A Community leader in Jamaare Local Government area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Lawal Mohammed, says lack of safe water, inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities affect childrens learning processes.

Mohammed said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Azare, Katagum Local Government headquarters on Saturday.

We lack safe water in our communities, schools and the health facilities which affects learning process of children.

According to him, water scarcity in communities prevents many young children, especially girls, from attending school and receiving education.

They are expected not only to assist their mothers to fetch water, but also to help with household chores that are made more time-intensive because of the lack of readily available water.

Furthermore, the lack of clean water means the absence of sanitary facilities and latrines in schools, and so once puberty hits, this has a more serious impact on female children.

In terms of lost educational opportunity, school attendance drops or children skip class attendance day by day.

According to him, inadequate safe water, sanitation and hygiene facilities affect the education, health, safety, and quality of life of children as children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoea.

Children in our communities go to schools which have no drinking water or clean latrines basic things that many of us take for granted.

Every child has the right to be in a school that offers safe water, healthy sanitation and hygiene education.

Mohammed stressed that providing quality water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in schools would reduce hygiene-related diseases and could help curb the schools days missed daily due to fatigue occasioned by search for water.

According to him, girls are reluctant to continue their schooling when toilets and washing facilities are not private, safe, clean, or simply not available.

The community leader, therefore, urged government, policy makers, school administrators, communities and parents to ensure that all children go to a school with child-friendly water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

He also urged decision-makers and key stakeholders to increase investment for WASH in schools, with the participation of communities, civil society, the media, students and children themselves.

He said providing WASH facilities in schools would improve access to primary education, reduce child mortality and halve the proportion of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation.

Mohammed commended the Network for Civil Society Organisations in Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) and WaterAid Nigeria for launching the vote4WASH campaign, adding that it would go a long way in the quest for the provision of WASH facilities in the communities. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday attended the funeral service of late Pastor Oluwayemisi Adeloye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

The vice- president attended the funeral service, which was held at RCCG, Dominion Sanctuary, Ikeja, alongside his wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo.

Aged 58, Adeloyes ministerial work took her to several stations both in Nigeria and abroad.

She was the first programme coordinator of Women in Ministry of RCCG.

Delivering a sermon at the service, Pastor Charles Achonwa, General Overseer, Doulos Ministries, said that Adeloye lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation.

Achonwa said that the late pastor was an epitome of what a good wife should be.

In his tribute, Adeloyes son, Joshua Adeloye, described his late mother as a tireless worker and Gods servant, who impacted immensely on her family and society in general.

Source: NAN

Mr Abraham Gbileeka, the General Manager of Benue Urban Development Board, says the board has marked no fewer than 300 buildings that contravene law for demolition in Makurdi.

He said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Makurdi that most of the affected structures were built on water channels.

Its true that people are building on water channels and it is our responsibility as a board to stop them; the only action we have to sustain the right thing.

Once we discover that you have not received a legitimate approval from the board and you have gone ahead to build, we serve you a notice which will lead to demolition.

So, at the moment, we already have 300 houses marked for demolition in Makurdi alone, he said.

The general manager also said that the structures marked for demolition were not only built on water canals, but lack government approval.

Gbilekaa said that areas that would be affected are Nyiman extension, Achussa, Genabe, Owner Occupier, Wadata and High-level, Naka Road and some communities in North Bank.

He, however, explained that marking a house does not necessarily lead to demolition as houses were marked sometimes because they have no records with the board.

Gbilekaa warned the residents of the state against raising illegal structures that such buildings stand the risk of being demolished.

He also advised them to ensure that due process was followed when obtaining approval for their structures.(NAN)

Source: NAN

The bishop who led Aretha Franklin's funeral has apologised to Ariana Grande after being accused of groping her on stage.

Images show Bishop Charles H Ellis III holding Ariana high above her waist, with his fingers squeezed around the side of the singer's chest.

"It would never be my intention to touch any woman's breast," he told the Associated Press.

"Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar."

He added: "But again, I apologise."

The preacher said he hugged all artists, male or female, during the ceremony commemorating the Queen of Soul.

But viewers began posting images from the service when Ariana got up to sing Aretha's song (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.

