre trains 30,000 teachers in Nasarawa

    A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Centre for Educational Empowerment and Orientation (CEEO) has trained 30,000 teachers in private and public primary and secondary schools on classroom management in the last 10 years.

    CEEO Founder and Chief Executive Officer Oyebisi Davidcrown, said this yesterday during the 10th anniversary of the centre in Akwanga.

    According to Davidcrown, the exercise conducted in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau, was to enhance learning and teaching as well as improve the standard of education in some states in the North-Central.

    The founder said the organisation was basically established to ensure advancement in the education sector in the country through good policies and programmes.

    “If you look at our projects cumulatively in Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue States, they are geared towards solving problems of teaching and learning in classroom to improve standard of education.

    “What we did last year alone in Nasarawa State, particularly, in Lafia North Development Area and Akwanga Local Government Area was remarkable, because we trained over 500 teachers on classroom management.

    “Generally, in Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states, we have trained not less than 30,000 primary and secondary schools teachers on the current teaching projects and effective core strategies.

    “We have also implemented over 70 projects in the three states within the last 10 years,” he said.

    Davidcrown added that the training had built the capacity of teachers towards proffering solutions to teaching and learning challenges and professionalism.

    He commended Prof. Lubasa Nseendi of Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Prof. Shehu Rahman, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe; and other academics and private schools in the state for supporting the organisation.

    Shepherd’s International College Proprietor Dr. Isaac Ogara, hailed the NGO for supporting the development of education in the country.

  • Many feared dead as gas explodes in Nasarawa

    Gas explosion in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, has left over 50 receiving treatment for various degrees of burns at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital.

    The explosion which happened on Monday morning at about 10am, was said to be as a result of a gas leakage from Monaco gas refill station located in the premises of Natson petrol station.

    An eyewitness, Mr Livingstone Chukwu, said the leak gas did not cause immediate damage to the gas and petrol stations until it made contact with the exhaust of commercial motorcyclists setting over 20 ablaze in an instant as cars on the road also caught fire burning the occupants.

    He said: “The owner of the gas station took off to safety before the raging fire from the road eventually engulfed the petrol and gas stations burning them to ashes with all the persons in the station at the time.

    The incident which coincided with the visit to the PDP secretariat by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, left those who earlier converged at the party Secretariat running for their dear lives.

    When our reporter visited the the casualty unit of the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia, it was littered with burnt bodies of victims of the gas explosion as medical personnel of the hospital battle to save their lives.

    This was even as symphatisers thronged out in hundreds at the hospital premises to catch a glimpse of the horrific incident when victims of the inferno were conveyed in by the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from the spot of the explosion.

    When our correspondent spoke to one of the sympathisers, Ibrahim Mushasha, at the casualty unit of DASH, he said,”so far over 50 burnt persons have been conveyed into the unit for urgent medication to save their lives”.

    His words: “Most of them were brought in unconscious and naked as their clothes burnt off their bodies”.

    “Some of the victims were caught up in the inferno as they were plying the Lafia – Abuja road, especially students of the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia who were going to the school for lectures, and persons travelling on that road as at the time of the gas explosion.

    A female medical personnel attending to the victims at the casualty unit of the hospital declined comment on the number of casualties so far conveyed into the casualty unit for treatment, when our correspondent sought to know.

    The wives of the governor, deputy governor, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground providing succour.

    However, the state government had directed the evacuation of all affected persons to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, for treatment as the facilities at DASH were not enough to accommodate victims.

    When our reporter visited the mortuary, the attendant, who refused to disclose his name said no corpse was deposited as at the time of filing this report.

    Nasarawa