National News
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report from ABUBAKAR M. ABBA, Gombe] ---
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, has approved the appointment of Alh. Haruna Abdulkadir Rasheed as the new Emir of Dukku.
The appointment letter which was served to the new Emir at Dukku by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Sule Bage leading government delegation.
The new emir who until his appointment is the Sardaunan Dukku, aged 53, he was until the appointment, the Controller Central Bank of Nigeria Kano branch.
The new emir is the seventeenth emir of Dukku emirate.
National News
[Published on January 7, 2013 --- report from PATRICK TITUS, Uyo] ---
THE Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Cooperation (AKBC) has been upgraded with the inauguration of a new digital transmitter and studio for better service delivery.
Performing the inauguration of the Radio station at Ntak Inyang near Uyo, Governor Godswill Akpabio said that government investment in the project was to position the Station for global competition in the communication sector.
Noting the importance of media in the society, Governor Akpabio charged the AKBC management to use the station to support the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We will use this new studio to support President Jonathan’s transformation agenda. We need to support him because the success of the President means the success for our country, the society and our future,” he asserted.
And for sustenance of democracy in the country, Akpabio charged media practitioners...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report from Andrew Orolua, Abuja] ---
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed D. Abubakar approved the promotion of 1,944 junior police officers across the country to various ranks. The beneficiaries were junior police officers within the ranks constable and sergeant and they have been moved to their ranks.
Abubakar said that their elevation is in pursuit of his agenda for a better welfare regime for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force,
The promotion exercise dubbed “New Year Gift” for members of the Police rank and file, takes effect January 1, 2013.
A statement signed by Force Public Relation, Frank Mba said that the promotion was In line with on-going reforms of the Nigeria Police Force and that all the beneficiaries of the promotion exercise had earlier attended and passed a special promotion course organized for them at the four premier Police Colleges located at Lagos, Orji-Riv...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report from MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi] ---
The Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bauchi state has been ordered to stop deductions of local government councils’ funds that are not backed by the law.
The Bauchi State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation which gave the order also noted with dismay the over expenditure incurred by the ministry in the last fiscal year that were not backed up by law.
The Committee chairman said that unless the Ministry for local Government provided acceptable explanation backed up by a law, all deductions made from councils’ fund are illegal and must be stopped.
The appropriation committee while directing the ministry to legally operate under the armbit of law did not however said what happens to the past illegal deductions from the councils’ funds.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Faggo...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report from MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi] ---
A lawmaker in the Bauchi State House of Assembly has queried the state Ministry of Special duties over the rationale behind the execution of developmental projects through direct labour.
The Assembly chairman of the budget committee, Abdulkadir Umar Dewu who gave the query during the budget defence by the Ministry, argued that the state procurement law did not make provision for the government’s execution of projects through direct labour.
The state Commissioner of Special Duties, Alhaji Bappah Azare who instantly responded to the query, said the state government had saved millions of naira from the execution of developmental projects through direct labour.
Bappah Azare did not however give exact figure of the money saved on projects which were executed across the state.
Similarly, the House committee on appropriation has refused to attend to the Ministry ...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report by DAUDA MBAYA, Maiduguri] ---
In its effort to promote irrigation farming and wealth creation, the Borno state goverment has embarked on massive irrigation scheme around the riverine communities across the state to enable farmers, particularly the jobless youth engage in self- reliant and economically stable venture
Governor Shettima while flagging off the distribution of different vegetable seeds to farmer in Kondcuga yesterday, headquarters of Konduga Local Government area said the local council is one of the areas that benefited from the ongoing irrigation project with aview to creating job to the unemployed youths.
The governor stated that his administration, having identified that poverty is one of the factors that lead to youth restiveness, as the government will leave no stone unturned to economically transform their lives within the scarce resources at its disposal.
While distribut...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report by Evelyn Dadu, Abuja] ---
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) reiterated its commitment to improve Hajj Operations in 2013 and address whatever shortcoming witnessed during the last exercise to the Holy land.
The Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, gave the assurance while receiving the 2012 Hajj Report presented to her by the Chairman of the FCT Amirul Hajj Team, Gen. Abdullahi Bagudu Mamman (rtd).
The minister stated that the FCTA was determined to excel in the Hajj exercise and would continue to ensure transparency in the operation.
She said, “let me commend the FCT Amirul Hajj Team for its candor and assure that the Administration would study the report and remedy the observed shortcomings. The report is a roadmap for us to improve on the Hajj exercise for the 2013.”
Olajumoke stated that; “We are pained that out of the over 2,800 intending pilgr...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report by BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan] ---
ACADEMIC and Non academic staff of the 92 years old Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) in Ibadan asked President Goodluck Jonathan to order total overhaul of the Institute.
The workers under the auspices of Joint Action Committee of Staff Unions [JAC] while addressing journalists after the new year prayers specifically demanded immediate removal of the Institute’s Director and Chief Executive, Professor . Adefemi Ogunbodede from office.
During the prayers and protest which lasted for hours within the institute’s campus at Moor Plantation area of Ibadan the striking workers were seen carrying placard having inscription like :”Ogunbodede must go”; “All we are saying is give us our rights”; “ Save IAR&T from collapse”; “Minister of Agric, OAU VC, please intervene and save IAR&T”.as well as singing various abusiv...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 --- report by Isaac Odeh, Kaduna] ---
The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in collaboration with the Flood Disaster Committee have concluded arrangements for the distribution of relief materials and other assistance to the 17 local government areas of the state affected by the 2012 flood.
According to a statement signed by the Executive secretary of SEMA, Honourable Ishaku Dogo Makama, the committee was saddled with the responsibility of gathering the necessary information on the extent of damage and losses, adding that the committee has been working round the clock to ensure that relief materials and assistance actually gets to the genuinely affected people and communities.
He also said the committee is assessing the various communities affected with a view to ensuring the authenticity or otherwise of the claims made by victims of the flood.
The Executive Secretary explained that the g...
National News
[Posted on January 7, 2013 ] ---
A POLICE officer, Inspector Smart Osadolor was recently arrested by his colleagues for shooting one Lawunmi during a fight between two rival groups on Iyeleke Street in the Bariga area.
“Lawunmi died about three weeks ago when two groups of cultists who routinely go round the Bariga community, harassing buildings developers and other businesses for levies, received 250, 000 Naira. The money was paid by a man who had recently started work on his parcel of land as practised all over Lagos.
After collecting the money, a minor disagreement arose over the sharing of the money. Before we knew it, the two groups had started a fight,” a resident said, on condition of anonymity.
The source said some residents sent a distress call to the Bariga police division where Osadolor was in charge of the anti-robbery department.
In response to the call, Osadolor was said to have arrived the scene of the fight...