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Kaduna to execute N33bn capital projects in 2018

The Kaduna State Government plans to spend N33 billion on capital projects in the education sector in 2018.

This figure is contained in the state’s 2018 budget obtained from state Planning and Budget Commission.

The document indicated that the amount was however lower than the N44.8 billion budgeted for the sector in 2017.

A breakdown of the figure shows that N20 billion would go to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and N13 billion to State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) and tertiary institutions.

The ministry is expected to spend N6.3 billion on school feeding programme in public primary schools, Islamiyya, and Quranic schools, as well as the 31 boarding secondary schools in the state.

The N6.3 billion was less than the N14.7 billion allocated to the programme in 2017.

According to the document, primary and secondary school rebuilding and equipping programme would gulp N5 billion, while the Global Partnership for Education was allocated N1.9 billion as against N2 billion in 2017.

The document indicated also that the education ministry in partnership with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) would spend N761.7 million on the construction of six science secondary schools in the state.

Also in the document, N1 billion would be spent on supply of furniture in secondary schools across the state and N511 million on the provision of school uniforms.

Read also: Teachers’ strike will not stop education reform – Kaduna Govt.

“N377 million was earmarked for teacher development programme, a joint project with United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID).

“Procurement of science equipment will cost N177.8 million, N400 million for procurement of books, and N2.3 billion for fencing of government-owned facilities.

“N138 million was allocated for the construction of computer laboratories and supply of 20 desktop computers each to 50 secondary schools.

“N50.2 million was set aside for development of three Computer Based Test centres, one each in the three senatorial districts,’’ the document added.

According to the document, N50 million will be spent on the supply and installation of LGP tanks, burners, and industrial boiling pans in 29 boarding secondary schools.

It also indicated that N14 million was allocated for the construction and equipping of a multipurpose workshop at the headquarters of the education ministry.

“N65.5 million was allocated for development of web portal for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and multi media/video conference centre.

“Development of scientific glass technology got N2.5 million; while technology-based school management solution services got N120 million.’’

For tertiary institutions, the budget provided N2.1 billion to Kaduna State University (KASU); N1.5 billion to College of Education, Gidan Waya; N670 million to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria and N110 million to College of Midwifery, Kaduna.

Other capital allocations include N113 million to Shehu Idris College of Health and Science Technology and N182 million to the State College of Nursing and Midwifery.

NAN

January 11, 2018
Germany pledges intervention in conflict mitigation in Nigeria

The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Bernhard Schlagheck has pledged to collaborate with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution ( IPCR ), to strengthen peace building and other interventions to mitigate conflicts in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the IPCR Media Officer, Michael Abu, on Wednesday, Schlagheck made the pledge in Abuja when he visited the Director-General of the IPCR, Prof. Oshita O. Oshita.

Schlagheck who expressed concern over the spread of dysfunctional conflicts in the country, expressed his willingness to support all conflict management activities especially as they relate to the 2019 general elections.

Oshita in his remarks said that the Institute in collaboration with the German Embassy would embark on series of intervention towards peaceful 2019 elections.

He said that IPCR was open to creditable organisations and entities for collaboration for peace building activities including various interventions for conflict resolution.

The DG said that the institute in collaboration with the Embassy would train journalists on peace journalism in the monitoring and coverage of elections.

“IPCR will train of a number of media practitioners from all the geopolitical zones of the country on peace journalism and conflict-sensitive reporting,” he said

The DG said that the intervention would also include election conflict management for Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and others handling various aspects of the election processes.

He added that the Institute established the National Peace Academy to build capacities in the country and Africa to support the Infrastructure for Peace and to encourage the spread of peace ambassadors and practitioners.

He said that the Institute was already putting up election conflict management programme, countrywide peace campaigns and sensitisation programmes to ensure peace during the 2019 general elections.

Oshita expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Chairman and members of a Governing Council for the Institute for the first time.

He stated that through this, the Institute would be properly mobilised and supported towards fulfilling its mandate for peace promotion and conflict resolution in Nigeria.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Accident: God is faithful to us, says Kwara United President

Kwara United President, Prince Oladimeji Ladi Thompson, has expressed gratitude to God for sparing the lives of the club’s players and officials involved in a motor accident on Wednesday in Ibadan.

He said that the degree of the accident was high but God saved all the lives involved.

He expressed satisfaction that three members of the team who sustained injuries were responding to treatment.

A player and two officials of the club were injured when a bus conveying the team got involved in an accident at 7.00a.m at Moniya, Ibadan.

The team were returning from Lagos where they participated in the just-concluded Bet9ja Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 4.

They were returning to their base in Kwara when the accident occurred.

The team had lost their first match to the eventual winners of the competition, Go Round FC.

The Afonja warlords lost the match 4-2 on penalties after the regular time ended in a barren draw.

