The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger State

  • LG spends N16 million to renovate Azikiwe’s former primary school

    Wushishi Local Government in Niger says it has spent N16 million to renovate damaged structures at the Zungeru Primary School attended by prominent Nigerians, including the nation’s first President, Dr Nnnamdi Azikiwe.

    Mr Bashir Maishanu, its Chairman, told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN), on Monday in Wushishi that the school had a beautiful history and therefore deserved“ structures special attention”.

    structures fixed by the local government to include classrooms, staff rooms and offices.

    The chairman, who also attended the school, said that new furniture and other basic learning facilities had also been procured to improve the teaching and learning atmosphere.

    The council boss also disclosed plans to raise internal revenue, stating that it was targeting N100 million in 2017.

    “The revenue department has been re-organized; holes usually responsible for leakages have been plugged. We expect massive gains,” he said.

    He said that special attention was being paid to water supply, health care delivery, roads, culverts and agricultural inputs, stressing that the efforts were all geared toward a better life for rural dwellers

  • Principal impregnates JSS3 student in Niger

    A 51 years old Vice Principal of Day Secondary School, Tunga in Niger state have been accused of impregnating a 16 year old JSS 3 student and have accused for assaulting female students in the school.

    Six female students have come out to say that the Principal had sexual affairs with them.

    The Vice Principal identified as Mohammed Mohammed was said to have lured the JSS 3 student into his office where he allegedly had sex with her.

    In an interview, the victim who identified Mohammed as a family friend said he always invite her into his office adding that on the day of the incident, he persuaded her that it was not a bad thing sleeping with her.

    She said that he gave her a transport fare of N200 after the incident.

    The incident was made known when the girl was discovered to be pregnant and the head of the school Christian fellowship reported the issue to the state Childs Right Agency.

    The Director General of Niger State Child Right Agency, Barrister Mairam Haruna Kolo who confirmed the incident expressed dismay that the Vice Principal who should be seen as a father figure in the institution abused the privilege and ended up assaulting those who is supposed to be protecting.

    She disclosed that Vice Principal was alleged to have had affairs with other female students who were ready to confess before the security agency adding that they also discovered that he tried to abort a two months old pregnancy of a student by giving her drugs.

    Kolo said that the Principal have been handed over to the Police Criminal Investigation Department for proper interrogation and prosecution.

    In a visit to Mohammed Mohammed who is currently in detention, he pleaded guilty to the offence pointing out that he wanted to marry the victim and take care of her education as well.

    He however denied having affairs with other female students in the school adding that in the incident with the victim, he did not know what came over him.

    Efforts to get the state Commissioner of Education, Hajiya Fatima Magudu to comment on what penalty the government would give to the accused proved abortive as all calls made to her went unanswered.

  • I’ve failed in cutting down my staff strength – Sani Bello

    I’ve failed in cutting down my staff strength – Sani Bello

    Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello Thursday lamented his inability to cut down the staff in his employ despite the financial challenge the state is currently facing.

    According to him, all moves to cut down on the staff both at the civil service and appointed staff have proved abortive.

    Bello stated this Thursday when he received the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright in Government House in Minna.

    The Governor who advocated that people should go into agriculture or learn a trade said that there are so many staff in the Niger state civil service to the extent that most of them are redundant and not functioning.

    “Already, we have so many staff and it have been difficult to cut down on the staff. Even politically, it is difficult to cut down on the staff. I have tried to cut down on the staff in so many ways but I have failed”, he lamented.

    The Governor then asked that the British High Commissioner partner with the state in the area of building up technical and vocational institution in a bid to reduce youth restiveness and the search for blue collared jobs.

    He appealed for a long term relationship with the British government adding that it will be beneficial to the state and the United Kingdom.

    The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright had earlier expressed the interest of the United Kingdom in partnering with the state government in the area of mining and agriculture.

    He said that Niger state have a large potential in agriculture if the potentials are properly harnessed pointing out that the agricultural sector can take the state out of its current economic challenges.

  • Cambridge University trains 100 Niger teachers

    Cambridge University trains 100 Niger teachers

    The Niger State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, says the Cambridge University in the United Kingdom (UK)  had trained  100 teachers in the state.

    Madugu said this on Wednesday while defending the ministry’s 2017 budget proposal at the State House of Assembly ‎in Minna.

