Kaduna Speaker Harps on Unity Among Nigerians

By Habila Victor, Kaduna

The Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rt. Honorable Yusuf Zailani has called for unity among different tribes in Nigeria.

He said the diversity in Nigeria should be an advantage rather than a problem and should help Nigeria attain greater heights.

According to a statement signed by his SA Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani, Zailani expressed this in his remarks at the third anniversary of Oba Yoruba Mando Afaka  Kaduna State On Sunday.

“Nigeria is blessed with lots of cultural heritage. With the beautiful atmosphere here in Kaduna, I am glad that the Yoruba’s originally from the South West of this country, have made Kaduna their home.

The Speaker who was represented by his SA Human resources Hajiya Khadija Ibrahim Arab said “This is what is expected of us all over Nigeria, as enshrined in the Constitution that there should be freedom of every Nigerian to reside and engage in lawful business in any part of the country.

“Here in Kaduna, we welcome all Nigerians of different religions and diverse cultural heritage. The diversity should remain our strength to propel us as a United nation to greater heights,” Zailani said.

He said that he was delighted to be  at the historical event for the celebration of the third anniversary of Oba Yoruba Mando Afaka.

“I wish the Oba Yoruba Mando Afaka many more prosperous years and pray Almighty Allah keeps us alive to converge in your ultramodern Secretariat for subsequent celebrations,” he added.

The statement informed that at the event, which was also a N50m fund raising for the building of Yoruba Secretariat in Afaka,  Chairman of Igabi Local Government Area,  donated a  plot of land to the Yoroba Community.

He was represented by the Councilor, Afaka Ward, Honourable Auwal Sani Muhammed Koraye.

 Also, a community stakeholder, Alhaji Muazu Muhammad Ruma Tafidan Afaka donated the sum of N50,000, Kaduna Speaker donated N100,000 and Hon Zayyad Ibrahim Member Representing Igabi Constituency in the House of Representatives donated the sum N100,000.

​Buhari bought 26 new aircrafts in fight against insecurity, Says Presidency

The presidency has maintained that in its efforts to contain insurgency President Muhammadu Buhari has bought 26 brand new aircrafts since his election in 2015.

Fielding questions in a monitored programme on Channels Television, ‘Sunday Politics’ yesterday, the presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said: “The military chiefs have been doing a lot of talking in the national assembly, but I will cite an example, we about receiving a dozen of Super Tucano aircraft which are most suitable for fighting the kind of insurgency we are faced with.

Beyond that we also have bought about a dozen, some have been delivered attacking helicopters from Russia and some are still in the line of delivery.
“When President Buhari came, this country didn’t have more than five aircraft, he brought 26, brand new aircraft, and about a dozen are on the way”.

Asked why the president was accused of nepotism, he added saying: “… this is an old story, was former president Obasanjo not accused of it, they accused president Yaradua and Jonathan. It is every government that comes that is accused of nepotism. The president is conscious of his responsibility to the constitution and to the entire nation. When they are published in full, some of the critics will be embarrassed that their states are the biggest beneficiaries of the appointment the president has made.

“On true federalism, we are on the way as the constitutional review is going on as the national assembly is meeting leadership on the matter” he stated.
Vanguard News Nigeria

​MHD 2021: FG launches menstrual pad bank for emergency situations

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, on Friday unveiled the menstrual pad bank to carter for the needs of women and girls during their monthly menstruation period in emergency situations.

The Minister, Mrs Pauline Tallen, said at the launching in Abuja that the programme was part of activities to mark the 2021 Menstrual Hygiene Day.

The day, with a theme, “We need to Step Up Action and Investment in Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM) Now”, is aimed at making sanitary pads available at all times for emergency use.

“A Pad Bank is today instituted in the Ministry and it will serve as a model for all Public Institutions, including ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs),Hotels, Banks and indeed even in supermarkets and open markets.

“This is to enable girls’ anywhere and everywhere to have access to pad in times of emergencies, when suddenly they experience their monthly flow which can come at any point in time without warning,” she said.

According to her, the ministry had set up a committee at the MHHM to ensure that adolescent girls and women of reproductive age are able to manage their menstrual cycle with dignity.

While calling on stakeholders to replicate the gesture by establishing menstrual pad bank in their facilities, Tallen said menstrual items will be donated to schools around the six Area Councils of the FCT and other states across the federation with support from partners.

Also, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Anyhonia Ekpa, stressed the need to promote good menstrual health and hygiene management and break stigmas that exist around young girls and women during their menstrual cycle.

Comfort Lamptey, the UN Women Country Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, stressed the need for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, particularly in schools, to eliminate reasons girls don’t attend schools during their monthly period.

Lamptey called for increased funding of the ministry of women affairs to enable it achieve its mandates on women and children issues.

