Blog

Rescue
By Bosede Olufunmi
Kano, Sept.10, 2018 (NAN) Flood ravaged no fewer than 400 houses in Bar’kwari community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State on Sunday afternoon, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The spokesman for Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, made this disclosure in an interview with NAN on Monday in Kano.

He said the flood also affected primary schools, animals and foodstuffs, adding that firemen were, however, able to rescue the victims.

“We received a distress call from Hajia Gambo Usman, who lives in the neighbourhood at about 3:22 p.m., reporting that there was flooding in their area.

“On receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team and a vehicle to the scene at about 3:38 p.m.,’’ he said.

The official, who said that the flood washed away 400 houses, foodstuffs, animals and schools, added that  firemen assisted them by creating way for the water to pass, so as not to affect other houses.

Mohammed, however, urged the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in order to stop blocking the waterways.

He reminded the community of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMET) warning of downpour this year. (NAN)

BO/KTO/YEMI

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

FHA digitises operations to check activities of fraudsters
Cartel
By Ella Anokam
Abuja, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on Monday said the authority had digitised its operations as part of measures to curb the activities of a cartel extorting money from prospective land buyers.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the FHA had digitised FHA-owned housing estates and land allocations to check the activities of the cartel.
“This will curb the cartel’s activities such as double allocation, grabbing of peoples’ land and selling of green areas in the country.
“Digitisation is a good way to curb these ills; we have started digitising the FHA-owned estates and plots of land across the country.
“We have introduced FHA geographical information system, digitising each plot of land and each housing unit nationwide.
“We have completed our pilot project in Gwarinpa Estate Abuja; every house now in Gwarinpa is now digitised,” he said.
Al-Amin said digitisation would enable the authority to have proper information concerning lands and housing units, including change of ownership and amount paid.
He said further that the digitisation had given the FHA an edge in rendering quick services and immediate check on issues of government allocations or forgery of documents.
The FHA boss said there were numerous cases of unscrupulous elements printing their own receipts bearing the Federal Government’s and FHA logos.
According to him, the cartel collects money from unsuspecting Nigerians’ and issues receipts so that people pay and believe the receipt and land are from the FHA.
“Principally if houses are available, if they are flooding the market, we will not have these hurdles, so the best solution is to produce more houses.
Al-Amin said Nigerians wanted three things from FHA, basically houses, secondly annexing of land and thirdly allocation of a vacant plot available in the estate.
He urged people in need of houses to contact FHA officials at their headquarters in Abuja or zonal offices in the states.
He advised that such people contact only estate or marketing officers who would inform and guide the customer on the necessary things.
Al-Amin said its officials were always ready to help, and urged Nigerians not to interact with anybody that is not a FHA staff.
The FHA boss said only people from the estate department were allowed to interact with the public, and that they were expected to display their identity cards for proper identification.
Al-Amin urged the media to assist in sensitising the public about the activities of unscrupulous persons who disguise as FHA staff to deceive innocent Nigerians.
He said the activities of this cartel needed to be exposed to prevent innocent land buyers from continually falling prey to the fraudsters.
“I appeal to the media to collaborate with us to curb the activities of this cartel by bringing them to the front burner for people to be careful with land deals.
“The way this cartel operates in the country is to deceive and extort lots of money from many people without providing genuine or supposed houses or land allocation.
“We need public enlightenment by the media because housing is a basic necessity of life, which should not be neglected.
“The issue of sensitisation also applies when mass housing projects are built and the common man cannot access it because he is ignorant of their existence and the procedure to follow,” he said. (NAN)
ELLA/COF/SA
Editing by Oluyinka Fadare/Salif Atojoko
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Fertiliser

By Awayi Kuje

Umaisha (Nasarawa State), Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Alhaji  Issa Ibraheem, an aspirant to the Nasarawa House of Assembly, has promised to pay special attention to the provision of  fertilisers and other farm inputs, if elected.

Ibraheem, who wants to represent Umaisha/Ugya constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Umaisha that agriculture remained key to the economic development of any country, hence the need to make it a priority.

“There is the need to boost food production, address unemployment and improve the revenue of profile of the state

“I will ensure that fertilisers and other farm inputs are provided to farmers in my constituency because it is the only way to reduce poverty.

“I believe that more youths will be attracted to the farm if they are encouraged with the needed facilities. If we can engage the youths, we shall reduce restiveness to the barest minimum,” he said.

The aspirant promised to empower youths and women with skills that would make them self-reliant and enable them to contribute their quota to national development,” she said.

Ibraheem also promised to sponsor bills that would have direct bearing on the lives of his constituents. (NAN)

AKW/AZA/ETS

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Edited by Polycarp Auta/Ephraims Sheyin

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

Student says she makes N15,000 monthly from Jewelry business

Business
By Aisha Gambo
Kaduna, Sept 10,2018(NAN) A 21-year-old student, Ruqayya Olarewaju says she makes an average of N15,000 monthly from sales of jewelry she makes at home.

Olarewaju, a 100 level student of Kaduna Polytechnic told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that she began the business in 2017 after undergoing a training programme.

The young entrepreneur stated that she also make additional money in training others who pay N10,000 each for the training.

“The business is a profitable one because I sale jewellery and also train interested people on the business.

“So far, I have trained five people who are all doing well and I make N500 sale everyday”, she said.

She advised students to join her league by learning hand work while studying, adding that it will help to take care of some school expenses.

Olarewaju she would go into the business fully after graduation and hope to expand it to a bigger level before then.(NAN)
AMG/MZA

NOA urges communities to key into FG, development partners’ intervention

Communities

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Abuja, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Dr Garba Abari, Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), has called on communities across the country to take advantage of community driven interventions of the Federal Government and those of development partners in boosting infrastructure development.

Abari made the call in a statement after receiving the National Coordinator, Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), Dr Abdulkareem Obaje, who was on a working visit to the agency.

According to Abari, the Federal Government and Development partners are doing a lot in the area of community development, adding that Nigerians should take advantage of such opportunities to better their lives.

He identified water as the greatest developmental need of communities worldwide.

“Within the next decade, most wars in the world will be about water, owing to the dwindling availability of this natural resource and the exponential increase in human populations; Nigeria is not left out.

“From both economic and political perspectives, CSDP is bringing citizens inclusiveness, which is a globally accepted concept, in the management of public resources.

“I want to commend CSDP for alleviating the plights of poor rural as well as Internally Displaced People’s camps across the country by providing community driven water supply and other interventions.

“Do not relent in your interventions; we pledge our continuous and undiluted support,’’ Abari stressed.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports  that the CSDP is a World Bank, Federal and State Governments’ funded community development partnership.

According to Obaje, the CSDP has invested over 410 million dollars since 2009 in empowering communities to implement community driven micro projects.

The projects include bore holes, Community Health Centres, Rural Electrification Projects, Basic Education and Transportation

“So far, 11,000 micro projects have been executed nationwide through CSDP intervention in 33 states of the federation, with emphasis on human capital development of poor and vulnerable groups.

“It is under the supervision of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Safety Nets; participatory democracy and transparency has been entrenched in the affected rural communities.

“However there is the need for State Assemblies to domesticate and create the agency in their states as stipulated in the partnership’s Memorandum of Understanding,” he said.

The CSDP national coordinator called on NOA to assist the project by using the agency’s spread across the country to deepen advocacy for the Community Driven Development (CDD), a model of CSDP.

He added that it would go a long way to secure more states and community buy-in. (NAN)

CMY/KTO/IA

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

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Youths account for 85% of mad people in Nigeria – Medical expert

Drug
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), Sep. 10, 2018 (NAN) Dr Aliyu Abubakar of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, has said that the youths account for about 85 per cent of mad people in Nigeria.

Abubakar made the remark in a paper he presented at a sensitisation workshop for youths organised by Bizara Youth Development Association in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the paper is entitled: “Drug Abuse in Nigeria: Causes, Effects and Solutions.”

Abubakar said: “According to a recent study, 85 per cent of mad people in Nigeria are youths within the age bracket of 18-38 years.

“The major cause of mental challenge in Nigeria has gone beyond drug-abuse as the youths now inhale lizard feces, putting their noses into pit toilets, smoking matches, smoking dried horse feces and mixing lizard feces with dye powder.