    She said the state paid N89million for the training as part of its efforts to transform the educational sector.

    ‎“The teachers were trained on the quality of instruction they will give to their pupils in‎ their classes and modern teaching technologies.

    “’We are trying to transform the existing educational practice in Niger by creating an educational system that is efficient with modern facilities and equipment‎,’’ she said.

    The commissioner added that the ministry had hired consultants to identify the problems and challenges facing education in the state.

    “They are still working on the report and about to submit the draft which we will go through and make any amendment and input before the final report is ready,’’ she said.

    She said that the ministry’s budget performance for 2016 was 44 per cent, adding that the 2017 budget would focus on rehabilitation and renovation of more schools in the state.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Bako Alfa, and his members ‎cautioned the ministry against reckless spending.

    ‎The committee particularly frowned at the N174 million the ministry spent to engage consultants to transform the educational sector‎.

    It wondered if the ministry lacked technocrats and experts who could do the job of the consultants to save cost given the state’s dwindling revenue base.

  • Man arrested for raping stepdaughter

    Police on Wednesday in Niger state arrested a 45-year-old-man, over alleged rape of his three-year-old stepdaughter.

    The suspect was arrested in Kundu, a village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

    Abdullahi Mayaki, Police Inspector attached to the state Child Rights Protection Agency, said that the mother of the girl, Malama Fatima Bawa, reported the matter to the agency.

    He said that the suspect, however, denied the allegation during investigation, claiming that he only intervened whenever his wife beat the girl.

    But Bawa had told the agency that she caught her husband sexually abusing her daughter after he approached her for sex at night and she refused him.

    “My husband likes sex too much, so I chased him out of the room in the night and locked the door.

    “It was after I chased him out that I heard my daughter, who was sleeping in the parlour, crying.

    “I quickly ran to her only to see my husband abusing my daughter sexually.

    “I am a breast feeding mother and I spend the whole of my day taking care of the children, yet my husband does not allow me to rest,” she told the agency in her statement.

    Bawa alleged that she saw blood stained and semen on the girl’s body and informed her brother in-laws wife about the incident who advised her to take the girl to the hospital.

    The Director-General of the agency, Hajiya Mariam Kolo, said that the victim would be treated in the hospital.

    Kolo also said that the suspect would be charged to court in accordance with Section 18 of the Child Rights Law.

    The Director-General described the act as ‘ungodly’, saying that the state government would no longer condone any form of violence against children and women.

     

  • Medical practitioner advises diabetic patients to avoid pebbles in their feet

    Medical practitioner advises diabetic patients to avoid pebbles in their feet

    Dr Salihu Mohammed of General Hospital, Minna, Niger, has advised diabetic patients to avoid pebbles or other objects from being stuck in their feet to avoid infections.

    He said that most problems relating to feet infection with the people living with diabetes arose from lack of care.

    The medical practitioner also said that daily inspection of the feet was essential to the general health of diabetic patients.

    He further advised such patients to avoid walking bare foot to guard against negative health effects.

    The medical practitioner stressed the need for them to always wear flat shoes and flip-flop to avoid the risk of minor accidents.

    “Most diabetic patients in the rural communities move about without foot wears and this is inimical to their health.

    “Diabetic patients should always dry their feet with towel rather than rubbing vigorously.”

    He further advised them to also adhere regularly to their prescribed drugs and diets.

  • IBB visits Kure’s family

    IBB visits Kure’s family

    Former military President Ibrahim Babangida on Monday visited and condoled with the family of late Governor of Niger, Abdulkadir Kure, who died on Jan. 8 in Germany at the age of 60 years.

    “I have known Abdulkadir for over three decades. I first knew him as a young engineer and an administrator.

    “He later became a political leader. His trajectory was one of a steady rise.

    “He grew to become my friend and a confidant. He was of course always a brother,” Babangida said during the visit.

    Late Abdulkadir Kure, former Governor of Niger State
    Late Abdulkadir Kure, former Governor of Niger State

     

     

    The former president described the late Kure as “simple, humble, honest, brilliant, dexterous and unflinchingly loyal”.

    “Personally, I learnt a lot from him and thought he would continue to be an inspiration in more years to come. But his demise has come as a big, sad blow to me.