Sharon Oladiji, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, charged parents and the media on communicating with children and public on appropriate information on menstrual hygiene, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and rights.

Similarly, Raquel Daniel, a Consultant, urged parents to build their children’s knowledge on menstrual hygiene to enable them get information from reliable sources.

Speaking on behalf on Women in Area one Internally Displaced Peoples’ (IDPs) camp, Miss Fatima Mohammed, decried the lack of access to sanitary items, especially water and pads during their monthly period.

According to her, most of the women resort to using their head-scarfs or old clothes as sanitary pad.

She, however, expressed appreciation to the ministry and other partners that donated sanitary pads to them.

Mohammed said the exercise would provide them with alternative materials used during their menstrual period.

She said it will also enable them to take care of their personal hygiene, and control their mobility.
Source: vanguard

​CAMAC, Newsweb Express Partners, Donates Sanitary Pads to 100 Vulnerable, Girls in Kaduna

By Habila Victor, Kaduna

Center for Media Advocacy for Mother and Child (CAMAC) in partnership with Newsweb Express, have distributed free sanitary pads to 100 girls in Kaduna State, to commemorate the 2021 Menstrual Hygiene Day.

100 girls in Abakwa Community in Kaduna North and Government Secondary, Ungwan Boro in Chikun Local Government Areas benefited from the gesture by the NGO.

Executive Director of CAMAC, Alex Uangbaoje, said the free distribution of sanitary materials to young girls in Kaduna State, especially to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable girls is a continuation of a campaign they launched in 2020.

“As an organization, CAMAC believes that providing women and girls in Kaduna schools and communities with free sanitary pads will not only improve their healthcare, menstrual hygiene, fuel sustainable economies that will benefit societies, but it will also boost their confidence and comfort within and outside the community. 

“We believe that hygiene process is not only to be taken by the girl or woman alone, but also by the society through the provision of a friendly menstrual environment. He noted.

Uangbaoje, who was represented by CAMAC’s Education Coordinator, Milla Michael, further said “we also believe that to get optimum performance of women and girls, they should be given free access to sanitary pad. Condoms are free and affordable, sanitary pad should be made free and accessible for girls, because menstruation is compulsory but sex is a matter of choice”.

He disclosed that this year CAMAC got funding support from Newsweb Express, an online Newspaper to purchase the sanitary pads and other logistics for the project for one hundred girls in one community and one secondary school in Kaduna.

The Executive Director added that it started a campaign for period friendly facilities in 2020 which was launched in Kaduna.

Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated 28 May every year to create awareness and highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management. This year’s theme is “Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health.”

In her remarks, the Women Leader of Abakwa Community, Zulaihat Muhammed Bello, who expressed delight about what she called “huge contribution” by CAMAC, said “such opportunities are rare, we appreciate them for recognizing our community as one of the beneficiaries.”

According to her only NGOs such as CAMAC who have dedicated their resources for service to humanity can make such donations.

She called on Government to budget specially for menstrual hygiene, stressing that it would save women, especially the vulnerable and rural ones of some diseases.

The Principal of GSS Ungwan Boro, Mrs Jonah Gandu, thanked CAMAC, for choosing her school as one of the beneficiaries of the project, saying “I am glad you chose us to be part of this and I pray that God use your organization to do greater things.”

On her part, Asmau Tanimu, 17, said most girls within the age range of 13 -20 years lacks knowledge of menstrual hygiene, saying more needs to be done to help vulnerable girls and women in the society.

Asmau expressed her gratitude to CAMAC over such a sensitisation program and the donation of free sanitry pads to the vulnerable girls and women in Abakpa Community.

While thanking the NGO for her contribution to the safety and healthy living of women and children, another beneficiary, Hassana Abdullahi advised women to avoid usage of clothes during menstrual period, describing it as dangerous to their health.

She stressed that the distribution of free sanitary pads by CAMAC should be emulated by more NGOs and the government at state and federal levels.

CAMAC is a media advocacy group that focus on advocating for policies and programmes that favour vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children in areas of education, health, child’s rights, protection, development and survival, while also drawing the attention of government and other stakeholders to their plight, with the view to finding lasting solutions to their problem. As well as creating awareness and sensitizing the public on the above areas.

​Anambra: Primary ‘ll determine maturity of PDP delegates — Maduka

Aspirant for the November 6 governorship Anambra poll, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Godwin Maduka has said that the June 26 primary of the party would determine the maturity of the delegates, advising them to ignore what he called political distractions and fight for the future of the state and their children.

Addressing the would -be delegates in Awka, Maduka reminded them of the need to consider the interest of the state and the capability of each aspirant to deliver while making their choice during the primaries, urging them not to allow those he described as electoral manipulators to influence them.

