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Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Anambra best in SDGs projects in Nigeria – Obiano’s aide

    Anambra best in SDGs projects in Nigeria – Obiano’s aide

    Mr Geoffrey Uba, the Senior Special Assistant ( SSA ) to the governor of Anambra on Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), says Anambra is one of the best in the implementation of sustainable development goals projects in Nigeria.

    He said the state was also among the best three in the country in terms of security, road networks, economic development, and collaborations with international donor organisations.

    Uba in Awka on Monday that Anambra which was listed among the educationally disadvantaged states in the South-East now ranked the first in education.

    The governor`s attributed the successes recorded in the state to the well articulate manifesto of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) and prudent management ability of Gov. Willie Obiano.

    Uba, however, dismissed the rating of APGA by some people as a one state party, saying “APGA is a national party.’’

    “ Let me emphasize that APGA is a national party. It is not a one state party. We have elected members at the state and national assemblies. In Abuja, we have a mayor of APGA extraction,” he said.

    Uba, a chieftain of the party, said that Nigerians should remember that Imo used to be an APGA state before it joined the All Progressives Congress.

    He said that the party was proud of the achievements of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra in three and half years.

    “APGA has achieved a lot in Anambra state. Anambra used to be ranked as one the backward states in the country.

    According to Uba, Gov. Obiano has used the party`s platform to take the state to greater heights and will do more if re-elected on Nov. 18.

    “These are the core democracy dividends and Anambra people are very happy and we will demonstrate this happiness on Nov. 18 election.

    “Anambra state under Willie Obiano has demonstrated so much passion for the welfare of the people,” the SSA said.

    NAN

  • Bauchi to disburse N46m to health facilities under NSHIP

    Bauchi to disburse N46m to health facilities under NSHIP

    The Bauchi State Government, has approved the disbursement of N46 million to 16 health centres in Dass Local Government Areas (LGAs) under the Nigerian states health Investment Project, (NSHIP).

    The Project Coordinator, Dr Adamu Muhammed, made this disclosure in a statement issued by Mr Suleimen Dambam, the state Information Officer, Primary Health Care Development Agency.

    The statement, which was made available on Monday in Bauchi, stated that the fund was in addition to the N28 million earlier disbursed to the heath facilities.

    According to him, the disbursement serves as first and second quarter remittance of the implementation of the project.

    Muhammad, however, said that the fund would be distributed to the benefiting facilities based on performance.

    He explained that each facility was verified on the quality and quantity of services rendered to the people.

    In the statement, the state Programme Manager, ‘Save One Million Lives’, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakshi, urged facility managers to always prioritise saving of lives for the wellbeing of the people.

    Zakshi advised health workers to improve on their human relations, especially with patients, adding that cordial relationship with clients would improve healthcare delivery system in the state.

    In a remark, the Director, Primary Health Care of the council area, Alhaji Sulaiman Abdu-Kirfi, lauded the State Government for selecting the beneficiaries in the LGA for the pilot implementation of the project.

    NAN

  • IAEA D-G calls for increase in use of nuclear power for world’s energy needs

    IAEA D-G calls for increase in use of nuclear power for world’s energy needs

    International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) Director-General Yukiya Amano on Monday, called for an increase in the use of nuclear power to provide the world’s energy needs.

    Amano made the call at the IAEA ministerial conference on nuclear power in United Arab Emirates.

    He said:“more use of nuclear power will also be needed to provide the steady supply of electricity to power modern economies if countries are to meet the goals of greenhouse gas emissions they have set for themselves in the Paris Agreement.”

    The three-day international ministerial conference sponsored by the IAEA started in Abu Dhabi is to discuss the role of nuclear energy in the 21st century.

    “Clearly the pace of construction of new nuclear power plants needs to be stepped up if the world’s energy needs as well as climate change goals are to be met.

    “There are now 448 nuclear power reactors in operation in 30 countries, and 57 reactors are under construction, mostly in Asia.

    “Around 30 counties are interested in nuclear power,” Amano added.

    The Paris climate deal was adopted within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2015 and came into force in November 2016.

    The accord which is focused on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has been signed by more than 190 countries and ratified by 169.

