Three die, 11 injured in Zamfara mining pit collapse.

Three die, 11 injured in Zamfara mining pit collapse.

No fewer than three small-scale miners have died while 11 others were injured when a mining pit collapsed in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State.

An eyewitness who works around the area and craved anonymity told Channels Television on Saturday that the incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Thursday.

He stated that the number of casualties can’t be confirmed due to the death of the mining pi which is 275 metres deep.

The eyewitness added that the deceased are all from the Yar Tsabaya district in Anka LGA.

“The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 p.m. on Thursday, we don’t know the exact number of people inside the mining pit, but three dead bodies were recovered, and 11 others are seriously wounded.

“The three people who died are from the Yar Tsabaya district of Anka Local Government. Up till now, we don’t have the actual figure of the people inside, and we cannot confirm the number of people because the mining pit is about 275 metres deep,

He said the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Anka General Hospital

Zamfara is rich in solid minerals which include gold, iron ore, limestone, and granite, among others.

Over the years, illegal mining in Zamfara State has fuelled banditry and other criminal activities.

The state governor, Dauda Lawal, on September 23, issued a ban on illegal mining activities and ordered law enforcement officials to take stringent action against violators, The PUNCH reports.

Tinubu mourns Saudi Prince killed in jet crash.

Tinubu mourns Saudi Prince killed in jet crash.

President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, commiserated with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and the Royal House of Saudi on the passing of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz bin Bandar Al Saud who died in jet crash Thursday.

The Saudi Royal Court announced that Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz died when the Saudi Arabian Air Force’s F-15SA fighter plane crashed in Dhahran on December 7.

However, it did not disclose the injuries that led to the prince’s death.

Talal, 62, who was on a training mission died alongside one other pilot.

The last rituals for Talal will be carried out at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, said the monarchy.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President

Tinubu expressed grief at the loss, acknowledging the departed Prince’s excellent and dedicated service to his country throughout his outstanding career in the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Saudi Intelligence Agency.

According to the statement titled ‘President Tinubu mourns Saudi Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz Bin Bandar Al Saud,’ the President prayed God Almighty to grant repose to the soul of the departed, and comfort for the Royal House of Saud, the Kingdom, and all who mourn this irreparable loss.

Prince Talal joins a list of Saudi Royals who were either involved in or lost their lives in aviation accidents dating back to a 2017 helicopter crash that killed Prince Mansour bin Muqrin and seven others near the Saudi-Yemeni border.

Oyebanji Hails Senate President Akpabio At 61.

Oyebanji Hails Senate President Akpabio At 61.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has felicitated the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio on his 61st birthday, describing him as a man of uncommon grace. 

Oyebanji, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, said Senator Akpabio has led an exemplary lifestyle that inspires many political leaders in serving the people as well as the younger generation.

The Governor who hailed Akpabio for being a detribalised Nigerian, noted that the contributions of the President of the Senate to the peace and unity of the nation are responsible for the overwhelming support he received while vying for the post of Senate president months ago.

He added that Akpabio had exuded a leadership style which has transformed the nation's Red chamber by shunning partisanship and embracing all lawmakers regardless of their party affiliations.

Oyebanji who described Akpabio as a visionary leader, a colourful politician and a patriotic Nigerian, noted that the President of the Senate continues to win trust by pushing agenda that are in the interest of the people.

The Governor prayed that God would give Senator Akpabio long life and good health to continue to serve the country and humanity. 

"Senator Godwill Akpabio has been a very passionate and patriotic Nigerian. He is a man who strongly believes in the unity and progress of Nigeria. Today, our prayer is that the good Lord will give him many more years in good health so that he can continue to serve the good people of Nigeria. 

“On behalf of my wife, the Government and good people of Ekiti State, I wish the Senate President a happy birthday and many more years of uncommon blessings", Oyebanji said.

Gov Obaseki calls for state police.

Gov Obaseki calls for state police.

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has called for the decentralisation of the country’s security architecture to check crime and criminality.

The governor said this during the Edo State Security Summit, held at the Government House, Benin City, on Friday, with the theme, “Edo State Security Framework: Repositioning for the Future.”

The governor also officially launched the state’s Command and Control Center, named after former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase and the Special Force Building, in Benin City.

The governor said the government is partnering with security agencies, leveraging technology, and evolving a public safety system that is anchored on citizen participation, to tackle insecurity in the state

He said, “Crime is local as well as security and until we have a decentralised legislative framework to allow component parts to take policing to a certain level and ensure active collaboration between the federal/central security agencies and local agencies, we will not succeed in fighting against criminality.

“When we started collating data of crime incidents in the state between 2017 and 2020, there was a rise in crime and criminality in the state. But today, we have seen incidents of crime go down drastically. We thank all the security agencies for their collaborative efforts in reducing crime in the state by 47.7 per cent between 2020 to date.”

The governor who said he was proud of the reforms introduced by his administration in the last seven years, especially in the areas of security, said there is still so much to be done to reduce crime to the barest minimum in the state.

