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Bauchi to spend N42m on medical store projects

The Bauchi State Drugs Management and Medical Consumables Agency ( DMMA ), has commenced the construction of two zonal medical stores at the cost of N42 million.

The projects are sited in Katagum and Ningi local government areas of the state.

The Managing Director of the Agency, Mr Abdulkadir Ahmed disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Bauchi after inspecting the ongoing projects in the areas.

He said that the project when completed, would ease the collection of medical sundries by health facilities across the state.

“The one in Katagum local government will serve the Northern zone while that of Ningi local government will be for the Central zone.

“The two projects are worth N42 million and I am pleased that work is going on steadily.

Read also: Bauchi passes private partnership law

“That of Ningi is at 90 per cent completion stage while that of Katagum is at 75 per cent completion stage,” Ahmed said.

Speaking on their activities in 2017, Ahmed said that the agency had enrolled 15 Primary Healthcare facilities on the agency’s drugs revolving fund scheme. .

According to him, all the facilities in Dass local government area are benefiting from the National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS ).

He explained that all the 26 General Hospitals and Specialist Hospitals were enrolled in the agency’s drug revolving fund programme.

NAN

January 4, 2018
Philippines president sacks official over “excessive” travels

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday sacked a ranking Philippines government official for making excessive foreign travels mostly at government expense, a government spokesman said.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told a news conference in Davao City in the southern Philippines that Duterte sacked Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator Marcial Amaro for frequent foreign travels with government mostly footing the bill.

Amaro was appointed by the president to the post in July 2016.

According to the government documents, he made 18 official foreign travels in 2017 and six in 2016, equalling an average of four foreign trips every quarter.

Meanwhile, the Association of MARINA Employees accused Amaro of impropriety.

The employees sent a letter to Duterte in December detailing Amaro’s foreign trips in 2017, forcing him to look into the employees’ complaint.

Roque said that all Amaro’s trips, except for one, are official.

“The point of the president is we must be selective on the trips that we will undertake and that definitely 24 travels are excessive,’’ he stressed.

He said that only three of Amaro’s trips were sponsored trips and the rest were paid by the government.

“The president has decided, therefore, to terminate his services,’’ Roque said.

Report says Amaro is the third government official that Duterte terminated for going on junkets.

On December 12, Duterte dismissed Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chair Terry Ridon for making seven trips abroad in 15 months.

After about a week, Duterte asked the president of the Development Academy of the Philippine Elba Cruz to leave her post for the reason of “excessive” trips abroad.

Read also: Philippines bans mandatory wearing of high heels in workplace

Duterte issued a memo on Wednesday imposing stricter rules on official foreign travels in a bid to curb “extravagant and lavish” trips abroad by government officials and employees.

Roque reiterated Duterte’s order, saying that government officials and employees can only make the trip if it is related to the functions of the government.

“It must not be too pricey, it must not be too costly and the benefits to the country of the trip must be substantial,’’ he said.

(Xinhua/NAN)

January 4, 2018
Mother abandons cerebral palsy child in Warri hospital

A 14-year-old boy, Steven Orode diagnosed of Cerebral palsy and acute malaria has allegedly been abandoned by his mother at the Central Hospital, Warri.

The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Success Obere told newsmen on Thursday in Warri that the teenager was admitted on December 12, 2017.

According to her, the mother of the boy absconded shortly after the boy was diagnosed of the ailment at the hospital.

Obere said the woman had told the nurses on duty that she was going home to get some things and detailed a friend who accompanied her to the hospital to look after the sick boy.

“After waiting patiently for the woman, the lady also left.

“We have called all the contacts the women gave but she is not picking. We also called another line but the person denied knowing the woman or the boy.

“We reported the issue at the “A” Division in Warri and the Divisional Police Officer assigned the Police Social Welfare Unit to handle the case.

“The hospital attempted to admit the boy into the orphanage in Warri but he was rejected on the ground that he was seen as physically challenged,” she said.

Obere however said the boy’s health was improving and appealed to the parent to come forward.

Also, Mrs Bridget Achugbue, the nurse handling the patient said the boy had successfully been treated of malaria.

NAN

January 4, 2018
Yobe donates vehicles worth N350m to Nigerian Army

The Yobe Government on Thursday donated 20 hilux operational vehicles worth N350 million to the Nigerian Army.

