Author: Olusegun Oshin

NAN-H-74
Self-reliance

Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Nov 23, 2017 (NAN) Brig.- Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has charged youth corps members deployed to various Orientation Camps in the Country to learn trades and establish small-scale businesses for self-reliance.

Kazaure gave the charge while declaring open the swearing in and oath taking of Batch B members of 2017 /2018 of the NYSC in Dutse on Friday.

He said that securing automatic employment from government or private organizations in the Country is no longer automatic hence the need for corps members to learn something and become independent after the service.

The DG also charged the corps members to be good ambassadors of their respective states and the institutions they graduated from by exhibiting high sense of responsibility and good character in all their affairs.

‘’Your good conduct and character will determine your future wherever you find yourselves,’’ he said.

In a remark, the chairman of the governing board of the NYSC in the state and the Commissioner for Information, youth, sports and culture, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim congratulated the corps members for gratuating successfully from their various institutions and mobilization to serve in the state.

Ibrahim reminded them to note that they are under oath and allegiance to serve the state and the country in general faithfully with all sense of purpose and humility.

Earlier in his address, the state Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Michale Amolo disclosed that a total of 2,019 were deployed to the state, 1,113 males and 906 females as at the time of swearing-in and orientation.

Amolo told the corps members that the Orientation was meant to acquaint them with the challenges of life that will propel them to be self-reliant towards nation building and egalitarian society (NAN)

AIS/MTM
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Edited by Tukur Muntari.

NAN-H-8

By Abdullahi Shugaba

Herdsmen

Dutse, Nov. 20, 2017 (NAN) A group, the Billital Moroobe Association of Nigeria (BILPAN) warned on Monday that the anti-grazing law enacted in some states was a violation of the fundamental human rights of herdsmen.

The group, which also call themselves Pastoralists, made the statement while speaking with newsmen in Dutse, Jigawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the position of the group comes amid out cries over the killing of hundreds of farmers by rampaging herdsmen nationwide.

The association described the anti-grazing stance of some states as infringing on herdsmen’s rights and freedom of movement.

The National President of BILPAN, Alhaji Ali Rimindako, while inaugurating the Jigawa State Chapter of the body, called for an immediate reversal of the anti-grazing law in states that had enacted the law.

He argued that signing the anti-grazing bill into law by some governors had technically infringed on the fundamental rights of herdsmen.

Rimindako said that cattle breeders had no business other than rearing of animals and that preventing them from doing their business was against the principles of natural law, equity and good conscience.

According to him, BILPAN is not a body having only Fulani herdsmen but an association that has all cattle breeders as members.

The president said that BILPAN was a registered body, having members in many West African and Central African in countries, including Chad and Cameroon.

Rimindako said that the body had been assisting security agencies in fighting vices such as kidnapping, cattle rustling and armed robbery.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association, Alhaji Ya’u Malammadori, described BILPAN as a non-religious and non-political organisation.

He said that the goal of the body was to promote peace and harmony among the populace.

The new members of the body’s new executive are Alhaji Adamu Saveyo, the state chairman and Alhaji Yamusa Muhammad, secretary.

Others are Hajiya Altine Dutse, the women leader. Members of the new executive are to serve on caretaker basis for two years. (NAN)

AIS/AOM/SN

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Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Silas Nwoha

Sen. Sankara’s defection to APC not automatic ticket to contest elections, says APC chieftain

NAN-H-38

Ticket

Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Oct. 30, 2017 (NAN) Alhaji  Ishaq Hadejia,  Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa, said that the defection of Sen. Danladi Sankara, former PDP stalwart, to APC would not give him automatic ticket to contest any election in the state.

Hadejia disclosed this while reacting to the defection, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.

“Sen. Danladi Sankara, representing Jigawa Northwest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) with some of his supporters on Sunday in Dutse.

Hadejia said that as a new comer to the APC, Sankara would work for the party for some time and obey its rules and regulations before thinking of contesting for any seat.

The chieftain said there were rumours going round that Sankara defected to APC because he wanted a ticket to recontest in view of the acceptability and popularity of APC in Jigawa.

“I don’t think that is true, things are not like that; if that is true, Sankara has to follow due process to realise his ambition.

“As a chieftain of APC, I know how we suffered to get people’s confidence and support; we will make sure we treat everybody fairly and carry every one along, irrespective of class or background,’’ Hadejia said.

He welcomed Sankara to APC but enjoined him to work hard for the party and promised him of getting the necessary support and cooperation from the party members.

Hadejia said that APC had come to stay in jigawa because of the good work of Gov. Muhammad Badaru was doing for the people.

He, therefore, enjoined all and sundry to give the governor more support and cooperation, to enable him to provide more dividends of democracy to the people. (NAN)

AIS/COO/IA
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Idris Abdulrahman

Ex Jigawa Senator dumps PDP

NAN-H-31
Defection
Dutse, Oct. 29, 2017(NAN) Alhaji Danladi Sankara, former Senator representing Jigawa Northwest, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sankara was received by the Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru at the Malam Aminu Kano triangle Square on Sunday in Dutse.

Badaru said that the defection of the former senator was a welcome development to the party in the state.

The governor said that the APC had caught a big fish, for the entrance of Sankara to APC in view of his pedigree in his former party.

Badaru recalled that Sankara was one time National Vice chairman, PDP Northwest geo-political zone and Sole Administrator of the party in Sokoto state.

“With his defection to APC, PDP is completely dead in Jigawa because Sankara is one of the founders of PDP in the country and the person that brought it to jigawa,’’ he said.

The governor, however, said that the immediate past administration left a contract liability of N92 billion to him but with the help of God and the good people of the state, he overcame the situation.

He lamented the myriad of problems left by the previous administration of PDP at both state and federal levels which resulted in President Muhammadu Buhari giving out bail outs to states.

Chief John Oyegun, National chairman of APC who was represented at the ceremony by the chairman of the party in the Northwest, Alhaji Shuaibu Lawal, assured that Sen. Sankara would be treated fairly like other members of the party.

Earlier, while formally declaring for the party, Sankara said that he was joining the party with 8,905 of his supporters.

Sankara pledged to work for the unity and progress of the party, to win all elections in the state and at the federal level. (NAN)

AIS/MUYI/IA
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Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Idris Abdulrahman

Marriage: Association advocates HIV/AIDS screening
NAN-HG-10
Screening
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Oct. 27, 2017 (NAN) Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, the Chairman, People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Jigawa, has advised intending couples to go for HIV/AIDS screening before marriage.
Muhammad gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Dutse on Friday.
He commended the Jigawa House of Assembly for passing a law making it compulsory for a man and woman to go for screening before marriage.
The chairman said that the measure taken by government was to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the state.
Muhammad said that their association was creating awareness to the people of the state in public places, including markets and motor parks, on how they can avoid contact with HIV/AIDs.
He added that they were also using the media in the campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDs in the state.
The chairman advised members of the public to go for screening with a view to knowing their status because HIV/AIDs don’t show on the face.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of the association in the state, Hajiya Basira Yahaya, said that they have been encouraging women to go for antenatal through to enable them know their status.
Basira also advised women to avoid using knives that cut other women especially during festivities or occasions at the processes of cutting onions, tomatoes or meat without sterilisation. (NAN)
AIS/COO/MST
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Jigawa Govt. approves N18m for procurement of anti-malaria drugs

NAN-H-22
Abdullahi Shugaba
Procurement
Dutse, Oct 27, 2017 (NAN) Jigawa Government has approved N18million for the procurement of anti-malaria drugs for distribution to the 27 Local Government Areas and nine General Hospitals across the state.

Dr Abba Zakari, State’s Commissioner for Health, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Dutse on Friday.

He said the purchase of the drugs was necessary to curtail the malaria scourge in the state.

The commissioner said that the rising cases of malaria was as a result of the down pour experienced in the state this year, which created breeding environment for mosquitoes.

