KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Following the recent call by President Muhammadu Buhari to engineers to find solutions to the dilapidated infrastructures in the country, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, (NSE), has asked it’s members to brace up to the challenges and find the required solutions.
Chairman of Kaduna Charpter of the the Society, Engineer Nasiru Umar, stated this during the Annual General Meeting of the Society held in Kaduna recently.
He said NSE will ensure that all registered Engineers get involve in the attempt to revamp the country’s economy.
A cross section of Engineers at the AGM in Kaduna recently.
Engr Umar however called on the Government to carry Nigerian Engineers along because they are among the best brain in the world.
He expressed dismay over practices of some organizations who preferred foreign Engineers to the Nigerians.
Engr Umar who supervised the election of new Executive Officers to work with him congratulated the elected members, asking them to see their victory as a call to service.
Those elected are; Engr Rachel S. Ugye-Ama, Vice Chairman; Engr Aghwotu A, General Secretary; Engr Patrick, Assistant Gen. Secretary, and Engr Samson Arege Bawa, Treasurer.
Engineers at the recently held AGM in Kaduna.
Others includes; Engr Ibrahim Bello, Technical Secretary; Engr Ojo Emmanuel Adedayo, Assistant Technical Secretary; Engr Abdulwahab Hafis, Publicity Secretary; Engr Christy Abraham, Financial Secretary, and Engr Dr Shuaibu Ochetengwu Yakubu, Ex-Officio.
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – A Kaduna based legal practitioner, Barrister Abdullahi Barau, has raised alarm over alleged attempt by the Police to take over his property in Kaduna .
The property in contention was for the Police College, Kaduna until it was sold to the lawyer’s uncle, who later transferred ownership to him.
Information gathered revealed that the choice property located along Swimming Pool Road, Kaduna as at Saturday when our Correspondent visited was under sieged by some police officers, who claimed they were sent to guard the house on order of “Oga” without any formal letter or court order.
According to the lawyer, who narrated his ordeal with the police, the most disturbing part of the whole issue is that a seven-day ultimatum has been issued for him to vacate the house or face forceful eviction.
Addressing journalists on the matter, Barrister Barau, who said he had lived in the house for over eight years narrated how the property was acquired and right of ownership given after Federal government sold it.
Barrister Abdullahi Barau addressing Journalists in Kaduna.
“Sometimes in 2011, the property in question was allocated to one Mohammed Zarewa AIG at No. 2 Shooting Range Road, Kabala Doki, GRA, Kaduna, Kaduna State, with a document reading: “The Implementation Committee Of The White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry Into the Alienation of Federal Government Landed Property.
“In February, 2011, Mohammed Zarewa AIG accepted the offer and made payment of N9, 208, 700. 00 to the Federal Government on the 7 February, 2011 and thereafter, he sold the property to Alh Umar Muhammed who later sold the said property to one Alh Shehu Imam. Alh. Shehu Imam is the current owner of the property, who happens to be an uncle to me. Since then I have taken over the property on behalf of him.
“When I came to take over the property, I met the former Commandant of Police College, Saba Indangi. I approached him that we have purchased the property and he told me that he was aware of the transaction, and that I should give him two weeks to vacate the house as he is expecting his posting.
“When his posting didn’t come as expected, he requested for another two weeks which I oblige him and after the 4 weeks, when he couldn’t pack out I told him that we need to commence construction on the property, and he said I should go ahead with the plan.
“However, after our discussion, I commenced work as agreed, and I built 3 bedroom flats, 7 shops along Shooting Range, and 6 shops on Swimming Pool road which is ongoing. All these were built in 2011, and the 6 completed shops were lent out to tenants.
“When his transfer finally came and one CP Sanusi Rufai was posted to Kaduna as the Commandant in 2012, he forced himself into the house and occupied the flat even when the construction was going on for about 6 to 7 months, but we challenged that in court and he finally left the house. After the proceedings a directive was given that he should vacate the house.
The property along Swimming Pool Road, Kaduna.
“The order was the ruling of the High Court, and as I speak to you now, no appeal challenging the order to vacate the building. I expected that if truly, the police are law abiding people, ought to comply with the directive of the court that said that anybody living in the said building on behalf of the police should vacate. Police was established by the law and by so they should obey the court order.
“Also, we have a document from the court; right of possession in respect of the house which gives us the legal backing to take over the house on the 26 day of May 2017.
“After we took over the house and the shops, precisely on the 24 of April 2019, a Police Commissioner from Abuja came to officially handed over the house to us and we have a document to that effect.
“Since then we have continued to live in the house, until 24 of October 2019, I was out of Kaduna and I received a call from my wife that some police came and that we must vacate the house that very day. My wife and children were harassed and intimidated to the extend that my family members could not sleep that very night. Later I received a call that I was only given a week to vacate the house.
“The day the Police came to my house, my wife and children were terrified and traumatized by the police.
“In the whole of all these, there was no document from the Police authority instructing me to vacate the house. I was only called by somebody, and as I speak to you now I did not even know the police officer who called me, but I was only told to vacate the house on or before 31st of October 2019 on the order of unanimous Police boss without any written document.
“I want the people to Know that the building belong to Alh. Shehu Imam, and that we have several documents to back our claims.”
BORNO, North-East, Nigeria – Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has brought relief to thousands of households whose sources of livelihoods were affected by insurgency in Dikwa Local Government Area of the state.
The Governor who visited Dikwa town for an assessment and inspection on Sunday, October 27, 2019, also promised that the Dikwa-Ngala road project would be completed within one year.
According to him, the road project would be funded by Alh Aliko Dangote alongside Bama-Banki Road, all linking to the Republic of Cameroon.
Some of the food items on display.
Zulum also inspected the ongoing construction of 300 housing unit in Ajiri Mafa.
Other activities performed by the Governor includes assessment of a proposed site for the construction of 300 housing unit in Koyobe village in Dikwa Local Government.
In series of activities in Dikwa Prof Zulum also inspected the Borno State Government dry season farm site (Firgi) where 1000 farmers are engaged in sorghum and rice farming.
Similarly, the Governor also inspected the former Dikwa Resort which on his earlier visit he directed to be converted into a skill acquisition center. The rehabilitation work is now at 95 per cent completion stage.
“On his second day in Dikwa not fewer 25,000 residents whose sources of livelihoods were affected by boko haram attacks, on Sunday, received varieties of food and non-food items from the Governor.
“Each male householder, was given bags of rice, beans, biski (a traditional food) while a wrapper and cash to the females,” his media aide said.
Gov Zulum making distribution to some of the beneficiaries.
Briefing Journalists shortly after the distribution of food items to the IDPs, Governor Zulum disclosed that his administration would soon rehabilitate the famous T C Dikwa.
He directed the state ministry of education to take over one of the mega primary schools built by the Kashim Shettima administration, which will be converted to girls secondary school.
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – A group under the auspice of Civil Society Action Coalition On Education For All, (CSACEFA), has said that every child is entitled to quality education in Nigeria.
State Coordinator of the group, Theresa Biniyat, stated this when the group paid advocacy visit to the Chaimain, Committee on Education in the State House of Assembly, (KDSHA), on Tuesday, October 22, 2019.
Addressing the Committee, she said the visit became necessary as a government institution saddled with overseeing the executive arm of government and formulation of policies including the educational policy, to enable it gain valuable knowledge and also share it findings from recent field engagement during the Global Partnership for Education, (GPE).
According to her, over the years, the group has worked tirelessly to ensure that the goal of education for all becomes a reality.
Biniyat disclosed that in June 2019, CSACEFA embarked on a project to monitor/verify the disbursement of the World Bank/Global Partnership for Education, (GPE), fund to support the Nigeria Partnership for Education Project, (NIPEP) school improvement grant, female teachers’ scholarship as well as girl-child scholarship in 5 GPE intervention states in Northern Nigeria of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Sokoto states.
The state coordinator further disclosed some ongoing activities of the group in the state to include; monitoring of Better Education Service Delivery for All, (BESDA), a project geared towards enrollment campaign for out-of- school children in Nigeria championed by UBEB across 17 States of the Federation.
She said that BESDA was led by SUBEB in the state, while CSACEFA served as a third-party independent monitor for the verification and validation of the disbursement of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, GPE and Nigeria Partnership for Education Projects grants in all LGEA/UBE and Islamiyya schools that benefited from the grant.
Biniyat added that the group is also engaged in monitoring of School Based Management Committees, (SBMC) to track the effectiveness of their activities in the state.
“Some of our initiatives aimed at addressing girl-child issues in education include: strengthening girl education in Northern Nigeria;
“Strengthening public system and the capacity to ensure that education is qualitative and equitable,” she said.
Responding, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Honorable Yusuf Liman, expressed his pleasure with activities of CSACEFA in the State, saying it was key to the growth of the society, and urged other NGOs to follow suit.
Liman assured the group after it second meeting to see how the government can partner with the coalition.
CSACEFA is a coalition of Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs), working on education issues in Nigeria. It has been engaging, advocating and inputting to education policies and programmes at local, national and international levels.
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – A group, Journalist Initiative on Immunization Against Polio, (JAP), with the World Health Organization, (WHO), and other partners on Thursday, joined the State Primary Health Care to called on parents and caregivers to ensure their children were vaccinated.
In a statement to mark the 2019 World Polio Day in Kaduna signed by the State Coordinator of JAP, Mallam Lawal Dogara, reiterated the State Government and Development partners’ commitment to the total eradication of polio virus.
JAP urged parents to ensure that their children were not left out in the exercise; adding that the 2019 World Polio Day is an opportunity for global polio eradication.
The group commended Governor Nasiru El-Rufai and his Deputy Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, a former Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency for their efforts toward enhancing the health sector.
The group appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, proprietors of schools, among others to continue to educate their followers and allow all eligible children to be vaccinated to ensure adequate protection against childhood killer diseases.
“Tremendous achievements were recorded from December 2012 to date. Since the last four reported cases in 2014 in Borno State, Nigeria has remain polio free for close to 4 years now.
“The country and African continent as a whole is preparing to be satisfied polio free.
“Kaduna state in particular did not record any case of wild polio virus since November, 2012.”
“In view of the intensified efforts to ensure total eradication of Polio in Kaduna State, the State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with all the development partners are working hard to achieving the desired result,” the statement reads.
KANO, North-West, Nigeria – The Chief of Field Office, United Nation’s Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) Kano, Maulid Warfa, has said, behavioural change is key to achieving progress towards human and social development, whether in health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.
He stated this on Tuesday during a two-day Forum on social and behavioural change communication for stakeholders in Kano.
According to him, behavioural change is not only a recurring decimal but also a rallying point many sectors can converge.
“With this in mind, this forum is proposed to discuss the current approaches to community mobilization, social and behavior change communication by the various sectors that UNICEF Kano Field Office is supporting. And how to harmonize the various approaches for optimal results for the Nigerian child.
“Since social norms is part of human behavior in the society, the forum will also look at prevalent social norms in the states under the Kano Field Office and proffer suggestions on how to address them,” he said.
Warfa also explained that the proposed stakeholders will bring together key social and behavior change communication stakeholders from each of the sectors currently supported by UNICEF Kano Field Office.
He disclosed that it is proposed that each sector should nominate five persons to represent key partners implementing social and behavior change communication activities.
“One of such persons will be expected to share a 10- minute presentation on their current strategies for community mobilization, lessons learnt, challenges encountered, and those challenges that have been addressed. Also, to explore possible areas of collaboration with other sectors.
“It is proposed that out of the five persons to be nominated by each sector, at least two should come from each of the states the Field Office is currently supporting.
“In addition to these five, at least one Programme Manager, Specialist, Officer from each of UNICEF’s sections is expected to participate and support in synthesizing ideas for convergence and integration”, he added.
The UNICEF Chief, further stated that the general objective of the forum was to share experience on how the various sectors are approaching social and behavior change communication with a view to synthesizing, harmonizing and delivering as one in various communities.
