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Malaria: Sokoto Sultanate Council partners Future Assured – says Sultan

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Malaria

By Muhammad Nasir Bello

Sokoto, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, says the Council will partner with Future Assured, an NGO of the Wife of the President, Hajiya A’isha Buhari, to fight Malaria in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abubakar III spoke when a delegation of the President’s Wife visited his place on Monday in Sokoto.

He said: “We are confident with the Wife of the President programmes, especially the Future Assured, as it is extended to the development of common citizens in the country.

“Therefore, as traditional leaders we are solely behind the progress of our own people, most especially the common people among us in all circumstance.

“We will ensure partnership with any one or organisation, which has the intention of helping that is targeted to the wellbeing and development of the common people in our society.”

The monarch also said that the council was making more effort to engage traditional and religious leaders to work out modalities and suggestions to political leaders and reach out to the Future Assured programme to succeed.

While commending the Wife of the President for the initiative, Abubakar called on people to continue to support her in order to encourage healthier and productive society.

He also thanked Nigerian women for always been there to contribute for the development and peaceful coexistence among the people of the country.

He called on wealthy individuals to key into the Future Assured programme and its likes by putting in very strong and positive effort to help the society.

Aisha, who was represented by the Wife of the Speaker House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara, congratulated the Sultan over his 10th anniversary on the throne.

She said that the delegation was in the state to rejoice with the Sultan and the people of the state as well as to campaign a medical outreach as part of effort to fight malaria in the country.

“This is to serve as a special gift to the 20th Sultan of Sokoto 10 years anniversary on accession to the throne of his Fathers,” she said.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Balarabe Kakale, said that the campaign is to reach out children’s and women across the hospitals in the state.

“This is to enlighten them on the importance of first aid prevention and assist them with medicine and feeding,” Kakale said. (NAN)

MNB/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

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Salaries
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) Oyo State Government has announced 50 per cent reduction in the salaries of political office holders, their compensation, approval limits and government’s spending with immediate effect.
Alhaji Olalekan Alli, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), disclosed this at a news conference held in Ibadan on Monday.
Alli said that the decision was taken at the State Executive Council meeting held on Friday, Nov. 4.
He said that it was a measure to shore up the dwindling revenue base of the state.
The SSG said that the state had been spending its monthly allocation from the federation account on payment of workers’ salary, which he said, stood at N5.2 billion.
Alli said that government had not reneged on its subsisting agreement with the labour unions to pay them 100 per cent of the monthly federal allocation to the state.
“The resources of government in the state dwindled as a result of the economic downturn.
“In July, the state’s monthly allocation was N4 billion, N3.8 billion in Aug., N3.5 billion in Sept. and N2.8 billion in Oct.
“Considering the dwindling allocation, the best is for state governments to look inward.
“This is why we are slashing the salaries of all political office holders,’’ he said.
He said that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state was still between N1 billion to N1.5 billion.
Alli said that the state government had employed the restructuring and verification exercise in the state as a means of blocking the several loopholes that allowed for waste of resources.
He said that the ongoing Biometric Verification Number (BVN) exercise in the state had revealed some ghost workers drawing multiple salaries.
“We have discovered 500 people who did not come for the verification exercise to unravel their true identity,’’ he said.
Alli said that the state agriculture initiative continued with a target of two million in terms of job and food security.
He said that work had reached advance stage on the 10, 000 metric tons silos being constructed in the three senatorial districts of the state. (NAN)
TAA/FF/TA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Tajudeen Atitebi

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Scorer
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) Brown Ideye remains top scorer in the Greece league after he scored his seventh goal for Olympiacos against Panathinaikos in an Athens derby on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Ideye was quoted on the club’s website as saying that his dream was to finish as “Goal King’’ in Greece this season.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that last season he netted 10 goals in 24 appearances in the league.

On Sunday, Ideye made it 3-0 for champions, Olympiacos, after 44 minutes.

Olympiacos are top of the league table with 21 points from eight matches, seven points ahead of closest rivals Panathinaikos. (NAN)
VO/KOLE/PDE
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(Edited by Remi Koleoso/Peter Ejiofor)

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Hoodlums
By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) The Borno Police Command on Monday alerted residents of the state on the existence of notorious groups using dangerous weapons to unleash terror on innocent people.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Damian Chukwu, who disclosed to newsmen in Maiduguri, gave their names as Guya-Guya and Transformer.

Chukwu said that the groups had been tormenting the public through their nefarious activities.

He said that the police had arrested some members of the groups after receiving complaints from some concerned persons.

“Operatives of Federal SARS in collaboration with members of the Civilian JTF last month arrested some touts who formed themselves into two unlawful groups called the Guya-Guya and the Transformer, using deadly weapons openly to cause havoc in the society.

“Members of these groups often use machetes, knives and other weapons to inflict harm on themselves and innocent members of the public,’’ Chukwu said.

“On the day they were arrested, they fought and inflicted serious injuries on themselves and vowed to continue as long as they exist,’’ the police chief said.

Chukwu, however, named six suspected arrested members of the Guya-Guya group and four suspected arrested members of the transformer group.

He said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were completed. (NAN)
ABI//AOM/AMY
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Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed and Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-S-4
Players
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi are among those who arrived in the Super Eagles’ camp in Abuja on Sunday night preparatory to the World Cup qualifier against Algeria.

Patrick Pascal, the Team’s Coordinator, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at their Bolton White Apartment Camp in Wuse, Zone 7, on Monday, said that only three players had so far arrived.

“Well, for now, we have the likes of Iheanacho, Iwobi and Daniel Akpeyi who arrived late last night.

“More players are expected to arrive later on Monday because some of them played for their various clubs on Sunday and have connecting flights to catch.

“By the special grace of God, we are confident that almost all, if not all the players, will be in camp at the end of the day.

“We are working with strong, experienced and well disciplined players and everyone knows what is expected of him,’’ he said.

He said that training was expected to start immediately at the National Stadium, adding that the decision was at the discretion of Coach Gernot Rohr, who was still being expected in camp.

“In our programme, we are supposed to have one training session today, hopefully in the evening, but we are waiting for the coach who went with Salisu Yusuf to watch the final of the Federation Cup in Lagos on Sunday.

“By the time they arrive, we will look at the programme and hopefully work with the players that are available,’’ he said.

NAN reports that 25 players are invited ahead of the crucial Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Fennecs of Algeria.

The Algerians are expected to arrive in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Thursday.

The explosive encounter is scheduled to take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Nov. 12. (NAN)
VO/KOLE/PDE
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(Edited by Remi Koleoso/Peter Ejiofor)

NGO urges FG, states to increase agriculture budget in 2017

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Budget
Makurdi, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Nigerian Association of Women In Agriculture (NAWIA), has urged the Federal and State Governments to increase its spending on agriculture in the 2017 budget.

NAWIA`s national coordinator, Mrs Ngizan Chahul, gave the advice in Makurdi on Monday while interacting with newsmen.

She opined that such increment would assist the nation to easily come out of the present economic recession and diversify the economy.

Chahul appealed to the government to implement the budget for agriculture to enable farmers acquire all the necessary agricultural education and financial assistance to enhance production.

She stated that the present two per cent of the total budget allocated to agriculture by the Federal Government was not enough.

According to her, rural women need technical and modern agricultural skills to increase production.

The coordinator also said that the organisation is focused on improving the standard of the rural women by educating them on capacity building and human rights.

She explained that the celebration of “Rural Women’s Day“ organised by the NGO recently was to recognise women’s importance in enhancing agricultural and rural development worldwide.

Chahul observed that lack of fertiliser and improved seedlings and their high cost in the market were behind the low productivity witnessed in the state over the years.

She appealed to both Federal and State Governments to give out loans to the rural farmers to enable them improve production.

She explained that as an NGO that deals directly with the rural women, there was need to support the livelihood activities of rural farmers.

