Borno First Lady Reaches Out to Over 600 Christian Women, Widows, and Other Vulnerable Families With Christmas Gifts.

Borno First Lady Reaches Out to Over 600 Christian Women, Widows, and Other Vulnerable Families With Christmas Gifts.

In a heartfelt gesture to promote unity and share in the joy of the Christmas season, Borno State First Lady, Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum, extended her benevolence to Christian widows and less privileged individuals at the Multipurpose Hall of the Government House in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

The Christmas gifts distributed by the First Lady included a 25kg bag of rice, one gallon of palm oil, and a cash gift for each beneficiary. This initiative aimed to ensure that Christian families experience a fulfilling and joyous Christmas celebration.

Hajjia Zuwaira Gambo, the Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, expressed commendation in her welcome remarks. She praised the First Lady for her sustained kind gestures over the years, emphasizing that these acts were driven by passion, love, and the promotion of unity among the entire people of the state.

Madam Asabe, the Chairperson of the Borno State Widows Association, conveyed gratitude to the First Lady for her thoughtful outreach to the Christian community during this festive period. She reassured the First Lady, stating, "We want to assure you that by the grace of God, the celebrations will be marked peacefully in the State."

This compassionate effort by Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum reflects the spirit of giving and inclusivity during the holiday season, fostering a sense of community and shared joy among the diverse population of Borno State.

Ondo Poly Workers Protest Non-Payment of Salaries.

Ondo Poly Workers Protest Non-Payment of Salaries.

In a display of frustration and dissatisfaction, members of staff from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, staged a protest on Wednesday, highlighting their discontent over the non-payment of salaries and allowances spanning 10 months.

The aggrieved workers, rallying under the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, took to blocking the main gate of the institution during the protest. Armed with leaves, the protesters voiced their grievances through solidarity songs, directed at both the school and the government.

Their primary demands include the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries and the implementation of the N35,000 wage award for polytechnic staff, as directed by the Federal Government.

Nafiu Okoro, the Chairman of SSANIP, expressed concern over irregularities in salary payments, attributing some untimely deaths among workers to this issue. He revealed that the institution's management owes over 10 months' salaries to the non-teaching staff, comprising NASU and SSANIP.

"All non-teaching staff, comprising NASU and SSANIP, agreed that the government should pay all our outstanding salaries running to over 10 months. The N35,000 wage being paid to workers as palliatives in Ondo State should be extended to the institution," Okoro emphasized.

As of the time of reporting, the Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Mr. Femi Agagu, was unavailable for reaction, with calls to his phone going unanswered and a text message sent to him remaining unaddressed.

EKSG to Adopt Mentoring, Role Modeling Concepts to Drive Human Capital Devt — Deputy Gov.

EKSG to Adopt Mentoring, Role Modeling Concepts to Drive Human Capital Devt — Deputy Gov.

The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has declared the readiness of the state government to adopt the concepts of  role modeling and mentorship to develop the productive population in skills and intellectual capacities. 

Mrs Afuye spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, at a stakeholders' sensitization workshop on Human Capital Development (HCD) held at the instance of the federal and state governments. 

At the event, the Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji and the Managing Director, Arog Bio Services, Dr. Temitope Aroge, were decorated as champions and promoters of HCD in the state .

Mrs Afuye, according to a statement by her Special  Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the measure that will be adopted, is to rally the support of youth who have excelled in their chosen careers to support HCD.

"This we will do to bring them in as mentors, role models and funders of HCD. Our governor, Biodun Oyebanji is passionate about HCD and nothing will be left undone to make Ekiti an epicentre of youth development in Nigeria".

Describing her investiture as an HCD champion as highly challenging and  honourable, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, pledged that the Widows and Orphans Hope (WAOH) project her office was propelling, has committed  funds sourced from government, private organisations and individuals to fight poverty in Ekiti. 

Dr Oyebanji, represented by the Commissioner for Women's Affairs, Peju Babafemi, said she has deployed the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and WAOH under her supervision, to tackle cases relating to adolescent problems, homelessness, widowhood challenge and many others.

The First Lady pledged her commitment to continue to back the government to overcome the challenges of unemployment and other associated problems in the state.  

Another HCD champion, Dr Temitope Aroge, advised the youth population not to be disillusioned by societal problems confronting them, urging that they should  key into all government activities tended toward imbue them with skills and intellect to operate under a 21st century economy.

The Southwest HCD Regional Consultant, Dr. Adedayo Adeyanju, said a vivid study of the manifesto of Oyebanji's government portrayed him as a rabid lover of Human Capital Development. 

"Apart from the fact that HCD represents a  whole pillar in his policy thrust, other areas like Youth Development and Job Creation, agriculture and rural development are other areas that deal directly with human development. I give kudos to this government.

"I know Ekiti will be a focus in the Southwest because I have no doubt that you have a lot to showcase when it comes to HCD. I also appeal to the champions to help us mobilise resources to empower our teeming youth. 

"Nigeria HCD is very poor going by Wold bank rating. We are still at 36%, which is not good enough.We are still having cases of school drop out, poor health indices and increasing unemployment. If we focus on this sector, we will have enough population to contribute to our Gross Domestic Productive (GDP)". 

Also expousing his views on the HCD in relation to Oyebanji's administration, the Director General/ Special Adviser, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, Dr. John Ekundayo, revealed that the government decided to make HCD a pillar for accelerated  economic development.

Ekundayo differed with the widespread impression that Nigerian youth are lazy, and are only interested in money, clarifying that many productive youth are blazing the trail in farming, manufacturing, trading and commerce.

"This government will continue to identify hardworking youth and train them with relevant skills , vocations and intellectual power in their areas of interests to be able to contribute to economic growth. I don't believe that all the youth are lazy".

