Author: Olusegun Oshin

NAN-AE-2

Farmers

By Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Jan. 30, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Agriculture says it will distribute agricultural inputs to 140,000 dry season rice farmers in Jigawa through the 2016/2017 Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GEES).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) represents policy and pragmatic shift within the existing Fertilizer Market Stabilization Programme.

It provides series of incentives to encourage the critical actors in the fertilizer value chain to work together to improve productivity, household food security and income of the farmer among others.

Alhaji Labaran Adamu, Director, Green House in the ministry in the state Jigawa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday that the farmers would also receive 50 per cent subsidy on fertiliser and 75 per cent subsidy on improved seeds.

“A rice farmer will get one bag of Urea, two bags of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser, two litres of micronutrients and 25 kilogrmmes of rice seeds at the of N18,687, 50.

“A maize farmer will collect one bag of urea and of NPK, two bags of organic fertilizer, two litres of micro nutrients, as well as, two litres of insecticides and of herbicides,’’ he said.

According to him, the items will cost N17, 750,000,’’ he said. (NAN).

AIS/VIV/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed/Dada Ahmed

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NAN-H-18
Fee
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse Jan, 27 2017 (NAN) Some students of Jigawa Polytechnic, Dutse, have allegedly been sleeping in the institution’s mosque and operating off-campus system following a hike in the institution’ s hostel fee.

Malam Yusufel Idris told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday that the initial fee for hostel accommodation per student was N3, 000 but was jerked up to N5, 000 by the institution’s authorities.

Idris said that all efforts made by the affected students to persuade the school’s authorities to review the increment down ward, was unsuccessful.
Another student, Malam Kabiru Musa, said that with the new increment in hostel accommodation, some of them were left with the option of sleeping in the school’s  mosque or outside the campus.
“This is the naked truth I am telling you”, he said.
When contacted, the institution’s Director of Administration and Academic Planning, Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim, said that the school authorities was not aware that some of its students were sleeping in the mosque

Ibrahim who spoke on behalf of the Rector, Prof. Garba Goje, confirmed that the school had actually increased fees, including the hostel accommodation, because it wanted to do general renovations.
He said that in view of the increase in the costs  of building and other materials in the market, “we don’t have any option than to increase our fees to solve the problems” (NAN)
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Edited By Adeboye Ajayi, Peter Dada

NAN-AE-13
Farming
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Jan. 26, 2017 (NAN) The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Jigawa, Alhaji Mai Unguwa Jaga, has said that cluster farming has yielded positive results in the state.

Jaga disclosed this in Dutse on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He stated that the current grouping of farmers to produce varieties of crops under a cluster scheme is a welcome development.

The chairman said that the state government had provided fertilisers, improved seeds, chemicals and other farm inputs to farmers on loan basis, and at subsidised rates.

Jaga said the farmers, after the harvest, were to pay back to government what they collected in cash.

He said farmers in the state were able to cultivate large hectares of land through the scheme with good yields.

The chairman thanked Gov. Muhammadu Badaru for making farmers to change from subsistence farming to profit-oriented farming. (NAN)
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Abdullahi Yusuf
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NAN-H-4
Board
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Jan. 25, 2016 (NAN) Alhaji Haladu Ado, the Executive Secretary, Jigawa Science and Technical Schools Board, on Wednesday, said the board admitted 2,223 students in 2016 to read science and technical subjects in secondary schools.

Ado told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that out of the number, 1,514 were males and 709 were females.

He said there were 11 science and technical schools spread across the three senatorial districts of state under the board.

According to him, the idea is to encourage students to read science and technical
subjects to produce more engineers and other disciplines and the manpower that will serve the state.

The scribe announced that the Kafin Hausa Science School in Gumel represented the state in competitions at the zonal and national levels where it won many medals.

He said there were qualified teachers in the science and technical schools across the state, pointing out that state government promised to recruit more teachers this year.

He noted that the board would not compromise standards and that students from science and technical schools always distinguished themselves in SSCE, NECO and NABTECT examinations. (NAN)
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

NCN gives final accreditation to Jigawa College of Nursing

NAN-HG-6

Accreditation

By Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Jan. 19, 2017 (NAN) The Nursing Council of Nigeria (NCN) has given final accreditation to Jigawa College of Nursing and Midwifery, Birnin Kudu, for its programmes.

The Acting Provost of the college, Alhaji Garba Abdu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday.

Abdu said that the courses ran by the college were General Nursing and Midwifery.

According to him, with the final approval NCN directed the institution to increase the number of admission for general nursing from 50 to 100.

However, he noted that the college requested to start with only 30 students for the midwifery.

The provost assured that the courses would run concurrently in the institution without any hitch.

Abdu said that the college had all the facilities and the teaching staff for the courses they were offering in the school.

He said that even before the final accreditation by the NCN the school was noted for its outstanding academic and professional excellence.

Besides, the provost assured that the college would not compromise its standards in order to ensure excellence. (NAN)

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Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Kidnappers
Abdullahi Shugaba
NAN-DS-13
Dutse, Jan. 17, 2017 (NAN) Kidnappers, numbering about 30, have kidnapped Alhaji Garba Mamud, the Village Head of Rijin in Basirka District of Gwaram Local Government of Jigawa.

Malam Dauda Mamuda, the brother to the district head, who is a Ward Head, was also kidnapped by the suspects.

