Blog

NAN-H-12

Wedding

Dutse, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) No fewer than 91 men and 50 women have registered in Birninkudu Local Government Area to participate in a mass wedding to be sponsored and organised by the Jigawa Government  of the state.

The Local Government Information Officer, Alhaji Mustafa Namadi, made the fact known  on Sunday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

He said that 10 couples had already agreed to get married.

He said the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the wedding in the area, Malam Idris Yakubu, had  called on traditional and religious leaders to enlighten their people to participate in view of the importance of the programme.

He said Yakubu made the call when members of committee visited the District Head of Birninkudu, Alhaji Garba Hassan, in his place on Friday.

According to him, the LOC chairman noted that religious leaders have a vital role to play to ensure  the success of the programme.

Namadi said Yakubu appealed to the leaders, particularly imams, to enlighten the public at the weekly Friday sermons in their respective communities.

He said the district head promised to hold a meeting with village and ward heads to educate them on the need to support the programme.

NAN recalls that on July 16, the Jigawa Government set up a 19-member committee to organise mass weddings for widows and divorcees in the state.

The committee is headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdulkadir Fanini.

The state government said the aim of the exercise was to check social vices among the people. (NAN)

MNB/JCE
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Edited by Chukwudi Ekezie

World Food Day: Association, farmers demand modern inputs

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Inputs

Karu (Nasarawa State), Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Yam Sellers Association of Nigeria, New Orange Market, Mararaba chapter, and farmers in Nasarawa State have appealed to the government to provide them with modern farming inputs.

They groups also demanded for timely distribution of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs in order to boost food production in the country.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Abubakar Ubalabour, made the appeal on Sunday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of the state.

NAN reports that Oct.16 is set aside since 1976 as a day for people to declare their commitment towards hunger and poverty.

He said that yam and other crop production was important to the socio-economic development of the country, adding that apart from serving as food, it also improves the revenue base of the government and individuals.

“My appeal to the government as the world is marking the World Food Day is for the government to provide machinery such as tractors and other modern farming inputs to the farmers at a subsidised rate in order to boost food production in the country.

“Provision of modern farming inputs to the farmers will not only fight poverty, hunger and unemployment, but it would also improve on the revenue base of the country, improve on the standard of living as well as the socio-economic development of the country,’’ he said.

Ubalabour also called for a free interest loan to the farmers in order to achieve national food security.

“As we are all aware that no society can live comfortably, survive without agriculture; agriculture is the major source of livelihood of every family, nation and its importance cannot be overemphasised to the development of any society,” he added.

However, he commended Gov. Tanko Al-Makura for giving top most priority to agricultural and other sectors of the economy, and called for its sustenance

Mr Bulus Anzaku, a farmer in Karu, also called for a timely distribution of fertiliser to farmers in the state in order to fight hunger as well as boost the revenue base of the state and the country at large.

“Agriculture does not only provide food, fights poverty, hunger and unemployment, but it will also improve on the revenue base of the country, improve on the standard of living as well as the socio-economic development of the country,’’ he said.

According to him, early distribution of agricultural inputs to genuine farmers will boost food production, fight hunger and poverty in the country.

Another farmer in Karu, Malam Ibrahim Galadima, lamented on how majority of the farmers in the state are peasants, calling on the state government to provide inputs at affordable price in order to reduce their plight.

“Most of us farmers in the state are poor, we cannot afford to buy fertiliser and other farm inputs at the market price, that is why we are appealing to government always to provide us with fertiliser and other inputs at affordable price and timely,” he said. (NAN)

AKW/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Soccer fans urge NFF to report naughty European clubs to FIFA

NAN-S-3
Clubs
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) Ebonyi football fans have urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to report clubs which refuse to release Super Eagles players to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The fans, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abakaliki, were reacting to Chelsea FC of England’s featuring of Victor Moses on Saturday whom it claims to be injured.

NAN reports that Moses continued with his rich vein of form in his club’s 3-0 whitewash of Leicester City in the English Premiership duel and scored the third goal of the match.

Chinedu Chukwugbo, 1995 Golden Eaglets squad member, noted that the development showed Moses was fit to play against Zambia in last week’s ‘Russia 2018’ World Cup qualifier.

