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  • APGA, South Africa congratulates Obiano

    APGA, South Africa congratulates Obiano

    The South Africa chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) on Monday called on losers of  Saturday`s governorship election in Anambra to join Gov. Willie Obiano`s administration.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission`s returning officer, Mr Zanna Akpagu said  Obiano, candidate of the All Progressives  Grand Alliance (APGA)  scored 234,071 votes to win  the governorship election

    Mr  Henry Onyekumnaru, its chairman, said this on a telephone chat from Durban, South Africa on Monday, that Obiano`s victory was overwhelming.

    “It was a very good one. I led an APGA delegation from South Africa to join Anambra people in ensuring that the party won the election.

    “Its a very happy development and we are overwhelmed with the support Anambra people gave to our party,” he said.

    Onyekumnaru, however, called on candidates of the other parties to join Gov. Obiano`s administration in the task of developing the state.

    He said “ to the contestants, it was a great fight. Now that we have known who owns the grassroots, I call on them to join APGA to ensure that policies put in place to make Anambra great are well implemented,”

    The chairman urged the governor to carry along everybody, especially opposition candidates by giving them a sense of belonging.

    “The governor should also ensure that promises made are implemented. We urge him to continue with the massive roads being built and other infrastructures and remember to carry along, candidates of other parties in the election,” Onyekumnaru said.

    NAN

  • Bello congratulates Obiano, lauds Buhari for good poll conduct

    Bello congratulates Obiano, lauds Buhari for good poll conduct

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Sunday congratulated Mr Willie Obiano on his re-election as the Governor of Anambra.

    He described Obiano’s re-election  as a ”well-deserved victory”.

    In a congratulatory message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Onyegbule, in Lokoja, Bello commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring a level playing ground for all candidates in the election.

    He said that the president’s action was a proof by the APC-led Federal Government to ensure credible, free, fair and peaceful elections and respect for the rule of law under his leadership.

    “On behalf of the Government and good people of Kogi State, I congratulate the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr. Willie Obiano, for a well-deserved victory.

    “I equally congratulate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on the peaceful, free and fair election in Anambra State, acceptable to all.

    “Ensuring a peaceful, free and fair election is a testament to the fact that President Buhari embodies and exemplifies the Change Mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “The voice of the people spoke loudly and it has resonated for all to hear. This is the singular most prominent feature of a democracy which allows people to choose their leader out of many contestants,” he said.

    Bello, however, applauded the candidate of APC, Mr Tony Nwoye, for putting up a good fight, and described him as “a winner through whom the APC has become entrenched in Anambra State.

    “As a people, we shall continue to consolidate on the gains we have made over the past 16 years as we break new progressive frontiers.”

    Obiano of APGA won the election with  234, 071 votes ahead of  APC who scored 98, 752 votes and Oseloka Obaze of PDP with 70, 293 votes.

    Thirty-six candidates contested the election.

    NAN

  • Ekwueme dies at 85

    Ekwueme dies at 85

    Former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, is dead.

    His brother, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, who announced this in a statement, said that the elder statesman died at a London clinic at about 10 p.m. on Sunday.

    “Ekwueme family regrets to announce the peaceful passing away of their patriarch, the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme,’’ he said.

    Ekwueme, who turned 85 years in October, was reported to have collapsed in his residence in Enugu a few weeks ago.

    He was immediately taken to Memfys Nuerosurgery Hospital in Enugu from where he was moved to London for further medical attention on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ekwueme was the Vice President to Alhaji Shehu Shagari between 1979 and 1984.

    NAN

  • 43rd Convocation: UNIBEN to award over 9,000 degrees

    43rd Convocation: UNIBEN to award over 9,000 degrees

     The University of Benin (UNIBEN) says no fewer than 9, 993 graduands would be awarded various diplomas and degrees at her forthcoming 43rd convocation ceremony billed for Nov. 24.

    The UNIBEN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin while briefing newsmen on activities lined up for the convocation and the 47th Founders’ Day celebration.

    Orumwense said that of the figure, 100 would be awarded first class, 1,843 second class upper and 4,607 second class lower degrees.

    He said other classes of degrees to be awarded were 1,351 third class, 188 diplomas, two certificates, 527 unclassified and 152 postgraduate diplomas.

    One of the graduands will receive an aegrotat degree, which, in some universities, is a medical certificate or a degree or credit awarded when illness has prevented a student from taking examinations, etc.

    “A total of 1120 would be awarded masters’ degrees and 102 awarded doctorate degrees.

    “The four-day event will include project inauguration, as well as conferment of honorary degrees on three distinguished personalities,’’ the vice-chancellor said.

    The personalities to be conferred with honorary degrees, he said, included Prof. Grace Alele-Williams and Dr George Agbonlahor.

    Orunmwense said that Prof Louis Ojogwu, a senior professor of the institution, would be conferred with the title of Professor Emeritus.

    The vice-chancellor disclosed that the institution had taken giant strides from the period between the last convocation in 2016 till date.

    He said the achievements were in the area of infrastructure development and renewal, adding that it also signed Memorandum of Understanding agreements with some companies in the area of academic research.

    NAN

  • Oyo Assembly proposes bill on family planning

    Oyo Assembly proposes bill on family planning

    A Bill for a Law to provide for the Regulation of Family Planning, Reproductive Health and Safe Maternity Services on Tuesday scaled the first reading at the Oyo State House of Assembly.

    The  Chairman, House Committee on Health, Mr Silas Okunlola, read the bill which was co-sponsored by eight lawmakers.

    The lawmakers were; Mr Silas Okunlola ( Iwajowa), Mr Segun Ajanaku ( Ibadan South West 2 ), Mr Abiden Wahab (Oluyole) and Mr Bolanle Agbaje (Ibadan North 1).

    Others were Mr Ganiyu Oseni, (Irepo/Olorunsogo), Mr Solomon Akande ( Ogbomoso South ) Mr Lukman Balogun (Orelope) and Mr Oguntade (Egbeda).

    Also at the plenary, the Majority Leader, Mr Kehinde Subair, presented a motion on the need to regulate demand for multiple tax clearance certificates by public secondary schools in the state.

    Subair said that there were inconsistencies and abnormalities in the demand for tax clearance from parents or guardians by school authorities.

    “It is reported that parents and guardians that have two or three children in different public schools are requested to produce two or three tax clearances separately.

    “The demand for two or more tax clearances from a single parent who have children in different public schools is not tenable and need to be addressed,” he said.

    Subair noted that the financial implication would be multiple taxes on parents with pupils in different schools in the state.

    “This is worrisome and calls for urgent intervention by all stakeholders in order to correct public perception about the good intention of the government,” he said.

    NAN

  • Katsina Govt. owes N29bn – Official

    Katsina Govt. owes N29bn – Official

    The Katsina State Government says it is indebted to the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ) and a commercial bank to the tune of N29 billion.

    Alhaji Farouk Jobe, the Special Adviser to the Governor Masari on Banking and Finance disclosed this during the annual budget break down on Tuesday in Katsina.

    He said the state government collected the loans to develop its infrastructure and settle pensions and gratuities of its retired staff.

    Jobe disclosed that the state government collected a loan of N11.5billion as bailout from the CBN, which was used to settle the pensions and gratuities of over 11,000 retired civil servants.

    “The previous administration in the state refused to settle the pensions and gratuities of retired 11, 000 civil servants in the state.

    “We also collected a loan of N10billion to develop our education, health, water supply, environment and road sectors from the Federal Government.

    “Out of the N10billion loan, we allocated N2billion to health sector; where we spent N1billion to rehabilitate Katsina General Hospital, we allocated N500million to Daura General Hospital and N500million to Funtua General Hospital,” he said.

    Jobe revealed that the renovation and upgrading of the three General Hospitals had reached 80 per cent completion.

    The adviser revealed that the state government also collected N5billion loan from a commercial bank to complete road rehabilitation started by the previous administration and the new ones started by the present administration.

    “We have used the loan to complete over 200 kilometres of road projects in the three senatorial zones in the state.

    “The state governments also collected N2billion loan under the poverty alleviation programme from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises in the state.

    The loan for the small and medium enterprises had been distributed to over 500,000 youths and women that are engaged in small businesses across the state.

    NAN

  • All eyes are on you, Gov. Ambode tells new HoS

    All eyes are on you, Gov. Ambode tells new HoS

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday swore in Mrs Folashade Adesoye as the 20th Head of Service, charging her to hit the ground running.

    Ambode during the ceremony at the Lagos House, Alausa, told Adesoye that all eyes were on her to provide leadership and direction to the over 100,000 public servants in the state.

    Adesoye’s appointment followed the statutory retirement of the former head of service, Mrs Olabowale Ademola.

    Adesoye was first appointed into the Lagos State Civil Service on Dec 28, 1983 as an Accountant and has served in several ministries.

    Until her appointment as HoS, she was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

    Ambode said concerted efforts had been made to place the state civil service on a sound footing for proactive, innovative, selfless and technology-driven service delivery.

    He urged Adesoye to use her office to galvanise civil servants to build on the gains already recorded.

    “The success of your tenure will be assessed not by the efforts you are able to put in, but the tangible outcome in terms of improvements in the outlook and deliverables of the entire workforce.

    “You are inheriting a public service that has, to a large extent, keyed into the vision and uncompromising principles of good governance of this administration.

    “As one who is fully aware of our vision and policies, some of which you have helped to translate and implement, I expect that you will hit the ground running and make your mark,” Ambode said.

    He expressed confidence in the ability of the appointee to add value to the public service and governance in general.

    The governor said the appointment was another confirmation of the dynamic quality of both the service and civil servants in the state.

    According to him, the minimum standard now acceptable is selfless service to the state and the people.

    “You hold a strategic position to bring out the best in everyone from the Body of Permanent Secretaries down the ladder to the junior staff,” Ambode said.

    Responding, Adesoye thanked Ambode for the opportunity given to her to serve, assuring that the public service, under her watch, would redouble efforts in ensuring speedy, efficient and effective implementation of government policies and initiatives.

    She pledged total commitment to the duties and responsibilities of the new office, promising that she would do everything within her capacity to justify the confidence reposed in her.

    NAN

  • Semenya to attempt double again at Commonwealth Games

    Semenya to attempt double again at Commonwealth Games

    Caster Semenya will again attempt the 800 metres and 1500m double at next year’s Commonwealth Games, before setting her sights on a world record.

    The 26-year-old South African won gold in the shorter distance and a surprise bronze in the 1500m at the World Championship in London in August.

    “I will again be going for the double, but I need to improve on my tactics (for the 1500m),” she told reporters.

    “The 1500m is a race that excites me. I look forward to racing it.”

    Her coach Jean Verster said the 800m world record would be a priority for Semenya after the April Games at the Gold Coast in Australia.

    “We will be gunning for that in the next season.

    “I think she can probably break it already, but we’ve got to find the right race because you don’t want to put all your cards on the table and then get beaten,” he told South Africa’s Independent Newspapers.

    Semenya won the 800m in London in one minute 55.16 seconds, the fastest time in the event since 2008.

    “I believe a time of 1:52 is possible. It is just a matter of getting in the right race with the right pacemaker,” said Verster.

    The world record of 1:53.28 is now almost 35 years old and was set by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova in Munich in July 1983.

    NAN

  • Italy donates $5m to help eradicate polio in Afghanistan

    Italy donates $5m to help eradicate polio in Afghanistan

    The Italian government donated 5 million dollars ( 4.3 million euros ) to the UNICEF and WHO to help eradicate polio in Afghanistan, a UNICEF statement said on Tuesday.

    “Of this amount, 2.9 million dollars (2.5 million euros) will go to UNICEF and WHO, which are both working in the framework of the National Emergency Action Plan for Polio (NEAP) aimed at interrupting the disease transmission in Afghanistan”.

    The statement also noted that the remaining 2.1 million dollars (1.8 million euros) have been granted to UNICEF to improve the coverage and quality of nutrition services for children under five, adolescent girls and mothers in the most deprived provinces.

    “Improving the nutritional status of children in Afghanistan is a priority,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan quoted in the statement.

    “When children don’t get the nutrients they need at a young age, they are not able to reach their full potential and Afghanistan misses out on one of its most valuable resources — its children.

    “Polio remains endemic in only three countries in the world — Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

    Around 10 million children under the age of five receive vaccinations multiple times every year, in all areas of the country, UNICEF said.

    There has been immense progress in eradicating polio in Afghanistan and the country is closer to stopping transmission than ever before, the statement said.

    NAN

  • Sen. Ndume resumes in Senate on Wednesday

    Sen. Ndume resumes in Senate on Wednesday

    The Senate has resolved that Sen. Mohammed Ndume ( APC ) should resume sitting on Wednesday Nov. 15, since he had served out his suspension of 90 legislative days.

    The decision was reached after a closed-door meeting by the Senate on Tuesday before its plenary.

    Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate, who presided over the plenary, said Ndume had served out his suspension of 90 legislative days, without prejudice to the current court process.

    The Senate had, on March 29, suspended former Senate Leader Mohammed Ndume over his petition calling for investigation into the allegation that Sen. Dino Melaye, did not obtain first degree at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The university authorities later came out and declared that Melaye, APC – Kogi West, passed out with a degree at the institution.

    The suspension order followed the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which investigated the allegation.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Sam Anyanwu, submitted his committee’s report, which recommended that “the Senate should suspend Ndume for bringing Sen. Dino Melaye, his colleagues and the institution of the Senate to unbearable disrepute.

    “This is even at a time of our national life, when caution, patriotism, careful consideration and due diligence should be our watch words.

    “The suspension is with effect from March 29, 2017 to last for six months.

    “After having been properly cleared of any wrong doings by the findings of the committee, Sen. Dino Melaye has been cleared of the allegations made against him and exonerated.”

    Anyanwu had said that the recommendation was signed by seven members of the committee.

    NAN