A resident of the community, Malam Musa Ibrahim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwaram that the incident took place in Gwaram 5.00 a.m on Tuesday.

Ibrahim said that residents were woried over the incessant kidnapping of Fulani herdsmen in the area.

He added that the people of Rijin, Basirka and other areas had resorted to sleeping with their two eyes opened, in view of the incessant kidnapping in their communities.

Ibrahim appealed to Jigawa Government and the Police Command in the state to come to the aid of the affected communities.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the Command in the state, Abdu Jinjiri said the command was aware of the incident.

Jinjiri further stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Rasheed Akintunde, had directed the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Gwaram Local Government, CSP Muhammad Badawa, to investigate the matter and arrest the suspected kidnappers.(NAN)
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Edited by Razak Owolabi/Dada Ahmed

NAN-H-25
Appeal
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Jan. 16, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Legion in Jigawa has pledged its support to the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges facing the nation.
Retired Capt. Bura Gumel, Chairman of the chapter, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.
He solicited the assistance of the state government and corporate organisations to construct a permanent secretariat for the legion in Dutse.
According to Gumel, there is no befitting secretariat for the Nigerian Legion in Jigawa where its members could hold their meetings and other functions
He appealed to Gov. Muhammadu Badaru to come to its aid by providing an office accommodation and operational vehicles for the organisation.
The chairman also solicited for the support and assistance of corporate bodies in the state to gainfully engage its members with security jobs to cushion their hardships.
“Though we are retired but we are not tired; so, we want to be engaged in doing something to feed our families and shoulder other responsibilities,” he said. (NAN)
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(Edited by Adebayo Sekoni / Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-H-18

Police

Abdullahi Ishaq

Dutse, Jan. 4, 2017 (NAN) The Jigawa Police Command  has charged 148 youths suspected to be hoodlums in Baimaina village to court.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Abdu Jinjiri, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Wednesday.

He said that the suspects were arrested by the command following an intelligence report and charged to court immediately it concluded its investigations.

“ We got an intelligence report that hundreds of youths had blocked the road linking Birnin Kudu from Baimaina to Bauchi terrorizing innocent motorists plying the route.

“ Following the report, the command conducted a stop- and-search operation to avoid any situation that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

“During our operations, we were able to recover dangerous arms like live ammunition, Dane guns, locally made pistols, sticks, cutlasses, swords, among others from the suspects.

“It is through these operations that we were able to arrest the 148 suspects, whom we detained and charged to court today,’’ he said.

The PPRO said that, “for whatever reasons, even if it were a political rally or any kind of gathering, they ought to have sought permission from the state Commissioner  of Police, Mr Olatunde Akintunde, before doing it.

Jinjiri said that the police would not rest on its oars in pursuing its statutory mandate of protecting the lives and property of innocent citizens in the country. (NAN)
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Edited by Remi Koleoso, Peter Dada

Abdullahi Shugaba

Meeting

Gov Badaru assures Civil servant of prompt salary payment

Dutse, Dec 28 2016 (NAN) Governor Muhammadu Badaru of Jigawa state has given an assurance to civil servants that his administration will henceforth promptly pay their salaries till the end of his tenure in 2019.

Badaru stated this on Wednesday during a quarterly meeting with Directors, Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors in Dutse..

He said 2016 was very difficult for his government because he faced a lot of challenges including the payment of workers’ salaries.

The Governor announced that the state got an intervention fund from the Federal Government this month before it was able to pay salaries. The government also borrowed money to enable local government councils pay their staff.

According to him, with the savings of about N19 billion which he has made, he will be able to pay workers salaries in 2017, 2018, 2019 without any problem.

He also gave an assurance that he would be able to pay a five percent annual bonus to the workers.

Badaru said that because of the financial crunch, he was able to accomplish only 45 per cent of capital projects in 2016.

He stressed that he is working hard to replace oil with agriculture for the sustainable development of the state.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Jigawa Chapter, Alhaji Usman Ya’u thanked the Governor for the prompt payment of salaries to workers and pension to retired civil servants.

Ya’u appealed to the Governor to elevate some Directors to posts of Permanent Secretaries to fill the existing vacancies.

“Due to shortage of Degree holders in the state civil service, we are also appealing to the Governor to sponsor our staff with Higher National Diploma to Bayero University Kano, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Usumanu Danfodio University Sokoto and University of Jos to obtain degrees. (NAN)

NAN-H-17
Reconciliation
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Dec. 27, 2016 (NAN) A Christian cleric, Rev. Yakubu Musa in Dutse on Tuesday urged fellow Christians not to see Christmas as a time for merry-making alone, but for peace and reconciliation with one another.

Musa, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jigawa Chapter, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

According to him, yuletide should be seen as a period of sober reflections.

The cleric, who is the senior pastor of Assembly of God Church in Dutse, also enjoined Christians in the state to live peacefully with their Muslim bothers and faiths.

“Both Christians and Muslims should not pay lip service to the injunction to preach the message of peace, but rather they should practice it.”

Musa advised the followers of the two major religions in the country to pray for the peace and economic recovery of the nation.

He noted that Jesus Christ preached peace and reconciliation while on the earth to his disciples and did not encourage violence.

“I, therefore, enjoin all of us as Christians to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ if really we are true Christians.” (NAN)

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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Dele Akinsola