In his submission, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, said HCD deals centrally with skills and  intellectual development of every productive youth, assuring that the present government won't joke with such a significantly relevant sector .

Deploy military to Cross River, Reps urge Tinubu.

Deploy military to Cross River, Reps urge Tinubu.

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently deploy military forces to the Okwa community, in Cross River State, to protect the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure the safety of her citizens following an alleged invasion by bandits from neighbouring Cameroon.

This is just as the lawmakers urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic efforts to address the development and seek a peaceful resolution to the security challenges in the region.

Consequently, the Committees on Defence, Foreign Affairs, Security and Intelligence, were mandated to oversee and ensure the effective implementation of the measures, maintaining vigilant oversight on the protection of the Okwa community and the interest of the nation at large.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent importance titled, ‘Threat of invasion of Okwa community, Boki Local Government Area by Cameroon,’ sponsored by a member representing Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency, Cross River State, Mr. Victor Abang.

The House noted that there is a high-level threat and security concern in Okwa Community, adding that on December 11, 2023, heavily armed individuals, suspected to be of Cameroonian origin, boldly invaded the community, shooting sporadically, issuing threats to burn down the community, and prohibiting locals from accessing their farmland without any provocation.

This fiasco, the House said, has created distress, and fear among residents of Okwa.

It also noted that “this distressing situation” followed the summary execution of the Clan Head of the Belegette Clan (a neighbouring community) in Obanliku Local Government Area of the state; Chief Ogweshi Ongwele, on December 5, 2023.

The House said this event resulted in the injuries of 30 individuals, the kidnapping of an unspecified number of people, and the destruction of the community by the same assailants from Cameroon.

It said the devastation has left the citizens of the Okwa community in a state of apprehension and unable to access their farmland.

The House said it was aware that Okwa, a Nigeria community shares borders with communities in Southeastern Cameroon and lies within the Gorilla Protection Unit of the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park. It is crucial to recognize that Okwa is an integral part of Nigeria, inhabited by Nigerian citizens who strongly identify with their Nigerian heritage.

It noted this was not a case of border dispute but an invasion of Nigeria’s sovereignty by another country which amounts to an act of war and violation of the principles of international law on international boundaries.

The House worried that “we might wake up one day as a house to hear that the people of Okwa have been completely annihilated by the same invaders from another country. Because, even as we speak now the threat level remains very high.”

It was concerned that “if immediate and deliberate actions are taken once and for all to ensure the security of Nigerians and their properties in the borderland, preserving the strength and integrity of our nation, our entire eastern border will one day be adjusted to suit the Cameroon National interest.”

Assembly Passes Sokoto’s N270bn 2024 Budget.

Assembly Passes Sokoto’s N270bn 2024 Budget.

The Sokoto State House of Assembly has successfully passed the N270.1 billion budget for the fiscal year 2024. The decisive moment came following the adoption of the report presented by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during Wednesday's plenary session.

In the presentation of the report, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari (APC-Rabah), the Committee Chairman, emphasized that the N270 billion budget submitted by Governor Ahmed Aliyu remained unchanged. The budget structure comprises N97.8 billion for recurrent expenditure and N172.2 billion for capital expenditure.

Chairman Zakari reassured that these figures align with the governor's original submission. However, in response to legitimate requests from Sub-Committees, adjustments were made to allocate resources to meet essential demands and interests of the people.

Subsequently, the Speaker, Alhaji Tukur Bala, presented the report for consideration, and it received unanimous approval from the lawmakers through a voice vote.

Tinubu approves 50% reduction in transport fare nationwide.

Tinubu approves 50% reduction in transport fare nationwide.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved a 50 per cent slash in price of interstate transport fare for Nigerians traveling during the yuletide from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.

This is as the President approved free rides for commuters on all train services within the period.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, announced this to State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa on Wednesday.

Alake said, “It is in this wise that the President is announcing through us that beginning from tomorrow, December 21, Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport via mini buses, luxury buses at 50 per cent discount of current cost and all our train services on the route the trains currently serve at zero cost on their travels this holiday season.

“This special presidential intervention will commence tomorrow, Thursday, December 21 and it will end on January 4, 2024.

“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, will be working with transporters, road transport unions, the Nigerian Railway Corporation to seamlessly deliver on this special presidential initiative.”

Alake added that, “I can tell you that all the relevant stakeholders in that industry have been discussed with or been engaged and all the parameters laid out and the Minister of Transportation has the full details and it’s on top of the game.

“In fact, the Presidents of the various transport unions have been met…and everything is in top shape in terms of execution.”

However, Alake said air iravel was excluded from the initiative because the initiative is targeted at the masses.

“The initiative is for the masses. Air is luxury. The masses don’t use air transport. So they are our main target,” he explained

Gov Adeleke approves N1.6bn bond certificates for 346 retirees.

Gov Adeleke approves N1.6bn bond certificates for 346 retirees.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the release of bond certificates worth N1,625,332,835:75 for retirees who left service on the Contributory Pension Scheme.

This was contained in a release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Mr Ibrahim Akibu, obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Akibu said the beneficiaries were drawn from pensioners retired primary school teachers and local government staffers.

The statement read in parts, “The total beneficiaries are 346: Primary school teachers, 182 beneficiaries. Local government, 164 beneficiaries.

“The presentation of the bond certificates is a continuation of the commitment of the state government to workers’ welfare, in and out of service.

“This is another phase in fulfillment of Governor Adeleke’s open resolve to clear backlogs of salaries, pension, and emoluments issues within the public service.”

The statement recalled that Adeleke had commenced payment of inherited half salaries and other emoluments owed public servants by the past administration