“Moses started the Leicester game just after a week Chelsea prevented him from playing for Nigeria as he appeared fit and showed no signs of injury.

“He was aggressive all through even engaging in tackles and deep-runs and it becomes evident that Chelsea intentionally prevented him from playing for Nigeria,” he said.

Bright Ojude, a Soccer Historian, urged the NFF to toe the path of past leaderships which ensured that players were promptly released by their clubs for national engagements.

“Those past NFF leaderships firstly engaged the clubs in dialogue over players’ release and promptly reported to FIFA in case of any intentional withholding of players.

“In cases where the players are pronounced injured by the clubs, they still reported to the Eagles’ camp to be properly assessed by the team’s medical team,” he said.

Harrison Obasi, Coach of Amateur side Ebonyi United, urged the NFF not toy with players’ release by their clubs to ensure ‘Russia 2018’ qualification.

“We need our best legs to prosecute the world cup qualification campaign as it is not yet Uhuru for the Eagles despite a bright start in their famed group of death.

“Clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester United among others who are competing in both domestic and continental fronts released players for their countries not to talk of Chelsea which is competing only in the EPL,” he said.

On his part, Chief Onyema Ikwu, a Hotelier and Soccer Buff, urged the Eagles players to resist attempts by their clubs to prevent them from honouring national calls.

“They should emulate national heroes such as the late Stephen Keshi, Wilfred Agbonavbare, among others, who had infractions with their clubs over their insistence on playing for the Eagles.

“This disposition made them heroes before soccer fans as the current Eagles players should toe this pact and disregard the NFF’s poor attitude towards players’ welfare,” he said.

Mrs Oluchi Nzekwe, a Teacher and soccer enthusiast, warned the Eagles over complacency, noting that they have achieved nothing yet in the qualification campaign.

“It is worthwhile to savour the euphoria of a bright start but the team should be focused and prayerful to achieve the ultimate qualification goal,” she said. (NAN)

RCO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Borno Govt urges parents to embrace polio vaccination

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Polio

By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Borno Government on Sunday renewed its call to parents to present their children and wards for the ongoing immunisation against polio in the state.

Alhaji Mamman Durkwa, the Deputy Governor, made the appeal at the launch of the Immunisation Plus Days (IPD) in Maiduguri.

Durkwa said that parents must avail their children to the oral vaccine against polio to safeguard their future.

He said that the state had recorded tremendous successes in the quest towards eradicating polio in the country.

However, Durkwa lamented that the recent discovery of the wild polio virus in the state had created a great challenge to the government.

“We have resolved more than ever before that we must eradicate polio from our state and great country Nigeria once and for all.

“We have been able to convince our people on the dangers of the virus, so we are joining hands together in the great fight,” he said.

Durkwa commended the large turnout of parents at the flag off, saying that it is a pointer to the level of acceptance of the immunisation by the residents.

He also lauded the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Maiduguri Municipal Council (MMC), Malam Garba Abubakar, for his efforts in mobilising parents to the event.

Durkwa commended the health and other immunisation workers for their zeal and dedication to duty. (NAN)
ABI/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Jigawa Govt. empowers 200 women with 600 goats

NAN-H-7

Goats

By Muhammad Nasir

Dutse, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa Government has empowered 200 women with 600 goats in Buji Local Government Area of the state.

Alhaji Ali Safiyanu, the Information Officer of Buji LGA, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Dutse.

NAN reports that the goats were distributed to the beneficiaries in the 11 wards of the local government under the Goat Rearing/Breeding Loan Scheme introduced to empower women in the state.

NAN also reports that the beneficiaries would pay back the revolving loan in 18 months.

Safiyanu said that the state’s APC Women Leader, Hajiya Binta Shuaibu, distributed the goats to the beneficiaries on Oct. 14, in Buji town.

He said that the women were given two she-goats and one he-goat to rear, adding that the breeds would give birth twice a year.

According to him, the women would pay back the loan with three goats.

The spokesperson quoted the APC women leader as explaining that the decision to give the beneficiaries goats was because of its economic value and simplicity in rearing.

“The government decided to give the women goats because of its economic values; both the goat’s meat and its skin are needed.

