Blog

Don’t stay idle, widow advises women

Widow
By Aisha Gambo
Kaduna, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) A 40-year-old widow, Rabiatu Musa, on Friday advised women not to stay idle, but engage in businesses that would raise their economic status and become less dependent on men.

The widow, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, said it was important for women especially those at home to earn a living and not continuously rely on their husbands.

“Women should not stay home idle depending on their husband for everything, they must start something no matter how little to earn income as no one knows tomorrow,” she stressed.

Musa said even though she lost her husband years ago, she has been able to cater for her family from the little business she runs, and was able to sponsor her children in school.

“I make an average of N150,000 bi-monthly from my poultry business and sale of grains which I went fully into after the death of my husband.

” I started the business when he was alive with just 15 birds, but now I have been able to raise the stock to more than 100 birds and the proceeds from that has been most helpful.

“My first son is now awaiting admission into the university, while the rest of the four children are in secondary and primary schools”, the widow said.

She stressed that it was important for women to learn to earn decent decent living in order to raise decent families.(NAN)
AMG/MZA

Provost seeks automatic employment of graduates of Adamawa Nursing College
By Martins Abochol
Funding
Yola, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) Mr Abubakar Salisu, the Provost, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Yola, has appealed to Adamawa Government to offer automatic employment of graduates of the institution in the state.
Salisu made the call on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola.
The provost who spoke through the Registrar, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar, said that such absorption could improve the quality and manpower capacity of the health sector in the state.
He said that the college was producing quality manpower that could stand test of time due to the rich quality of academic manpower in the institution.
The provost, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, said that the institution required more provision of basic infrastructure like water, landscaping of the premises, modern library and laboratories.
Salisu also called for provision of more computers as the 20 available computers in the ICT facility was short minimum requirement for the 500 students.
He lamented that the institution survived on a meagre monthly running cost of N500,000 from the state government.
He solicited for the review of the running cost to not less than N3 million, saying such can enhance efficiency in service delivery in the institution.
The provost however commended Gov. Mohammed Bindow for completing the administrative block of the college that was abandoned 10 years ago.
Salisu also appreciated the governor for ensuring the accreditation of programmes run by the college.
He said that the priority accorded to the nursing profession by the governor was a clear demonstration of government commitment to build manpower capacity in the health sector.
He added that the governor’s commitment gave an impetus to the just concluded accreditation programme by the Nurses and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
According to him, the college received unprecedented accolades from the council due to the improvement recorded in both the academic and infrastructural development of the institution in the last three years.
The provost also called on the state government and other development partners to support the college in the area of funding,
Salisu acknowledged that UNICEF and United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) were the only partners giving some support to the institution. (NAN)
MK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

34 ships carrying various goods expected at Lagos ports

By Aisha Cole

Lagos, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is expecting 34 ships to bring petroleum products, food and other goods from Sept. 21 to Sept. 30 at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight of the 34 ships will sail in with petrol.

The other 26 ships are carrying buckwheat, general cargo, steel products, bulk gypsum, frozen fish, bulk fertiliser and containers, carrying different goods.

The NPA in its Shipping Position said that 12 ships had arrived the ports waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser, buckwheat, containers and petrol. (NAN)

AIC/SN

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Edited by Silas Nwoha

RTEAN says resolves crisis, accepts Eriyo as National President

Union

By Kazeem Akande
Lagos, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) said it has resolved the lingering internal
crisis and has accepted Mr Osapamwan Eriyo as the National President.

Alhaji Muhammed Musa, the RTEAN Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

Musa said the challenges facing the association at the national level had been resolved, adding members have resolved to accept Eriyo
as the new national president.

“We have resolved the recent factional crisis in our association, we all accept Eriyo as our national president and all other National
Executive Council (NEC) remain intact.

“There is no disagreement in the association anymore; we are one body now, no more factional crisis.

“These crises only lasted for two weeks and we have settled,’’ he said.

According to him, members have decided to shun divisive tendencies and work for the development and progress of the union.

Musa, who is also the Deputy National President in charge of Administration, said crisis in any organisation would not bring progress
and growth, noting that only peace could guarantee development.

NAN also recalled that a faction of the association had on Sept. 5 announced the removal of the national president over alleged infractions, including violation of the union’s constitution. (NAN)

AKA/FF/DA
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Dele Akinsola

FG abolishes payment of Overstay fees by Nigerians with dual citizenship

Fees
By Doris Esa
Abuja,Sept.21,2018(NAN) The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to with immediate effect, put an end to the payment of fines by Nigerians holding dual citizenship at the nation’s International Airports.

The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, stated this in a statement issued by Dr Mohammed Umar, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, in Abuja.

Umar said that the minister stated this in his office in Abuja.

Dambazau, in the statement said that the directive was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to make movement easy for Nigerians with dual citizenship to come into their fatherland unhindered.

The statement quoted the minister as saying that ” as a new government policy, on no account should any Nigerian traveler holding dual citizenship pay fine for so-called overstay”.

The statement said that the minister restated that it was a crime to ask or pay any money in that regard.

Dambazau stressed that under the new policy, “citizens with dual nationality should only present both traveling documents of their countries of nationality to the immigration officials upon arrival and departure, regardless of whichever they are using to travel”.

He emphasised that the NIS should ensure immediate compliance with the new government directives as government would sanction any Immigration official found collecting such fines henceforth.

The statement said the minister further directed that Nigerians with dual citizenship should report any Immigration official who imposed such charges on them to the appropriate authorities.(NAN)

ORD/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Jigawa Govt., philanthropist donate to 3,000 flood victims

Donation
By Nabilu Balarabe
Kaugama (Jigawa), Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) Jigawa Government on Friday donated relief materials to over 3,000 flood victims taking shelter at Kaugama Local Government Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victims who were displaced by recent flood in Auyo, are in various camps in Dakaiyyawa, Yelleman and Hadin.

Distributing the relief materials to the displaced persons, Alhaji Aminu Usman, Acting Chairman, Jigawa Floods Victims Rehabilitation Committee, urged them to remain calm as the government was ready to support them.

He announced the donation 200 sacks of garri, 10 bags of sugar and 10 bags of groundnut cake to the displaced persons to cushion the effect of their suffering.

Also speaking, Alhaji Yusuf Bubura, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), urged residents of Kaugama to erect sandbag embankments to prevent flooding.

He appealed to the residents to use the 5,000 empty sacks donated by the agency to erect embankments at Marke, Yelleman, Handin, Dakaiyyawa, Ciromawa and Yalo areas which are flood-prone.

The council Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya, also announced a donation of 50 tipper loads of sand and over 1,000 sacks for the embankment.

Responding on behalf of the victims, Hajiya Adama Iliya commended both the SEMA and the government state for the relief materials.

She expressed concern that their entire properties were destroyed by the flood.

She said that many of them were ill, possibly due to the contaminated water they had been drinking.

She appealed to the state government to provide shelter and medicines, to ease their suffering in the camps.

NAN reports that a philanthropist, Alhaji Makki Abubakar also  donated N100,000 to the victims. (NAN)
NB/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Association

By Mohammed Lawal

Zaria (Kaduna State), Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) The National Association for the Blind, Zaria Local Government Chapter, Kaduna State, on Friday appealed to the state government to establish more schools for the blind across the state, to reduce begging.

The branch chairman, Malam Dalhatu Jibril, made the appeal during the 10th edition of distribution of essential materials to the members in Zaria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the materials include; Braille materials, typewriters, writing frame, Starlus, Braille papers, blind textbooks, talking watches and foodstuff to widows.

The materials are part of donations gathered from philanthropists in the state.

Jibril observed that the only secondary school for female blind students was that of Zangon Kataf Local Government, adding that it was too far for members in Kaduna Central and Kaduna North Senatorial Districts.

“The next alternative is for a female student to leave the state which is not good for all of us.

“Therefore, we want the state government to come to our aid by building more schools, especially in Kaduna and Zaria.

“Another predicament is the issue of WAEC, NECO and JAMB. We pay our fees just like any other normal person; actually, we use to pay through our noses.

“We want to use this medium to appeal to Kaduna State Government to assist us by paying WAEC fees for our members, to enable them get higher education.

“Most of blind persons don’t have the ability to pay their WAEC fees not to talk of JAMB to be able to further their studies, hence the plea,’’ he said.

He lamented that Nigerian politicians offered assistance to able bodied persons but often fail to extend such helping hand to the blind.

“Every now and then, we hear from the radio that Senators, members House of Representatives, members State Assemblies among other politicians, distribute items to the electorate but none of them remember of the blind.

“Despite the fact that we are blind, still, we cast our votes since we are eligible; therefore, we are entitled to such dividends of democracy too.

“Some politicians disburse scholarship to the public but up till now, no blind person has benefited.

“Some of them train people on various skills while some distribute sewing machines, water pumps, knitting machines, grinding machines, yet none of us benefited.’’

Jibril said even if a blind man would not be able to sew, farm, among other trades, his son or daughter would comfortably do so.

The branch chairman stressed the need for politicians to consider members of the association for dividends of democracy.

He said the essence of the programme was to assist the young members, especially those pursuing educational career, to give them a sense of belonging and to enable them further their studies.

“This assistance will enable the young ones to concentrate and face their studies, instead of thinking of how to get those materials.

“We have also been using this medium to assist the widows and the aged among us with foodstuff to cushion the effect of economic scourge,’’ Jibril said.

In his speech, the Chairman, Zaria Local Government Area, Alhaji Aliyu Idris-Ibrahim, promised to restore the monthly allowances to the blind in the area.

The chairman, who was represented by his Personal Assistant and Confidential Secretary, Malam Ibrahim Zakaria-Yau, assured that the council was mindful of the predicaments of the blind and willing to address them.

“We actually have you people in mind and we are devising some means to render assistance to your association.

“I want to assure you that we are going to restore the payment of monthly bursary allowances for your members who are studying.

“Apart from that, there are other allowances for the crippled and deaf and dumb. We will soon constitute a committee that will screen the eligible beneficiaries,’’ he said.

Hajiya Rahinatu Muhammad-Kazaure, Head of Special Education Department, Federal College of Education (FCE) Zaria, appealed to members of the association to continue seeking for educational pursuit to enable them become self reliant.

Muhammad-Kazaure called on well meaning Nigerians to always extend helping hands to the blind, especially in the area of pursuing their education, in view of their special predicament. (NAN)

KLM/FF/DUA

Edited by Fela Fashoro/Dada Ahmed

NUT seeks curriculum review for Edo schools

By Deborah Coker

Benin, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Edo State Wing of the  Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Primary School Heads of Nigeria (AOPSHON) are demanding a review of the education curriculum in Edo.

The two bodies made the demand in a communique jointly signed by the state’s Chairman of the NUT, Mr Pius Okhuelegbe and his counterpart in AOPSHON, Mr Mike Itua, on Friday in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was issued after the executive committee meeting of the two bodies on Sept. 13.

The unions said that the state’s education curriculum tagged, Edo-Best for Primary Education, was at variance with Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.

The communique advised the Edo State Universal Education Board to do all it could to ensure that the content of Edo-Best was in tandem with the national curriculum.

The unions pointed out that pupils from the state’s public primary schools might be deficient, in spite of the government’s intention for an-all-round inclusive primary education in the state.

The communique noted that Edo-Best mainly focused on teaching and learning but failed to avail pupils the opportunity to explore their school environment in terms of physical education. (NAN)
DCO/JI/SN

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Editing by Joseph Idika/Silas Nwoha

Man, 27, jailed 12 months for break-in, N82, 000 valuables theft in Minna

Sentence
By Amen Gajira
Minna, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) A Minna Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Mohammed Abubakar, to 12 months
imprisonment for breaking into a house and stealing items worth N82, 000.

Abubakar was arraigned for housebreaking and theft to which he pleaded guilty.

He, however, and begged the court for leniency.

Magistrate Ramatu Adamu, who handed down the verdict, said Abubakar should spend nine months in prison or a fine of N10, 000
on the first count, and three months or a fine of N10, 000 on the second charge.

Adamu also ordered him to pay a compensation of N70, 000 to the complainant, Adebisi Festus.

Police Prosecutor Emmanuel Ogiri had earlier told the court that on Sept. 17 about 10.30 p.m. Abubakar broke into the house
of Adebisi Festus and made away with some of items, including cash.

Ogiri said the items included N24, 000 cash, a television set, a pair of shoes, a pair of trousers, one shirt and a native dress
all valued at N82, 000.

He said the accused was caught with the items, adding that police investigation also revealed that the accused was a habitual
criminal.

The offences contravened Sections 288 and 347 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
AMEN/JI/DA
Editing by Joseph Idika/Dele Akinsola

Consultant warns journalists against fraternizing with corrupt politicians

Aisha Ahmed

Kano Sept. 21 2018 (NAN) A Communication Consultant for Actionaid, Mr Francis Nwosu, on Friday warned Nigerian Journalists against being fraternizing with corrupt politicians in the country.

Nwosu who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano, said Journalists must guard against being exploited by such politicians to the detriment of collective national aspiration.

Nwosu, a retired NAN Deputy Editor-in-Chief, decried the manner in which journalism has been allowed to become dumping ground for many vices.

He therefore called on Journalists to stick to the ethics of the profession so as to effectively tackle the rot threatening the noble profession.

Journalism he said, “had changed from what it used to be in the past, and the media have been facing a lot of government control more than ever.”

According to him, “commercial Journalism” had taken the space thus making the media a ground for money making instead of quality journalism.

He reminded Journalists of the need to draw a line between ethics and commercial, stressing that every journalist has a social responsibility to the public.

He however described journalism as the perfect tool that should be at forefront in fighting corruption in the country and across the globe.

NAN reports that Actionaid is holding a two-day training for 40 Journalists in Kano state on reporting corruption.

The training will also be organised for selected reporters in the six political zones in the country . (NAN)
AAA /GOM/MZA
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Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Maharazu Ahmed