Gov. Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe handed over the keys to the vehicles to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, at Government House in Damaturu.

The army chief was in the state in continuation of his tour of military formations and visit to troops in frontline in the North East.

The governor said that the donation of the vehicles was to enhance the military operations aimed at flushing out remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists, as well as to tackle other forms of criminality in the state.

Geidam disclosed that so far, the state had donated 300 vehicles to the army other security agencies, including the 20 he handed over to the army on Thursday.

Responding, the chief of army staff commended the governor for his commitment to the security of the state and by extension the North East and the entire country.

Read also: Boko Haram kills five soldiers in Yobe attack

Buratai recalled that apart from the vehicles, the state had donated lands to the army to build the Nigerian Army School of Special Forces at Buni Yadi and Army Level 2 referral hospital, close to the state capital.

Earlier, Buratai inspected the site of the hospital, where construction work had begun, and inaugurated accommodation for officers and soldiers on transit, at the Army headquarters Logistics Base 2, Damaturu.

NAN

January 4, 2018
Motorcyclist arraigns for hitting pedestrian

A 27-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Jide Abusoro, was on Thursday brought before an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State over alleged dangerous riding and injuring a pedestrian.

The accused, whose address is unknown, is standing trial on a three-count charge of dangerous riding, riding without licence and riding an unregistered motorcycle on a highway.

The accused, according to the Prosecutor, Sgt. Ayodeji Omoyeigha, committed the offences on November 23, 2017 at 3.00p.m. along Okitipupa-Ikoya Road.

He said Abusoro rode an unregistered motorcycle dangerously without licence and hit a pedestrian, Bola Fafolu, and injured him.

The offences contravened Sections 6, 10 (3) and 11 (2) of the Federal Highway Act, Laws of the Federation.

In his ruling, Magistrate Chris Ojuola granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with a surety in like sum.

In addition, the surety must present an evidence of one year tax payment.

Further hearing has been fixed for January 12.

NAN

January 4, 2018
Man jailed five months for cheating

A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a 36-year old technician, Tohomou Yangoua, to five months imprisonment for cheating.

Yangoua, of Daki Biyu village in Jabi, Abuja, was sentenced on a one-count charge of cheating.

The Area Court judge, Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave him an option of N20,000 fine and also ordered him to pay the N250, 000 as compensation to the complainant.

The convict had earlier pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

Sadiq said that the punishment would have been stiffer if the convict had not saved the court the rigour of protracted prosecution.

He also warned the convict to be of good behaviour.

The rosecutor Mrs. Florence Auhioboh, had told the court that on December 24, 2017, Godiya Moses of Daki Biyu Jabi, Abuja, reported the matter at Life Camp Police Station.

Auhioboh said that in November 2017, the complainant gave the convict N250,000 to obtain visa to United Arab Emirate for her.

She told the court that after the convict collected the money, he absconded and dishonestly converted the amount to his personal use.

The prosecutor added that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement and all efforts made to recover the money proved abortive.

Auhioboh said the offence contravened the Penal Code.

NAN

January 4, 2018
Ex-Gov. Lawal Kaita buried in Katsina

The remains of the former governor of the defunct Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, has been buried in Katsina.

Kaita died on Tuesday in a hospital in Abuja after a protracted illness at the age 85.

The funeral prayer of the deceased was led by Imam Mustapha Liman at the palace of the Emir of Katsina at 2.30 p.m.

Prominent personalities that attended the rite included a Federal Government delegation comprising the Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd); Minister of State for Aviation, Alhaji Hadi Sirika, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Alhaji Garba Shehu.

Others were the deputy governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu; Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouq, and the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha.

Read also: Katsina at 30: The Masari midas touch

The Director-General SMEDAN, Dr Dikko Umar Radda, member House of Representatives representing Kankia/Kusada/Ingawa, Alhaji Ahmad Babba, traditional rulers and religious leaders from across the country also attended the burial.

Kaita was buried at the old Danmarna cemetery in Katsina metropolis.

He left behind a wife, children and grandchildren.

The deceased was the elected governor of old Kaduna State under the National Party of Nigeria ( NPN ) between October and December 1983.

NAN

January 3, 2018
Consumers must get value for money – Ambode

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday in Lagos inaugurated a 12-member board of the state’s Consumer Protection Agency charging them to hit the ground running and end sharp practices among retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers.

