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Tag: North West

  • 69 percent out-of-school children in north – UNICEF

    United Nations Children Fund’s ( UNICEF ) has said that 69 percent of out-of-school children in Nigeria are in the North.

    The organisation, quoting the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data, said the North East had the largest number of out-of-school children followed by the North West.

    Nigeria, according to the Universal Basic Education Commission and Federal Ministry of Education’s Demography Health Survey (DHS), currently has 13.2million children out of school.

    UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, said this at a two-day media dialogue in Kano to promote equity in education for children.
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    The event was organised by the Child Right Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information And Culture in collaboration with UNICEF.

    She urged both state and the Federal Government to raise budgetary allocation and ensure the release and utilisation of the funds in order to reduce the large number of out –of school children in the country.

    Menkiti said within the huge number of out-of-school children in the country that girls are in the majority especially in northern Nigeria.

    She said: “The latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data shows that of the 11.5 million children out of school in Nigeria, million or 69 percent are in northern states. North east has the largest number of out-of-school children followed by the North West.

    “With this number, Nigeria accounts for more than one in five out-of-school child globally, and 45 percent of out-of-school children in West Africa. Within the huge number of out-of-school children, girls are in the majority especially in northern Nigeria.

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    “The recent security threats to schools in the north east as well as other parts of Nigeria has contributed significantly to the low demand for and access to education especially for girls.

    “The reality is that children are missing education in Nigeria and a lot of them are coming from northern Nigeria and that is why our interventions are needed more in this region.

    “Everybody is worried about the huge figures of number of out-of-schools in Nigeria. Insurgency in the north eastern Nigeria has been especially damaging to the education system.

    “Budgetary allocation is the not the problem. But will they release that money? There are some states that when they allocate 15 percent to education they won’t release a kobo.”

    UNICEF added that it was important for governments at all levels to put interventions in place to ensure all children go to school in order to facilitate national growth and development.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that Nigeria’s future depended on producing children who are prepared to take their place in tomorrow’s society.

    Mr. Mohammed, who was represented by the Head, CRIB, Olumide Osanyipeju, added that investing in education and protection of the most disadvantaged, especially children and addressing inequality would ensure sustained growth and stability of any nation.

    The minister said: “Unfortunately, a large number of Nigerian children are at risk of deprivations of basic social amenities. They are situated in the rural and hard-to-reach communities. Majority of them are also living in conflict and communities under emergencies and it has been difficult taking basic amenities to them.

    “Government have come to the realisation that basic education is essential for every child. Lack of access to this basic service is an infringement on the rights of the child.

    “There is a growing evidence that investing in education and protection of the most disadvantaged/vulnerable citizens, in this case, children and addressing inequality will ensure sustained growth and stability of any nation.

    “There is need to integrate children, especially those in difficult terrain and other excluded children and focus on equitable distribution of opportunities now, as it is a giant stride towards the realisation of human rights of children.”

    Also, an Education and Development Consultant for UNICEF, Dayo Ogundimu, said there was a looming calamity in the country if the government continued to provide poor quality education and inequity in education.

    He said: “There is a calamity looming in this country if we continue to provide poor quality education and inequity in education. Every society that realizes the importance of education will not toy with the future of the children.

    “Every child, male or female, desire to have good and quality education so that we can achieve our goals as a nation.

    “We cannot afford to leave anybody behind no matter the circumstances they find themselves.”

  • APC condemns attacks on Buhari

    APC condemns attacks on Buhari

    The North-West zone of All Progressive Congress (APC) has condemned the issues being raised over President Muhammadu Buhari’s health and vacation, saying it was unwarranted and unpatriotic.

    In a communique after its meeting in Katsina on Monday and signed by its National Vice Chairman, North-West, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, the party said the issues smacked of the desperation of the opposition in the country.

    It said that the zone had declared total support to Buhari’s administration, in its bid to move the nation forward.

    “The meeting emphasised the need for members of the National Assembly from the North-West to fully support the president in his effort to provide responsive leadership to Nigeria.

    “The meeting called on the north-west zonal leadership of the party to engage members of the national assembly, ministers, and heads of government agencies to ensure that policies and programmes fall in line with the party’s manifesto.”

    “The meeting emphasised the need for elected and appointed public officeholders to undertake periodic consultation with constituents to enlighten them on government policies and programmes, and at the same time, receive feedback for effective service delivery.