#RespectAriana is trending worldwide after a pastor got very handsy with @ArianaGrande at Aretha Franklin's funeral pic.twitter.com/FeJQ4f3lk4

— Ariana Grande Today (@ArianaToday) August 31, 2018

Many people felt that Bishop Ellis's hand was inappropriately high on the 25-year-old's body as he spoke to her - saying that she looked uncomfortable with the contact.

Y’all are talking about @ArianaGrande’s dress being too short when we could be talking about this groping and how uncomfortable Ariana is? & the look on his face? Dear Jesus. pic.twitter.com/HO7i9y9WFP

— Nicholas Liddle (@NLiddle16) September 1, 2018

It came as others on social media had been criticising Ariana for what she was wearing to the church service, saying her dress was too short.

Some people said that the focus being on Ariana, rather than the bishop, was misogynistic.

Misogyny looks like criticizing Ariana Grande for how short her skirt was— but not the fact that Bishop Charles Ellis gave her a mammogram on national television. 🙄

— Ashlee Marie Preston (@AshleeMPreston) September 1, 2018

And argued that the pastor's embrace deserved greater attention than it was getting.

I think every woman can look at Ariana Grande's face and body language and viscerally feel what she's feeling. The tension. The nervous laughter. Not wanting to make a scene or make him angry. Every woman knows this feeling.

But google her and everyone's talking about her dress. https://t.co/VYikD43RnM

— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) September 1, 2018

#RespectAriana began trending as more people saw the footage.

"I hug all the female artists and the male artists," Bishop Ellis told AP.

"Everybody that was up, I shook their hands and hugged them. That's what we are all about in the church. We are all about love."

He added: "The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin."

It wasn't the only thing the bishop apologised to Ariana about though.

Earlier in the service he made a joke about the singer's name.

"When I saw Ariana Grande on the program, I thought that was a new something at Taco Bell," he said to her.

Funny moment during the #ArethaFranklinFuneral: Bishop Ellis tells @ArianaGrande when he saw her on the program he thought "it was a new something at Taco Bell." pic.twitter.com/Sxgh8Nnt9n

— Local 4 WDIV Detroit (@Local4News) August 31, 2018

A lot of people found the joke funny, and it featured heavily in the conversation around the funeral.

But Bishop Ellis apologised after some thought it was distasteful.

It’s troubling that a Taco Bell joke (which was extremely ignorant) is overshadowing the fact that Ariana Grande was groped during Aretha Franklin’s memorial service. pic.twitter.com/clR9TbrgxZ

— Ash (@Mod_Bombshell) September 1, 2018

"I personally and sincerely apologise to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community," the bishop said.

"When you're doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there."

Ariana was performing at the funeral of Aretha Franklin alongside icons like Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.

Aretha was remembered as an aunt, grandmother, friend, civil rights activist and icon of black womanhood, in a nine-hour ceremony.

She died earlier this month of pancreatic cancer, aged 76.

Source: BBC

Apple is set to reveal its latest lineup of products on Sept. 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the tech giant's campus, it announced in an invitation to media. The event starts at 10 a.m. P.T.

The company's annual September event serves as the introduction of new iPhone models and upgraded gadgets before inventory hits the shelves, but this year's unveiling is rumored to be impressive even by Apple's standards.

Analysts and news outlets are expecting upgrades to nearly every Apple product line. Reports have suggested a new line of iPhones, a new MacBook Air and updated Mac Mini, upgrades to the iPad and a new Apple Watch.

Apple is expected to announce three new iPhone X models: a sequel to the current model with the 5.8-inch OLED display, a larger version with an OLED 6.5-inch display and a cheaper version with a 6.1-inch LCD screen. The 6.1-inch model will use aluminum instead of steel casing to keep costs lower, Bloomberg reported. The article also said Apple will offer new color options for the iPhone lineup. Like the iPhone X, all the new iPhone models will ditch the home button in favor of gesture controls and the FaceID facial recognition system for unlocking the phone.

Apple is also expected to update its iPad Pro models with screens and features that mimic the iPhone X, including FaceID and gesture controls. Apple will also have new versions of the 12.9-inch and 11.9-inch iPad Pros.

