The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Plateau

  • Plateau workers protest new pension bill

    The union of Plateau State-owned tertiary institutions disrupted proceedings at House of Assembly yesterday to protest the new Contributory Pension Scheme bill.

    The house has assembled for plenary when the protesters stormed the assembly complex and disrupted proceedings.

    The protesters, drawn from the six tertiary institutions in the state, were led by the Chairman, Comrade Paul Dakogol.

    They carried placards with inscriptions like “Speaker, do not drag Plateau workers into PENCOM”; “Contributory pension is full of manipulation”; “Exempt staff of tertiary institutions from the proposed new pension scheme”; “House of Assembly, please protect our existing gratuity scheme”; “We are saying no to the new pension bill”.

    Dakogol said: “The funding of accrued liabilities from the present scheme is another big challenge that workers will really suffer from, considering the financial indebtedness of the state. For instance, how will government meet up with its accrued liabilities to the institutions, which we have calculated to stand at about N15 billion, in event of transitioning to the new scheme? This is a big burden when we put other government workers into consideration.”

    The union called on the House of Assembly to strengthen the present pension and gratuity scheme and intervene for the release of accreditation funds by the Ministry of Finance.

    The Speaker, Peter Azi, lauded the protesters for their peaceful assembly. He assured them the House will pass a law that is acceptable to the people.

  • Lalong lambasts Arewa youth over eviction threat

    Lalong lambasts Arewa youth over eviction threat

    Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, on Friday condemned threats to evict Igbos from the North by a youth group as reckless and ill conceived.

    The governor made the condemnation in a statement by his media aide, Mr Emmanuel Nanle on Friday in Jos.

    Lalong stressed that those who issued the ultimatum had negated the true northern spirit of communality, accommodation and peaceful coexistence.

    He regretted that a highly volatile issue of such nature was trivialised and made an agenda for grandstanding by the group without any thought of its implication to the stability of the country.

    The governor said that such rash statements was uncalled for, especially at a time when all compatriots were working hard to solidify bonds of unity and national integration.

    He advised media houses to censor “retrogressive contributions to national discourse” like those of the Arewa youth coalition and IPOB.

    Lalong urged governors in the South East to resist any attempt to create value for the position of the northern youth by making it an agenda for any discussion.

    “Because it is of no essence and does not represent the position of the youth of northern Nigeria,” he said.

    The governor assured the people of Plateau that his administration would respect and protect the rights of all citizens as enshrined in the Constitution.

  • Lalong promises to fill vacant traditional stools

    Lalong promises to fill vacant traditional stools

    The Plateau government will soon fill all vacant traditional stools in the state, Gov. Simon Lalong said on Tuesday in Jos.

    Lalong made the promise when he received Chief Martin Shaldas 111, the Long Goemai and Deputy Chairman, Plateau Traditional Council, on a courtesy visit.

    Stools still vacant include the Saf Ron/Kulere in Bokkos, the Ngolong Ngas, the Long Kwo in Quan Pan, among others.

    He said that traditional rulers were a very important factor in peaceful coexistence, hence the need for every ethnic group to have its traditional ruler in place.

    “We have successfully installed traditional rulers for the Izere nation, went to Goemai, to Pan and then Bassa. Those still vacant will be filled very soon.

    “There are obstacles to doing so in some areas, but we will go on our knees and pray against them,” he said.

    He particularly expressed happiness that there were no litigation in areas where his government had installed traditional rulers, and attributed that to the policy of allowing the popular will to prevail.

    The governor also promised that his government would, henceforth, pay more attention to the rural areas in the execution of projects.

    “The state capital has had its fair share of projects. We have resolved to give special attention to the rural communities,” he said.

    Lalong promised to assist in the translation of the Holy Bible into Goemai, his own tribe, and urged his people to take religion seriously as everyone would give account of his life to his creator in the hereafter.

    Earlier, Shaldas 111 had said that the visit was to thank the governor for his support during his recent coronation as the Long Goemai.

    The monarch commended Lalong for efforts that restored stability to Plateau, and for paying arrears of salaries owed Plateau workers.

  • Osinbajo seeks Reps’ approval for $1.5b external loan for 10 states

    Osinbajo seeks Reps’ approval for $1.5b external loan for 10 states

    The House of Representatives is set to consider the approval of $1.5b external loan for 10 states.

    The states are Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, Ogun and Ondo.