Ambode said the establishment of the agency became imperative in view of the fact that the state, with its huge population, provides the largest commercial market in Africa with the highest reported cases of daily infractions on consumers’ rights.

“I resolve to ensure that consumers get value for money spent on goods and services.

“The agency is therefore meant to complement our reform on the ease of doing business, especially as it affects the development of the industrial, commercial and consumer satisfaction value chain,” he said.

Ambode said that his administration had taken another giant stride toward guaranteeing the welfare of residents on a sustainable basis with the inauguration of the board.

“It is a strong demonstration of our commitment to the protection of the rights of consumers and the promotion of consumers’ satisfaction in the state,” he said.

The governor said that the agency would be an effective service centre for the protection of the interest of consumers, settlement of consumer disputes and for other connected purposes as enshrined in the state’s consumer law.

Read also: Pen Cinema flyover will be ready November, says Ambode

He charged the board to be dutiful and nurture the agency to become an institution that would guarantee timely delivery of effective services to aggrieved consumers in the state.

Ambode said that members were carefully selected both from the private and public sector based on their impeccable character and experience in the subject matter.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Rotimi Ogunleye, commended the governor for the standardisation and quality of products and services in the state.

He listed the functions of the agency to include speedy redress of consumers’ complaints through negotiation, mediation and conciliation.

Ogunleye said it shall advise the government on the means and ways of eliminating hazardous products.

He said it shall also publish lists of products, the consumption and sale of which had been banned, restricted or not approved by the appropriate relevant government agencies, among others.

The Chairman of the board, Mrs Olufunmilola Falana, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in the board.

“We will take the bull by the horn and ensure that we do not only impress the governor, but the teeming consumers in the state,” Falana said.

NAN

January 3, 2018
NSCDC records 29 cases of kidnapping in 2017

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Niger Command, on Wednesday said it recorded 29 cases of kidnapping and 12 cases of cattle rustling in the state in 2017.

The Commandant of the corps, Mr Philip Ayuba, disclosed this in Minna in an interview with newsmen.

Ayuba said that 40 alleged murder cases, 17 armed robbery cases and 30 cases of fraud, job scam and breach of trust were also recorded during the year.

He added that 25 cases of theft and 13 rape, abortion and human trafficking cases were similarly recorded during the period.

‘‘We also recorded 12 cases of illegal mining; 18 cases of road accident, 14 fire incidents, flood, nine rainstorm and boat mishap and 10 cases of vandalism and related matters were recorded, ” he said.

Others, the commandant said, included 10 conflict-related cases and four cases of quarry blasting.

‘‘We have successfully prosecuted 22 of the suspects while investigation is going on the remaining cases,” he added.

Ayuba also said that the command had introduced tight security measures through which to tackle any threat to peace in the state.

Read also: NSCDC seizes 1000 litres of petrol from Boko Haram suppliers

He said that effective operational order had been issued to officers in charge in the 25 local government areas of the state for implementation.

He said that the rate of crime had, therefore, been reduced in the state during the year under review.

The commandant called on residents to assist the field officers with intelligence information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of criminals.

NAN

January 3, 2018
Ethiopia to free all political prisoners

The Ethiopian Government, on Wednesday, ordered the release of all its political prisoners and the closure of its notorious Maekelawi prison camp.

The prison camp used to be home for several dozen high-profile figures in the East African country.

The country’s Prime Minster, Hailemariam Desalegn, issued the order, as part of what he said was an effort “to create a national consensus and widen the democratic space for all”.

The move comes in the wake of widespread anti-government protests that engulfed much of the restive Oromia and Amhara regions and spread to other towns and cities in the region recently.

Read also: Ethiopian Airlines wins AFRAA Airline of the Year award

For this development, local and foreign business, universities and transport networks came to a standstill in many parts of the country.

“This happened due to the violent protests, which witnessed one of the nation’s most serious ethnic clashes between the Oromo and the Ethiopian Somali ethnic groups.

“Political prisoners, who are facing prosecutions and are already under arrest will be released.

“Also, the notorious prison cell that was traditionally called Maekelawi, will be closed down and turned into a museum,” the prime minister added.

Present on the occasion of the PM address, were members of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front.

NAN

January 3, 2018