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  • NGO establishes peace clubs in 132 schools in Plateau

    NGO establishes peace clubs in 132 schools in Plateau

    Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), an NGO, has established peace clubs in 132 secondary schools to promote peaceful co-existence in Plateau, according to its Project Manager, Mr Boniface Anthony.

    Anthony told the News men on Monday in Jos that the initiative was aimed at inculcating the virtues of peaceful co-existence in young ones.

    “The initiative started in 2012; we have already set up peace clubs in 132 schools across the 17 local government areas of Plateau,” he said.

    According to him, a lot of youths have shown interest in the clubs because some of them had been victims of the Plateau violence over the years.

    Read Also: NGO holds free screening, lecture

    He said that more peace clubs were being established, especially in the rural areas, and expressed optimism that each of the 17 local governments would have “at least seven clubs by 2020”.

    Anthony explained that the clubs were not restricted to schools, saying that groups of children in communities could come up with such ideas and be supported by the NGO.

    “The module used in setting up the clubs covers conflict, alternative to violence and gender violence,” he said, adding that the idea was modeled after similar peace groups in Zambia.

    The manager urged parents to allow their wards to participate in the activities of the clubs so as to foster peace, love and togetherness toward building a stable society.

    NAN

  • Trump’s administration plans to privatise international space station

    Trump’s administration plans to privatise international space station

    The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to turn the International Space Station (ISS) into a private enterprise, local media reported, citing an internal document of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

    In late January, U.S. media reported, citing a draft budget proposal, that the Trump administration may stop funding the ISS programme by 2025.

    “The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be de-orbited at that time.

    “It is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform,” the internal NASA document said, as quoted in a Washington Post article released on Sunday.

    Read Also: Trump’s  speech a wake-up call, says Obi

    According to the newspaper, the White House is creating a transition plan for moving the ISS to the private sector and will request 150 million dollars for the 2019 fiscal year to support the commercial entities that would manage the space station in the future.

    The proposal is likely to face public disapproval, as it had taken the U.S. nearly 100 billion dollars to construct and operate the ISS, the newspaper added.

    According to NASA figures, the ISS operational costs will amount to 3-4 billion dollars per year through 2024.

     NAN

  • Trump urges Israel to ‘Be very careful’ with building settlements

    Trump urges Israel to ‘Be very careful’ with building settlements

    U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Israel to “be very careful” with building settlements in West Bank as this issue complicates the opportunity to continue with the peace process.

    “The settlements are something that very much complicates and always have complicated making peace, so I think Israel has to be very careful with the settlements,” Trump told Israel Hayom newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.

    Trump added that the issue of settlements will be discussed, when asked whether this issue would become a part of the U.S. plan to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    The U.S. leader, however, expressed doubts that Palestine or Israel are seeking to reach peace at the current moment.

    “Right now, I would say the Palestinians are not looking to make peace; they are not looking to make peace.

    “And I am not necessarily sure that Israel is looking to make peace … I am right now interested in the Palestinians and Israel.

    “I don’t know frankly if we are going to even have talks, we will see what happens, but I think it is very foolish for the Palestinians and I also think it would be very foolish for the Israelis if they don’t make a deal.

    “It’s our only opportunity and it will never happen after this,” Trump stressed.

    In December, Israel’s cabinet reportedly approved funding worth some 40 million shekels (11 million dollars) for the West Bank settlements.

    Read Also:  Man U blames Trump for half-year loss of £29m

    Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

    The Israeli government refuses to recognise Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements on the occupied areas, in spite of objections from the UN.

    The U.S. authorities have stated on numerous occasions that Washington has been preparing a “deal of the century” that will ensure a comprehensive regional peace process and will put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation.

    Nevertheless, the details of the plan remain unclear.

    Both during his presidential campaign and after becoming president, Trump promised to take steps toward settling the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

    During his trip to the Middle East in May 2017, the U.S. president told the Israeli and Palestinian leaders that they should make a compromise in order to achieve peace.

    Trump also ordered his senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and Special Representative for International Negotiations, Jason Greenblatt to focus on the Middle East peace process.

    The two officials have made numerous trips to the region and held talks with local officials, but have not revealed the details of their proposals on the issue.

    NAN

  • NUT kicks against scrapping of e-payment for Adamawa teachers

    NUT kicks against scrapping of e-payment for Adamawa teachers

    The Adamawa chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has kicked against the move for reversal of the current e-payment for teachers’ salaries in the state.

    Comrade Rodney Nathan, the Chairman of the wing stated the union’s stand on the matter on Monday in Yola while speaking with newsmen.

    The news men recalls, the Adamawa House of Assembly in a recently resolution called for the suspension of the mode of payment and reversal to the ‘table payment ‘model for three months.

    Nathan said,  it was regrettable that while the whole world had adopted digital ways of doing things, Adamawa wanted to revert to the analogue system.

    The chairman said, the union would employ every possible means to oppose the house resolution.

    He, however, said, the union was still waiting the action of the governor on this and that he believed he would not subscribe to such an unpopular resolution.

    Read Also: Adamawa  and non-payment of retirees’ gratuities

    According to him, nobody can scrap e-payment of teachers’ salaries in Adamawa.

    “We are not happy with the house of assembly’s resolution on e-payment for teachers in the state.

    “E-payment was the primary request the NUT put forward to Gov. Mohammed Bindow during his campaign in 2015.

    “The first thing he did for teachers was the implementation of this primary request which has brought so many benefits to teachers in the state.

    “We wonder why some people will just wake up one day and try to scrap it when the whole world is migrating to the digital system.

    “Before the implementation of e-payment, teachers were not benefiting from the 27.5 per cent increment on N18, 000 minimum wages.

    “We are enjoying all these now and some people want us to go back to the old system that was not favourable to us.

    “I want to assure you, we will do everything within our means to resist such an unpopular policy,” Nathan said.

    NAN

  • Manchester City title wins can help De Bruyne claim Ballon d’Or

    Manchester City title wins can help De Bruyne claim Ballon d’Or

    Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will be a serious Ballon d‘Or contender if he wins major titles with the English Premier League club, his club manager Pep Guardiola says.

    De Bruyne has been vital to Manchester City’s dominance this campaign with the 26-year-old notching a league-high 14 assists, including three in Saturday’s 5-1 rout of Leicester City.

    “No doubt,’’ Guardiola told reporters when asked if the Belgian could win the prestigious individual award. “He is not (just doing it in) one game. It’s the whole season, every three days playing that way.

    “But he knows and everyone knows, to be there you have to win titles — and titles and titles, especially one. But the way he’s played it’s difficult to find one (better) in Europe.”

    De Bruyne has scored 11 goals and provided 18 assists across all competitions for Manchester City this season, helping them establish a 16-point lead atop the league table.

    Read Also: Manchester City get chance for revenge at Wigan in FA Cup

    But the midfielder is not focused on individual honors.

    “To be fair, when I am busy playing football I don’t care (about that),” De Bruyne said.

    “I do everything to win titles with the team. What happens after is an extra. I am very pleased with the way everything is going for me. I am playing this way because the team is playing this way…

    “At the end, if you get an individual honour, it is beautiful.”

    Manchester City remains in contention to win the quadruple as they prepare for Tuesday’s match against Basel in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages.

    This will be followed by an FA Cup fifth round clash against Wigan Athletic and the League Cup final against Arsenal.

    NAN

  • Buhari condoles with Buratai over father’s death

    Buhari condoles with Buratai over father’s death

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Buratai family over the death of Alhaji Yusuf Buratai, father of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

    Buhari’s condolence message is contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in Abuja on Friday.

    The statement said Buhari joined the members of the family in mourning the ex-serviceman and veteran of World War II.

    According to the President, Buratai’s service to Nigeria will always be appreciated and remembered.

    Read Also: 2019: Buhari   will win landslide – Yahaya Bello

    He further noted that “Buratai’s years of service to the nation epitomised by courage, skill, determination and devotion has been rightly bequeathed to his son, who is diligently serving the country’’.

    The president prayed that the almighty Allah would comfort all who mourned the late patriot and grant his soul eternal rest.

    The death of Buratai, who joined the West African Army in 1942, was announced by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka.

    Kukasheka in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday said Yusuf Buratai, the father of the COAS, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, died Friday morning in Maiduguri.

    NAN

     

  • NGO tasks Nigerians on peaceful co-existence

    NGO tasks Nigerians on peaceful co-existence

    The Muslim Christian Peace Forum (MCPF) an NGO said on Friday that no meaningful progress can be achieved without people living in peace.

    Mr James Pam, Chairman of the forum said this when the group presented Mr Bappayo Samanja, Director, Field Service Technology Department, Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) with “Icon of Peace Promoter Award” in Abuja.

    According to him, it is only when people live together in peace that meaningful development can take place, anywhere there is crisis and turbulence you will always find poverty and lack.

    He said the MCPF was an association comprising of Christians and Muslims, who had decided to come together in order to promote peace in Nigeria.

    According to him, the organisation appreciates and complements the efforts of those trying to promote peace in the country.

    Pam said five people were actually nominated for the award but Samanja came out tops on the list because of his immense contributions to the promotion of peace beginning from his community in Gombe.

    “He has contributed his quota to the development of peace in his own community in Gombe.

    “And we found out that even in his organisation where he works, he does not take sides, when people have misunderstandings he listens to them carefully before passing judgment.

    “As they say, `charity begins at home’ back home where he came from, we realised that he has been giving his best to the youths and to the development of peace, reason we are here today.

    Read Also:Army directs NGO  in Borno to register within two weeks

    “Our aim and objective is to promote peace and we believe that youths are the mechanism to be used in promoting peace in all parts of the world.

    “We are out to complement and appreciate people who even within their meager resources are doing their best to promote peace.

    “No society can develop without peace and I gave instances of some states presently having difficulties because of lack of peace stemming from herdsmen and farmers crisis, states like Plateau, Kaduna and Benue,’’ the chairman said.

    Pam advised the people to see themselves first as humans before religious or ethnic groups, like Martin Luter King Jnr once said before religion there was humanity.

    “After all it is a matter of choice I can be a Christian today and tomorrow decide to be a Muslim and vice-versa,’’ he said.

    Mr Bappayo Samanja, in his acceptance speech, thanked the group and congratulated them for forming such a group at this time that the country was in dire need of peace.

    Samanja said that people that are creating crisis in the country are not patriotic and are benefiting from doing so.

    “All of us in Nigeria must fight toward eradicating religious and tribal differences and come together to make Nigeria great and one.

    “The youths have that responsibility because they are the leaders of tomorrow and if they grow with this notion in mind, that Nigeria is one indivisible country, definitely Nigeria will be a good place for all.’’ Samanja said.

    The news men report that Samanja had received other notable awards for his contributions to humanity and as a philanthropist.

    The news men reports that CMPF was established on June 15, 2014, with it’s headquarter in Delta state and has offices in the 36 states of the Federation.

    Its major objective is to promote peace, moral values, knowledge and developing the attitudinal skills and behavior that encourages living in harmony with other neighbours.

    The news men also reports that MCPF incorporate many Nigerian youths across the six geo-political zones irrespective of their tribe, religion, sex and any other discriminating factors.

    NAN

  • NNPC pledges support efforts to ensure quality education

    NNPC pledges support efforts to ensure quality education

    Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) has promised to support Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) and Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, in the quest to promote quality education.

    The spokesperson, Mr Ndu Ughamadu. said in a statement in Abuja on Friday, the Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, made the pledge when he received a delegation from the two organisations.

    Baru lauded the lofty objectives behind the establishment of unity schools when the delegation, led by USOSA President-General, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, and the Vice-Chancellor of Usman Dan Fodio University, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, paid him a visit.

    According to Baru, NNPC will support any genuine effort to promote the unity of the country.

    Read Also: NNPC to receive 2 Cargoes of petrol daily to eradicate queues

    He called for the restoration of citizenship and leadership training in schools to prepare students for leadership positions in the larger society.

    Baru expressed interest in the Mentorship and Transition Programme of USOSA which afforded old students the opportunity to connect with current students to offer guidance and help.

    He said NNPC would continue to further exploratory work in the inland basins.

    Baru said his belief in the university system  led to the Usman Danfodio University and Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai, Niger, carrying out preliminary geological surveys of the Sokoto and Bida basins respectively.

    Earlier, Odinkalu said the association was on a mission to correct the decline in the education system and called on  well-meaning Nigerians to support USOSA in efforts to restore the past glory of unity schools.

    Also, the vice-chancellor called for the support of NNPC to establish a School of Energy Studies in Usman Danfodio University.

    He said the university looked forward to a partnership with the NNPC Renewable Energy Division.

    NAN

  • INEC, EFCC partnership will strengthen Nigeria’s democracy

    INEC, EFCC partnership will strengthen Nigeria’s democracy

    Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Yobe, Alhaji Umar Kukuri, said partnership between Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

    Kukuri disclosed this in an interview with the news men in Damaturu on Friday, at the backdrop of collaborative meeting between INEC and EFCC on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that excessive use of money in politics had denied Nigerians of good hands for national development.

    According to him, the partnership between both agencies will check excessive use of money during elections and eliminate investors in politics who see it as business rather than a call to serve.

    “The partnership is expected to sanitize the use of excessive money, and this will give opportunity to credible candidates with national interest but lack resources to buy votes, to win elections” he said.

    Read Also: INEC  seeks EFCC’s collaboration on vote buying, campaign funds

    The chairman described as “unfortunate’’ unchecked cases of politicians besieging polling units with money or food to buy votes during elections.

    “It is very sad that some politicians nearly institutionalized the corruption of buying votes both in cash and in kind to win elections.

    “The infamous stomach infrastructure politics recorded in previous elections in parts of the country where rice bags bearing party logo and pictures of candidates were shared to voters on election queues was quite disturbing.”

    He commended INEC and EFCC for the partnership to fight corruption in electioneering so as to build Nigeria’s democracy.

    Kukuri called on all political parties to support the fight against corruption in the electoral process “for clean and acceptable elections and growth of democracy in Nigeria’’.

    NAN

     

  • Kebbi bans night travel by boats, canoe along River Niger

    Kebbi bans night travel by boats, canoe along River Niger

    Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state has issued a standing order to the Police, traditional leaders and officials of marine inland water ways, banning night travel by boat and canoe.

    A statement by Alhaji Abubakar Muazu, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor in Birnin Kebbi on Friday indicated the ban was announced at Giron Misa village in Shanga Local Government Area.

    He said the Governor was in the village to condole families of victims of a Canoe accident last Monday that claimed six lives with 12 missing while 50 passengers were rescued.

    The governor directed security agencies to enforce the ban on night travel by boats and canoe operators along River Niger.

    Read Also: Kebbi  distributes drugs worth N5m to 838 epileptic

    In an interview the Chairman of Shanga Local Government Area, Alhaji Aminu  Arzika, said the ban would be enforced, stressing that traders that travel by boat to neighboring markets would be advised to travel during the day time.

    The news men reports that last Monday, Feb. 5, two Canoes carrying 68 passengers collided and capsized on River Niger.

    NAN