“Collaboration with various security agencies has been the key to the reforms we have undertaken in Edo State. We have been collating data in the state using technology and walking into the future. Our goal is to use this data to check, investigate crime, and understand what is going on in various communities in the state.

“Traditional leaders are so key to our security arrangements because, without them, it would have been difficult to get the level of intelligence and local participation and cooperation we have received.

“As we go into the future, the emphasis must be on decentralizing security because everybody knows who comes in and out of their communities. Once we can empower them to have some authority in making decisions to support security efforts, we will achieve a lot more success.

“Looking ahead, we see that the future of security will be driven by technology and we will ensure that those that take charge are responsible and have control. The success today of our command and control center is a collaboration with NCC.”

Earlier, the keynote speaker, Major Gen. Ohifeme Enemai (retd.), said, “The strategy of security in Edo State must cover citizens, businesses, visitors, infrastructure and information amongst others. The security structure must be in place to drive the strategy for a safer and a secure State for all.”

Dignitaries present at the event are former Commissioner of Police and Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor, Fatai Owoseni (retd.); Minister for Police Affairs, Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam, represented by the Director of General Services in the Ministry, Ibilola Edemanya; former Inspector General of Police and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase; and the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Dankwara Mohammed.

Ekiti hospital plans 80% allocation for medical equipment.

Ekiti hospital plans 80% allocation for medical equipment.

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Prof Adekunle Ajayi, has disclosed its plan to commit about 80 per cent of its budgetary allocation to medical equipment in 2024.

The CMD, who spoke to journalists at Ido Ekiti on Friday on the gains of the visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Health to the institution, said, “Our gain from the visit is huge. They (committee members) have seen the facility and our challenges. They expressed commitment to help us address some of these challenges.

“For next year, we will expand the scope of what we do. We are going to ensure that we link all our Electronic Medical Records so that the hospital in terms of clinical practice can go 100 per cent paperless.

“By next year, about 80 per cent of whatever allocation we get from the budget will be to improve the facilities in terms of medical equipment. We will also ensure that we create an integration of all the bit-by-bit things that we have done in the last five years.”

Among the challenges of FETHI which the CMD enumerated before the Amos Magaji-led House Committee were huge power cost, inadequate water supply, poor access roads, ecological challenges, uncertain manpower planning and the need to upgrade medical facility.

President Tinubu hails Akpabio at 61.

President Tinubu hails Akpabio at 61.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed and celebrated the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, as he clocked 61.

In a statement by the President’s media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, on Friday, Tinubu described Akpabio as “a political leader whose antecedents and achievements continue to attract recognition at home and abroad.”

The President commended the former Akwa Ibom Governor for his loyalty, dedication, and commitment demonstrated over time, with measurable and lasting legacies to show for his time in various offices.

“Tinubu affirms the outstanding leadership qualities of the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, who became a Governor at 45, after serving as a Commissioner in three different ministries.

“As the Senate President turns 61, President Tinubu wishes the Chairman of the National Assembly, whose service to the nation continues to inspire patriotism, many happy returns.

“The President prays that God Almighty will continue to bless Senator Akpabio and his family,” the statement partly read.

Why Lagos needs N7tn for infrastructure, says Sanwo-Olu.

Why Lagos needs N7tn for infrastructure, says Sanwo-Olu.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said on Friday that the state needed at least a N7tn budget size for infrastructure and basic amenities in the 2024 fiscal year.

Sanwo-Olu, however, added that he would soon present a budget of over N2tn to the state House of Assembly.

The governor, who disclosed this at the 8th Lagos Corporate Assembly, a business forum, tagged ‘Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, BOS Meets with Business Community,’ held at Lagos House, Ikeja, also expressed the readiness of his administration to ensure ease of doing business in the state despite current global business challenges.

“The demands from the report gathered from ministries, departments, and agencies show that if we have the resources, at least N7tn will be needed for the 2024 budget to meet the state’s infrastructural challenges and other basic amenities.

“Though we are proposing over N2tn budget size for the year 2024 to be presented to the state House of Assembly soon and we are having a demand of N7trn, our revenue is far from it.

“That’s one of the challenges we are having presently. We want to fix roads and do it correctly. We need to scale up with modern technology and put in place enduring policies.

“We didn’t anticipate the current inflationary rate. Our focus is on how to meet the demands of our people amid the speculative market,” he added.

He solicited collaboration with the business community as well as the Federal Government to meet the demands, adding that his government was running against time, and he could not afford to fail.

He said, “We are where we are today and if we don’t get it right here, it will have dire consequences for our country. We can have a handshake with the Federal Government.

“Mr President, in recent times, has embarked on trips abroad to canvass for investors to open up Nigeria’s economy as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda. “We can’t give excuses; we need to work together.

“We are running against time. I have a political timeline I am working with. We can’t afford to fail.

“We will need to work together and identify the way forward. We should be able to solve some of our challenges through your ideas and submissions. We must let the MSMEs breathe for a sustainable economy, through friendly policies.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, stated that the corporate assembly had been a very important public-private sectors engagement platform, through which the state government and the business community interact and discussed issues that were crucial to the state’s industrial and commercial growth.