    He will be tremendously missed. I hope and pray for the healing from the enormous pain caused by this sad event will come from Allah.

    “This is my solace. I am consoled also by the very comforting testament of the life he lived and led.”

    Babangida said that several people had testified that he lived a righteous life and “when we are before Allah, the testimony he got following his death, we hope, will earn him Allah’s mercy, Insha Allah”.

    “May Allah forgive his all shortcomings; reward his good deeds and admit him into Aljannat Firdaus.”

    NAN reported that Babangida was accompanied on the visit by his son and daughter, Muhammad and Aisha and was received on the visit by Alhaji Umar Kure, the son of the late governor.

  • Bida Poly appeals for police presence

    Bida Poly appeals for police presence

    The Federal Polytechnic, Bida in Niger, has appealed for a police post to complement management’s efforts at securing the institution.

    Its Rector, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Bida.

    “We have officially notified the authorities about our request; we are optimistic that our request will be granted,” he said.

    He said that the population of the students had gone past 15,000, and emphasised the need to improve the security situation in view of recent developments in the country.

    The Rector explained that more security personnel were required to tackle internal and external security challenges.

    ‘‘We often have cases of cultism, burglary and phone snatching; very often, too, we have miscreants coming into the institution. We need to check such evils.’’

  • Kure buried in Minna

    Kure buried in Minna

    The remains of former Governor of Niger, Abdulkadir Kure,  was laid to rest on Wednesday in Minna, the Niger state capital.

    Kure died on Sunday, Jan. 8, in a private hospital in Germany at the age of 60 years.

    The burial prayer was led by Chief Imam of Minna Central Mosque, Sheik Isa Fari.

    Due to the unprecedented crowd, the body of late Kure could not be brought out of the ambulance as the funeral prayer was conducted.

    The funeral was attended by Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, DIG Shuaibu Gambo, Emir of Bida, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago, Emir of Minna, Nuhu Bahago and the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Auwal Ibrahim.

    Also at the funeral were the Speaker, Niger House of Assembly, members of the Niger executive council, National Assembly members, top government officials, as well and politicians.

    Former Governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Sen. David Mark, and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim were also at the funeral, among others.

    In his tribute, Gov. Bello of Niger said the people would continue to be proud of the deceased’s contributions to the development of the state and the country in general.

    He said the deceased had offered useful advice to the government and people of Niger on how to move the state forward.

    The governor added that “we share things in common èven though we belong to different political parties because he has the interest of Niger at heart.

    “He was honest, humble, committed, sincere and complete gentleman and ever
    willing to help his country, state and community when he held various public offices.

    “We will continue to pray for the deceased for his tremendous contributions to the socio-economic and political development of our state.”

    Late Kure left behind one wife and six children.

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  • Niger Governor presents 2017 budget to Assembly

    Niger Governor presents 2017 budget to Assembly

    Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello,  on Friday presented a budget of N108.07 billion for the 2017 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the budget is 21.27 percent higher than the 2016 budget of N85.09 billion.

    In the budget, the recurrent expenditure is pegged at N48.04 billion, representing 44.45 percent, while N60.02 billion was set aside for capital expenditure, which represents 55.55 percent of the total budget size.

    Out of the capital expenditure, administration sector will have N6.64 billion;  economic sector gets N34.44 billion; law and justice N1.08 billion; and social sector N17.84 billion.

    Appraising the 2016 budget,‎ Bello said the state only recorded 67 percent performance from January to October 2016, largely due to its inability to meet its internal revenue targets.

    “In Niger state, our problem was compounded due to our inability to meet our internal revenue targets with only an average of N400 million monthly.

    “This calls for radical transformation of the revenue institutions and infrastructure and in general, conscious efforts will be made to diversify the economy, ‘’ the governor said

    He, however, said that in spite of the economic recession and other challenges in getting finances for the 2016 budget, a lot of projects were still carried out.

    The governor said the 2017 budget would focus on youths and women as they constituted the major percentage of the population of the state.

    In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, said the legislative arm would ensure passage of the bill in record time to enable the government to consolidate on its achievements.

    He pledged the support of the legislature in opening new frontiers toward tackling economic challenges and issues of revenue leakages in the state.

    Marafa also appealed to the executive arm of government to look into the issue of local government employees, who were being owed five months salaries‎.