Zakari stated that mosquito bites are the causative agents of malaria and all hands must be on deck to tackle the situation.

He advised people to keep their environment clean and cut the grasses around houses to prevent hatching places for mosquitoes.

The commissioner stated that the state government has commenced vaccination against malaria across the state with a view to tackling the scourge.

Zakari said that government is determined to address all health issues challenges facing the people in the state. (NAN)
AIS/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide

NAN-H-80
Security
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Oct. 26, 2017 (NAN) Alhaji Ibrahim Rabakaya, Executive Secretary, Jigawa Rehabilitation Board, on Thursday said  the state government had spent N4 billion on payment of social security allowances to persons living with disability in the state.

Rabakaya, who disclosed this to newsmen while reviewing the activities of the agency in Dutse, said the money was spent between 2008 and to date.

Former Governor of the state, Alhai Sule Lamido, introduced the programme in 2008 to reduce hardship being encountered by affected persons in the state.

He said 20,000 persons registered in the programme were receiving N7, 000 each and their leaders N10,000 as monthly allowances.

Rabakaya said the state government was also providing free education to children of the affected persons from primary to tertiary level. (NAN)
AIS/CEO/IM
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Edited by Chidi Opara/Ibrahim Mammaga

NAN-H-37

Debt

Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Oct. 13, 2017 (NAN) The Chairman of Birninkudu Local Government of Jigawa, Alhaji Sani Abdu, said he inherited N40m debt from his predecessor.

Abdu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday.

He said that he settled a liability of N3 million outstanding promotion arrears and allowances of staff.

The chairman stated that on his assumption of office about eight months ago, he expended about N7 million to sink 13 boreholes across the council area.

He explained that the gesture was aimed at tackling the acute water shortage in parts of the local government area.

Abdu pledged to complete the abandoned road from Masaya to Tukudda when the council was in sound financial stand.

According to him, it is the determination of our administration to open more rural roads to boost the transportation of farm produce from the hinterland to markets in urban areas. (NAN)

AIS/ESAN/OPI

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Edited by Abiodun Esan and Olisa Ifeajika

NAN-AE-7
Partnership
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Oct. 6, 2017 (NAN) The Jigawa Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources says it will partner with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), groups and individuals in efforts to develop agriculture in the state.

Alhaji Kabiru Ali, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, said this when he received some officials of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Dutse on Friday.

The team, which was led by IFAD National Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Iddah, included some foreign investors.

Ali said that the state government had set up a committee that would provide certified seeds to farmers across the state so as to improve yield and ensure bumper harvests in the coming dry and rainy seasons.

He assured IFAD of the full support and cooperation of his ministry in all the programmes that would boost agricultural production and the farmers’ morale, while uplifting the living standards of the people.

The commissioner said that the development of the agriculture sector was one of the cardinal objectives of the current state government, in line with the Federal Government’s change agenda.

In his remarks, Iddah commended the state government for the settlement of counterpart fund for IFAD programmes in nine local government areas of the state.

He said that Jigawa was the first state in the country to pay up its counterpart fund for IFAD projects and pledged that the programmes would be extended to cover all the 27 local government areas of the state. (NAN)
AIS/JIE/OOK
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere and Dayo Komolafe

NAN-HG-1
Units
Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Oct. 5, 2017 (NAN) Jigawa Ministry of Health has inaugurated Logistics Management Coordinating Units in 27 local government areas of the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Abba Zakari, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday.

Zakari said the idea was to ensure close monitoring and utilisation of health commodities in health facilities in the 27 local government areas in appropriate manner.

He explained that the units would ensure that the management do the right thing in a right manner in terms of drug storage, distribution, data collection, validation, analysis and to report to authority any problem for necessary action.

The commissioner also said that the establishment of the units was in line with the directive from Federal Ministry of Health to ensure accountability and transparency in public health sector.

He urged members of the units to be proactive and cooperate with one another toward achieving the desired results.

He assured the members and management of heath facilities of the ministry’s support in the discharge of their duties. (NAN)
AIS/JIE/HA
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu