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Tag: Zaria

  • Teachers in Kaduna divided over NUT’s strike order

    Teachers in Kaduna divided over NUT’s strike order

    Teachers in the Zaria Education zone of Kaduna State are divided over the Nigerian Union of Teachers ( NUT )’s recent directive to them to proceed on an indefinite strike.

    The NUT in the state had directed them go on the strike to press home their demand for the reversal of the sack of 22,000 teachers by the state government.

    Investigation revealed that some teachers who passed the examination conducted by government reported for duty on Wednesday.

    A cross section of teachers said on condition of anonymity in some schools in Zaria and Sabongari Local Government Areas that they were coerced to report for work.

    Read also: PDP backs teachers’ strike in Kaduna 

    “I am not here because I want to be here. I have reported for work for fear of victimisation. Government directed all those who passed the examination to come to work.

    “Actually, I am disturbed by the sack of my colleagues who could not get 75 per cent in the examination conducted by government.

    “But remember, examination is not a true test of knowledge; it is a game of luck. One can excellently perform in an examination but may not teach well.

    “I am appealing to government to invite the union for another round of negotiation toward making a head way in the lingering problem,” one of them said.

    Another teacher said he was only being a loyal citizen by following the instruction given to them by the state government to be in their duty posts.

    He said they were directed to write their names on the attendance register.

    He, however, sympathised with those who failed the examination and urged them to see what happened as part of their “destiny.”

    Other teachers claimed that they were in their places of work to satisfy their urge because staying at home would not give them clear picture of what was going on in schools.

    Some others who complied with the NUT directive said that would remain at home until all their demands were met.

    When contacted, Usman Rabi’u, NUT Chairman, Sabongari Local Government, said however that the union was not divided on the matter.

    According to him, some of the teachers were forced to report at their duty posts and leave.

    “I want to assure you that we don’t have a divided house, but we learnt that the Education Secretary had threatened to sack them if they refused to report for work.

    “Some just go to their schools to register and got away. That’s all, but we are appealing to our teachers not to panic. We are doing everything possible to protect their interest,” he assured.

    Rabi’u commended teachers in the area for complying with the strike order and urged them not to waiver “until justice is done.”

    He urged the state government to meet the demands of the union so as not to prolong the strike.

    Members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps ( NSCDC ) were cited in schools monitoring the situation.

    The state government had issued a circular, threatening to sack any teacher who did not report to his/her duty post.

    NAN

  • Katsina to rehabilitate 34 dams

    Katsina to rehabilitate 34 dams

    The Katsina State Government is to rehabilitate and upgrade 34 earth dams in the 34 local government areas to provide water for dry  season farming.

    Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, the Managing Director of  Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority ( KATARDA ), said this on Thursday in Katsina.

    “The  rehabilitation of the dams is  part of  the constituency projects of the 34 members of Katsina State House of Assembly.

    “The earth dams will be upgraded so as to contain more water for  irrigation farming in the state.

    “Supply of enough water is the backbone of irrigation farming and the government is ready to assist its farmers to cultivate more cash crops and food crops, ” he said.

    Ibrahim also  said the state government had procured enough fertiliser for the 2018 dry season farming.

    Read also: Petrol sells at N220p/l in Katsina

    “The fertiliser will be distributed to the farmers through their  cooperative societies.

    “The state government has  also procured improved variety of seedlings and chemicals for spraying of farms.

    “We have procured improved varieties  of  seedlings for  beans, groundnut, maize and  Irish potatoes from Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University,  Zaria, ” he said.

    He called on farmers to prepare their farms  and start planting the seedlings  in time for  dry season farming.

    NAN

  • UNICEF, NOA mobilises journalists to fight HIV in Kaduna

    UNICEF, NOA mobilises journalists to fight HIV in Kaduna

    The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund ( UNICEF ) and the National Orientation Agency ( NOA ) have mobilised 43 journalists to check the increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS among Adolescent and Young Persons ( AYPs ) in Kaduna State.

    The Officer in charge of UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, Dr Idris Baba, said at a One-day Media Dialogue on AYPs HIV Intervention held in Zaria, that the move was necessary to curb the increasing HIV related deaths among AYPs.

    Baba said that UNICEF had committed significant resources to supporting AYPs HIV intervention in the state, noting that much would not be achieved without support from the media.

    “For various reasons ranging from gender, biological to socio-economic; young women have a higher HIV prevalence rate and were infected earlier in life than men of the same age group.

    “So far, only about seven per cent of AYPs in the state knows their HIV status due to lack of HIV/AIDS awareness and because HIV services in health facilities are not youth-friendly.

    “This is why UNICEF in collaboration with the state government launched the AYP-HIV intervention project, a combination of HIV counselling, testing and treatment.

    “The project is being implemented in seven local government areas of Chikun, Igabi, Lere, Kagarko, Birnin Gwari, Jaba and Jema’a,’’ he said.

    Baba explained that youths were not comfortable discussing HIV related issues with elderly people, adding that they felt comfortable with their peers and open up more.

    “This means that we will break more grounds when we engage youths to sensitise their peers about the virus to increase demand for the services.

    Read also: UNICEF spends N200m to tackle HIV in Kaduna

    “It is for this reason that we trained 624 AYPs as demand creators, counsellors and testers for the project.

    “468 are creating demand for HIV services, while 156 are providing HIV counselling and testing services in the seven LGAs,’’ he said.

    Baba said the project had reached out to 147,196 AYPs with HIV information in the seven LGAs from August to date of which 39,927 were tested and received result.

    “Our goal is to ensure that 90 per cent of HIV positive AYPs know their status, 90 per cent HIV positive placed on treatment and achieve 90 per cent viral load suppression among the HIV positive by 2020,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Media and External Relation Officer, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Malam Rabiu Musa, had said the meeting was organised to discusse issues affecting AYPs in the state.

    Musa said that the meeting provided the needed avenue to interact with journalists in Kaduna and design effective ways of reaching out to the AYPs through media reportage.

    Also, Malam Lawal Haruna, a Deputy Director, NOA Kaduna Office, also said that media was crucial in winning the war against HIV in the state.

    “This is because the media informs, educates and influences peoples’ opinion and decisions with the potential of reaching a large audience.

    “We therefore, need the media to continue with their support of providing the needed awareness on HIV/AIDS among young persons on how to remain HIV free,’’ Haruna said.

    NAN

  • Made-in-Nigeria military boots, global best – DG

    Made-in-Nigeria military boots, global best – DG

    Dr Eucharia Ngozi-Oparah, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology, (NILEST) says the military boots produced by the institute, ranked as one of the best globally.

    She made the disclosure on Monday while receiving participants of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 26, Abuja during a visit to the institute in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the members of the course 26 of the NDC were in Zaria for a study tour of strategic establishments.

    “In 2016, the Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria awarded us a contract to produce 2,000 pairs of military combat black boots for its 76th Regular Recruits Intake and 350 officers’ shoes.

    “I am pleased to inform you that NILEST was able to deliver to the extent that the Nigerian Army Officers’ Course ranked the boots as one of the best globally.

    “Permit me to also inform you that because we were able to achieve this, the Nigerian Army awarded us another contract for 3,000 pairs of boots this year,” she said.

    According to her, the 3,000 pairs are for the training of 77th Regular Recruits Intake.

    She added that the institute had satisfactorily delivered the goods.

    “At this juncture, it is my pleasure to inform you that NILEST mission is to provide globally competitive and environmentally friendly technology for leather and leather products and allied industry among others.

    “Our goal also is geared towards innovation, recycling technology and waste management in leather and leather industry.

    “Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources in raw hides and skin, NILEST is equally blessed with the expertise and technical know-how enough to convert the available raw materials into wealth,” she noted.

    The director general said NILEST was constrained by inability to acquire modern technology equipment and machines to facilitate the institute’s production processes.

    She appealed to the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and other paramilitary outfits to patronise NILEST products to enable it maintain its leading role in Africa.

    Earlier, the leader of the team, Brig-Gen. Martin Obiora-Enendu, said the NDC was established in 1992, then as a National War College in Lagos.

    He said that the college was moved to Abuja, precisely in 2005, adding that the name was changed to National Defence College, Nigeria in line with global trend.

    “The college is the apex military training institution in Nigeria and in sub-Saharan Africa, offering different strategic courses for officers from the rank of Colonel and its equivalent in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

    “We also have participants in the cadre of directors from the departments, ministries and agencies, equally participants in the same cadre from friendly foreign nations, four of them are here with us in this team.

    “It is part of our curriculum that after instructions in the college, we go out to the field try to align instructions with practice,” he said.

    The team leader said that the course was broken into nine blocks across 11 months, adding that the visit was in line with block three and four which dealt with economy, science and technology.

    “Your institution had been chosen as a strategic establishment that can avail the participants the opportunity to be able to marry up instructions with practice.

    “We see you as a cardinal part of the nation’s hub of research and development technology towards attaining national goals and objectives,” Obiora-Enendu said.

    NAN reports that the team also took a facility tour of the institute’s machinery and equipment.

  • Vivacious atmosphere at ABU convocation in Zaria

    Vivacious atmosphere at ABU convocation in Zaria

    There was a spirited, energetic atmosphere at the 40th convocation ceremony of the Ahmadu Bello University ( ABU ) Zaria on Saturday.

