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  • Revenue: Customs collects N163m in October – Official

    Revenue: Customs collects N163m in October – Official

    The Niger Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS ), on Wednesday said that it had collected N163 million as revenue in October.

    The Area Comptroller of Customs, Mr Binga Benjamin, made this disclosure in an interview in Minna.

    He implored residents of the border communities to always provide the command some useful  information about  the activities of rice and vehicle smugglers.

    “We have put in place sensitive security measures in all identified illegal routes used by smugglers;

    “And we will continue to strengthen the existing cordial relationship with the border communities in order to prevent smuggling;

    “My area of supervision is a ‘no go area’ for any kind of smuggling business as armed personnel have been stationed there to prevent illegal activities”.

    He said that the area command would reward handsomely any person or group, who might provide useful information leading to  the arrest and prosecutions of  smugglers.

    NAN

  • IPMAN lauds FG’s commencement of oil exploration in five states

    IPMAN lauds FG’s commencement of oil exploration in five states

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) in Kano State has commended the Federal Government for starting oil exploration in Sokoto, Benue, Borno, Bauchi and Nasarawa states.

    The IPMAN chairman in the state, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, made the commendation while speaking to newsmen shortly after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association in Kano on Wednesday.

    “The oil exploration which the Federal Government had started in five states mentioned above will ensure their economic growth and development and that of the country at large,” he said.

    The IPMAN chairman, who called for continued support to the NNPC, also applauded the Federal Government for sustaining regularity in petrol supply across the country.

    He said with the present administration’s commitment toward addressing challenges facing the sector and exemplary leadership of the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, fuel scarcity had now become history in the country.

    “Before now, people used to accuse marketers of fuel crisis in the country but scarcity of petroleum products has become a thing of the past due to the Federal Government’s commitment toward addressing the problems facing the sector,” he said.

    He said the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari deserved to be commended for tackling the various challenges facing the oil and gas sector and ensuring steady supply of petrol in the country.

    He also commended the NNPC for planning to make available petroleum products, especially, petrol in  all the 21 depots ahead of the forthcoming Christmas and New Year festivals.

    “This singular action is worthy of commendation in view of what we used to experience in the past at the end of every year in the country.

    Dan-Malam said with the current positive development in the sector, the country would soon commence exporting petrol to other countries.

    NAN reports that the meeting was attended by members of the association from Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe states that made up IPMAN Kano unit.

    NAN

  • Anambra election: Senate gives IGP 24-hrs to restore Obiano’s aides

    Anambra election: Senate gives IGP 24-hrs to restore Obiano’s aides

    The Senate on Wednesday directed the Inspector General of Police ( IGP ), Mr Ibrahim Idris to restore security aides of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra within 24 hours.

    The directive was sequel to a Point of Order raised by Deputy Minority Leader, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha during plenary in Abuja.

    The Upper Chamber also directed the Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Sen. Abu Ibrahim to ensure that the order was carried out and report back to the Senate on Thursday, Nov. 16.

    It can be recalled that the IGP had on Tuesday withdrawn Obiano’s security aides on the excuse of providing level playing ground in Saturday’s governorship polls in the state.

    Bwacha described the withdrawal of the governor’s aides as unjust.

    “As a senator, I know that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. If we don’t arrest the matter the President may be made hostage unknown to him.

    “If we allow such cabal to grow and are not tamed, the Federal Government may be brought down to its knees.”

    He said as members of parliament they had a duty to ensure that “What happened in Anambra did not happen anywhere again.

    “Candidates should be allowed level playing ground but nobody should do a thing as crude and shrewd as what happened in Anambra. This was wrong.

    “I will make attempt to try and reach the President that some of his aides are been over zealous in discharging their constitutional duties; this is not good and it is uncalled for.”

    In his comment, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, described the development as unfortunate, but said the Senate would not debate on the matter as it was brought under an order not debatable.

