The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger

  • Reps may summon IGP over detained lawmaker

    – threaten Court action

     

    Members of the House of Representatives were livid on Wednesday over the continued detention of a member, Abubakar Abdulahi Lado ( APC) Niger State.

    They urged the Police authorities to release the lawmaker within 12 hours or the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris will have to come to the Green Chamber to explain reasons for the incarceration of the lawmaker.

    Members of the House also agreed that since the collective privilege of the House had been infringed on by denying the Green Chamber of the services on the lawmaker, the House should go to court over the issue.

    The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion of urgent National Importance moved by a member, Toby Okechukwu ( APC Enugu) with the title: “Urgent release of Hon. Abubakar Abdulahi Lado representing Suleja Federal Constituency detained by SARS for the past 3 days.”

    While moving the motion the lawmaker said the House is aware of the detention of Hon. Lado by the Special Anti- Robbery Squad ( SARS).

    “The House is further aware of the continued detention for the past three days which action offends the Nigerian Constitution and amount to inhuman and degrading treatment .

    “The House is embarrassed that the intervention of the House leadership was rebuffed by the Nigerian Police ostensibly because it is only. The Governor of Niger state that can give instruction for his release .”

    He said the House was further briefed that the detention arose out of issues related to the APC Primaries which he (Lado) had ab initio notified the Police authorities of efforts to cause crisis by his opponents.

    “The House Is aware that the invitation of Hon. Lado was not through due process and therefore breaches the Legislative Powers & Privileges Act- which require notifying of presiding officer before the member is invited or arrested” he said.

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    Members who spoke including the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, Nnena Elendu-Ukejje, Betty Apiafi,Wale Raji, Segun Adekola, Sani Abdul, Albert Adeogun, all agreed that the police had breached the privileges of all, members by the action especially as it was not related to a criminal act.

    They wondered what could be happening to ordinary Nigerians if a lawmaker could be so treated,and concluded that the arrest and detention was meant to keep the lawmaker from participating in the primaries in the state.

    The Majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila noted that the issue was a fight between supporters of Lado and his opponents and wondered how it became a SARS issue.

    He said he was informed at the SARS office that only the Governor of Niger state can give instructions for the release of the lawmaker.

  • Niger urged on timely release of Nutrition funds

    The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called on the Niger state gove6to ensure timely releases of funds allocated to nutrition in order to scale up nutrition interventions in the state.

    According to the Civil Society organization, the disturbing statistics on malnutrition in Niger state cannot be reversed because of the attendant non-releases of funding allocated for nutrition.

    Speaking in Minna at a one day media engagement, the Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka said that the burden of malnourished in the state is very huge especially when faced with non release of funds.

    “Data from CS-SUNN’s trend analysis of health and nutrition budget in Nigeria showed that Niger state government budgeted N89, 218,166 for nutrition in 2017, no releases were however made from this allocation. This year, the state government budgeted N137, 746,250 for nutrition but still no releases have yet been made.

    “CS-SUNN calls on the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello led administration to ensure timely release of funds allocated to nutrition as well as effective and efficient utilization of nutrition funds. ”

    Eluaka further tasked the state government to improve on the implementation of existing nutrition policies in the state stressing in the need for government to provide clarity in budgeting for nutrition to include preventive interventions.

    She also charged the media to step up reportage of nutrition issues to draw attention of policy makers and stakeholders on the urgent need to take the right steps towards curbing malnutrition in the state.

  • Flooding: Edo intensifies work at resettlement camps, safe havens

    The Edo State Government has said that work has intensified at designated resettlement camps across the state to receive residents, who are displaced by flooding.

    Persistent rainfall in the past few weeks dislodged some persons from their homes, as the state government announced the opening of resettlement camps for residents that were adversely affected by the heavy downpours.

    The state government issued flood alert in parts of the state last week, following new predictions that the state will experience flooding incidence with the persistent rainfall and the release of water from dams in neighbouring countries.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Gowon, said that an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the relocation of affected persons and running of the resettlement camps and safe havens has been set up.