    Although the school was on break, hordes of students were seen streaming through the gates of the school as early as 8:00 a.m.

    It was pomp and pageantry ad graduands, their family and friends were seen full of joy at the occasion, which doubled as the 50th anniversary of the institution.

    Speaking to our correspondent, a Public Administration graduate, Hauwa Musa, could not stop smiling as she said “I cannot just explain how I feel.

    “I sought this admission for years and today is the crown to all my efforts. My father and mother and siblings too are overjoyed,’’ she said, pointing to a group of people nearby.

    Also, Abubakar Yahaya, who studied Arabic and was taking pictures in his gown, said “Alhamdulillah! Today, I leave ABU but the school will never leave me.

    “This is a great institution and what I have learnt here will remain with me for the rest of my life.’’

    Another graduating student, Bello Abdulkareem, said: “I am graduating as a medical doctor; the first in my family; I am joyous; I am happy and I give thanks to God.’’

    NAN also spoke to Simon Caleb, who graduated from the Department of Social Studies and Civic Education.

    He said said: “I hope to impart what I have learnt to the upcoming generation.

    “I know that with what we have been taught, the nation will be great again if the upcoming generation can imbibe it because it will stop a lot of ills.’’

    This year, 8,260 undergraduates got their first degrees, while 50 made first class.

    Aside that, 3,600 were awarded postgraduate degrees, 256 Ph.Ds, 2,300 masters degrees across 13 faculties, including Administration, Agriculture, Engineering, Life Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences.

    NAN

  • Sleeping sickness cure, nine other things about late Kaduna Commissioner

    Sleeping sickness cure, nine other things about late Kaduna Commissioner

    • Andrew Jonathan Nok, was born  on the  11 February 1962 , in Nok Village in Jaba Local Government Area,Kaduna State. 
    • He was a Nigerian Professor of Biochemistry and the public affairs secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Science.
    • In 2010 he was a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award, in the Science category.
    • He was a one-time Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria .
    • He once served as the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Kaduna State University.
    • He was appointed Commissioner for Health and Human Services in August 2015.
    • He was deployed to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2016 as its commissioner.
    • Professor Nok won the Alexander Humboldt prize in 2013 for his research into finding a cure for trypanosomiasis.
    • In 2009, he won the NLNG prize for identifying the gene responsible for the enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis).
    • He died on the 21st of November, 2017 at the age of  55 years.

    Read Also: Kaduna Education Commissioner is dead

  • ‘PPP, other finance mechanism will bridge infrastructure gap’

    ‘PPP, other finance mechanism will bridge infrastructure gap’

    Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, Managing Director of the Infrastructure Bank, says Public Private Partnership ( PPP ) and other alternative financing mechanism would bridge the infrastructure deficit in the country.

    Oyinloye said this while speaking on ways of attracting private capital for infrastructure development in Nigeria at a forum of set 1988 Economics Class, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Abuja.

    He noted that these mechanisms would attract private capital for design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure in the country.

    According to Oyinloye, the escalating infrastructure deficit in the country is attributed to low investment in infrastructure by public authorities.

    He said this was occasioned by budgetary and fiscal constraints, inadequate national planning and project prioritisation, policy instability, contractual inefficiencies among others.

    According to him, Nigeria’s annual fiscal appropriations for infrastructure stands at about 5 billion dollars per annum, showing a significant funding shortfall for addressing the deficit.

    He explained that about 48 per cent of funding required to bridge the wide infrastructure deficit in the country can be sourced from the private sector.

    “Based on our experience across the infrastructure landscape, we can assert that private investors and financiers are willing to commit capital to fund the infrastructure deficit.

    “PPP are a very potent tool for channeling investments into the infrastructure space.

    “Clearly, where the government demonstrates the will to implement projects through PPP, investors’ appetite shall continue to grow for commercially viable infrastructure projects.

    “This ensures that private investors take on financing, development and operating risks whilst the government maintains regulatory oversight of the sector.

    “Under this model, the private sector plays the crucial role of plugging funding gaps as well as instituting efficient operation and maintenance regimes, post construction to ensure return on investments in a sustainable manner.

    “There is therefore absolutely no doubt that the private sector has the ability to mobilise the required financial resources to fund the nation’s infrastructure development,” Oyinloye said.

    He, however, urged that funds be made available and accessible to policy makers and regulators with interest in the development and operation of new and existing infrastructure.

    He said: “With the tracking of economic indices and infrastructure investment, the Federal Government will be forced by the sheer deluge of facts to focus squarely on delivering funding for infrastructure development.

    “The government will do this through any necessary means including demonstrating the will to implement key projects via PPP.”