    NAN

  • Liberia’s ruling party backs challenge to presidential result

    Liberia’s ruling party backs challenge to presidential result

    Liberia’s Unity Party ( UP ) said it would back a legal challenge to the result, accusing President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of interfering in the vote.

    UP, Liberia’s ruling party candidate finished runner-up in the first round of this month’s presidential election.

    Unity Party said in a statement that the Oct. 10 poll, meant to usher in Liberia’s first democratic transition of power since 1944, was “characterised by massive systematic irregularities and fraud”.

    The statement, read to reporters by Unity Party Chairman Wilmont Paye, said Johnson Sirleaf had acted inappropriately by meeting privately with elections magistrates before the vote.

    “Greed has resurfaced in its most callous form, sowing seeds of discord yet again with the intent of disrupting the fragile peace of Liberia,” the party said in its statement.

    Unity Party officials said they were supporting a legal challenge by Liberty Party of the third-place candidate Charles Brumskine, which has petitioned the elections commission for a re-run of the first round.

    The All Liberian Party of businessman Benoni Urey also said on Sunday it was backing the complaint.

    “It doesn’t mean we will not take part in the (run-off),” Augustine Ngafuan, Unity Party’s national campaign chairman, told Reuters.

    “We hope the court can rule before the run-off. If not, we will decide what next to do.”

    An official from the elections commission said it expected to hear the formal complaint on Monday.

    he commission’s findings can be appealed in the Supreme Court.

    At Johnson Sirleaf’s residence, where she was celebrating her 79th birthday, her spokesman Jerolinmek Piah told reporters that he would comment on the accusations later as he did not want to overshadow the festivities.

    International observers from the European Union, the Carter Centre and the National Democratic Institute have said they saw no major problems with the vote.

    Unity Party’s statement cements a falling out between Johnson-Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and her party’s leadership after 12 years in power that saw the country consolidate a post-war peace but it also drew sharp criticism over alleged corruption and underdevelopment.

    Joseph Boakai has served as Johnson Sirleaf’s vice president since the president’s inauguration in 2006.However,

    Johnson-Sirleaf declined to endorse him and he distanced himself from the last administration.

    George Weah, a former soccer star in Europe, won the first round with 38.4 per cent of the vote to Boakai’s 28.8 per cent and has momentum heading into the run-off.

    On Thursday he picked up the endorsement of former warlord Prince Johnson, who won eight per cent of the vote in the first round.

    Morluba Morlu, a senior official from Weah’s CDC party, said those challenging the result were “opting to stage trouble”.

    “But no matter what they do … they cannot stop the election of Ambassador Weah,” he added.

    Weah has been a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

    NAN

  • Ex Jigawa Senator dumps PDP

    Ex Jigawa Senator dumps PDP

    Alhaji Danladi Sankara, former Senator representing Jigawa Northwest, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) and joined the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Sankara was received by the Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru at the Malam Aminu Kano triangle Square on Sunday in Dutse.

    Badaru said that the defection of the former senator was a welcome development to the party in the state.

    The governor said that the APC had caught a big fish, for the entrance of Sankara to APC in view of his pedigree in his former party.

    Badaru recalled that Sankara was one time National Vice chairman, PDP Northwest geo-political zone and Sole Administrator of the party in Sokoto state.

    “With his defection to APC, PDP is completely dead in Jigawa because Sankara is one of the founders of PDP in the country and the person that brought it to jigawa,’’ he said.

    The governor, however, said that the immediate past administration left a contract liability of N92 billion to him but with the help of God and the good people of the state, he overcame the situation.

    He lamented the myriad of problems left by the previous administration of PDP at both state and federal levels which resulted in President Muhammadu Buhari giving out bail outs to states.

    Chief John Oyegun, National chairman of APC who was represented at the ceremony by the chairman of the party in the Northwest, Alhaji Shuaibu Lawal, assured that Sen. Sankara would be treated fairly like other members of the party.

    Earlier, while formally declaring for the party, Sankara said that he was joining the party with 8,905 of his supporters.

    Sankara pledged to work for the unity and progress of the party, to win all elections in the state and at the federal level.

