Blog

NAN-H-42
Adjournment
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) An Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Temidayo Isa, on Monday, criticised “incessant adjournment of cases in Nigeria’s judicial system’’, saying it is justice denied.

Isa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that delayed justice indirectly meant justice denied as some innocent people suffer unjustly.

He said that the rate at which cases were being adjourned was becoming worrisome as victims and aggrieved persons would not get justice when they needed it.

He added that “some people are innocent but continue to suffer because their innocence has not been proven.

“People are getting frustrated for spending a lot of time on their cases without making any headway.’’

The legal practitioner also said that it was the incessant adjournment of cases that caused
prison congestion.

“This is because many people are just remanded in prison without any mention of their cases or offence and they have been like that for years without knowing their fate.

“Some of them will later be discharged and acquitted at the end of the day, making them to suffer in vain.

“So, it is important that our judicial system is looked into so as to ensure justice is effectively dispensed without delay.’’ (NAN)
BAY/HA
========
(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-38

Education
By Dorcas Elusogbon
Ile-Ife (Osun), Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) Mr Solomon Adeagbo, the Headmaster, Community Primary School, Kosere Quarters, Ile-Ife, on Monday, urged parents to complement the Osun Government’s efforts in the education of their children and wards.

The headmaster gave this advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ile-Ife on the resumption of pupils and students in the state public and private schools for the 2016/2017 academic session.

Adeagbo lauded Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for providing writing materials, including e-tablet (Opon-Imo), textbooks, for the children as well as building standard schools to enhance quality education in the state.

According to him, government has also organised training workshops for teachers among other things to strengthen personnel in the education sector.

He said that government alone could not do everything, adding that all hands must be on deck for the good of  the children and enviable standard of education.

Adeagbo, therefore, urged the parents to co-operate with the State Government in the provision of other necessary needs such as uniforms, textbooks and writing materials for their children and wards.

Also, Mr Robert Awobode, the Headmaster, Olori Morisade Sijuwade Model School, Oke-Ogbo, Ile-Ife, called on students to be serious with their studies, as they resumed for a new session.

“They should concentrate on their academic activities rather than play away their time, especially on the social media; chatting on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp among others,” he said.

According to Awobode, education is the best legacy parents can give to their children and pupils and students should be morally upright and be good ambassadors of their parents, schools, state and country.

The NAN correspondent visited, the Ooni Middle School, Oke-Ogbo, Ile-Ife; Olori Morisade Sijuwade Model School, Oke-Ogbo, Ile-Ife; Community Primary School, Kosere Quarters, Ile-Ife and Busola, among others.

NAN also reports that an appreciable number of students resumed school for the new session while most of the teachers also reported for duty.

Some male teachers were seen monitoring male students, cutting the weeds while female teachers were also supervising girls, keeping their school surroundings clean. (NAN)
EDA/AAB/YEMI
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Reps’ resumption: PDP chieftain calls for caution, restraint over Jibrin’s allegations
NAN-H-19
Call
Pankshin (Plateau), Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) As the House of Representatives resumes plenary, Chief Alexander Mwolwus, a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau, has called for restraint over Rep. Jibrin’s allegations for smooth legislative functions.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pankshin on Monday, Mwolwuls said: “with the economic recession biting harder, what we need now is stability in the National Assembly and not crises.”

“If what the newspapers carried about plans by the supporters of Honourable Speaker and those of Rep. Jibrin to slog it out at the House’s resumption for plenary is true, then there is need for caution.

“I think what Nigerians are praying for is for members of the National Assembly to put their heads together and think on how best and faster the country can come out of this recession.

“Besides, we must have sanity in the NASS for democracy to thrive; the damage the Jibrin’s saga has brought on the image of the assembly and the country as a whole is enough,’’ he said.

Mwolwus, a former Special Assistant to former Gov. Jonah Jang said: “Nigeria is on the brink and they (legislators) should be collectively thinking on how to salvage the nation from recession and not to fight one another. “

The PDP chieftain said that though what Jibrin did was shocking, he advised the House not to create more problems for themselves, but to look at the house rules and quietly tackle the matter without much noise and further damage.

According to him, it behooves on the National Assembly to liaise with the executive arm to find a lasting solution to the sufferings of the masses due to the recession.

According to him, the APC government must do something positive and pragmatic too to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

“Times are indeed hard for Nigerians and the government must rise to the challenge to find a lasting solution to the economic meltdown so as not to send some people to their early graves, ’’ Mwolwus pleaded.  (NAN)
TYC/TA
Controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

Convict pleads guilty to car theft, begs for leniency

NAN-H-14

Appeal

By Ugochi Ugochukwu

Abuja, Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN)“I am so sorry for the offences I committed ; please sir temper justice with mercy,’’ a  convict, 36-year-old Nwabueze Orji, a driver, pleaded with a Karmo Grade1 Area Court, Abuja, on Monday.

“Sir, I know I am guilty of all the charges; please reduce my punishment,’’ he said after pleading guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Orji, whose address is unknown, was charged for a two-count offence of criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The judge, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, had sentenced Orji to four weeks in jail but gave him an option of N5,000 fine for absconding with his employer’s car and also using the car as a collateral.

Sadiq also ordered the convict to pay the complainant ( the owner of the car) the sum of N40, 000 as compensation and warned him  to desist from committing crimes.

Earlier Prosecutor Dalhatu Zannah told the court that Nwanze Nnamdi of Jabi Dakibiyu, Abuja, reported the matter at the Utako Police Station on Sept. 5.

Zannah said  Orji committed the offences sometime in August 2016 when the complainant gave him his Mazda 626 car to operate for commercial purposes  and to remit the sum of N10, 000 weekly.

He told the court that the accused  was able to realise the total sum of N 40, 000 within  four weeks.

“He converted the N40, 000 to personal use and also disappeared with the car.”

Zannah said  the car was found with one Bala  of Dagwa Area 1, Abuja, the man the accused  gave the car to as a collateral for a N5,000 loan.

The offences contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation.(NAN)
UGO/DA
Edited & controlled by Dele Akinsola
==========================

NAN-H-17
FRSC
Warri (Delta), Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) Stakeholders in the transportation industry in Warri, Delta, have called for grassroots awareness campaign on the Federal Road Safety Commission’s (FRSC) Vehicle Speed Limiting devices.
The stakeholders told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Warri that the Oct. 1 deadline for the enforcement of the policy was not feasible.
They said that motorists at the grassroots had not been enlightened on the relevance of the speed limiting devices.
They urged the FRSC to jettison the idea, adding that the bad state of the roads in the country was enough to control speed.
Mr Francis Ogbeni, Secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Warri South branch, said it was wrong to impose such a policy on the masses in a democratic era.
“We are in a democratic world. You cannot just impose policies on the people without creating the awareness.
“We are not against it but the contention is that we at the grassroots have not been enlightened on the speed limiting devices.
“The awareness should be spread to the steering holders. That is, the drivers who are at the grassroots.
“To just discuss with people in Abuja and probably those at the state headquarters without going to motor parks at the unit levels like the `ember months campaign’ is not enough,’’ he said.
Ogbeni said it would be undemocratic to apprehend drivers over offences for which they had not been briefed.
The NURTW secretary urged the FRSC officials to visits various motor parks to enlighten the drivers about the device.
NAN reports that the speed limiting technology was introduced by the FRSC in 2015, a development which attracted diverse opinions from stakeholders.
NAN reports that the controversy was, however, laid to rest following the intervention of the Senate which held public hearing on the policy.
The Senate backed enforcement of the policy and eventually, Oct. 1, was set as a date for implementation.
The policy is meant to ensure sanity on the highways and reduce road carnages to the barest minimum.
The policy is expected to start with the commercial vehicles and fleet operators.
The Chairman, Tippers Drivers Unit, Warri, Mr Godwin Omojevwe, said that the policy would enrich some persons in the Commission.
According to him, the roads in the country are in deplorable state and it will be unprofessional for drivers to speed.
“There is no good road in the country for drivers to speed and they are coming with speed limiting device to make money for themselves.
“They are not helping the masses. In fact, they are inflicting more hardship on the people.
“They should not frustrate the drivers. They should extend the commencement of the policy till next year.
“If they go ahead to implement the policy on Oct. 1, if they are not taken to court, drivers might revolt,’’ he said.
Another commercial bus driver, Mr Anthony Chuks, said the policy was a mere gimmick to meek the drivers.
“Contract for the device will be given to a particular company to supply and install, ‘’ he said.
A commercial bus driver and former staff of Schlumberger, Mr Reginald Okoro, said the policy should bind all motorists.
“If they are bringing speed limiting device, it should be made general. Both private and commercial drivers should be involved in the policy,’’ he said.
Mr Egoruvwe Diamond said that private and government drivers were more reckless on roads than the commercial drivers.
“I once worked with Seismic company as a driver and we were given 80 KPH  as our speed limit, ‘’ he said. (NAN)
EDI/AJA
=======
(Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)
 