“Since most of the beneficiaries are rural dwellers, to feed the animals will not be hard for them because of the availability of the animal feeds in their villages,’’ he quoted Binta as saying.

Safiyanu further told NAN that while commenting, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Alhaji Hashim Ahmad, said the state government had also distributed 20,000 improved fuel economy stoves for free to local food vendors in the local government.

“The stoves were distributed under the state government’s “Women Food Vendors Support Programme,” he said. (NAN)

MNB/IS/MST

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Prices of grains drop in Kano State – NAN survey

NAN-H-5
Prices
Kano, Oct. 16, 2016 ‎(NAN) Prices of food items especially grains have dropped in Kano State as new harvests flood various markets across the state.

A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at some markets in the state revealed that prices of the commodities especially maize, millet, sorghum and local rice have dropped by about 40 per cent.

According to the survey, a bag of maize is now selling for N8,500 as against N12,500 sold last month, while a measure cost N350 as against its previous price of between N400 and N450.

The survey further indicated that the price of a bag of millet had equally dropped from N14,000 to N9,500.

Similarly, a 100kg bag of local rice, which used to cost between N33,000 and N40,000 is now being sold at between N26,000 and N28,000, while a measure now go for N600 as against N750.

The survey also showed that a bag of sorghum ‎which sold for N16,000 before the harvest now cost N13,000, while a bag of wheat N16,000 as against its former price of N24,000.

Some consumers, who spoke with NAN, expressed optimism that the prices of food items would further crash before the year ends.

However, some ‎traders at the markets attributed the situation to increase in the supply of the produce from the farms.

A trader at Dawanau International Grains market, Alhaji Sani Ali, said prices of the commodities would further go down due to the economic situation in the country.

“I am sure the price will further go down due to low patronage by companies and individual buyers.

“Most of the companies now buy half of what they used to buy before because of the economic situation and some buy on credit,” he said.

Another trader in the market, Malam Isa Sule, also expressed confidence that prices would further go down because the harvest season was not over.

“As farmers continue to harvest, the supply of the commodities will continue to flood the markets and this will push prices further down,” he said. (NAN)
MNT/MTM/MST

Edited by Muntari Tukur/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Chibok girls: Speaker urges special prayers

NAN-H-4

Prayers

Keffi (Nasarawa State), Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, has called on Nigerians to offer special prayers for the safe release of the remaining abducted Chibok girls.

Abdullahi (APC-Umaisha/Ugya) made the call on Sunday in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Mr Jibrin Gowna, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Keffi.

NAN recalls that about 276 girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok by some Boko Haram insurgents in Borno on April 14, 2014.

On Oct.13, the Federal Government confirmed the release of 21 of the kidnapped girls in addition to the 50 that had earlier escaped from the abductors.

The speaker said that the release of the 21 girls had proved that the federal government was committed to ending militancy and other security challenges in the country.

He statement called on Nigerians to join hands with the government towards tackling the security challenges facing the country.

“The news of the release of 21 abducted Chibok girls is not only exciting but also give us the hope that the remaining Chibok girls will be released in due course so that they can reunite with their families members for the overall development of the country.

“The development over the release of these girls by Boko Haram has also signalled the hope of the country to overcome its present security and other challenges.

“We are commending the federal government and security operatives’ efforts and commitment for a job well done towards ensuring the release of the abducted Chibok girls,” Abdullahi said.

He also urged the federal government to do more in order to ensure the safe return of the remaining Chibok girls and other abducted Nigerians in the interest of peace and national development.

Besides, he urged Nigerians to be patient and support government policies and programmes, adding that better things are coming ahead to improve the standard of living of citizens.

The speaker also enjoined Nigerians to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religion and political affiliation. (NAN)

AKW/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Polio: Jigawa LGC targets 88,999 children for immunisation

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Immunisation

Dutse, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Kafinhausa Local Government Council of Jigawa on Sunday says it is targeting to vaccinate no fewer than 88,999 children against polio in the ongoing immunisation programme.

The council’s Information Officer, Alhaji Fahad Muhammad, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

Muhammad said the council had received 90,000 doses of Oral Polio Vaccines (OPVs) from the state Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) to conduct the exercise.

He explained that the children would be immunised against polio and other child-killer diseases during the five-day programme.