“Drug abuse disorder is a common problem affecting about 5 per cent of the of the world population with an estimated 10.2 per cent in the USA.”

He recalled that in Nigeria, it was recently reported that about three million bottles of cough syrup containing codeine is consumed daily in Kano State and about six million bottles consumed in the North-West.

Abubakar added that in 2016, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency reported that about 40 per cent of Nigerian youths engaged in drug-abuse.

The medical doctor stressed that the consequences of drug-abuse include mental disorder, liver cirrhosis, lethargy and cardiovascular disorder among others.

Abubakar added those those abusing drugs mostly drop out of school, engage in cultism, violence, arm-robbery, thuggery, rape, lawlessness, murders and are culturally disorientated.

In his speech, the Chairman, Bizara Youth Development Association, Malam Yahaya Nuhu advised parents to draw their children closer to monitor their movement and those they relate with.

He advised government to introduce stiffer penalties against drug-dealers, fish them out and punish them accordingly.

Nuhu advised the youths to be cautious of peer group influence and always ensure that they serve as worthy ambassadors of their families and communities.

“Members of the society also have a role to play towards curbing the menace the of drug-abuse, especially by monitoring activities of the youths.

“Additionally, community members can advise parents where necessary, and also supply vital information to relevant authorities for prompt action.” (NAN)
KLM/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Health
By Victor Adeoti
Ejigbo (Osun State), Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, on Monday commended the Gubernatorial Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola, for providing free medical care to 10,000 residents.
Adewole made the commendation during the commencement of the free medical care in Ejigbo Local Government area of the state.
He said that free medical care was a demonstration of what people of the state should expect if they continued with APC administration in the state.
“This free health care is a demonstration of the benefits that will accrue to the state if Osun remains in partnership with the Federal Government.
“I must thank our governorship candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola who mooted this idea, floated it and I said, as a Federal minister, I will partner with you and spread it across the state,” Adewole.
Dr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, lauded the APC governorship candidate’s initiative for flagging-off the health care services in his home town.
Salaam, who is from Ejigbo, said the impact of the health services could not be quantified, adding that the people of the town were grateful for the free health care programme.
Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the state Commissioner for Health, said the state government was concerned about the health and wellbeing of residents.
Isamotu implored the people to seize the opportunity of the free health care services to attend to their health problems, adding that the gesture had no political undertone as it was free for all.
Mr Remi Omowaye, the state Commissioner for Science and Innovation, said the health care programme was an initiative of Oyetola to support the people of the state.
He said the programme was
targeted at 10,000 people in 10 different locations in the state, stating that the service would run from Sept. 8 to Sept.17. (NAN)
VE/OFN/TA
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Tajudeen Atitebi

Title

By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Aliyu Ibrahim from Kano State, the 2017 National Youth Games (NYG) taekwondo gold medallist, has vowed to win the new 55kg class in the 2018 edition as competitions begin on Monday in the Sept. 7 to Sept. 17 Games in Ilorin.

Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that he had been upgraded by his coach to meet the 55kg class which was the least class in boys category.

He said that he would bring instructions, comportment and skill to bear in his fight which was instrumental to his success at the 2017 edition, where he clinched gold medal in 48kg.

“It was a good experience last year to have won a gold medal in the 48kg class. I remember my coach told me that it was the beginning of my career.

“He (coach) asked me to show more commitment because he will upgrade my training and that has paid off considering the current class.

“I am ready and confident to favourably face opponents in the new class and my target is the gold medal,” he said.

The 15-year-old Kano State-born Ibrahim added that he was familiar with the Electronic Scoring System (ESS) which would be used for awarding points to athletes during fights.

“The availability and accessibility of the ESS in our training centre has helped us to acquaint ourselves on how to effectively use the gadget to earn points,” he said.

NAN reports that three athletes, comprising two boys and a girl are representing Kano State in the taekwondo event at the Games. (NAN)
MIL/JI/PDE
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(Editing by Joseph Idika/Peter Ejiofor)

Violence

Enugu, Sep. 10, 2018 (NAN) The Coordinator of the Coalition of South East Non Governmental Organisations (CENGOS), Mrs Nkiru Nwobodo has decried the rising cases of gender based violence in the country.