    He disclosed that the committee is made up of officials of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), special assistants to the governor in the various wards, officials of ministries of infrastructure, environment and health, local council chairmen, members of the Red Cross, Fire Service and local government councillors, who are on standby to assist people in distress.

    He listed the areas earmarked as safe havens to include “the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp in Oghomere in Etsako Central Local Government Area and the skills acquisition centre in Fugar.

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    “In Esan South East Local Government Area, the council hall and the hall of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Ubiaja will serve as safe haven.  In Ikpoba-Okha local council, Western Boys High School hall has been pencilled down to receive those displaced from their homes in the council area,” he added.

    He said that men and women will be separated in the camps to protect their rights and assured that effort is being made to procure more relief materials to be delivered when the camps are ready.

    “In Ovia North East, the local government chairman has donated a place in Okada while another place in Gelegele, in the same local council will provide succour to flood victims,” Gowon said.

    The governor’s aide maintained that the relevant ministries have desilted blocked drainages to ease the flow of water in the city.

    Two weeks ago, Edo State government donated relief materials to communities affected by windstorm in Esan West and Owan West local government areas of the state. Similar donation had been made in ten local councils where windstorm destroyed houses.

    Handing over the relief materials on behalf of the state government to chairmen of the two local councils in Benin City, the state capital, Gowon said “This is a continuous exercise, we have donated relief materials to communities in about 12 local government areas and we have been receiving letters of appreciation from the beneficiaries.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hydrological Services Agencies (NHISA) have warned that 12 states across the country would experience flooding due to torrential rain falls.

    The two agencies gave the warning during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held with relevant stakeholders in Abuja.

    Mr Clem Nze, Director, Engineering Hydrology, NHISA, listed the states to include: Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, from the River Niger axis.

    He also listed Taraba, Benue and Adamawa as states to be affected from the River Benue axis.

    He said that the decision to raise the alarm was to ensure preparedness among stakeholders and residents of flood-prone communities.

    The NEMA and NHISA alert followed a similar alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), warning of high floods in some identified states across the country including Edo.

  • RAINS OF SORROW: Motorists face hard times as floods wash off bridges in Niger

    THE rainy season is often seen as a relief from heat and the dusty atmosphere that characterises the dry season. But too much of it can become a problem. It often results in flooding and rainstorm which in turn could wreak havocs like loss of lives, erosion and even collapsed buildings. For motorists in Niger State, the havoc has come in the form of collapsed bridges, which has literally turned life into a piece of hell.

    While the state has often been unfortunate in rainy seasons because of flooding, especially with the release of water from the various dams in the state, the disaster it is faced with this year has taken a different dimension. The floods appear to target the bridges that link its various communities such that the state had to admit this is the year it has recorded the highest number of collapsed bridges.

    At the last count, seven bridges linking prominent towns in the state have been washed off while there are unconfirmed reports of 10 others giving way to the hydrokinetic force. Numbered among them is the bridge in Dare Biyu village, which connects Mariga and Kontagora. Most motorists have had to resort to using another bridge on Kontagora -Tegina Road, but the difficulty faced by drivers on the road is now unbearable. While the bridge was a bit manageable in the past, it has not been able to stand the heavy downpour that the area has witnessed in the past three weeks. Its resultant collapse has left motorists and commuters stranded, causing travellers to trek for kilometres to get to the other side of the bridge and continue their journeys.

    Rafin Gora, another bridge on the Kontagora-Makera highway, is among the bridges recently washed away after two days of torrential rainfall. Only a small portion was opened at the side of the bridge, while the state government has banned heavy duty trucks from taking the route in order to avoid further deterioration in the road’s condition, while smaller vehicles are allowed to use the small portion.

    The Dangana Bridge, the only motorable road from Lapai to Gulu, Vatsa and Ebbo has also joined the queue of bridges washed off by flood. Since it is the only motorable route, cars and travellers have to cross the water with the aid of ferries in order to continue their journeys.