“At the end of the forum, UNICEF is expecting the adoption of a convergent approach to social and behavior change communication across the sectors.”
The Manager Communication for Development, UNICEF Abuja, Dr Rufus Eshuchi, reassured partcipants of the Fund’s continued engagement with key stakeholders including the media to advance the cause of children.
“The achievement of positive behaviour change takes the collective efforts and contributions of all and I trust we are on course to drive and achieve the desired objective for the overall human development and especially children and women,” he said.
MAIDUGURI, North-East, Nigeria – Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has charged new appointees to ensure probity, prudence in public finance management, staff discipline and efficient management of human resources to achieve organizational objectives of the government.
He gave the charge during the swearing-in of 14 newly appointed permanent secretaries to the Borno state Civil S,ervice, in Maiduguri on Thursday, October 24, 2019.
A cross section of the new permanent secretaries at the swearing-in ceremony.
In a ceremony conducted at the multi-purpose hall of the Government House, Zulum said;
“We need a very vibrant bureaucracy, with the institutional frame work for basic service delivery to meet up a very high public expectation in order to strengthen the confidence of the people in us.”
He further called on the new appointees to be dedicated to their duties and also proffer professional advises that would guide the commissioners to achieving the administration’s objectives.
Female permanent secretaries at the ceremony.
“Let me say that governance in a crisis situation is very different, and a daunting task. In spite of our efforts since the assumption of office, the security challenges have given us little room to launch in full force of our developmental agenda.
“Our zeal and commitment are for a quick economic recovery, job creation, revitalize the health and education sectors and restore life back to normal. We will not be discouraged or get fascinated; we will by the grace of God achieve our objectives,” he said.
The Governor warned that he would not hesitate to remove anyone not discharging his duties diligently; cautioning that his administration would not condone acts of inefficiency from anyone.
Earlier, the Head of Service Alhaji Mohammed Hassan, thanked the Governor for appointing competent personalities who would inject new ideas to the state Civil Service.
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has approved the appointment of Mr. Kola Adeyanju as his Media Assistant, (MA) with effect from November 1, 2019.
This was contained in a statement signed on behalf of Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Tunde Akpeji, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday.
Adeyanju, joins the Minister’s team of aides with a rich background in multimedia journalism spanning radio, television and online with more than a decade of practice.
MAIDUGURI, North-East, Nigeria – Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday, said it was important that the roles of all humanitarian agencies operating in the state be properly identified to avoid duplications.
He stated this when he received the United Nations Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Sir Mark Lowcock, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, and the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, who paid him a courtesy visit in Maiduguri.
The team were in the State to focus on addressing humanitarian issues and to enhance coordination of interventions in the area.
Senior government officials at the meeting.
According to him, the Government need to understand the activities of the partners, with a view to reducing duplications.
“We want to understand who is working in our state, what he is doing and where he is working,” he said.
While commending the efforts of all humanitarian actors rendering different services in the northeast, Governor Zulum, said it was necessary for the State Government to lead in coordination of all interventions in the area.
The Governor expressed his deepest appreciation to the UN Under Secretary General, Lowcock and the Minister, Sadiya Farouq.
He recalled that Borno State has suffered the worst hit epicenter of the insurgency in which case 75 per cent of the infrastructures were destroyed while agricultural activities were suspended due to threats.
He explained further that no household in the state was spared the effects of the insurgency as both the internally displaced, those taking refuge in neighboring countries and residents had felt the burden of different levels.
He however said that with improvement in the security situation, the Government of Borno will focus on the economic recovery and stabilization.
Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, informed the Governor that the visit was to discuss issues relating to humanitarian operations in the state.
She further stated that following the blacklist of some humanitarian organizations by the military, an investigation was ongoing but before the outcome, her ministry would step up with interventions by providing relief items to displaced persons.
The UN Under Secretary General,
Sir Lowcock assured the Governor and the minister that all international organizations involved in humanitarian interventions are registered with the Nigerian authority and are operating under a frame work provided by it.
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