The council spokesman said that enough trained ad-hoc staff, including vaccinators were currently conducting the exercise.

According to him, the council had carried out several pre-implementation activities in order to ensure effective coverage.

Muhammad said that the activities carried include advocacy visits to traditional and religious leaders in the area and holding a polio task force meeting.

He added that mobilisation was also conducted at markets, motor parks, schools and mosques in the eight districts in the area to ensure the success of the exercise.

NAN also reports that the current round of polio immunisation was flagged off in all the 27 local government areas of the state on Oct. 15. (NAN)

MNB/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

NAN-ND-4

Workers

By Mercy Obojeghren

Asaba, Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) Some civil servants in Asaba have taken to farming and menial jobs at their spare times to cope with the economic realities in the country.

Some of the civil servants told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Sunday that their salaries could no longer sustain them and their families.

Mrs. Franca Abasi, who now cultivates vegetables, said: “I am a civil servant and I have decided to go into vegetable farming to make more income.

“I have a little piece of land where I cultivate pumpkin leaf, okro and green vegetable. I no longer rest when I close from work. Weekend rest is not for me any longer.

“In the last two months, I have been getting proceeds from my farms; we feed from it and I am able to save some money to take care of other expenses in the house.’’

Mr Gabriel Edejana, a local government staff, told NAN that the experience he gathered from his workplace had assisted him to carry out some electrical maintenance work.

“For about four months now, I have been making as much as N15,000 monthly outside my salary which does not even come regularly.

“If I sit down at home after work, I will not make such money and with this extra income, we are managing to feed and also attend to some other needs of the family,” he said.

NAN reports that a staff of the state Ministry of Sports who pleaded anonymity now operates a tricycle.

He said: “I am a civil servant but I decided to take a loan from the cooperative society to buy this tricycle.

“I refused to hire it out because I will not get back my money if I do so. I operate it after work and by the grace of God, each day I go home with at least, N1000,’’ he said.

He, however, decried the stress associated with riding the tricycle, and appealed to government to alleviate the plight of workers making more efforts to check inflation.

He noted that workers salaries now could not sustain them for a week now due to the prevailing high cost of living.

According to him, people are hungry and food is expensive while house rent is on the increase and cost of transportation and school fees are also soaring thereby compounding the problems of civil servants. (NAN)

MOA/EMO/OFN

Edited by Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-2
Refuse
By Temitope Salami
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) Mr Gbolade Oduwole, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government in Ogun, has warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the streets.

Oduwole, who gave the warning on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), called on residents to refrain from such act in order to boost environmental cleanliness in the council area.

He attributed the damage caused by flood during the rainy season to negligence and nonchalant behaviour of some residents to refuse disposal.

Oduwole said his administration was determined to strictly enforce environmental sanitation laws, urging residents to ensure cleanliness in their environment at all times.

The council boss, however, decried the delay in the evacuation of refuse on the median strips on some major roads in Ijebu-Ode.

He said that residents must contribute to the cleanliness crusade by adopting attitudinal change toward refuse dumping and street trading.

“Health is wealth. There are some things money cannot buy and among these is good health.

“Refuse disposal and collection is a major problem, I understand.

“ This is why my own idea for the successful management of refuse involves partnership with the private and public sectors.

“My plan is to divide my local government into five zones for the collection of refuse rather than just the random pick-up which tends not to be effective.

“The refuse collectors will go to the collection points in each zone and collect once a week.

“We will provide the conditions to enable partial or full public-private partnership to ensure efficiency in the refuse scheme we want to deploy.

“We will negotiate on behalf of the people to make sure the refuse disposal service is affordable so no one will have an excuse not to participate,” he said.

Oduwole reiterated government’s commitment to the environmental sanitation exercise, warning that appropriate measure would be taken against erring residents.

“Let me warn also that we will not condone indiscipline any longer with refuse management as anyone found guilty of illicit dumping will be fined and sanctioned.

“I don’t see any reason why we should not all have a dustbin in our homes, shops or workplaces and bring it out on collection day for refuse pick-up.

“Organisation is key in the effective management of refuse,’’ he told NAN.

The council boss reiterated that the present administration of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun remains committed to the provision of infrastructure and developmental projects for the benefit of all. (NAN)
TDS/IS/OJO
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(Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)