    He reiterated that the infrastructure bank had deliberately crafted a niche market within which it is the leading provider of project finance solutions for the much needed infrastructure projects.

    He said the bank had acquired and developed the requisite expertise and technical capacity to ensure it delivered on its mandate without compromise.

    “We stand ready, willing and able to support the development and implementation of any viable infrastructure project wherever the need arises in our nation,” Oyinloye said.

    NAN

  • Justice Sukola of Kaduna H/Court is dead

    Justice Sukola of Kaduna H/Court is dead

    A Kaduna State High Court Judge, Justice Bashir Sukola of High Court 10 is dead.

    Officials of the State Ministry of Justice and family sources confirmed the death of Justice Sukola.

    They said he died at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, on Tuesday night after a brief illness.

    Justice Sukola is survived by one wife and many children.

    Thousands of sympathisers thronged his family house at Bayajida/Kano Road where ‘Janaiza’ prayer was held, to pay their last respect.

    Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State was among the early callers at Justice Sukola’s family house.

    However, our reporter noted that the late Justice was buried at Bachama cemetery, Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis after the prayer Wednesday morning.

    Justice Sukola, who has handled many cases, including that of former Correspondent of Vanguard newspaper, Luka Binniyat died at the age of 57.

    Luka was dragged before the judge by the state government and charged with alleged false publication in Vanguard on the purported killing of five students of College of Education, Gidan-Waya, Kaduna State.

  • FEDPOFFA begins IJMB Programme

    The Federal Polytechnic Offa, in affiliation with the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has begun running the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) Programme.

    In a statement, the Registrar of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Abdulhamid Raji, said pioneer students for the programme are expected to resume on December 4, 2017.

    “The Polytechnic hereby calls on candidates seeking for admission into universities and possessing five (5) O’ Level Credit Passes in relevant subjects to apply for the 12-month programme.

    He assured potential students of uninterrupted academic calendar, internet facilities, high-tech and accessible laboratories, conducive learning environment, highly-dedicated, experienced and friendly teachers, conducive, homely and affordable hostel accommodation, among others.

    Interested candidates are to visit the Polytechnic website www.fpo.edu.ng for further details.

    Meanwhile, the institution will resume for the 2017/2018 academic session Monday, next week.

    Fresh students are to begin registration October 17, while returning students have between October 23 and November 10, 2017 to complete theirs.

    Lectures will commence at the two campuses of the polytechnic on November 13, while the 2017/2018 Matriculation ceremony for the new students is slated for November 30, 2017.

    First semester examination has been scheduled for January 22, 2018 to February 9, 2018.  The school would re-open again for the second semester on March 5, 2018.

  • Sokoto recruits 67 agric extension workers

    Sokoto recruits 67 agric extension workers

    Alhaji Ibrahim Malami, the Project Manager of Sokoto State Agricultural Development Project ( SADP ), has said the state government had employed 67 additional agricultural extension workers to boost agriculture in the state.

    Malami told journalists in Sokoto on Friday that the state government also distributed improved seedlings to farmers in 2017.

    According to him, the efforts are geared toward encouraging increased agricultural production in line with the drive to diversify the economy.

    He also said that the state government was working toward achieving the ratio of one extension worker to 400 farmers in state.

    Malami also said the state government was targeting to employ 300 extension workers before the end of 2018.

    According to him, the state government accords top priority to agriculture because it provides jobs to the people and food security for the nation.

    He said that SADP was partnering with Institute of Agricultural Research ( IAR ), Zaria, for the training new extension workers and retraining of the old ones on modern agronomic practices.

    The project manager said that the agency also partnered with IAR on the production of improved seedlings, relevant to the climatic condition of the state.

    He said the seedlings would be distributed to various categories of farmers in the 23 local government areas of the state.

    Malami expressed delight that the collaboration had yielded positive results, adding that most farmers were happy with multiple yields brought about the development and the deployment of extension workers on routine supervision of farms.

    He said that during his two-year stewardship, five project vehicles were refurbished while 20 motorcycles were distributed to extension workers to facilitate coverage of the rural areas.

    The project manager said he cleared all workers’ genuine liabilities, promoted 28 senior officers besides routine training which was absent in the past 18 years.

    He commended Gov. Aminu Tambuwal for his support and pledged to evolve more initiatives to rejuvenate agricultural practices to modern yielding business across the state.

    Malami also said that livestock keeping was also enhanced in addition to de-worming, vaccinations and other activities such as enlightenment on the care for animals conducted by SADP workers.

    He stressed that 65 tube wells were drilled to facilitate irrigation, adding that the agency was targeting to drilled additional 3,000 wells after the raining season.