Maduka said his reason for the meeting was to educate delegates   to know their rights and to know the power they posses, adding that if they knew the power they carry to elect a credible and financially stable candidate, they would ignore political distractions from various quarters.

While urging PDP delegates not to yield to any political inducement, he asked them to see their duty as a civic act and vote a candidate that had attracted developmental projects through self worth and promised to empower all the delegates if nominated as PDP candidate on their forthcoming primary election.

He said: “Before venturing into politics, I was developing my community based on my conviction to serve humanity and to say thank you God for his numerous blessing, I was a child of poverty. Before venturing into politics I had tried on personal strength to give back to the society that gave life to me.

“Umuchukwu, my home town and its environs are evidence of self made man. But with your votes, it would be on higher level with the help of  experts in all sectors of the economy so that   Anambra will bounce again.

“On my honor, if the PDP delegates play right wing politics by shunning shady   process and vote for a candidate with open evident of developmental projects in the state, I will engage you in all my gigantic investments as a reward for politically liberating Anambra from the hands of political jobbers.

“If I am elected PDP flag bearer I promise that this state will enjoy a new lease of life as all the senatorial zones will be given a fast face lift. I will pull all my foreign contact to come rebuild Anambra,

“I wore poverty as a cloth, I ate it as food and am here to reduce poverty to its barest minimum and that is why I beg all PDP delegates to vote for me.”

Source: Vanguard News Nigeria

FRSC prosecutes 2,362 traffic offenders in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps said it prosecuted 2,362 traffic offenders between April 2 and May 4, 2021.

Its Sector Commander, Mr Hafiz Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna on Saturday that the command “is disturbed by the spate of traffic rules violation among motorists in the state.

“With resultant crashes, we initiated Special Intervention Patrols which resulted in the prosecution of 2,362 traffic offenders for violating 2,630 traffic-related offences within four weeks (between April 2 and May 4, 2021),’’ he said.

According to him, the special intervention patrol was necessitated by the need to stem the tide of traffic law infractions within the metropolis and highways.

He said the infractions often led to deaths or life-threatening injuries with a negative impact on human and material resources.

He expressed regret at the spiral effect of road crashes on the state’s socio-economic growth, saying that victims of road crashes were often found within the productive age categories of 17 and 45 years.

The sector commander added that such crashes always had immeasurable negative effects on society and the economy, as most families were left traumatised by the loss of loved ones and their breadwinners.

Mohammed identified the following seven traffic-related offences as the more prevalent within the period under review – seat belt violation, number plate violation, use of expired/worn-out tyres, speed limit device violation, and caution sign violation.

Others are vehicle windshield violation and fire extinguisher violation.

Mohammed said the special intervention patrols formed part of strategies put in place by the command to reduce road crashes in the state.

“Other measures include special patrols to address the traffic challenges associated with rickety vehicles which was initiated in Kaduna Sector and component Unit Commands of Kafanchan, Zaria, Birnin Gwari, Sabon Tasha, Kakau, Kachia, Katari, Saminaka, Birnin Yero, Gwantu, Tashan Yari, and Pambegua.

“In addition, there are 11 outposts to help in getting rid of mechanically deficient vehicles in the state,” he added.

“FRSC is committed to achieving set objectives in line with the 2021 Corporate Strategic Goals of the corps,” Mohammed said.
Source: Punch Newspaper

​PDP celebrates Obaseki’s Supreme Court victory

The Peoples Democratic Party has hailed the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, over his victory at the Supreme Court.

It described the victory as that of good over evil.

This was contained in a statement titled, “PDP Hails Gov. Obaseki’s Victory At Supreme Court …Says It’s Triumph of the Will of the People,” signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Friday.

The party said the Supreme Court Judgment upholding the election of Obaseki, is “as the inevitable triumph of the will of the people over anti-democratic forces.“

The PDP said the verdict of the apex court in throwing out the petition of All Progressives Congress is a resounding reinforcement of the popularity of the PDP and Governor Obaseki in Edo state, as firmly established in the election.

The party urged Governor Obaseki to continue in his commitment towards the development of the state and the wellbeing of his people in line with the manifesto and ideology of the PDP; the very reason he was overwhelmingly re-elected as governor of the state.

Ologbondiyan further said, “The PDP is proud of Governor Obaseki for the empowerment of the people as well as massive infrastructural development of Edo state in critical areas of healthcare, education, agriculture and food production, oil and gas, industrialization among others.“

The party also commended the judiciary for its courage in upholding justice and the will of the people in the Edo governorship election.

The APC is yet to react to the judgment.

Covid-19 killed 30 ASUU members, says president

President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, on Friday, said COVID-19 killed 30 of his members.

Ogunyemi stated this while delivering his valedictory speech at the 21 National Delegates conference of the union held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

He said, “In line with the provisions of our Constitution, we are here to review our activities in the last three years with a view to charting a new course at this critical juncture of our national life.