    “The meeting reiterated its support to seven governors in the North-West region in their effort toward economic integration of the region within the context of the north-west economic cooperation and integration framework,” the communiqué said.

    The party also appreciated the seven states in the zone for their initiative at identifying high development priority areas like education, healthcare, agriculture, water resources, energy, solid minerals and industrialization.

    It called on party members to rise in the defence of the hard-won but overwhelming mandate of the majority of Nigerians by eschewing all forms of internal conflict and division.

    “We should appreciate the need to rally round our leaders and for the leaders to carry all members along in flying the flag of APC,” the communiqué said.

  • Workers in North West shun NLC strike

    Public and private sector workers in five states of the North West on Wednesday defied the nationwide strike action ordered by the Ayuba Waba faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel price increase.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that federal and state workers in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Kebbi have reported to their duty posts in defiance of the order.

    Reports from the five states indicated that socio-economic activities were also going on, with schools, banks, markets, hospitals and other businesses fully opened.

    In Sokoto, some civil servants said they would not join the strike because it would only aggravate current hardships in the country.

    “Such strikes would only aggravate our situation; the NLC should have given the Federal Government the benefit of the doubt,’ Aliyu Musa, a worker at the Shehu Kangiwa Secretariat, said.

    Mr Mathias Iliya, a federal worker said “no worker in his right senses will join the strike action.

    “Nigerians should be fervently prayerful and patient with the Buhari administration as his intentions towards Nigerians are truly sincere.”

    Mr El-Mustapha Sani, the Police spokesman in the state, said all Area and Divisional Commands had been put on red alert.

    “The command had also made arrangements to fully patrol the state to protect lives, public and private property,” Sani said.

    In Kaduna. civil servants and all businesses including motor parks were fully opened, with residents going about their normal business.

    At the Kaduna State University, normal academic activity was going on with students taking lectures.

    Workers of the institution have also fully turned out for work, and according to the university’s Public Relations Officer, Adama Jafar, there was no directive from any union to proceed on strike.

    At the Olusegun Obasanjo State Secretariat, some of the workers interviewed said that they were not convinced with the NLC’s argument for the strike.

    One of the workers, Hajiya Lami Bello said that the NLC should respect the decision of the National Industrial Court, which ordered the union not to proceed with the strike.

    Another worker, Karim Ahmed said most civil servants were conscious not to fall into the trap of `no work, no pay’ as announced by the government.

    On her part, Sarah Bijimi urged the NLC and Nigerians to be patient and support the Federal Government’s action, saying “with time things will get better.”

    At the Barau Dikko General Hospital, health workers including doctors, nurses, laboratory staff were seen attending to out-patients and those on admission.

    Jonathan Yohanna, a staff of the state Ministry of Health, said “we are not on strike, all our hospitals are functional and our officials are working.”

    The State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, said it had deployed 600 personnel to guard strategic public installations in the state.

    Mr Orndiir Tergungwe, the command’s spokesman said the move was to avoid breakdown of law and order during the period of the strike.

    “We advise the residents to be law abiding and go about their normal business. We reassure the residents that their security will be guaranteed.”

    A check at the Kaduna Central market indicated that traders have turned out for full business.

    Yusuf Bala, a rice dealer, said “we don’t have confidence in NLC because at the end of every strike we don’t benefit from any relief.”

    Maman Kobo, a Provision seller, advised the labour union to “ sit down and dialogue with government rather than embark on strike.”

    Reports from Kebbi indicated that civil servants had also defied the NLC’s call for total strike action.

    NAN reports that government offices, markets, banks and business centres have opened for normal business, while civil servants have reported to their places of work as early as 8:00am.

    The Chairman of the state NLC, Murtal Usman, told NAN in a telephone interview that he was on his way to Birnin Kebbi from Abuja, and insisted that the strike would hold.

    According to him, the NLC will assemble workers by 10:00 am at the Labour House before embarking on the strike.

    The State Secretary of Birnin Kebbi Federal Medical Centre of National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Usman Mohammed, said they had not received any signal to embark on the strike.

    “We are waiting for the signal from the national secretariat of our association and until we receive the signal we will not embark on the strike”, he added.

    A cross section of workers and residents indicated they were not satisfied with the reasons advanced by the NLC to embark on the strike.

    In Kano, the nationwide strike action called by the organised labour has also met a setback, as workers in the state ignored the directive.