“Recently we organised the Rural Women’s Day to bring the women and the public, who only experience the women’s activities on the meal table without knowing what they go through to make the food available and affordable.

“Our aim is to simply bring them together on same table to interact on agricultural issues that would ensure a win-win situation for everybody.

“Our women have been experiencing the challenges that come with the change in the climate and hoped that the government and other relevant stakeholders would join hands together in addressing them.

“Already food prices have exponentially increased in the market while farm produce are getting rotten in some communities across Benue. “

The coordinator explained that the major role of the NGO was to amplify the yearnings of the rural women to the public.

She commended Trust Africa and Oxfam Nigeria for its financial and technical support in the execution of projects across the state. (NAN)
AEB/MOL/AFA
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide
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Forex volatility contributes to power sector challenge-Abuja chamber

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Volatility

By Kingsley Okoye

Abuja, Nov. 7,2016(NAN) The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd (ACCI) says instability in Forex, inadequate liquidity and insufficient gas supply are inhibiting optimal performance of power companies operating in Nigeria’s electricity industry.

The President of the ACCI, Mr Tony Ejinkonye said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

According him, the difficulty in assessing Forex by the Gencos and Discos is preventing them from implementing the foreign technical service agreements with their foreign partners.

He said that the Forex situation was affecting the process of remitting money by the Gencos and Discos to their foreign associates.

This, the ACCI President said, was contributing to the current challenges in the sector.

Ejinkonye said that the issue of pricing and purchasing of local gas in dollars against naira by the Gencos to fire gas plants also accounted for the challenge in the sector.

On CBN’s N213 billion interventions to the sector, Ejinkonye said the utilisation of the fund by operators in the sector was assisting to the advancement of the power industry in the country.

He said the CBN’s stabilisation fund was a development finance intervention to address the deterioration in the nation’s power sector.

He said the disbursement made so far marked a major milestone in the effort of CBN in collaboration with the Federal Government to achieve a contract based electricity market.

He said the disbursement of the fund activated the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Traders (NBET) and signalled activation of industry contracts for power generation.

Ejinkonye said the disbursement of over N120 billion of the fund as at May 2016, had resulted in the restoration of  905MW of power into the grid due to facility turn around maintenance.

He said the disbursement had contributed to over 25 per cent of the annual capital expenditure budget for the sector.

According to him, reports from Discos have shown that the funds assisted them to execute capacity recovery programmes in some hydro power stations, using the intake under water repair project.

According to Ejinkonye, reports also indicates that the intervention has enabled the DISCOs to provide bank guarantees to Nigerian Electricity Bulk Trader, purchase of over 171,071 units of meters.

He said the meters comprised both maximum demand and single phase meters.

He called for the full disbursement of the balance of the fund, noting that access to the fund would also accelerate advancement in the sector.(NAN)

KC/ GOM/IA
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Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Idris Abdulrahman

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Bridge
By Abdulfatai Beki
Mandalla (Kwara), Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) Movement of prison inmates to courts from Mandalla Maximum Security Prison in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara has stopped following the collapse of the bridge leading to the prison.

The Officer in charge of the prison, Alhaji Abayomi Gbadamosi, disclosed this at Mandalla on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the effects of the collapse of the bridge.

Gbadamosi lamented that apart from inability of the prison management to move inmates to courts located in llorin, the collapsed bridge had paralysed other activities at the prison.

“Operationally, the prison cannot make its statutory representation in various courts in llorin since the collapse of the bridge,” he said.

He said he could not take the risk of transporting the prison inmates through available alternative routes which he described as long, risky and tiresome.

“It is basically not safe to carry our inmates through unofficial roads, whatever happens to them would not be explainable by me, and to play safe we decided not to go to courts at all,” he said.

The official said the prison authority would take the warrants of inmates who were supposed to appear in court during this period to seek for other dates of adjournment.

He said the situation had compelled the prison authority to reduce three shifts for its workers to two, so as to enable them walk through the river during the day time.

He appealed to the Kwara Government to take measures to make the bridge motorable, pending the period the Federal Government would commence permanent construction work.

Gbadamosi said the site of the bridge had been taken over by touts who were extorting money from people passing through the area on foot.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the old and long bailey bridge popularly called Moro bridge that links Oyo State with Kwara, collapsed on Oct. 31. (NAN)
BEKI/ORO/AMY
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Edited by Razak Owolabi and Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-H-38

Rights

By Temitope Ponle

Abuja, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has adjourned until Dec. 8 the hearing in a case of alleged human rights violation filed by the Registered Trustees of Jama’a Foundation against the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the plaintiff is seeking N105 billion in compensation in its case brought before the court on Jan. 16, 2014.

The damages sought are over the alleged death of 800 people and the displacement of 60,000 others in the violence that followed the 2011 presidential election.

In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/26/13, the organisation said that the deaths, destruction and displacement, which affected some of its members, constituted a sustained violation of their right to life.

The presiding Judge, Justice Chijoke Nwoke, on Monday also ordered counsel to the plaintiff to “produce clean copies” of the documents and serve same to the defendants and the court.

Nwoke further ordered the counsel to the plaintiffs to make available copies of his list of witnesses.

“We are going to take all applications on the same day and make one judgement; plaintiff is ordered to produce its witnesses on the next adjourned date.”

Counsel to the Plaintiff, Mr Akola Mustapha, had earlier requested the court to grant his orders in an amended document filed to join a party to the case and to direct the defendants to produce certain documents.

The court, however, granted three out of the nine orders stated in the document.

NAN recalls that the death of lead counsel to the organisation, Mr Abudulfatai Bello, in Oct. 2015 stalled hearing in the case.

The court has, however, heard the case on several adjourned dates since then.

The applicants in the suit are asking the court to declare that the Federal Government failed to protect lives and property during the 2011 presidential election.

Government’s failure, the applicants insisted, is a violation of their rights as provided for in the relevant treaties and conventions.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to direct the defendants to implement the recommendations of the Sheikh Ahmed Lemu’s investigative panel set up by the Nigerian government in the wake of crises. (NAN)
TOP/HAS/IS
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Edited By Hajia Sani/Ismail Abdulaziz

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Agriculture
Damaturu, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) A cross section of Yobe residents on Monday urged the state government to accord priority to agriculture in the 2017 budget for food security, economic empowerment and rehabilitation.

Alhaji Bulama Ali, a retired civil servant, now a farmer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu that the state recorded low agricultural productivity in the last three years due to security challenges.

“The lack of agricultural productivity in Gujba and Gulani Local Government Areas in the last three years has created food insecurity in the state.

“Agriculture is the major preoccupation of the people; it has to be given priority attention to empower the people and guarantee food security in the state,” he said.

Musa Dagona, an irrigation farmer in Gashua, urged the government to make early preparations for irrigation farming on the Gashua, Nguru and Giedam wetlands.

“Government should make early provision of improved seeds, fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides to farmers to embark on irrigation farming immediately after the rainy season,” he said.

Another farmer, Modu Fika, called on the government to make huge provision for farm inputs, storage facilities and others in next year’s budget to boost agriculture in the state.

“Government should make provision for a ready market through which the harvests will be procured by government to encourage farmers.

“This will resuscitate the state’s strategic grain reserve programme for food security,” Fika said.

Alhaji Jafar Ayuba, Secretary Gum Arabic Farmers Association, Yobe, said that  the state’s next budget should provide for massive planting of Gum Arabic trees to fight desertification and encourage economic empowerment.

“The plant serves the dual purpose of combating desert encroachment with economic value.

” Yobe state has the most favourable climatic condition for the production of Gum Arabic in Nigeria, but this was neglected over the years.

“I believe it is time for the state to look inwards to exploit this opportunity for economic empowerment of the people and revenue generation for the state,” Ajuba said. (NAN)

MM/CEO/SOA
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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle