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Gov.Bagudu commends villagers for safeguarding 3 stray elephants in Kebbi

Elephants

By Shuaibu Tatu

Bagudu (Kebbi State), Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Kebbi Governor, Atiku Bagudu, on Sunday commended Ganten Fadama community in Bagudo Local Government Area for their effort in safeguarding the lives of three elephants that strayed into the village.

Bagudu who made the commendation when he visited the community, said such animals must be protected to ensure balance in the ecosystem.

”My visit is to encourage and appreciate the good people of Kebbi, particularly the Ganten Fadama community for safeguarding the lives of the elephants that invaded the community.

“And also to extent President Muhammadu Buhari’s appreciation to the people on their untiring effort of ensuring the security of the wild animal,”he said.

Bagudu urged all communities in the state to continue to provide information and support until the animals return to their rightful location.

The governor, however, warned the general public against illegal killing of wild animals, adding that,” whosoever inflicts an injury to the animals will face the wrath of the law accordingly. ”

The leader of the community, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello, explained that the elephants were first sighted at Zaria Kala Kala village in koko/Besse Local Government Area on August 28, before migrating to their village on August 31.

“The three elephants are suspected to have come from Benin Republic, as we have no such wild animals in our community,” he said.

Also speaking a member of the community, Malam Dantallo Ganten, explained that he saw the two other elephants grazing across the river in Labana rice farm.

”Our worry is not only that the elephants were grazing on our farms, but of that people trooping in to see the animals are also destroying crops on our farms,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that the three elephants were first sighted at Zaria Kala-Kala village on August 28, and local officials had to prevent residents from killing them. (NAN)

SZT/MZA

Phase out plastics, Nigerian Conservation Foundation tells FG

Plastics

By Grace Alegba
Lagos, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has urged federal and state governments to phase out the use of non-degradable plastics in the country.

Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, the Director General, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), canvassed this position on Sunday in Lagos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He suggested gradual phasing out of non- degradable plastics through legislation or penalty fees for its use.

Such legislations and policies should make plastic use unattractive and also change the attitude of Nigerians toward lower demands to save the environment.

“There are countries such as Rwanda that have banned single use plastics but you do not need to even go the whole hug and ban, look at the example in England.

“In England, what they did was to add five pence to the cost of plastics, so, if you go to a shop instead of giving you a free plastic, they will tell you that if you take any plastic bag, you have to pay five pence and within two years that cut down the use of plastics in shops by 85 per cent,’’ he said.

Aminu-Kano disclosed that tougher measures were being adopted in England as it planned to increase the surcharge from five to 10 pence and urged the federal government to do same to reduce plastic use.

“We are addicted to its use and as it is with all other addictions, we need to be weaned away from it somehow.

“The government has a big role to play in terms of not just legislation or policy but in terms of enforcing existing legislations and policies on waste management,’’ he said.

The NCF director-general said in the interim plastic should be handled like most other wastes by adopting the 5Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle, refuse and repurpose.

“We can repurpose plastics for other uses as well as to refuse them when not necessary or needed.’’

Aminu-Kano, who described plastics as toxic to humans, fishes and animals, alerted that the materials had found their ways into seas and oceans to pollute them.

“Part of the reasons is that plastic is also toxic and dangerous because when it degrades, some of the gas it emits or when you heat it up, some of the chemicals that come out are toxic to animals and to human beings.

“And we are eating it a lot because whatever plastic you use even as far as in Maiduguri and the Northern borders end up in the ocean because it is taken away by rivers.

“It goes to River Niger or Benue, it comes down here (Lagos), the tiny particles are taken by air and swirled around and they go all over.

“So, the seas are in big trouble. The UN estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. And even now when plastic degrades the tiny particles are already forming larger fractions in some of the animals that are in the ocean.

“And when we eat them, we are eating them together with those plastics which are going into our bodies,’’ Aminu-Kano said. (NAN)

GA/DA

Edited by Dele Akinsola

Ticket-sales
By Adekunle Williams
Lagos, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has generated N15.27billion as revenue from the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) in the past eight months.

The TSC was collected from both the International and local airlines operators operating in the country.

The Director General, NCAA, Capt. Muktar Usman, who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, said that the amount was generated from January to August 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five per cent TSC is the charges levied on passengers and collected in trust by the airlines for remittance to the government to ensure facilitation at the airports.

Usman explained that $16.98 million (N6.11 billion) was made from the international airlines while N9.16 billion was recorded from local airlines.

“The amount is recorded between the month of January and August this year through our automation system.

“It is expected that the amount to be collected by the NCAA will be more than double before the end of the year as passenger traffic increases,” he said.

The director general said air travel demand as projected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) would continue to grow with more connectivity.

Usman said that as the second position in Africa in the July 2018 passenger traffic, Nigeria recorded 6.8 per cent increase, adding that this could be surpassed with direct link connectivity within the continent.

“There is a projection that aviation in Africa is growing and the rate of growth is one of the highest in the world. We lack that internal connectivity within the Africa region.

“Once those sectors are developed, Africa can witness increase in the movements for example, if you want to go to Niger as of today, you hardly have any direct link even though airlines have been designated,” he said.

Usman said there had been increase in travel activities since the country came out of recession, adding that there would be further increase before the end of the year.

“Yes certainly, passenger traffic is going up, do not forget that we came out of recession, but during the recession so many things happened.

“Now that the economy is out of recession a lot of commercial activities are taking place, so people are being more empowered which is being reflected in the movement of passengers,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that statistics released by NCAA revealed that passenger traffic in the past eight months had hit 2.4 million

International Passenger traffic from January to August showed that 10 of the airlines were carrying the traffic with Ethiopian airline taking the lead with over 134,104.

Emirates followed with 107, 217; British Airways recorded 86,249 while Turkish Airline recorded 70, 392 passengers.

Others are Air France with 70,144; KLM Royal Dutch recorded 63,990; Virgin Atlantic recorded 63,448; Delta Airline recorded 39,196; Qatar records 38,706 and South African Airways recorded 36,868 passengers.

Meanwhile for domestic passenger traffic, seven airlines are pulling their weight with Air Peace in the forefront with over 340,664 passengers.

Dana Air is trailing with 330, 370, AZMAN Air recorded 245,437 and Arik Air recorded 177,061 passengers.

Others are; Med-View Airline ,156,226; Aero Contractors 138,146 and Overland 78,166 passengers in the same period under review.(NAN)
WAC/BOLA/MTM
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Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Tukur Muntari.

Migration

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Abuja, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is committed to mitigating the migration crisis Nigerians are facing, particularly in Libya and in the Mediterranean Sea.

The party stated this in a statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena, its National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Sunday when he reacted  to comments made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the issue.

He condemned attempts by the PDP to politicise Buhari’s statement on the illegal migration and trafficking of Nigerians during the recent visit of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to Nigeria.

He recalled the presidential directive for Nigerians to be evacuated from Libya and other locations and be returned home safely.

Nabena said the administration had already put in place several interventionist programmes to enable such persons start new and productive lives in the country.

He said that with unemployment and poverty identified as one of the root causes of illegal migration, the President Buhari administration was using initiatives to check the ugly trend.

He listed the initiatives as: N-Power, Bank of Industry Youth Entrepreneurship Support, Central Bank of Nigeria support schemes, Agriculture, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.(NAN)

EEM/OFN/MTM

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Edited by Tukur Muntari.

Defeat

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Survey

By Zubairu Idris

Katsina, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The National Population Commission (NPC), has selected 37 communities in Katsina State for the conduct of 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The NPC Federal Commissioner in charge of Katsina and Kaduna States, Alhaji Bala Almu Banye, disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Katsina.
He said that the exercise would be conducted between August and December this year across the country.
According to him, the 37 communities were from 31 selected Local Government Areas in the state.
Banye said that NPC field workers were expected to visit 30 households randomly in each community to solicit information on certain things.
“They will investigate on the factors that impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, pregnancy care, female genital mutilation and fistula.
“Blood sample will also be collected for malaria, anemia and genotype test,” he said.
Banye, therefore, called on the public to cooperate with the field workers and provide detailed information on the questions they would be asked.
He said that experts would also conduct tests on malaria, anemia and genotype tests on members of households they visited.
Banye said that the exercise was aimed at collecting high-quality data for policy formulation, planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He further said the 2018 NDHS, which is the sixth conducted in the country, was supposed to be conducted after every five years.
“NDHS is conducted in 52 countries in the world; the last NDHS in Nigeria was conducted in 2013,” he said.
In his remarks, the NPC Director in the state, Alhaji Lawal Ahmad, said that nine staff would conduct the exercise in the state.
Ahmad said medical scientists and nurses would conduct the survey.
He called on the local government councils and traditional institutions affected by the survey to support the exercise by allowing the team to conduct their work without hindrance.
The Director also urged the media to intensify effort in sensitizing the public on the importance of the exercise. (NAN)
ZI/ESAN/MTM
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Edited by Abiodun Esan/Tukur Muntari.

Church
By Edeki Igafe 08039724275
Warri (Delta), Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has expressed shock over the death of a worshiper in the collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church building at Ugolo, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta.
Okowa expressed the shock over the unfortunate incident in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Charles Aniagwu, and made available to newsmen in Warri.
The church building was said to have collapsed on Sunday morning while service was going on.
The governor described the incident as a sad, unfortunate and regrettable experience.
Okowa prayed for the repose of the departed faithful and condoled with the family.
According to the statement, the governor has dispatched the State Commissioner for Works, Mr James Augoye, to visit the site.
The statement added that the visit would enable the government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the building and how it could assist the injured worshipers and the church.
It stated: “This is indeed a very sad and unfortunate incident. On behalf of the Government and people of Delta. I commiserate with the family of the deceased and those injured”.
Okowa also condoled with the Speaker of Delta House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, Chairman of Okpe Local Government Council, Julius Scott.The Orodje of Okpe, retired Maj.- Gen. Felix Mujakperuo and Ugolo community in Okpe Kingdom over the incidence.
“It is our prayer that the soul of the deceased will rest in peace, and the injured will experience quick recovery.
“Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with the people of Ugolo in Okpe Kingdom over this tragedy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Delta Speaker,Sheriff Oborevwori, has promised to foot the medical bill of those injured in the incident. (NAN)
EDI/DOE/MTM
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Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Tukur Muntari.

Church Collapse: Saraki condoles with Catholic Church, Delta State

Collapse
By Cecilia Ijuo
Abuja, Sept. 2, 2018(NAN) The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, commiserated with the Delta State Government and the Catholic Church in Nigeria over the collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Okpe Local Government Area.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, promised to help ensure that survivors received necessary medical attention.

“My prayers are with the worshippers, affected families, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the people of Delta State on this morning’s collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Okpe LGA.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance to see that survivors are rescued and treated.

“Right now, we must all come together as Muslims, Christians, people of faith and most importantly, Nigerians to provide all necessary relief for the affected families and community.

“This tragedy affects us all and we join the Catholic community to mourn the deceased, even as rescue efforts are still under way,” he said.(NAN)
CJM/NKO
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo

Tragedy
Okpe (Delta), Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) One person was killed and many others sustained various degrees of injuries following the collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church building at Ugolo, Adagbrassa community in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta on Sunday.
NAN reports that the incident happened during an early morning Mass.
The deceased, Jeffrey Enukanerhirhe, an 11-year-old boy, was the son of former Minority Leader of Okpe Local Government Area, Mr Jackson Enukanerhire.
The deceased, who had since been buried in the church premises, was worshipping with his father when the incident happened.
The father of the deceased said that the incident occurred at about 7 a.m.
“I was inside the church when it happened. I was at the back and my son was playing Guitar when it happened.
“When it happened, I joined other members of the church to rescue people who were trapped unknown to me that my son was trapped also; it is a sad thing,”  Enukanerhire said.
The Vice Chairman of the Community, Daniel Egiwie, who survived the incident, expressed regret over the death of the young boy.
Another survivor, Daniel Charles, thanked God for saving his life.
“We went to the house of God to pray, we cannot question God. I thank God I survived,” Charles said.
The church was said to be preparing for its Centenary celebration.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, has commiserated with the church and family of decessed.
Okowa condoled with the church and the deceased family in a statement from the Press Unit, Government House, Asaba.
The state government also promised to pay the medical bills of those injured in the incident. (NAN)
EDI/OFN/MTM
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Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Tukur Muntari

Denial

By Yinusa Ishola
Omu-Aran (Kwara), Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The Aki and Olasankale Ruling Houses in Omu-Aran, Kwara, have denied authorship of an alleged petition over the recent nomination of a new traditional ruler for the community.

The ruling houses made the denial in a statement by its Spokesman, Alhaji Azeez Olawuyi, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Omu-Aran on Sunday.

Olawuyi said the denial was against the backdrop of a recent newspaper publication ascribing the authorship of the alleged petition to the two ruling houses.

NAN reports that the kingmakers in the community had recently forwarded its nomination to the throne to the concerned local government for onward transmission to the State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, for appropriate action.

This development followed the death of Oba Charles Oladele Ibitoye, the last occupant of the throne, who joined his ancestors on Nov. 30, during a brief illness.

Olawuyi described the allegation against the concerned ruling houses over the petition as false, unauthentic and misleading.

He also said that the no member of the two ruling houses had written any petition against the kingmakers’ choice, saying that “the said nominee was a collective decision of the stakeholders.

“The kingmaker’s nominee is a true son of Ijoko/Olasankale family whose nomination was wholeheartedly accepted by all and sundry.

“It is our prayer that the community witness more development and achievements during his reign,” Olawuyi added.

In a similar development, the Omu-Aran Traditional Council of Chiefs and the Olomu-in-Council have also debunked the alleged plan to curse the writers of petitions against its nominee for the Olomu Stool.

Chief Festus Awoniyi, the Petu Atayero of Omu-Aran, said on behalf of the council that the allegation was imaginary and far from the truth.

“We have not received any petition against the council’s nominee; we are only awaiting further directive from appropriate quarters,” the chief said.

Awoniyi used the opportunity to appeal to the media and the public to exercise restraint and refrain from rumour mongering.

“It is never in the habit, custom, tradition and heritage of the people of Omu-Aran community to curse anybody on any issue whatsoever.

“We have done what is required by law, custom and tradition as regard the succession to the Olomu stool.

“We therefore, urge the public to disregard such unwarranted allegations and join us in prayers as we await announcement for the throne from the official channel,” Awoniyi said. (NAN)
ISHO/ESAN/PDE
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(Edited by Abiodun Esan/Peter Ejiofor)