    NAN

  • Senate invites IG-P over alleged unpaid N6.5bn revenue

    Senate invites IG-P over alleged unpaid N6.5bn revenue

    The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Alleged Fraudulent Activities in Collection, Accounting, Remittance and Expenditure by Revenue Generating Agencies has invited the Inspector-General of Police (IG-P), Mr Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it.

    The committee’s Chairman, Sen. Solomon Adeola, said in statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr Kayode Odunaro, on Sunday in Abuja.

    According to him, the invitation followed findings on a N6.5 billion unpaid revenue accruing from the Lagos Trade Fair Complex.

    He said, others invited to appear before the committee are the Director Generals of Directorate of State Security ( DSS ), Bureau of Public Enterprise ( BPE ) and National Council on Privatisation ( NCP ).

    Adeola said the essence of the invitation was to get the Police and DSS to assist the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Bureau of Public Enterprise ( BPE )in recovering the money, which had accrued for over nine years.

    He said that the invitation was to also assist in ejecting the concessionaire of the Trade Fair Complex, LITFC, AULIC Nigeria Limited and recovering the complex.

    Adeola said it had become necessary to recover the 322 hectares multi billion Naira complex following a huge debt due in the N40 billion lease fees.

    Adeola quoted the Director-General of BPE, Mr Alex Okoh, as saying the concession agreement to AULIC Nigeria Limited was revoked in early September by the Federal Government.

    He further quoted Okoh as saying all efforts to eject the concessionaire including the use of the Divisional Police at the complex and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) proved abortive.

    Adeola said findings showed that “after the initial fees of N200 million paid by the concessionaire in 2007 and another N12 million, it has not paid a dime to the federal government, with outstanding revenue of N6.5 billion.

    “The concessionaire has bastardised the trade fair complex with hospitality and real estate businesses without approved plans.

    “It is shocking that an individual or corporate organisation could operate so lawlessly, withholding federal government revenue, while contravening a government revocation order of his concessionaire agreement.

    “What we need to do at this point is to recover the Trade Fair Complex from the concessionaire and subsequently pursue the issue of N6.5 billion unremitted federal government revenue.

    “Since the local police cannot handle the ejection with the concessionaire still operating and collecting revenue using all manner of tactics including thuggery, we are inviting the IG-P and DG-DSS to address this illegal challenge on the authority.

    “I am surprised that anyone can flagrantly operate as if he is above the law and the government,’’ the statement read in part.

    NAN

  • Ugwuanyi reiterates commitment to make Enugu tourism hub

    Ugwuanyi reiterates commitment to make Enugu tourism hub

    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has reiterated his administration’s commitment and resolve to make Enugu State a tourism hub within the West African region.

    Ugwuanyi made this known when he declared open the 2017 edition of Life in My City Art Festival ( LIMCAF ), an art exhibition, in Enugu on Thursday.

    The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Rita Mba, said that the state government was doing all it could to attract tourism investors into the state.

    He expressed gratitude to the organisers for sustaining their vision of ensuring that art was promoted in Enugu State.

    The Executive Director of LIMCAF, Kevin Ejiofor, thanked the state government for recognising the importance of art in promoting culture and tourism.

    Ejiofor, however, urged the participating artists to sustain their vision.

    The Art Director of LIMCAF, Ayo Adeyemi, said out of 200 artworks submitted by artists, 100 of them, which suited the required standard, were selected and displayed.

    Adeyemi also noted that apart from cash prizes that would be given to winners, four of the participating artists that would emerge winner in the grand finale would be sponsored to Dakar, Senegal, for exhibition.

    Some of the participating artists displayed their art works while spectators at the exhibition expressed satisfaction with the art works.

    The grand finale of the event, which is the 11th edition of the art exhibition, is expected to hold on Oct. 28 with winners going home with cash prizes.

    NAN

  • Niger Tornadoes receive N10m gift

    Niger Tornadoes receive N10m gift

    Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna on Thursday received N10 million gift from its sponsors, the Niger State Government, for coming second in the maiden AITEO Cup competition.

    The state Governor, Abubakar Bello, who made the announcement when he hosted the club at the Government House, said the team had done well in spite of the 3-2 penalties loss to Akwa United of Uyo on Oct. 15 in Lagos.

