State Government
Ogun man dies from ‘Customs’ stray bullet’
A middle-aged man, Atanda Idowu Moses who sustained gunshot injury during a clash between men of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and smugglers in Oja Odan in Yewa South local government area of Ogun State has died. A relation of the deceased, Olatunji Olaniran who confirmed this to newsmen on Sunday, disclosed that Atanda died on Saturday night at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, the State capital where he was being treated. Olatunji said Atanda and one other were working in their workshop when they were hit by stray bullets fired by men of the Ogun State Command of the NCS while they were chasing smugglers on Saturday. Atanda was until his death, the Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Panel Beaters, Oja Odan branch. Olatunji said the deceased who was the only surviving ...
Plateau government denies taking $359 million loan from AfDB
Plateau State government has denied the allegation of taking $350m African Development Bank, AfDB loan saying such allegation is frivolous as the government only took $11.2 million of which, 70% of the amount is being committed to infrastructure, 20% to capacity building and 10% for project management. A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, last Thursday at a webinar discussing why Plateau State lost its relevance at the national stage, accused the Governor, Simon Lalong of non-performance despite taking loans that have no impact on the lives of citizens. Dalung said, “$350 million (N140 billion) was approved for the Plateau State governemnt by the Federal Executive Council for the purpose of the potato value chain. I was a serving Minister at the time, so I was part of tha...
Vulnerable marsupial released into predator-free enclosure in Australia
More than a century since they were declared extinct in the Australian state of New South Wales, the bilby, a vulnerable marsupial with rabbit-like ears, has been reintroduced into a large, predator-free area in a remote desert park 1,200 kilometers northwest of Sydney. The release is part of a new breeding program at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales state. The release of 10 bilbies is a bold attempt to turn back the clock to a time in Australia when native animals weren’t savaged by feral cats and foxes. Since European colonization, the bilby population has fallen by 80%. Rabbits, another invasive species, also compete with the marsupials for food and shelter. They face other threats from land clearing and bushfires. Bilbies survive in the wild only in parts of central and we...
Lagos launches N5 billion support capital for low-cost schools
Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Lagos State Government in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria has launched N5 billion Post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recovery Support capital for the education sector to support low-cost private schools across the state in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic. The intervention fund, which targets over 2,000 private schools, was formally launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa, Ikeja. Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) collaborated with First Bank of Nigeria Limited to facilitate the matching fund, which will be given as a loan to schools and vocational education centres across the State. Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was part of the State Government’s sustainable...
Akwa Ibom enacts law to establish own official symbols
Akwa Ibom governent has enacted a law to establish the state’s official symbols and other other related matters just it’s celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its creation. The “Bill for a Law to Establish the State Official Symbols and other matters connected therewith” was passed into law on Tuesday by the state house of assembly. It had at Plenary on Thursday, September 17, 2020, scaled its first and second readings and was committed to the Committee on Information for scrutiny. Presenting the report at Plenary on Tuesday, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Aniefiok Dennis, noted that the general principle of the Bill was sufficiently indicative that the Bill when passed into law, will entrench pride, hope and dignity in the state and also foster unity among the people. Subsequently, the Hous...
Governor Fayemi: Traditional institution agent of grassroots development
The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has promised to always accord the traditional institution with respect, describing it as agents of grassroots development, hence the desire of his administration to always fill vacant stools promptly Fayemi’s said this on Tuesday, at the presentation of the staff of office and instrument of appointment to the new Olorin of Orin Ekiti, Oba Olufemi Adeniran Ajibewa. The ceremony was held at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti in line with COVID-19 protocols. Fayemi urged Oba Ajibewa to see his new position as a call to duty to serve his people and move the town forward. Represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Governor described the throne as a sensitive position that calls for considerable wisdom, diligenc...
Edo election: We are satisfied with voting process – Governor Wike
The governor of Rivers State and the Edo Guber Election Campaign Council Chairman, Nyesom Wike, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) is satisfied with the voting process in Edo State so far. Wike through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, via his twitter handle and Facebook page posted; “there was minimal violence recorded because of the proactive measures deployed by the security agencies”. According to him; “there was need for both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to ensure that nothing scuttles the remaining stages. “Like I have said before, election is not only about voting, the votes should be counted, then you proceed to collation stages; ward, local and state government levels. The collation stag...
Governor Wike: Edo election may likely be the best in Nigeria history
The governor of Rivers State and the Edo Guber Election Campaign Council Chairman, Nyesom Wike, has said considering the voting process and methodology employed in Edo State 2020 Guber election, the poll may likely be the best in the history of Nigeria. Wike through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, via his twitter handle and Facebook page posted; “there was minimal violence recorded because of the proactive measures deployed by the security agencies”. “This may likely be the best election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria. But they must allow the process to continue to the end. Otherwise, they will destroy it. “If it is APC that has won, let it be so. If it is PDP that has won, let it also be so. But I must tell that we are happy with what we hav...
Ekiti partners NEPC to export banana
Ekiti State Commissioner for Trade and Industries, Mr Muyiwa Olumilua, has reiterated the commitment of the Kayode Fayemi-led administration to creating an enabling environment for individuals and corporate bodies. Speaking in Ado Ekiti while declaring open a Stakeholders’ Forum on Banana Development for Export, Olumilua noted that the various proactive programmes embarked upon by the investor-friendly administration has created an enabling environment for investment to thrive in the State. Olumilua listed some of the administration’s projects to include the establishment of a cargo airport to ease transportation of goods to and from the State, clearing of 5,000 hectares of land for farming, facilitation of the establishment of the NEPC office in the State, to eliminate the stress of going...
Akwa Ibom announces dates for resumption of schools
Akwa Ibom State Government has fixed September 21 2020 for the commencement of processes for the resumption of academic activities in the state-owned university, college of education and public primary schools. Similarly, 28th September has been fixed for the resumption of full academic activities in secondary schools while the state-owned Polytechnic will commence academic activities on the 5th of October, 2020. The State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, announced this while briefing Government House Correspondents on the resolutions of the state Executive Council meeting of today, Friday, September 18, 2020, presided over by the state Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, at Government House, Uyo. He said that the State Executive Council has directed private schools in the stat...
Kaduna to revive guidance, counselling unit in public schools
The Kaduna State Government said on Friday that it would revive guidance and counselling unit in public Secondary Schools in the state. Hajiya Imma Ahmad, Director-General, Kaduna State School Quality Assurance Authority, made this known at the close of a five-day training for secondary school teachers in Kaduna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised by the state Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authority (AFTRA). Ahmad said that the counselling manual had been developed as part of efforts to ensure that every school has a functional guidance and counselling unit. “Our teachers these days just teach and leave the classroom with no form of counselling to improve the morals of the students or guide the...
Katsina spends N3 billion on WAEC, NECO fees in five years
The Katsina State Government has spent more than N3 billion on payment of Senior School Certificate Examination fees for 320,058 candidates who sat for the examination between 2015 and 2019. The Commissioner of Education in the state, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, made this known during media briefing in Katsina on Thursday. He said that out of the number, 216,832 candidates scored five credits and above in five subjects, representing 68 per cent. Lawal added that 138,612 candidates obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics, which represents 63 per cent. He said that the money was paid to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB). He also said that the gover...