    Only recently, the state government had to move swiftly to repair the bridge linking Minna with Bida when it collapsed, because the road is one of the busiest in the state and the only one linking the north to the south. Although the road was closed down for a few days to effect repairs, it has now been opened as the bridge was repaired.

    Other bridges including the one on Kuta-Gwada Road in Shiroro Local Government Area, the bridge in Doba community in Lapai Local Government Area and the one along Kafinkoro/Adunu and Ishau in Paiko Local Government Area are not left out as they have also been washed away by flood. Concerns

    The washed off bridges have been a cause for concern not just among travellers but also farmers, since the state is mostly agrarian. Most of the farmers in the affected areas have not been able to take their produce to markets, while other travellers are either stranded or spend long hours on journeys that should take a short time to accomplish. Drivers have been forced to consider alternative routes which are usually longer because of the collapsed bridges.

    A commercial driver, Danladi Ndagi, who takes his passengers through the Dangana Bridge, lamented the inability of the state government to effect the repairs of the bridge to make the journey easier for people.

    Ndagi said: “Government is playing politics with the bridge, and the failure to complete it is causing untold hardship for the people. How can you be travelling and when you get to a section of the road, you have to come down to cross water in order to get to the other side to continue your journey? It is not reasonable. ”

    Another motorist, Adamu Lapai, said the government was being insensitive to the plight of the people using the road. “Government is extremely insensitive to the plight and the sufferings of the people. Now that elections are around the corner, they are pretending that they have resumed work on the bridge. It is unfortunate,” he said.

    Lapai, who spent more than four hours at the bridge, added: “There was no financial commitment on the side of government, and that was what made the work to stop, making those who use of the bridge to suffer on a daily basis.

    “Even though we heard that the state government has released N77 million for the completion of the bridge, they were doing it now to satisfy their selfish political goal. Otherwise, why delaying that bridge that linked us with other communities and Kogi State?”

    Community in pains

    The village head of Dangana community, Yanusa Abdullahi, said that motorists and commuters are passing through hell at the bridge.

    He said: “The people of my community and those who pass through the bridge are suffering a lot. Most of the time, they find it difficult to take their farm produce to nearby villages or town to sell due to the collapse of the bridge.”

    Abdullahi lamented that farmers in his community cannot go to the market to sell their farm produce as a result of the collapsed bridge in the area.

    He said: “Without the bridge, farmers cannot go to the market to sell their farm products. We are appealing to the state government to speed up the construction of the bridge to ameliorate the sufferings of the local farmers of Dangana.”

    He said the temporary diversion created by the construction company was not helping matters as vehicles continued to get stuck inside the river, just as he disclosed that the contractor assured them that work on the bridge would soon finish if adequate fund was provided.

    When contacted, the project Manager of Suject Company, Milad Jarbanda, said that work on the bridge would be completed soon. “We have started work already and government has fulfilled its financial commitment. We are on top of it. Very soon, motorists and commuters will have a cause to smile.”

    There is no doubting the fact that the collapsed bridges are causing the state government untold headache. The Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, lamented that most of the washed away roads being experienced in the rainy season were federal roads, adding that efforts were being made to ensure that the damaged portions were fixed while efforts towards ensuring lasting solution were also being explored.

    Balarabe lamented that this year’s rainy season has been most challenging in the state as it poses a serious threat to roads in the state.

    However, the Federal Controller of Works in Niger State, Engineer Iheanacho Felix, said work would commence on the collapsed roads in the state as soon as the rains subside while he appealed for patience and support from the communities and government.

  • APC: Kano, Niger join Lagos for direct primary

    More state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have joined Lagos to adopt the direct primary option to pick their candidates for next year’s elections.

    Kano and Niger states yesterday voted for the option in which all card-carrying members of the party will pick candidates for elective offices.

    The primaries are scheduled for between September 20 when the presidential primary will hold and October 2, when the House of Assembly candidates will be picked.

    The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) last Thursday adopted direct primary “to take the party to its members” who will vote for candidates of their choice.

