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Tag: SOKOTO

  • Sultan of Sokoto to chair eduation committee

    Sultan of Sokoto to chair eduation committee

    Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has been named chairman of the committee on the state of emergency in the education sector declared by the Sokoto State government.

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who announced this in a statement by his spokesperson Imam Imam, explained that the government’s aim was to implement the recommendations on how to revive the sector.

    He said the committee would advise the government on modalities to be adopted to achieve set targets.

    The governor, who spoke after a meeting with former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and author of the recently-launched biography of President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof John N. Paden, noted that successes recorded in the education sector needed to be consolidated upon.

    Tambuwal said: “The state of emergency declared in the sector has enabled us to approach problems in that area holistically. We have identified what needs to be done and we are putting measures in place to address the challenges in the short, medium and long term.

    “So far, we identified areas where children had no access to schools and we are building new schools there. In majority of the areas surveyed by our experts, we found the need to rebuild existing structures which we have started. Other school development components like teacher training and retraining and provision of infrastructure are also ongoing,” he added.

    Tambuwal said after due consultation, the government would announce other members of the committee.

  • 14 corps members died in Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, say officials

    14 corps members died in Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, say officials

    Seven members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), 2015 Batch B stream one, serving in Kaduna State, died during the service year.

    State Coordinator Mr. Mohammed Momoh, who spoke during the Passing-Out Parade (POP) yesterday, said eight others, who absconded after their orientation last year, would repeat their service year.

    He said 15 had their service years extended for violating NYSC rules and regulations.

    “This is a punitive measure against erring corps members for violating rules and regulations of the corps,” he said.

    Momoh noted that three corps members won the state’s prestigious merit award; seven got the chairman’s award while 10 won the state coordinator’s commendation award.

    He praised the state and the people for the sustained moral and financial support to corps members, urging them to utilise skills acquired in their future endeavours.

    Five corps members also died in Sokoto State. State Coordinator Mr. Thomas Yamma said they died of natural causes.

    Yamma added that 11 would repeat the service year for absconding from their primary assignments, noting that seven had their years extended between two and four months for various offences.

    “Four corps members received state merit awards; four got the chairman’s award and six got commendation letters.

    “On the whole, corps members exhibited a high sense of commitment and diligence. I must also praise the management of the NYSC, Sokoto State government and the Sultanate for their sustained support to the scheme,” Yamma said.

    State NYSC Chairman Muhammad Ladan hailed the corps members for being good ambassadors.

    Two corps members died in Niger State. Twenty four had their service years extended.

    Ten received the state merit award and another 10 received commendation.

    State Coordinator Mrs. Bolade Omolayo Loto spoke during their POP yesterday.

    According to her, the corps members had their service years extended because of their continuous absence from their primary assignments, without permission.

    Loto, who refused to state the cause of deaths, said the NYSC would take measures in preventing further deaths.

    She said 2,193 corps members passed out, adding that the ceremony was low key, as corps members will collect their certificates in their local government areas.

  • Sokoto shuts 20 illegal schools

    No fewer than 20 primary and secondary schools in Sokoto State were last week sealed by the state government.

    The affected schools, the government said, violated regulations guiding their establishment.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the chairman of the committee on the closure of unregistered schools in the state, Alhaji Shehu Lema.

    The statement said the decision was sequel to the recommendations of the committee to the ministry of basic and secondary education.

    It said: “The axed schools were closed as they were operating illegally and in non- conducive environment.

    “They were also operating in rented apartments in contravention of the laid down rules and regulations of establishing such schools.

    “These affected schools had also recruited unqualified teachers, another flagrant violation of the regulations.’’

    The statement further urged parents not to patronise the affected schools. It also called on them to liaise with the ministry in seeking new schools for their children and wards.

     

  • Sokoto declares tomorrow holiday for Islamic New Year

    Sokoto declares tomorrow holiday for Islamic New Year

    The Sokoto State Government has declared tomorrow as public holiday to commemorate the start of the Islamic New Year (Muharram 3, 1438 AH).

    A statement yesterday by Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s spokesman Malam Imam Imam congratulated Muslims for witnessing the Hijra New Year.