The team management was displeased with the knockout format adopted by the organisers of the competition.

Kwara United management contested the format in a statement issued by the club’s Media Officer, Abdul Waheed Bibire.

In the statement, the club signified intention to discontinue.

On the accident, Bibire said that no life was lost although three people sustained various degrees of injuries.

“Kwara United players and officials in the early hours of today were involved in a motor accident in Ibadan.

“The coaster bus conveying the harmony boys who were on their way from Lagos from the NNL Super 4 tournament ran into a parked trailer.

“The bus rammed into the stationary trailer in an attempt to avoid a speeding vehicle from the other end of the road.

“Three out of the people on board sustained various degrees of injuries and have since been taken to hospital for medical attention,’’ he said.

The Team Manager, Jimoh Oke, said that no life was lost to the accident.

Oke said that the injured player and officials were receiving treatment in a hospital in Ibadan.

“A player and two officials were injured; they are responding to treatment.

“We thank God that no life was lost to the incident; we will proceed to Ilorin today,” Oke said.

Kwara United will lock horns with Niger Tornadoes of Minna in the opening day of the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), on Sunday in Ilorin.

NAN

January 10, 2018
PDP backs teachers’ strike in Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said it was in support of the current indefinite strike by public school teachers in Kaduna State.

The State Chairman of PDP, Mr Felix Hyat made the declaration in a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Abraham Catoh in Kaduna.

He faulted the state government on its threat to sack teachers that joined the strike, stressing that strike was “a legal means for all civil servants to seek redress on the injustice presently meted out on them.’’

According to the PDP chairman, the sack of the teachers was callous, insensitive and meant to increase the level of unemployment and poverty in the state.

“The incessant sack of civil servants in the state, if allowed to continue unabated, would definitely lead to high rate of crime, social vices and would dampen the morale of civil servants in the state,” Hyat added.

The PDP chairman also faulted the provision of N1 billion in the state 2018 budget to construct new legislative quarters after selling the ones on ground by the government.

“We condemned this act in its entirety, for it is another ploy to fleece the resources of the people of our state of their collective commonwealth.’’

Hyat also accused the state government of undertaking “fictitious projects and consultancy contracts’’ with no bearing or direct impact on the masses.

Read Also:2019: PDP begins search for presidential flag bearer

On security, the state PDP chairman said Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i has demonstrated “ineptitude and lack of capacity to curb the insecurity challenge bedevilling the state.’’

According to the chairman, the PDP would “reinstate all unjustly sacked civil servants’’ if elected in 2019.

He advised the electorate to use their permanent voter card to vote out the APC government in the state in 2019.

Reacting to the statement, the State APC Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Manasseh Istifanus said the party would not exchange words with the PDP.

He however said the sack of teachers and other civil servants was part of ongoing reforms in the civil service.

According to him, the state government would replace the over 21,000 teachers sacked with 25, 000 qualified ones that would add value to the education sector.

On the N1 billion budgeted for the building of legislative quarters by the government, Istifanus dismissed the claim as mere “concoction’’ by the PDP.

He stressed that the government had considered so many factors in arriving at the number of civil servants being disengaged, so as to rejuvenate and inject vibrancy in the state civil service.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Three women in court over theft of lace materials worth N10.2m

A 55-year-old businesswoman, Kuburat Sheu, and two others, were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, over alleged stealing of lace materials valued at N10.2 million.

Others facing trial along with the businesswoman are Husseini Isiaka, 32 and Mutairu Abdullahi, 27, both sales representatives.

They are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen goods.

The prosecutor, Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences with others still at large on November 13, 2017 at No.11, Ereko St., Idumota, Lagos.

Nwangwu said that the sales representatives, who worked for Alhaja Remi Bakinson, stole three hundred bundles of assorted lace materials from the complainant’s warehouse.

“The sales representatives later sold 80 bundles of the materials to Sheu at N2.7million,’’ he said.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 287, 328 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 287 stipulates three years jail term for the offenders.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Aje Afunwa, granted the trio bail of N900, 000 each with two responsible sureties in like sum.

Afunwa said that one of the sureties should be a blood relation of the accused.

She said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case until March 19 for mention.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Olubadan throne tussle: Court fixes Feb.12 for hearing

An Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, has fixed February 12 for hearing on a suit filed by Chief Adebayo Oyediji, challenging the installation of Oba Saliu Adetunji, as the Olubadan of Ibadan land.

Oyediji of Seriki chieftaincy line and three others, were challenging the installation of Adetunji by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State as the Olubadan of Ibadan land.

The other claimants in the suit were Chief Olalekan Fakunle, Chief Rasheed Abinupagun and Chief Gabriel Amao.

Justice Moshood Abass on Wednesday fixed February 12 for hearing of the suit after the claimants’ counsel, Mr Sarafadeen Adebayo informed the court that all processes needed in prosecuting the case had been filed by both parties.

Abass ordered that hearing notices be served on the counsel to the respondents because they were not present in court on Wednesday.

The claimants’ counsel, Adebayo, had earlier informed the court that the counsel to Olubadan, Mr Michael Lana and Oyo State Government’s counsel, Mr Adegboyega Salawu were trying to delay the matter.

He said that the respondents’ counsel were present in court on the last adjourned date of Dec. 15, 2017, where Jan.10 was agreed for the closing of the Pre-Trial Conference (PTC).

Read Also: You can’t remove me, Olubadan tells obas

The claimants are claiming that it was the turn of Seriki chieftaincy line to produce the next Olubadan after the death of Oba Samuel Lana, against the appointment of Adetunji by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.

The claimants are also challenging the consistent occupation of the Olubadan throne by the Olubadan chieftaincy line and Balogun chieftaincy lines while excluding the Seriki line.

It would be recalled that the claimant’s counsel, Adebayo, had told the court that there was a subsisting court ruling restraining the occupation of any vacant position of high chiefs and that of Olubadan.

The other respondents in the suit were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Oyo State Government.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Court remands woman for Indian hemp trafficking

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, remanded a 35-year-old woman, Salihu Binta, in prison custody for allegedly trafficking 30kg of cannabis sativa otherwise called Indian hemp.

Binta, who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ), is standing trial on one count charge, bordering on unlawful possession of narcotic drugs.

Counsel to the NDLEA, Mr Mike Kassa, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 20, 2017 along Abaji-Gwagwalada road, Abuja.

Kassa said the accused, without any lawful authority, possessed 30kg of the narcotic drug, similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD.

He said that the offence contravened Section 11 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Read Also: Court docked four Justrite staff over alleged theft

The accused, who was not represented by any counsel, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.

The judge, Ahmed Mohammed, consequently remanded the accused in prison custody and adjourned the case to Jan. 15 for review of facts in the case.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Bus conductors in court for snatching purse from woman

Two bus conductors, who allegedly snatched a purse containing N8,000 from a woman, were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.

The accused, Segun Omotoye, 18, resides at Iyana Ipaja area and Joel Ubah, 19, resides at Abule-Egba Road, are facing trial for conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp. Clifford Ogu, told the court that the offences were committed on Dec.15 at Iyana Ipaja under bridge.

Ogu said that the accused snatched the purse of Mrs Tosin Ali while boarding a bus and they ran away.

“The case was reported at the police station and to the vigilance group in the area.

“The purse contained N8,000 and some vital documents of the complainant,” he said.

Ogu said that the vigilance group later caught the accused in an uncompleted building at night.

“An empty purse was found in their possession and the complainant identified it as her purse, when she was invited to where the accused were kept.

“The accused were handed over to the police,” he said.

The offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Taiwo Akanni, granted the accused bail of N20,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

Akanni adjourned the case until January 31 for mention.

NAN

January 10, 2018
I would beat Oprah Winfrey in White House race -Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said he could beat Oprah Winfrey in a presidential race, while one of Winfrey’s closest friends said the media mogul and actress was “intrigued” by the possibility of running but was not considering it now.

Speculation about a 2020 White House bid by Winfrey blew up on social media and news outlets after her rousing “new day” speech at the Golden Globes awards show on Sunday night.

The Speech touched on female and black empowerment, her roots in poverty and support of those who speak up about sexual abuse and harassment.

However, some media commentators also injected skepticism into the surge of excitement among fans of the former talk show star, saying the Democratic Party and the country might well reject the notion of another celebrity political novice following Trump’s 2016 election.

Winfrey, long associated with Democratic politics and fundraising, has not commented publicly on the speculation. Known to millions by her first name, Winfrey, 63, has been a cultural force in the country for decades.

Read Also: Oprah Winfrey ‘intrigued’ by U.S. presidential run

Trump, speaking on Tuesday with reporters during a White House meeting with lawmakers, said in response to a question,”Yeah I’ll beat Oprah. Oprah would be a lot of fun.

“I know her very well. … I like Oprah. I don’t think she’s going to run,” said the Republican president, 71.

Winfrey confidante Gayle King said earlier on Tuesday there was no change in Winfrey’s past position – that she is not interested in running for president.

(NAN/Reuters)

January 10, 2018
Buhari presides over first FEC meeting of 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and cabinet ministers in attendance.

The meeting is the first this year and has in attendance the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and Head of Service, Mrs Winifrey Oyo-Ita.

Others attending the meeting included the National Security Adviser to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari.

Read Also: Herdsmen crisis: Buhari orders IGP Idris relocate to Benue

The heads of agencies of the Federal Ministry of Transportation are expected to brief the council.

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu, was also at the venue of the meeting.

NAN

January 10, 2018