Author: Olusegun Oshin

NAN-HE-23

Abdullahi Shugaba
Gratuity
Dutse, Dec. 16, 2016 (NAN ) The Jigawa Government on Friday said it paid N278 million as gratuities to beneficiaries who resigned, died or retired from the civil service.

The Executive Secretary of the State and Local Government Contributory Pension Board, Alhaji Suleiman Kyawa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Dutse on Friday.

Kyawa said that 126 people, who put in 35 years in service or attained the age of 60 years, were paid N206 million while N58 million was paid to the next of kin of 37 people that died in active service.

He stated that 22 people, who retired but did not reach the mandatory period, were given N13 million.

According to him, the board doesn’t require “a single kobo” from any one before collecting his or her entitlement.

Kiyawa said that the board had started processing the benefits of the next batch  which was due since November.

He explained that Gov. Muhammad Badaru accorded top priority to payment of civil servants that retired or died while in active service. (NAN)
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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Magistrates demand special pay package

NAN-H-3

Magistrates

Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Dec. 13, 2016 (NAN) Mr Saidu Umar, the National President, Magistrates Association of Nigeria, says the association is seeking for legislation to create separate salary structure for magistrates.

Umar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Dutse that the special salary structure would be called the Consolidated Magistrates Salary Structure (CONMGSS).

According to him, the proposal will soon be submitted to both the national and state houses of assembly.

He stressed the need to adequately remunerate magistrates in line with the duties they perform.

The president appealed to the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, to assist in ensuring provision of conducive working environment for magistrates.

Umar lamented a situation where magistrates live in rented houses, adding that they are expected to live in secluded areas with necessary conveniences.

The president urged the CJN to review the 2014 Revised National Judicial Council Guideline and Procedural Rules for appointment of officers of superior courts, which allows the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to recommend its members.

He complained that the guideline did not extend the same opportunity to the Magistrate Association of Nigeria to recommend its members in the same manner.

He urged the CJN to address the issue so that magistrates too can be appointed to the higher bench as a means of encouraging hard work at the lower bench.

The president recalled that during a recent courtesy visit on the acting CJN, “he tasked us to work hard, saying that the work of magistrates was too enormous and demanding.’’ (NAN)

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Obike Ukoh

NAN-AE-30
Seeds
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Dec. 6, 2016 (NAN) The General Manager, Jigawa Agricultural Supply Company (JASCO), Alhaji Idris Gurbobo, said the agency had distributed improved seedlings to youths under the youth employment scheme.

Gurbobo made this disclosure in Dutse on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He stated that the gesture was aimed at addressing the scarcity of seeds and seedlings among farmers in the state.

The General Manager said the seeds distributed to farmers included rice, sesame and groundnuts.

Gurbobo said the distribution of high yield seeds to youths for multiplication followed Gov. Muhammad Badaru’s policy to migrate from subsistence farming to commercial farming.

He said young farmers, who benefited from the scheme were from Danzomo, Agufa and other places across the state.

The General Manager said apart from the seeds, fertiliser and other farm inputs were provided for farmers at subsidised rates to encourage the success of the scheme.

Gurbobo said the State Government had also promised to buy surplus yields from farmers at reasonable prices after harvest. (NAN)

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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Abdullahi Shugaba
Kano/Jigawa Customs Command to partner border communities to check smuggling
NAN-HE-2
Smuggling
Dutse, Dec. 6, 2016 (NAN) Mr Martins Abutu, the Controller of Kano/Jigawa Customs Command, says the command is seeking closer relationship with the people living in border areas to check smuggling.
Abutu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Dutse.
He said that there was the need to otherwise engage youths who lived around the border areas who were engaged in smuggling with guns.
“Rather, we should look for an alternative and better jobs for them”.
The controller said it was because of this that the command was seeking partnership with Jigawa State Government to engage youths in skills acquisition like carpentry, tailoring and metal works, among others.
Abutu also solicited the support of traditional rulers, stakeholders and other security agencies around the border areas to help them in that regard.
He said that the command, in collaboration with the state government and other security agencies, recently organised a stakeholders meeting in Dutse on ways to eradicate smuggling and other crimes around the border zones. (NAN)
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Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN- 12

Kidnappers

Dutse, Nov. 26, 2016 (NAN) Mr Rasheed Akintunde, newly deployed Commissioner of Police in Jigawa, has vowed to rid the state of kidnappers and hoodlums.

Akintunde made the pledge Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

He said barely five days after assumption of duty in the state, the Gwaram police Division and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) deployed from the state police command headquarters, dislodged a six-man gang of kidnappers and hoodlums terrorizing people of Gwaram Local Government area.

He said the police had received a distress call from a Fulani settlement that some hoodlums had stormed their community, harassed innocent people and kidnapped a girl.