    Rising under Order 45 and 52, Deputy Minority Whip, Sen. Biodun Olujimi said the whole idea of the Point of Order she raised was for the lawmakers to be allowed to make contributions on the matter.

    “The issue is very important to Nigerians and democracy. It is a nascent democracy and there is a need for us to nurture it, to ensure that we don’t truncate it easily.

    “The action of the IGP in taking over the aides of a sitting governor means that in 2019, even the Senate President will lose all his aides,’’ Olujimi said.

    She added: “every governor regardless of his political party is entitled to security and as chief security officers of their states they are entitled to security.

    “It is unimaginable that the IGP will say because he wants to provide level playing field because there is an election, he will withdraw the ADC of a governor so that he goes without his retinue of aides. That is wrong”.

    NAN

  • El-Rufai inaugurates economic planning board

    El-Rufai inaugurates economic planning board

    Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday inaugurated the state Economic Planning Board ( EPB ) as part of efforts to spur development in rural areas.

    El-Rufai said at the inauguration in Kaduna that the board would ensure effective coordination and preparation of local government development plans and budget to improve the people’s livelihood.

    Represented by the Deputy Governor, Barnabas Bantex, the governor said the state had already developed Local Government Planning and Budgeting Manual to guide local government officials in planning and budgeting process.

    He explained that the goal of reforming local government system was to maximise the potential of local councils to deliver qualitative public service at the community level.

    According to him, the step is taken to promote development at the grassroots by creating an autonomous, adequately funded, transparent and responsible local government system capable of delivering services to the people.

    “Kaduna State Local Government Reform Law 2017 has mandated the LGAs to develop a culture of participatory governance by encouraging community members to participate in the preparation, implementation and review of development plans.

    “These structural reforms are intended to give local governments a greater capacity for service delivery, promote development at grassroots and ensure policy alignment with the state and Federal Government policies.”

    Also, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi, said the EPB would provide the needed platform for collaboration between the state and the local governments to use resources efficiently.

    According to him, the EPB is established by law, based on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, and empowers LGAs to participate in development planning.

    He said that EPB would allow the state and LGAs to plan and strategise in order to move the state forward and improve the lot of the people.

    Abdullahi explained that the board had the Commissioner, and the Director of Planning in the state’s Planning and Budget Commission as the Chairman and secretary respectively.

    According to him, other commissioners and heads of agencies are members.

    He said that the EPB had the mandate to advise the governor on the development of local governments’ economy and measures necessary for efficient economic planning and budgeting.

    “It will formulate studies and produce statistical data to reflect the orderly, progressive and planned economic growth of the state and ensure effective coordination in the preparation of LGAs annual and multi-year budgets.

    “The Planning and Budget Commission is responsible for providing guidance and oversight on local government planning, budgeting and economic development.

    “It will also ensure that local government plans and development issues are fully integrated at the state level to harness the resources of the LGAs for the maximum benefit of the people.’’

    NAN

  • NCDC urges FG to combat resistance of diseases to antibiotics

    NCDC urges FG to combat resistance of diseases to antibiotics

    Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Chief Executive, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC ), says the spread of resistance to antibiotics in several microorganisms is complicating management of many infectious diseases.

    Addressing newsmen on the ‘2017 Antibiotics Awareness Week’ on Wednesday in Abuja, Ihekweazu said that the situation was adversely affecting the functioning of human and animal health systems.

    “The consequences of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are serious as resistant microbes fail to respond to standard treatment.

    “This is resulting in prolonged illness, infectiousness, increased spread of disease, extended hospital stays and greater risk of death.

    “Developing countries, in the face of limited resources and their greater disease burden, will suffer more than the developed ones,’’ Ihekweazu said.

    According to him, AMR is decreasing the usefulness of modern medical technologies and jeopardises both common and complex surgical procedures.

    In addition to this jeopardy, AMR is also endangering animal health and welfare as well as food production, Ihekweazu said.

    He said that it was projected that 10 million people will die annually from AMR by 2050 if current trends are unabated.

    He noted that the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance was on the increase with little or no support for research into the production of new medicines.

    “We need to sustain our response at reducing the burden of AMR and its associated implications.

    “Nigerians should play key roles as we take up the message and awareness creation on the rational and judicious use of antibiotics in the country,’’ he said.

    Ihekweazu said antibiotics have saved millions of lives and reduced disease burden, adding that modern human and veterinary medicine was built on access to effective antimicrobials.

    According to him, antibiotics have improved quality of life, contributed to improved food production and helped increase life expectancy.

    Omotayo Hamzat, WHO expert on Essential Drugs and Medicine, said that the world body recognised that antibiotics resistance was becoming a global challenge that needed to be addressed.

    Hamzat said that without tackling anti-drugs resistance, it might be difficult to meet the Sustainable Development Goals in the health sector.

    The awareness week is celebrated annually between Nov. 13 and Nov. 19.

    Hamzat noted that the celebration was aimed at making antibiotic resistance a globally recognised health issue.

    It is also aimed at increasing and recognising the roles that individuals, health and agriculture professionals as well as governments must play in tackling antibiotic resistance.

    NAN

  • Niger spends N4.3bn on schools’ renovation, furniture

    Niger spends N4.3bn on schools’ renovation, furniture

    Niger government said it spent N4.3 billion on renovation of 5,065 classrooms, construction of 123 blocks of classrooms and 2,0 96 toilets in some selected schools in the state.

    The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Education, Alhaji Yahaya Garba, made this known in an interview in Minna on Wednesday.

    He said that the state government also provided furniture for the staff members in some selected schools.

    He explained that the expended fund was part of the counterpart funding from the Universal Basic Education Commission ( UBEC ) intervention programme for 2013 and 2014, which could not be accessed by the previous administration in the state.

    Garba further explained that part of the fund was used in reconstructing and renovating nine schools selected across the three senatorial zones of the state.

    He listed the schools and colleges renovated to include: Government Girls Modern School, Bida; Justice Idris Legbo Science College, Kutigi; Government Science College, Baro and Maryam Babangida Girls Science College, Minna.

    Others were: Government Science College Izom; Government Secondary School, Tegina; Mu’azu Commercial College Kotangora; Government Girls  Science School Kotangora and Government Secondary School, Rijau among others.

    According to him, the state government is collaborating with Abuja-based Baze University to train teachers that handle entrepreneurship studies.

    He said that entrepreneurship studies would be included in the curriculum of the nine of the schools renovated.

    Garba said that the state government would invest N10 million in the training, which would begin in November.

    The permanent secretary also said that the state government had disbursed N170 million to 7, 503 students studying in higher institutions of learning across the country and N55 million to 105 students studying abroad.

    NAN

  • Court dissolves 12-year-old marriage over lack of care

    Court dissolves 12-year-old marriage over lack of care

    An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court on Wednesday dissolved the 12-year-old marriage between Lekan Ajayi and his wife, Busayo, over lack of care, frequent fighting and desertion of matrimonial home for five years.

    In his judgment, President of the court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, said that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

    “Both parties should go their separate ways and maintain the peace,’’ he said.

    Ogunsemi awarded custody of the first child to the petitioner (Lekan), while the second child was awarded to the respondent (Busayo).

    He ordered that the petitioner should pay N5, 000 monthly to the respondent for the upkeep of his child.

    Read  also: My husband stabs me with broken bottles, wife tells court

    “The money should be paid to the registry of the court for onward delivery to the respondent,’’ he said.

    He granted unrestricted access to the children for both parties.

    Earlier, the petitioner, Lekan, 39, an automobile mechanic, told the court that his union with the respondent started in 2005 and she deserted him in 2012.

    He said that he has been the only one responsible for the education of his children since the respondent left him.

    Lekan said he was tired of the respondent unruly behaviour and her refusal to take correction.

    “She decided to pack out when she felt she could not abide with my instructions as the husband and father in the house,’’ he said.

    He appealed to the court to award the custody of the two children to him in order to enable him take good care of them.

    The petitioner urged the court ‎to dissolve the union for peace to reign in his life.

    The respondent, Busayo, 40‎, a cardigan weaver, denied the allegations made by her husband.

    She said it was the petitioner’s family that was partly responsible for their matrimonial crisis.

    Busayo said the petitioner’s life style also contributed to their problems, stressing that her husband was a drunkard.

    She urged the court to award the custody of her two children to her and demanded N15, 000 as monthly feeding allowances for the children.

    NAN

  • Uninterrupted academic calendar sacrosanct – UNILORIN VC

    Uninterrupted academic calendar sacrosanct – UNILORIN VC

    Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, said that the uninterrupted academic calendar of the institution he described as the hallmark of the University, remained sacrosanct.

    Abdulkareem said this on Wednesday while presiding over the first Senate meeting of UNILORIN.

    He solicited the support of the university Senate in his mission to move the institution to greater heights.

    The vice-chancellor promised to sustain and improve on the tempo of progress witnessed in the university and build on the achievements of successive administration of the institution.

    In his address, entitled “Your Support is Our Victory’’, Abdulkareem said the continued stability of the university was sacrosanct.

    “We have enjoyed it for the past 17 years and it has given us an image that draws the largest number of admission seekers within and outside our country to us.

    “It is one of the identities that make us different and better than the others in Nigeria,’’ the UNILORIN Vice Chancellor said.

    According to him, the continued stability of this great university remains non-negotiable.

    The vice-chancellor said he was committed to championing the drive toward ensuring that the university becomes more reputable for research outputs, which could change the world for the better.

    “This is achievable if we have a renewed energy, devotion, faith, attitude and ethos that can rekindle our unique UNILORIN spirit for attaining greater heights.’’

    He said that he was committed to the promotion of staff and students’ welfare as well as sustaining the infrastructure development of the university.

    The vice-chancellor also mentioned strategies which he intended to adopt over the next five years.

    He said his administration was committed to re-orientation of staff for improved productivity, students’ attitude and commitment toward academic excellence and promotion of healthy as well as effective collaboration, among others.

  • Kano seeks support to revamp education sector

    Kano seeks support to revamp education sector

    The Kano State Government has solicited the support of Old Boys Associations of various secondary schools in the state in its efforts to revamp the education sector.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad, made the appeal when he received National Executive Council members of Government Arabic Senior Secondary School Gwale Old Boys Association.

    A statement by the ministry issued on Wednesday in Kano said the permanent secretary urged such associations to initiates projects and programmes that would add value to the quality of education imparted to students.

    According to the statement, Ahmad disclosed that the government has approved the release of N37.8 million for the completion of the school assembly hall initiated by the association.

    He said that work on the project would be executed through direct labour.

    The permanent secretary commended Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje for approving the release of the money and urged the association to support the administration move the state forward.

    Earlier, National Chairman of the association, Malam Nuhu Yahaya thanked the government for the gesture and pledged more support for the government.

    NAN

  • Court remands cultist three years in Jos

    Court remands cultist three years in Jos

    A Jos Upper Area Court sitting at Kasuwan Nama on Wednesday sentenced a 38-year-old man, Idris Umar, to three years imprisonment for cultism.

    Umar was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting several injuries on one Abdul Isa, and begged the court for mercy.

    The judge, Yahaya Mohammed, however, gave the convict an option of N10,000 fine.

    The Police Prosecutor, Mr Ibrahim Gukwat, had told the court that Umar was arrested on Oct. 26, by the Special Task Force ( STF ) on security, for allegedly attacking Isa, along Ali Kazaure Street, Jos.

    The prosecutor said that further investigation by the police revealed that Umar was a member of Sara-Suka, a cultist group that had since been outlawed.

    Gukwat said that the offence contravened sections 346 and 976 of the Penal Code.

    NAN