Nwobodo said this in Enugu on Monday during a one day media roundtable on Gender Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights.

The coordinator said that interaction with community, religious and other stakeholders confirmed the situation.

“Our meetings with traditional rulers, the clergy as well as security outfits show that especially, more wives, girls and children have become victims of rape, battering and other forms of violence,” she said.

Nwobodo called on the media to create more awareness on the harmful psychological and physiological effect on the victims with a view to eradicating the practice.

Also speaking, the Regional Team Leader of Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, Mrs Ifeoma Chukwuma said that gender based violence was everywhere.

Chukwuma called for sustainable public awareness by the media as anybody could be a victim.

“What is more disturbing is that cases of defilement have become more visible, maybe, due to awareness and the social media,” she said.

She expressed optimism that with sustained commitment by the media and greater social responsibility by members of the public, the scourge would be reduced.

A veteran journalist, Mrs Edith Nwanguma urged governments at all levels, traditional and religious leaders, the media as well as NGOs to work closely and reduce the harmful practice.    (NAN)

AOE/SEYI/MNA

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

Traffic

By Kazeem Akande
Lagos, Sept. 10, 2018 (NAN) Motorists in Lagos State on Monday lamented the gridlock across the state as schools resumed after long vacation worsening chaotic traffic situations along the routes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that motorists in the early hour of the day lamented the gridlock along tollgate, Mosalasi, Kollington axis towards Abule-Egba, Agege routes.

Mr Adeniyi Popoola, a commercial driver plying tollgate-Iyana-Ipaja-Oshodi corridor, said that the early hours traffic was so bad to start with on Monday.

Popoola said that drivers had been facing a lot traffic challenge along the route since the beginning of the year.

“Today’s traffic is unbearable; at times we face traffic jam as a result of heavy rain, road construction or accidents on the road.

“But this morning, we found out that all these factors contributed to the total gridlock today, the schools resumption, road constructions and the effect of downpour at the weekend contributed to the heavy traffic,’’ the driver said.

He, however, appealed to the Lagos State Government to expedite the ongoing road constructions along various routes in the state to allow free-flow of vehicles as schools resume.

A trader, Mrs Taiwo Adedeji, said that she was surprised that early on Monday morning to see people trekking as a result of stand-still vehicles on the road.

Adedeji said that school resumptions and the heavy rainfall these days contributed to the bad situation of the roads.

“The situation is bad in Agege this morning concerning the traffic, the roads are bad, with schools now resuming from long vacation and the ongoing bridge construction in Agege have lots of effect on traffic in this corridor.

“Many drivers have diverted their movement to Agege since the beginning of the construction of Abule-Egba-Oshodi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor which now tightened the situation in Agege.

“We urge the state government to fast-track the pace of the bridge and road constructions across the state to allow free vehicular movements because from my bus stop, Salolo in Alagbado to Ikeja along, I paid N400 as against N200 normal fare.

Mrs Olabisi Sonusi, Staff Officer, Public Education, FRSC, Lagos State Command, said that the Agege traffic jam was as a result of potholes along Abule Egba-Abattoir area.

Sonusi said that schools resumption also contributed to the heavy traffic along the area, adding that other routes were not as bad as Agege corridor.

She urged the drivers to drive safely and consider other road users to avoid crashes.

Sonusi also advised motorists to obey instructions from the traffic officers on the road to ensure free-flow of traffic.

NAN reports that Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Ladi Lawanson, had sought for the understanding of Lagos residents, saying there was no project delay plan by the government.

Lawanson said it was not the plan of the government to delay ongoing road construction projects in the Abule-Egba-Oshodi axis for political motives.

According to him, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has been putting pressure on the contractors handling the projects for quick delivery.

“It is not in the government’s interest to prolong the life span of any project because the government is passionate about delivering them on time.

“Most of the projects that are ongoing have December 2018 expected completion date, so, it is amusing that people are saying it is being delayed for political motives,’’  he said. (NAN)
AKA/COO/PDE
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(Edited by Cecilia Odey/Peter Ejiofor)