    It quoted Tambuwal as appealing to the people of the state to use the occasion of the public holiday to intensify prayers for the nation.

    It urged all citizens to care, love and protect one another, adding that, Islamic virtues of unity, peace and honesty, should be promoted by all persons.

    Sultan declares Monday 1st Muharram, Sokoto Govt declares Tuesday public holiday

    The declaration followed the declaration of yesterday as the first day of Muharram, 1438 AH by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.

    The declaration was contained in a statement on his behalf in Sokoto by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto Prof. Sambo Junaidu.

  • Buhari is capable of fixing Nigeria- Tambuwal

    Sokoto state Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has said that he is confident President Muhammadu Buhari has the ability to fix Nigeria in the right direction for optimum economic growth.

    He noted that the steps being taken by the Buhari led government were desirable to transform the system from a mono economy to a dynamic system economy.

    Accordingly, the governor maintained that, Nigeria would soon exit the current recession.

    Tambuwal who spoke to newsmen in Sokoto Friday shortly after the conduct of two prayer sessions to mark Nigeria’s 56th Independence Anniversary celebrations said‎ Nigerians have unshaken confidence in Buhari to salvage the country.

    ”We should continue to cooperate and support the President’s efforts to realise his vision of taking Nigeria to greater heights”, he called.

    The prayer which was conducted in two sessions with the first ‎ at the 1 Brigade Central Mosque, Sokoto,led by Cpl Abdullahi Yunusa and Sheikh Buhari Sirriddawa while the second led by the Rural Development Commissioner, Alhaji Abdullahi Maigwandu was held at the Presidential Lodge, Sokoto.
    ‎However, the governor implored Nigerians to continue to support leaders, at all levels.

    Similarly, Tambuwal urged Nigerians to sustain their fervent prayers, for sustainable peace, unity and socioeconomic prosperity.

    ”There is no country in Nigeria in the whole of the world in terms of human and material resources.

    ” Nigerians can excel in all endeavours and anywhere they find themselves,globally.

    ” Nigeria will also continue to provide leadership to Africa, as well as blossom as an indissoluble country.

    ” Nigeria is currently just passing through a developmental phase, just like many other nations like USA had done,” the governor pointed out.

    The two sessions were attended by Tambuwal and his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu and other officials.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Akhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, was represented by the Galadiman Gari, Alhaji Aliyu Attahiru.

  • Sokoto employs 21 fresh graduates for PHCs

    Sokoto employs 21 fresh graduates for PHCs

    • Prepares 309 nurses, midwives for state service

    No fewer than Twenty One fresh graduate doctors from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto have been recruited by the Sokoto state government for immediate posting to various Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.

    Similarly, the government is working to regularise professional qualifications of 309 nurses and midwives from the state in preparation for their eventual absorption into the state civil service.‎

    The number include 109 graduates nurses and 200 midwives trained by the Federal Government under the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS).

    The state commissioner of health, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale, stated this during a regular briefing to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on the activities of the ministry according to a ‎ statement Wednesday by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam.

    It explained that the decision to employ the new doctors will, however, boost manpower needs at the PHCs in various parts of the state.

    “As fresh graduates, they are expected to undergo housemanship, but in the meantime, they have received enough training to handle primary health challenges associated with the grass root level.

    “We will support them to ensure they complete their further training,” the statement quoted the commissioner as saying.

    Meanwhile, the government said it has assisted families to provide free clinical circumcision to 1798 boys across the state.

    The policy was introduced to encourage safe circumcision and reduce instances of fatality among boys due to widely used traditional practice.

    It noted that various training sessions were being organised for traditional surgeons (wanzamai) who engage in the circumcision of boys known as Kuidu in Sokoto.

    “The wanzamai are undergoing training in areas like basic hygiene and standard operating procedure, among others”, the state government said in the statement.

  • Sultan of Sokoto gets Medical College Fellowship today

    National Post Graduate Medical College (NPGMC), will today confer an honorary Fellowship of the of the institution on Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji  Sa’ad  Abubakar, at its 34th convocation.

    Its President Prof Ademola Olaitan, announced this in his pre- convocation address at the institution  in Ijanikin, Lagos.

    He said the Sultan was being honoured for his ‘’relentless advocacy for improved healthcare in the country and stemming the outbreak of communicable disease’’.

    According to him, the institution would also honour two former registrars-Dr Michael Akintayo Bankole and Dr Kamil Olanipekun Alausa with its distinguished award in recognition of their contributions.

    Olaitan also said 340 fellows would take a bow from the institution today. According to him, they comprised those who had completed the compulsory clinical placement and rotation of not less than five years in accredited teaching and specialist hospitals, and had also passed the prescribed examinations.

    Similarly, Olaitan cleared the air on the age-long controversy of their Fellows becoming vice chancellors in universities.

    He said any individual conferred with a Fellow of the institution was qualified to aspire to the position of vice chancellor nationwide.

    Olaitan said where such an individual was prevented, it meant politics was being involved by some people who did not like the face of such a Fellow to prevent him from aspiring to the position.

    Olaitan said:  “Let me say our members are more than qualified to aspire to the vice chancellor post or any other higher designations.

    “It would have been political in universities where our members are disqualified because they don’t have Ph.D. The NUC (National Universities Commission) itself has a document, part of which states that those who don’t have Ph.D can use the Fellowship should they wish to aspire for the post of vice chancellor. “However, there are some places where internal politics come in. Some elements think because they don’t want certain individuals to get into certain position, they will use their power to prevent such person from getting there.

    “At the level of the college, all we are doing is to get the necessary stakeholders invited so we can get this controversy behind us.”

    In all, Olaitan said, the college had graduated 5,387 fellows since inception in 1979, thereby saving the country billions of dollars, which would have been spent on overseas training.

  • Sokoto disburses N11m for purchase of cows to 4, 205 orphans

    Sokoto State Government has disbursed N11 million for the purchase of cows for provision of meat to 4,205 orphans on the Eid El-Kabir Day.

    The Chairman of the State Zakkat and Endowment Committee, Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto yesterday.

    Maidoki said: “N130, 000 was given to each of the 85 districts in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

    “ Each of the districts will buy a cow, slaughter it and distribute it to 50 orphans each.

    “ The gesture is aimed at providing a sense of belonging to the orphans during the Sallah festivities,” he added.

    The chairman averred that the committee has taken measures to ensure the judicious utilization of the funds.

  • Police arrest 14 suspects in Sokoto 

    The police in Sokoto State, at the weekend, arrested 14 suspects after a raid on their hideout.

    Spokesperson El-Mustapha Sani spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto, yesterday.

    He said policemen raided the hideout located between the wood and grains market on Friday following complaints about unauthorised activities at an illegal “one hour market”.

    “This notorious market harbours suspected burglars, thieves and other petty criminals, and the traders are suspected to be dealing in stolen electronics, handsets, jewellery and household items.

    “That was why we acted swiftly and burst the gang, most of who were youths,”” he said.

    Sani said seven of the 14 suspects were cleared and released, and others charged to court.

    “The raids would be routinely sustained and replicated across the state to make the state more secure.

    “We are also appealing to residents to render useful intelligence reports to help security agencies become proactive and nip crime in the bud,” he said.

  • Accident: University refutes story on death of students

    Accident: University refutes story on death of students

    Authorities of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on Wednesday refuted a story being circulated about an accident that allegedly claimed the lives of six of its students.

    In a statement signed and issued to reporters in Sokoto by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru ‎said ” Actually, there was such an accident involving our students, two days ago.

    ” However, there was no any death recorded as a result of the road traffic crash.

    ” As at today, Wednesday, only one female student is responding to treatment at our clinic and she is nursing a deep cut.

    ” The accident as depicted in the picture of the affected bus that had gone viral in the social media has therefore not claimed any life.”

    The statement further appealed to the students and other members of the university community to desist from spreading, ” such dangerous rumours.”

    It also advised that, clarifications should always be sought henceforth, before spreading unsubstantiated and damaging stories about the institution.