Several of the reported updates to the iPad and Watch mimic the iPhone X — revealed at last year's product event — with its full-width, OLED screen and facial recognition software.

Real Madrid and Croatia star Luka Modric on Thursday received the accolade of UEFA Player of the Year in Monaco, beating his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpools Mohamed Salah to the prize.

Im very happy to receive this great prize. I have worked hard for this, to get to the highest point possible, said Modric, who starred in the Real side that won the Champions League for the third year running before also leading Croatia to the World Cup final.

I can say for sure that this has been the best year of my career, collectively and individually, and I am enjoying the moment, added the 32-year-old, who was announced as the winner of the prize after Thursdays draw in Monaco for this seasons Champions League group stage,

Modric started out at Dinamo Zagreb and then had four years with Tottenham Hotspur before Real prised him away six years ago.

His success here, after he was named the best player at the World Cup, confirms that he should be among the favourites to win the Ballon dOr, a prize dominated by Ronaldo and Lionel Messi over the last decade.

Salah was in attendance at the Grimaldi Forum on Thursday, but Ronaldo, now with Juventus, was not there.

Im sorry that he couldnt be here. I am sure there is a reason why he couldnt come. I would have liked to see him. Hopefully we will see each other soon somewhere else, said Modric of his old colleague.

Modric has also been linked with a move away from Real this summer, with Inter Milan said to be keen on him, but he claims to be more than happy in the Spanish capital.

As I have always said, I am at the best club in the world, where I want to be. I am not just happy but very happy to be here.

Reals achievement in winning yet another Champions League last season was further recognised as Modric also won the UEFA award for the best midfielder of last season.

His clubmate Sergio Ramos was named best defender while Real shot-stopper Keylor Navas won the best goalkeeper prize.

Ronaldo, in his absence, was awarded the prize for best striker chosen by Champions League and Europa League coaches from last season and journalists.

The award recognises the best players, irrespective of nationality, playing for a club within the territory of a UEFA member association during the past season.

The award recognises the best players, irrespective of nationality, playing for a club within the territory of a UEFA member association during the past season.

Danish international Pernille Harder, of German club Wolfsburg, won the UEFA womens player of the year prize.

Wolfsburg lost to dominant French outfit Lyon in the Champions League final in Kiev in May.

There was also an award for David Beckham, the former Manchester United, Madrid and England star collecting the UEFA Presidents Award for his achievements in the game and his work since retiring as a player.

2017/18 Luka Modri (Real Madrid

Heroic reception heralded Mallam Abdullahi Danbaba, an aide of Governor Abdullahi Ahmed, who resigned his appointment to remain in All Progressives Congress (APC).

A mammoth crowd trooped out on Thursday in Kaiama, Kaiama local government area of Kwara to receive Danbaba who snubbed the governors
defection to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Residents and supporters joined Danbaba to rally round the community chanting anti-People Democratic Partys (PDP) and anti-Saraki slogans.

Some of the residents lamented that the community had suffered protracted neglect in infrastructural development particularly road construction.

Alhaji Ahmed Usman, the chairman, Kaiama Development Association explained that the community had been die hard loyalists of Saraki dynasty without any development.

We have suffered a lot. We were being pushed to wall in time of infrastructure. That is why the people of Kaiama are saying enough is enough.

For more than 30 years now, late father of Bukola Saraki, Olusola Saraki would come here and campaign that if we vote for him, he would do Kishi-Kaiama road.

So Bukola spent eight years without doing the road, Bukola Saraki brought Abdulfatah and this is all most his eight years, the road is yet to be done, he said.

Usman added that there could not be any development without road particularly that Kaiama was the food basket of the North-West, South-West and North-Central in term of yam, yam flour, maize, guinea corn and soya beans among others.

He noted that people were frustrated to come around to buy yam because of the bad road, noting that all the three roads that linked the community with the neighbourhood were in deplorable condition.

A youth, Abubakar Kakagida, said that the people were so patient to have followed Saraki this far.

According to him, the community has been deceived more than enough in the name of constructing Kishi-Kaiama road.

We the community are the one that called him to resign and come to back to the APC because we could not achieve our aspiration on Sarakis platform.