“As a point of departure, we must place on record that COVID-19 did not spare our campuses. Many of our infected members had had to combat the COVID attack with resources from colleagues and other people of goodwill because their salaries and emoluments, as well as the union’s check-off deductions, were withheld by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the rejection of the discredited Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.

“Our other comrades suffered the same fate in the hands of overzealous State University Vice-Chancellors and Visitors. As a matter of fact, we lost at least 30.

“In the last three years, ASUU has enjoyed tremendous goodwill from quarters too numerous to mention.
Ogunyemi’s successor is expected to emerge on Sunday at the Awka conference.

The conference’s lecture titled, “State Terrorism and Nigeria’s Development,” which was delivered by Prof Akin Oyebode of Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, summed that Nigeria was at a crossroad “caught in the vortex of variable contradictions, hopelessness and self-doubt.

The Vice UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone, described ASUU as the sole and conscience of the Nigerian University system.

Source: The punch

​ASUP STRIKE: We’ve met all ASUP’s demands – FG, as Students storm Abuja

By Victor Habila

Some sect of students from Polytechnics across Nigeria grounded activities at the Federal Ministry of Education, demanding an immediate end to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic Staff (ASUP).

The aggrieved students lay siege at the Federal Ministry of Education, to protest the about seven weeks strike, lamenting that they were the most marginalised set of students in the country, who were still at home despite having wasted a whole academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leading the protest, Mr Sunday Asuku, the President of National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), urged the Federal Government and ASUP to reach a compromise or risk a nationwide protest by the students.

He said: “We were home all through last year, we have wasted a whole year of our lives, there is nobody to compensate us for the year wasted and now we are on strike. How long are we going to continue like this? Our university counterparts are in class, we are the most marginalised set of students in the country.

“We can no longer keep quiet, silence is no longer golden, all we want is immediate reopening of our classes.”

Asuku further warned that should government fail to meet the demands of their lecturers and schools remain closed by next Monday, they would proceed to shut down the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.

“ASUP demanded 15 items from the Federal Government but was only able to get two which to us is not commendable. As a student body, we are interested in the government paying the lecturers their minimum wage which is accrued to two years.

“Other MDAs have received theirs since Nov 2019, why holding our lecturers to ransom. If you can give them this, then we have the right to hold them accountable for not teaching.

“We want the government to call ASUP back to a round table and give them what belongs to them else by Monday, we will grind the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.”

Addressing the protesting students, Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, insisted that the Federal has met all demands of the union.

“Every one of us is pained by what is going on in the polytechnic sector of our education, many of us spoke with ASUP at the time of their warning strike that we are not running an Adhoc government. Nothing ends today, even if I die today, Nigeria will continue and there is nothing that will stop Nigeria.

“When ASUP wanted to start this strike, we wrote them and said everything that ASUP requested for has been agreed upon, we do not have one area of disagreement.

“On the 23rd of May, we communicated to ASUP and we have given them a catalogue of everything that they said we should do that we have complied with.”

Source: Guardian

Children’s Day: Kaduna Gov’s wife advocates quality education

By Victor Habila, Kaduna

Kaduna state Governor’s wife, Hajiya Ummi Ahmad El-rufai has called on public and private partnership towards the promotion of quality education in the state.

She said Kaduna state government is on a quest to continue to partner individuals and groups with a view to guaranteeing human capacity development through massive investment in children education.

Hajiya Ummi stated this today while celebrating this year’s children day at LGEA Primary school maraban-jos in Igabi local government area of Kaduna state.

The wife of the Kaduna state Governor who took time to interact with pupils of the public primary school also expressed delight over massive investment been carried out by a philanthropist, ALH ADAMU Attah for the benefit of children of the poor.

Speaking earlier, the donor of the public primary school at maraban-jos and owner of the fifth chukker, ALH ADAMU Attah said he embarked on the project with a view to giving back to the society in line with his organization corporate social responsibility.

ALH ADAMU Attah explained that in the last ten years, maraban – JOS with a density population had no structures to accommodate pupils of nursery and primary school a situation that motivated him to partner UNICEF and other corporate organization and individuals towards the construction of one hundred and twenty blocks of class rooms in the area.

According to him,at present sixty blocks of class rooms have been constructed which is accommodating twelve thousand pupils of nursery and primary levels.

ALH ADAMU Attah further expressed his determination to continue to partner the Kaduna state government towards uplifting the standard of education, especially among children of the poor and the less privileged.
In a remarks, the village Head of maraban-jos, ALH Ibrahim Sidi described ADAMU Attah as a true Nigerian whose love for societal development must be encouraged and emulated by other wealthy individuals.

According to the village head,the children of the poor in maraban-jos can now read,write and speak English through the invaluable contributions of ALH ADAMU Attah.