    The loan request presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara by the Acting President was meant infrastructural development for the affected states.

    In the letters dated 25th May, 2017, he stated that the request was in tune with the 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan earlier approved by the National Assembly.

    Osinbajo stated that the total loans being presented for special consideration and approval is US$1,492,400,000.00.

    While soliciting for the approval of the House, he added, “It will be highly appreciated if you could kindly give this request an expedited consideration and approval to enable the states meet up with all other effectiveness conditions for implementation of the projects in their respective states”.

    The breakdown showed that Kaduna is seeking $350m from World Bank; Ogun, $350m (World Bank); Ebonyi, $70m (AfDB); Abia, $100m (AfDB); Katsina, $110m (Islamic Development Bank), Jigawa, $32.4m (Islamic Development Bank); Ebonyi, $80m (Islamic Development Bank); and Kano, $200m.

    Enugu, Kano, Plateau and Ondo loan requests totaled $200m from French Development Agency.

  • We will complete all abandoned projects, sustain peace – Lalong

    We will complete all abandoned projects, sustain peace – Lalong

    Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, said on Sunday that his administration would complete all projects abandoned by previous administrations in the state.

    Lalong made the commitment at the 40th anniversary of Uganda Martyrs Catholic Church, Kuru near Jos.

    The governor pledged that the administration would also sustain existing peace in the state.

    “We have made it a duty to complete all abandoned projects in the state because the projects are for the people and not for the person that initiated them.

    “We will complete this road here in Kuru that has been abandoned in line with our resolve,” he said, adding that the government would also initiate new projects.

    On peace, he said, “I heard some people saying that restoration and sustenance of peace is not an achievement and I wonder whether crises is one.

    “We will continue to work hard to ensure that the people of Plateau stay in peace even if detractors see it as achievement or not.”

    Lalong assured civil servants of prompt payment of salaries, stressing that “with God’s help workers would not be thrown back to the dark days of staying for many months without salaries.”

  • FG alerts on birdflu outbreak of in 7 states, FCT

    FG alerts on birdflu outbreak of in 7 states, FCT

    The Federal Government on Friday alerted the public to the outbreak of Avian Influenza or Bird Flu in the FCT and seven states of the country.

    raised the alert at a meeting with state Commissioners of Agriculture in Abuja on Friday.

    Mshelbwala listed the states affected by the outbreak to include Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, FCT and lastly, which reported a case on May 30.

    He said that the disease had spread across 26 states of the federation and the FCT since it started in 2008 affecting 800 farms in no fewer than 123 local government areas.

    Mshelbwala, who said that there were no scientifically proven vaccines for bird flu, noted that the Federal Government was adopting quarantine, movement control, stamping out, decontamination and bio-security measures to curb the spread.

    The director expressed regret over the poor bio-security practices by some poultry farmers, adding that it was the major reason for the continuous spread of the disease.

    According to him, the Federal Government has paid over N674 million in compensations to 269 farmers across the affected states.

    “Our national action plan encourages proper regulation of the poultry industry and enforcement of annual registration of all actors along the poultry value chain including farmers, traders, egg merchants and feed millers.

    “It also encourages the creation of veterinary extension services to facilitate the control and proper inspection of poultry and poultry products,’’ he said.

    Mshelbwala said that the way forward to the containment of the disease was to ban importation of poultry and products, quarantine and bio-security measures, among others.

    He, however, warned poultry farmers against illegal vaccination of birds, saying that it was a deadly alternative to the control of the disease.

  • Democracy Day: Lalong pardons six prisoners

    Democracy Day: Lalong pardons six prisoners

    Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Monday granted pardon to six prisoners as the state celebrated the 2017 Democracy Day.

    Lalong announced the gesture while presenting his scorecard in the last two years to stakeholders in Jos.

    He, however, said that the pardon was unconditional for one of the prisoners, while the remaining five had their death sentences commuted to life jail.

    “As a mark of our appreciation and thanksgiving to God for the successes we have achieved, we wish to demonstrate this with the granting of pardon to six prisoners.

    “One is unconditional release; five on death sentences have been commuted to life sentences,” he said.

    The governor stated that the pardon granted the prisoners was in exercise of his prerogative of mercy as provided in Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

    He said that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state would disclose the identity of the beneficiaries of the gesture in due course.

    Lalong, who highlighted the achievements of his administration in the last two years, described Plateau as hospitable and accommodating.