The commissioner stated that upon receipt of the report, a combined team of regular police men and SARS in Gwaram swung into action, rescuing the girl and apprehending five suspects.

According to the commissioner, the suspects have confessed to have hand in all kidnappings that have taken place in the area.

He said the sum of N132, 140, two locally made guns, four GSM handsets and two Airtel SIM packs, were recovered from the suspects.

The commissioner further stated that on Nov. 17 some people attacked a 37 year-old man, Ali Muhammad, of Jiba Vilage of Dutse local government, inflicting serious injuries on him.

“When the victims raised alarm, the suspect took to his heels but on receipt of the report, police commenced investigation, leading to the arrest of one of the culprits who is now assisting us with information on his accomplices,” he said. (NAN)

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Farmers in Jigawa record bumper harvest this year
NAN-AE-6
Havest
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Nov, 9 2016 (NAN) Farmers in Jigawa on Wednesday said they recorded bumper harvest this year because of high yield grains, favourable weather and provision of inputs by government in 2016.
A cross section of farmers in the state said this in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Dutse.
Malam Abdu Yuhaya of Galamawa Ward of Dutse told NAN that he recorded impressive yield in rice from his farm this year.
Yahaya said that he got 300 bags of rice during harvest compared to the 60 bags he got last year.
He said that he also planted wheat where he was optimistic to get not less than 400 bags after the harvest.
Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar, a farmer in Chei chei village, said that she also got more beans from her farm this year.
Hadiza disclosed that she harvested 120 bags this year compared to the 20 bags she realised in the previous year.
She attributed the bumper harvest this year to stable rainfall and the availability of ferliliser and other farm inputs.
Malam Haladu Wanzam, another farmer from Kalawa, thanked God for what he got.
Wanzam said for the past 10 years, he had never harvested sorghum, maize, sesame and guinea corn like this year.
He said that the bumper harvest recorded this year was due to stable rainfall and favourable atmospheric condition with availability of farm inputs (NAN)
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Edited by Tola Okinbaloye/Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-HE-27
Infrastructure
By Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Nov 7, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru, says the state is paying salaries in spite of the huge liabilities he inherited from his predecessor.

He said that in spite of the economic recession, he was able to garner resources to be paying salaries, meet pension commitmetments and embark on development of infrastructure.

Badaru said this while inaugurating a road project in Dutse on Monday.

He said that all he was doing was through prudence and transparency with the meagre resources in the government’s purse.

The governor said he would not embark on white elephant projects even if he had enough resources.

Baharu said that he would embark on projects that would be completed during his tenure and which would have direct effects to the life of the people.

He said that all his programmes would be pursued in line with his campaign promises to the masses.

“We shall continue to do this in our resolve to open up new frontiers of trade and commerce especially with the new agriculture policy in the state,” he said. (NAN)
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Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-90

Road

Dutse, Nov 4, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa on Friday inaugurated a three km access road in Dutse metropolis constructed at the cost of N132.6 million.

Speaking at the occasion, Badaru said the completion of the road from Ibrahim Aliyu By-pass  to Mechanic Village would ease movement of traffic.

“Couple of months ago when I assumed office, I listened to the hues and cries of people over the deplorable condition of that road, where vehicles often break down, hence my decision to award contract for the construction of the road,” he said.

The governor said that with the construction of the road and its subsequent inauguration, the lamentations of the people would now become a thing of the past.

Badaru said that his administration had resolved to provide access roads to rural communities in the state and would not renege in fulfilling its promise to the people.(NAN)

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NAN-AE-8
Association
By Abdullahi Ishaq
Dutse, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Jigawa Chapter, has lauded Gov. Muhammad Badaru and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for granting loan to dry season farmers in the state.

Alhaji Idris Maiungwa, AFAN’s Chairman, Jigawa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Tuesday that Badaru, in collaboration with CBN, granted unsubstantiated sums as soft loans to his members.

He said the association would screen the farmers, to ensure that that only the bona fide members would benefit from the credit facility.

Maiungwa pledged the association’s steady support to the state governor, to boost agriculture and ensure food security.

NAN reports that rice farming under the CBN Borrowers’ Anchor Programme was going on in all 21 Local Government Areas of the state with an estimated yield of 1.2 million metric tonnes per harvest. (NAN)
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-10
Sanction
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Nov 1, 2016 (NAN) Alhaji Muhammad Iya, Jigawa Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has warned vandals of electricity cables and other criminals to desist or face full wrath of the law.
Iya gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Tuesday.
He said the command had been directed to ensure that all electrical cables were protected and secured from vandals.
The commandant pledged that he would not leave any stone unturned in fighting criminals to a standstill in the state.
Iya appealed to members of the public to help with useful information on the activities of criminals in the state.
According to him, “getting rid of bad eggs in the society is the collective responsibility of all and sundry” (NAN)
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(Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi / Wale Ojetimi)