    It, however, granted a concession to states with peculiarities that will make it imposible to implement direct primary to adopt either indirect primary or the consensus option.

    They must, however, apply to the National Working Committee (NWC) with evidence of approval of the State Working Committee (SWC) and critical stakeholders.

    Yesterday, party leaders and stakeholders in many states met to decide on the options.

    Announcing the decision in Kano, State Chairman Abdullahi Abbas said the decision would improve the stock of the APC in the 2019 election as well as other elections.

    He added that “the decision was unanimously endorsed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Senators Kabiru Gaya and Barau Jibrin, 13 members of the House of Representatives led by Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

    “Others are 33 members of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Kabiru Al Hassan Rurum, 53 state Executive Committee members of the party, 44 elected local council chairmen and 44 local government chairmen and secretaries of the party.”

    Niger State said the decision was taken so that every bonafide member would participate in the process of picking candidates.

    State Secretary Mohammed Liman told reporters that the party was prepared for all the primaries, adding that its membership record would be accurate and up to date.

    Although the decision on direct primary was taken by Lagos State Stakeholders last month before that mode of primary was descided by the NEC, state Chairman Babatunde Balogun reaffirmed yesterday that the postion had not changed.

    “We are sticking to our decision,” he said on the telephone.

    Ogun State adopted direct primary at its meeting yesterday but as a back-up to the consensus mode they opted for.

    The communique issued at the end of the State Executive Committee/ stakeholders meeting by Publicity Secretary Wole Elegbede said “The APC in Ogun State shall have a consensus primary for all elective positions in the 2019 elections. Where consensus fails, a direct primary will be used to choose a candidate for such a position.”

    Kebbi State also adopted consensus.

    At its meeting yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Atiku Bagudu were unabimously endorsed to run for fresh terms.

    Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who announced the decision, said where consensus fails, indirect primary will be used to pick candidates.

    The Ondo State chapter of the party voted for indirect primary after a meeting attended by Governor Rotimi Akerdolu and Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi.

    House of Assembly Speaker Bamidele Oloyelogun moved the

    motion for indirect primary, which was seconded by Owo Local Government Chairman Sydney Ogunleye.

    Senator Tayo Alasuadura said Indrect primary would be in the interest of the members. But Ondo North Senator Ajayi Boroffice said he was not aware of the meeting.

    Other states – Sokoto, Plateau, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara  – adopted indirect primary.

    The stakeholders in almost all the states adopted Buhari’s candidature.

    Sokoto State Deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, who described Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as the party’s leader, told reporters after the meeting, which he presided over, that “ the meeting also expressed happiness with the exemplary and unparalleled way Senator Wamakko is running the affairs of the great party .

    “Accordingly, we endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s sole presidential candidate.”

    Borno State Deputy Governor Usman Mamman Durkwa presided over the meeting in the absence of Governor Kashim Shetimma, who is on an international assignment in Germany.

    Senator Abubakar Kyari, Mohammed Tahir Monguno  and Speaker Abdulkareem Lawal spoke on behalf of their colleagues.

    Senator Ali Ndume moved the motion for the adoption of indirect primaries. It was seconded by Hon. Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir (Damboa/Chibok/Gwoza Federal Constituency).

  • Niger spends N930m on new road

    The Niger Government said it had spent N930 million on the construction of the new Baigaie – Daracida road in Bida Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, made this disclosure on Saturday in Minna in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    According to him, the new road is expected to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the council area.

    He expressed the hope that the road would enable farmers the opportunity to transport farm produce to the nearby markets without much stress.

    Balarabe said that the road, which had since been completed, would soon be inaugurated by the state governor.

    “The state government will continue to accord priority attention to the construction of rural roads for the overall development of the state,” he said.

    He, however, warned the people of the state, especially those living in cities to stop the dumping of refuse into waterways to avoid flooding.

  • Niger spends N3bn on Minna – Suleja Road – Commissioner

    The Niger Government is spending about N3 billion on the reconstruction of 74-kilometre Minna – Suleja federal road, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, has said.

    Balarabe disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen in Minna on Thursday.

    He said that the state government had embarked on reconstructing the road because of its significance to the socio-economic and political growth of the state.

    ‘‘It is a Federal Government’s road but as a responsible government, we need to repair the road.

    ‘‘There is need for political commitment to put the road in proper condition for the benefit of people plying the road.

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    ‘‘I am very pleased with the level of job so far executed as the project has reached 70 per cent completion,’’ he said.

    He emphasised that the project, when completed, would enhance commercial activities in the state.

    The commissioner urged heavy truck drivers to complement the effort of the state government by desisting from overloading and obeying traffic rules and regulations.

    He said it was only by so doing that the life-span of the road would be increased.

  • Corps members in Niger take orientation in Kaduna – NYSC

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Niger says its 2018 Batch B stream II members will take their orientation in Kaduna State.

    It said that this was based on directives to hold the orientation in cluster in 19 States due to the limited number of corps members in the batch across the country.

    This was contained in a statement by Mrs Theresa Arokoyo, the NYSC Coordinator in Niger and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna.

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    “The corps members are to take their orientation course at the NYSC Kaduna (Black Gold) orientation camp, one of the venues of the cluster camping exercise nationwide,” she said.

    Arokoyo said that the corps members after the three weeks orientation course would return to the state for posting to their primary places of assignment.

    NAN reports that only 600 corps members were deployed to the state in the batch.

  • FG partners three countries to tackle cross border crimes

    The Federal Government says it has entered into a new partnership with the governments of Niger, France and the United Kingdom to tackle cross border crimes.

    The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.- Gen.Abdulrahman Dambazau, disclosed this in a statement issued by his Secretary, Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Dambazu said the partnership was initiated by the UK and France to strengthen collaboration with Nigeria and Niger Republic in the area of border management, intelligence sharing and legal cooperation.

    He also said that the partnership sought to strengthen cooperation among security agencies of the four countries in combating human trafficking, drugs peddling, illicit arms proliferation and terrorism.

    According to the minster, the partnership is expected to deliver on its objectives 12 months to 36 months.

    Dambazau disclosed that the development was a fallout of a sideline meeting of the four countries at the Regional Conference on Anti-human Trafficking/Smuggling of Migrants held in Niamey, Niger Republic on June 18 and June 19.

  • Bello seeks help from FG to tackle flooding in Niger

    Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has solicited help from the Federal Government to tackle incessant flooding in the state.

    Mr Jide Orintunsin, Media and Publicity Coordinator to the governor made this known in a statement on Monday in Minna.

    Bello said floods had weakened roads in the state and led to the collapse of seven bridges on some critical and strategic roads.

    He said many villages had been submerged by flood while several others faced the threat of being submerged since the commencement of the rainy season.

    The governor said the financial implications of the flooding were beyond the capacity of the state and called for support from the Federal Government to deal with the situation.

    According to him, “natural disaster is beyond everybody, especially now with the effect of global warming and climate change, we are worst hit in Niger state.

    “The flooding we are experiencing at the early stage of rainy season is a big threat to communities in riverine areas of the state .

    “At the moment, we have seven bridges that are cut off in the state due to heavy rain and flooding. We have some villages submerged in water.’’

    He said downpours in the last few days had destroyed some strategic roads.

    “Aside from the debilitating effect of flooding that has rendered our roads weak, the volume of trailers and overweight articulated vehicles plying these roads have further worsened the roads.’’

    Bello said some of the roads were up to 30 years old and needed to be rebuilt, adding that this would require a lot of money that the state could not afford.

    “We have been consulting with respective federal agencies.

    “With the magnitude of what is happening now, we will write reminders with pictures and video clips of the devastation so that Federal Government can come to our aid,” he said.

    The governor, however advised people living in flood prone areas to be vigilant and proactive by ensuring that their lives were safe .

    He directed the state Emergency Management Agency to be prompt in responding to distress calls. (NAN)