    A NAN correspondent who monitored the situation reports that state and federal government workers had all reported to their various places of work.

    When NAN visited Audu Bako Secretariat, and Federal Government Secretariat at about 8:30 am, workers were seen in their respective offices while others were seen within the premises in groups discussing about the strike.

    Similarly, all commercial banks, markets and motor parks had all opened for business in the state.

    As at the time of filing the report, traders at the two major markets in Sabon Gari and Kantin Kwari had opened their shops for business as directed by the National President of the Harmonised Traders Union of Nigeria, Alhaji Bature Abdulaziz.

    Abdulaziz had on Monday called on traders across the country to ignore the planned strike by the labour unions.

    At the First Bank of Nigeria, Kano main branch, workers were also seen going about their normal schedules.

    One of the staff of the Bank who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, described the strike as unnecessary, adding that majority of Nigerians were not in support of it.

    “This strike is a failure as most Nigerians are not in support of it”, he said.

    NAN also reports that primary and secondary schools as well as other higher institutions in the state had opened.

    However, in Bayero University Kano, some lecturers had joined the strike while others were working.

    In Katsina, NAN reports that the workers at the State and Federal Secretariats have reported to their duty posts.

    Jibrin Garkuwo, a middle level worker said that they decided not to join the strike because Katsina was the home state of President Buhari.

    He said that they are ready to support the president to achieve his economic policies that will move the country forward.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of NLC in the state, Alhaji Lawal Sandawa, said the union would assess the situation before commenting on the str

  • Troops kill 35, arrest 39 armed bandits in North West

    Troops kill 35, arrest 39 armed bandits in North West

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigeria Army, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade Friday disclosed that in their operations focusing on an anti-cattle rustling and armed banditry within the north west zone code named Operation SHARAN DAJI, no fewer than 35 armed bandits have been killed while 38 of them have been arrested and handed over to the police in the various states of their arrest.

    The ‎GOC who made the disclosure while briefing Journalists Friday on their activities within the past 2 months which he said is aimed at ridding off the north West zone of all forms of arm banditry, cattle rustling and all forms of criminality also disclosed that 6009 various animals have equally been recovered within the zone.

    Also recovered from the armed bandits the GOC said, are several AK 47 riffles, dane guns, short barrel locally made guns, machetes, bows and arrows, G3 rifles, AK 47 rifle Mags, AK 47 Bayonet, 91 rounds of 7.62mm special and 3 cartridges and N45,000.4.

    In the course of the operations carried out in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Kano and Katsina states, the GOC also disclosed that 49 camps of the bandits were destroyed.

    He said,‎ arrested suspects within Kaduna state were handed over to the Kaduna State police command and the animals handed over to the Kaduna State Government, while those arrested in Zamfara, Katsina and Kano States where equally handed over to their state police commands and governments accordingly.

    ‎In Niger State, the GOC said, the 31 Artillery Brigade which covers the axis are deployed as a blocking force to intercept escaping cattle rustlers and bandits while also conducting fighting patrols around Pandogari-Kusheuki Gidigori and Pandogari-Mai Kujeri roads which serves as escape routes for the bandits.

    “In Kaduna State, ‎465 recovered animals, 16 bandits arrested, 9 bandits killed, 7 weapons recovered and 8 camps destroyed.

    “In Zamfara State‎, 1,443 animals recovered, 19 bandits arrested, 13 bandits killed, 8 weapons recovered and 20 camps destroyed.

    “In Katsina/ Kano State, 4101 animals recovered, 4 bandits arrested, 13 bandits killed, 21 assorted guns, including 3 AK 47 Rifles local weapons and bows and arrows and 10 and 11 camps destroyed in Katsina and Kano respectively,” he disclosed.

    During the course of the various operations, the GOC also disclosed that one Sergeant Nansel Dangnap of 2 battalion was killed by armed bandits while 3 soldiers sustained varying degrees of injuries.

    General Oyebade also disclosed that fleeing terrorists from the North East to North West are being tracked and quite a lot of them arrested while assuring that the security operatives are on top of all security situations within the zone.

    He however warned organizations and groups to desist from any act capable of causing a breakdown of law and order within the zone, stressing that “under my watch any act that threatens the rule of law will not be tolerated”.

    “1 Division will continue to work hard to ensure the security of lives and property within our area of responsibility to enhance socio-economic growth and development in line with the vision of Mr President,” he assured.