    “In every game, there is always a winner and a loser, to us here, you are the winners and you should know that you have moved the state football industry forward.

    “The strength of Niger Tornadoes is now known all over the world and we will continue to support you in areas that will move the club forward.

    “Niger Tornadoes is a brand name and all of you have turned out to be good ambassadors of the state,” Bello said.

    The governor advised the team to work hard so as to make serious impact in the West Africa Football Union Cup.

    To further encourage the team, the governor announced a raise in the monthly grant to the club from N7 million to N10 million, provision of a new bus and a pledge to tackle other challenges including modern facilities.

    According to him, the government is also making investments in other areas to develop potentials and encourage more youth to participate in sports.

    Bello said work on the Bako Kontagora Stadium would be completed in 2018, and the government had given approval for the development of a new football facility at Bahago roundabout, Minna.

    Earlier, Adamu Aliyu, Chairman, Niger Tornadoes FC, said the support they received from the government made it easier for the team  to excel.

    He told the governor that apart from coming second in the competition, the team supporters also emerged as the Best Supporters Club in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Super Eagles Coach says Argentina beatable

    Super Eagles Coach says Argentina beatable

    Yusuf made the assertion in an interview in Abuja ahead of the Nov. 14 friendly match against the former world champions in Russia.

    The coach said that the Super Eagles were capable of reversing the series of defeats suffered at the hands of the South Americans by beating them in Russia this time around.

    Argentina’s track records would not be an advantage because the two teams would play the match based on their current form.

    “My players are equal to the task any time anywhere and we are not afraid of big names because big names no longer play football, but talent and determination are key to winning matches,’’ the coach said.

    He assured Nigerians of an impressive outing against Argentina in the warm-up match aimed at boosting the morale of not only the players but their fans for World Cup.

    The prestige friendly match will be one in the series lined up to familiarise Nigerian players with the playing style of their likely opponents at the World Cup.

    NAN

  • UNICEF, Niger sign N600m MoU for 2017 work plan

    UNICEF, Niger sign N600m MoU for 2017 work plan

    The United Nations Children’s Education Fund ( UNICEF ) has signed N600 million Memorandum of Understanding with Niger Government for the 2017 annual work plan.

    Malam Idris Baba, Officer in Charge, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, dropped the hint on Thursday in Minna.

    He said that it was the last plan of the four-year country programme that UNICEF was running with Niger government and was designed to run from 2014 to 2017.

    Baba said that the four-year plan was part of UNICEF commitment to give intervention and assistance to Niger state government in four key areas.

    He said the areas include; maternal and new born child component, communication for development, basic education and media relations.

    He disclosed that immediately after the 2017 plan, UNICEF will develop a five-year plan with Niger government that would run from 2018 to 2022 to cover another five-year period.

    “We signed one MoU in 2014; one in 2015, one in 2016 and we are signing the last bit of the four-year’s plan in 2017.

    “The plan is meant to guide us to commit ourselves in ensuring that we deliver results to children and women in Niger state.

    “We also use the plan to mark commitment because we share the same goals and vision for children and women of Niger state and to ensure that some amount of money is meant for bettering the lives of women and children in the state,’’ he said.

    Baba, however, commended the state government for its continuous support and for providing enabling environment for UNICEF activities in the state.

    Responding, Bello, commended UNICEF intervention programme in the state, adding that such intervention had impacted positively on the lives of women and children.

    He urged UNICEF to increase its areas of intervention to the development of infrastructures, especially in primary and secondary schools in the state.

    According to him, there was deficit of infrastructure in the educational sector that needed urgent attention from state government and our development partners.

    “There is massive deficit of infrastructure in our public schools. We have spent a lot of money in renovating nine schools, and as government we cannot do it all alone.

    “As state, we will continue to contribute our quota and increase our budget, especially in education sector so as to bridge the gap,’’ he said.

    Bello advised UNICEF to make its area of intervention and activities known in the state by using the media to publicise its activities for people to key in.

    Bello signed the MoU on behalf of the state government, while Baba signed on behalf of UNICEF.

    NAN