 
 

Don urges FG to make teaching of indigenous languages compulsory

NAN-H-6

Languages

Osogbo, Sep.19, 2016(NAN) Dr Abiodun Ogunwale, a senior lecturer in the Department of African Languages, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Monday urged the Federal Government to make the teaching of indigenous languages in primary schools compulsory.

Ogunwale gave the advice in Osogbo in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that such measure was necessary to guide the pupils to appreciate and inculcate the right values inherent in the culture and tradition of the Nigerian people.

“By making them more rooted in their local languages, the pupils would be made responsible and sensitive to their environment and therefore more patriotic.”

The lecturer argued that consciousness for local languages made countries in Asia to excel and progress speedily in all areas of development.

“It is very pertinent to retrace our roots and make our children more responsible and prepare for the future by inculcating right values in them through our local languages.

“It is practically dangerous to train our children without the consciousness for our local language.

“The present administration in Nigeria must make the teaching of our local languages a priority, at the early stage of life,” he said.(NAN)

DOO/AAB/MZA
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi and Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-AE-37

Refuse

Lafia, Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Urban Development Board (NUDB), has advised residents of the state against indiscriminate dumping of refuse, considering its health implications on human lives and to avoid flooding.

The Managing Director of the board, Alhaji Adamu Sule-Mohammed, gave this advice on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

He said that the advice became necessary, considering the harmful effects of refuse on human health, as well as to ensure environmental cleanliness and the well -being of the people.

“The State Government under Gov. Tanko Al-Makura administration, is doing its best to keep the environment clean while it is the responsibility of everybody to complement government’s efforts in this regard.

“A healthy nation is a wealthy nation, it is on this note that the government and stakeholders are always advising the people on the need to maintain personal and environmental hygiene.

“I want to use this medium to appeal to the people of the state to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drains along the roads.

“The board is taking a proactive step to curtail indiscriminate disposal of refuse in order to enhance environmental cleanliness and to enhance a healthy living,” he said.

According to him “dumping of refuse in gutters, markets and other places indiscriminately could also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which could lead to the spread of communicable diseases.

Sule-Mohammed also urged residents of the state to always keep their dustbins tight and cover them at all times as debris from uncovered dustbins might drop into the gutters.

He said Nigerians should always try to clean the gutters and canals in their immediate environment for the sake of their health and the health of the nation.

The Managing Director assured the people of the state of timely evacuation of refuse from designated palaces and urged them to always dispose their wastes in designated places for easy evacuation. (NAN)

BAB/AAB/YEMI
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-H-5

Pilgrims

Birnin Kebbi Sept., 19, 2016 (NAN) Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Board has announced the death of two pilgrims from the state during the just concluded 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Alhaji Aliyu Jajirma, Secretary, state Publicity Committee on 2016 Hajj, confirmed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Mecca on Monday.