    He said that with the restoration of peace, Plateau was back as a centre of attraction for all groups, either for permanent residency or vacation.

    “On a broader perspective and as a debt of honour to our state, and for our better today and tomorrow, we shall strive to ensure even development.

    “We are desirous of ensuring peace and averting systematic failure in governance,” he said.

  • Democracy Day: Plateau to organise novelty football match, golf kitty

    Democracy Day: Plateau to organise novelty football match, golf kitty

    The Plateau Government is to organise a novelty football match between the executive and the legislature and a golf kitty to mark the 2017 Democracy Day.

    The Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammad Nazif, made this disclosure on Friday in Jos at a news conference while highlighting the activities slated for the day.

    Nazif said that the football match would hold on Saturday at the New Zaria Road Stadium by 3:30 p.m. while the golf kitty would take place on Monday by 7: a.m. at Lamingo Golf Club, JUTH Road Jos.

    According to him, the match and the golf kitty are meant for those who are still young and have been certified fit by their doctors.

    “Those who are old like myself are not going to participate in that match and we are very much careful as all other arrangements have been concluded,” he stated.

    “The sports events were included in the Democracy Day programme to enable the officials of the two arms of government mingle informally and also keep fit.

    “Other activities slated for the day include; a Juma’at prayer at Jos Central Mosque on Friday and a thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel on Sunday.

    “There will be a state banquet on Sunday evening at Eliel Centre, Jos while a town hall meeting will hold on Monday morning at the Government House Banquet Hall,’’ he said.

    The commissioner stated that there would also be a media interaction with newsmen on Monday evening to intimate them with Gov. Simon Lalong’s activities and achievements in the last two years.

    Nazif told newsmen that the governor would in the first week of June, hold town hall meetings in the other two senatorial districts and also commission projects he had executed.

    It will be recalled that a member of the state Executive Council, Mr Samuel Galadima, the Commissioner for Urban Development, slumped and died on March 22 during an early morning exercise.

    The State Government organised the bimonthly exercise to keep government officials fit.

  • PCN team visits Plateau health college to assess pharmacy programme

    PCN team visits Plateau health college to assess pharmacy programme

    A four-man accreditation team from the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), on Monday visited College of Health Technology, Pankshin, Plateau State, to assess its Pharmacy Technician Course.

    The visitation team, led by PCN Head of Department, Education and Training, Dr. Anthony Idoko, is expected to undertake a three-day assessment of the course to determine whether it was fit for accreditation.

    Idoko, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), expressed the team’s readiness to assess the college’s level of preparedness to run the course.

    “We visited the college six months ago and promised to return for the second assessment before deciding on what to do.

    “We shall look into the facilities, staff and admission requirements to see whether the institution complied with PCN’s requirements for pharmacist technical training standards,” he said.

    NAN reports that the Acting Provost, Mr. Pam Dagyang, who took the delegation round the college, took time to discuss facilities at the Pharmacy Department.

    He described their visit as “very encouraging,” and expressed optimism that the programme would be accredited “because the school has all that is required to produce quality pharmacy technicians”.

    Dagyang said that the expected accreditation would empower the college to compete with other technical health colleges in the country.

    “Our desire is to see that qualified and capable pharmacy technicians are churned out of this institution to serve humanity,” he declared.

     

  • Plateau organises mathematics workshop for 120 students

    Plateau organises mathematics workshop for 120 students

    Worried by the perception of mathematics as a difficult subject resulting in mass failure during examinations, the Plateau government has organised an arithmetic workshop for students in public schools.

    According to Mr Joseph Mairiga, the Commissioner for Secondary Education, 120 students are participating in the first phase which began on Monday in Jos.

    “The workshop is aimed at instilling confidence in the students during mathematics examinations; we intend to do that by guiding them on how to understand and solve given problems,” he said.

    Mairiga said that the workshop, organised in collaboration with the National Mathematics Centre, Abuja, has the theme: “ABACUS Mental Arithmetic/Mathematics Improvement.”

    “The programme is designed to remove nervousness in students when tackling mathematics because their poor performance at examinations is worrisome,” he said.

    He explained that the workshop was a pilot scheme with 120 students drawn from two schools in Jos North Local Government Area.

    “We intend to organise subsequent workshops, either annually or biannually, because mathematics is a core subject for all disciplines,” he said.

    The commissioner listed focal topics to include Area of Plane Shapes, Directed numbers, Construction and Factorization, among others.