Jajirma, who is also the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists [NUJ], however, did not disclose the names of the pilgrims, but said the two, male and female, died in hospital as a result of brief illness.

He said that the affected pilgrims, who were b  buried in the Holy city of Mecca, hailed from Maiyama and Augie Local Government Areas of the state.

According to him, wife of the state governor, Dr Zainab Bagudu, who also performed the Hajj, had commisserated with the families of the deceased.

NAN reports that a total of 4,107 pilgrims from Kebbi performed the 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia. (NAN)
BKD/MZA

===========

Edited and Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-HG-2
Health
By Awayi Kuje
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, Dr. Giyan Joshua –Ndom, said on Monday that the management had built a modern mortuary to accommodate  60 corpses with autopsy facilities.

Joshua-Ndom made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Keffi.

He said that the management of FMC decided to build the standard mortuary with modern facilities for preservation of corpses and to improve on the health and living conditions of Nigerians.

“There are three mandates of establishing any federal tertiary health institution.

“One is to provide tertiary health care services; second mandate is the training of manpower; and the third mandate is research to provide quality health care delivery to Nigerians.

“We have gone far in developing the centre as you can see by yourselves the level of development everywhere within the centre since my appointment on April 1, 2010.

“We have modern facilities in almost all the departments.

“For example in the Laboratory Department, we have the automated equipment where you just put in a blood sample and it does the test by itself and the result comes out precisely.

“That has removed human error,’’ Joshua-Ndom said.

He said, “I want to tell you and the world that the centre (FMC) has also built a modern mortuary with cool chambers that can house up to 60 corpses.’’

The director said that the FMC had modern embalming and autopsy services among other facilities.

“Also, in the eye department, we have modern equipment and cameras for checking of the pressure of the eye; and taking the picture of the back of the eye.

“In Radiology Department, we have the CT scan that tells what happens to the brain and to the whole body.

“All these modern equipment provided by the centre would ensure quality health care service delivery to Nigerians because a healthy nation is a wealthy nation,’’ he said

Joshua-Ndom said that the centre would not relent in its efforts toward improving the health conditions of the people.

The director also expressed the commitment of the management of the FMC to continue to improve on the welfare of staff.

He urged the staff to complement government’s efforts through hard work to ensure quality service delivery. (NAN)
AKW/AJA
========

(Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-S-16

Games

By Olayinka Owolewa

Ilorin, Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) The Director of Sports, University of Ilorin, Prof. Olawole Obiyemi says that the institution spent N50 million to get the hosting rights of the National Youth Games.

Obiyemi made this known in Ilorin on Monday while speaking with newsmen on the preparedness of the institution for the games so far.

He stated that the decision of the institution’s management to spend such a huge amount of money to host the games was due to the premium it placed on the development of young talents.

According to Obiyemi, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali is a sports lover and a believer in the development of the youth, hence his support for the games.

He added that the vice chancellor had always emphasised that the country needed to develop the youth to ensure a brighter future for them.

“We would have generated about N50 million from sandwich students who pay N15,000 each for accommodation.

“But because we want the National Youth Games to get the best, we asked them to seek accommodation elsewhere.

“The importance of the National Youth Games was made our priority as we are now making our accommodation available to over 4,000 athletes and officials free of charge,” Obiyemi said.

He said that the vice chancellor had since the beginning of the year commenced preparations towards its success, which involved series of meetings and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

“The vice chancellor is a sports loving man. In February, he delegated four professors to attend a meeting of the National Council of Sports in Tinapa,” he added.

On preparations of the institution to host the Games, he said that every necessary arrangement had been put in place to ensure the success of the second edition of the competition. (NAN)

OOH/EEE

========

Edited by Ese E. Ekama