Meanwhile, Danbaba expressed delight over the warm and heroic reception, saying his resignation had been justified by the turn out of the people. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki has officially declared to run for President in the 2019 General Elections.

Saraki made the declaration on Thursday, while meeting with young Nigerians who want to run for office in 2019 under the NotTooYoungToRun Act that was passed by the National Assemly and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming General Elections in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians.

According to a tweet by a Special Assistant to Saraki on New Media, Mr Olu Onemola on twitter, he wrote: LIVE VIDEO: The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has just declared his intention to seek the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While speaking with the youths, Saraki said that his decision to seek the highest office in the country was in view of the Numerous challenges being faced by the country and by Nigerians.

He said that it was unthinkable that Nigeria, with its young population, with over 70 per cent of its people under the age of 40, still could not take advantage of the youthful population which is envied by the Western World.

He lamented that all over the country Nigerians were crying out for succour with many people going hungry, while others die of avoidable and treatable diseases.

The harsh conditions of extreme poverty faced by the people, fuels the state of insecurity all over the country. Hunger, lack of education and lack of opportunities push many Nigerians into criminal activities including terrorism.

Many of our communities are paralysed with fear due to incessant communal crises, kidnappings and other social ills, as well as the threat of terrorism. We are failing abysmally to tackle the problems of today and to prepare for the future, he said.

Saraki went on to say that the economy was in dire need of urgentrevival in order for Nigeria to grow adding that Nigerians have become more divided than ever before between the haves and the have-nots.

He therefore stressed that something must be done about the situation of things in every sphere of the country, stressing that it was for the sake of offering solutions that he was declaring to run.

It is with all these in mind, and taking account of the challenges that I have outlined, that I have decided to answer the call of teeming youth who have asked me to run for President.

Accordingly, I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming General Elections in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians.

My Plan for Nigeria has inclusion in all aspects of the countrys affairs as a central pillar. Every citizen has the inalienable right to feel a sense of belonging, no matter their background or creed, or what part of the country they come from. No matter who you voted for or what your convictions are, government must work for you.

Your generation does not deserve to live in the poverty capital of the world. It is no longer an issue of how we got here, but how do we get out of this situation? I promise you that I will lead the fight and employ every God-given resource available to us in turning things around. I am determined to grow Nigeria out of poverty. We will stimulate the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as one of the ways of energising the economy and to create wealth for our people, especially the youth.

I

He pledged to secure Nigeria by redesigning the security architecture and equipping security agencies, address infrastructural deficits in power and transportation, defend the constitutional rights of all Nigerians and uphold the principle of the rule of law at all times.

He assured the youths that he would not be selective in fighting corruption adding that he would ensure that all institutions of government would be allowed to function without undue inteference.

I offer leadership driven by empathy. Where leaders are responsive to the citizens. Where they know that government cares. We will not be indifferent or turn a blind eye to the real concerns of our people. Every single Nigerian life matters.

B

I have deliberately chosen the opportunity of being here with you, my Number One constituency who I see as the future of our great country, to make my intention known. I believe the Nigerian youth are critical to rebuilding and growing the economy, and restoring our national pride.

I therefore ask you and all well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with me in this noble cause.My brothers, My sisters, Lets Grow Nigeria Together, he said.

Source: NAN

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who announced his aspiration for the office of president, may be pitted with his ally and governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, who has picked his nomination form for the same office on the same ticket of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There are a dozen of other bigwigs of the party, many of whom belong to the same political camp.

Many of them defected at the same time from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to regroup to upstage traditional members of PDP.

Among others gunning for the slot are a two- time governor of Kano, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso; ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar; ex-governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido and others.

Tambuwal who arrived the partys National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, with his supporters at few minutes 6.p.m, left at about 7. 10 p.m.

Tambuwal told newsmen shortly after he picked the form that he was confident that the PDP leaders would conduct credible elections, if the aspirants did not go for consensus candidate.

I cant say there is no need for consensus; it is part of democratic process. If there is a possibility of it, why not? If it is not possible, then, we all go for the primaries.

But I believe that PDP of today is capable of organising free, fair, credible and transparent primaries.

Tambuwal said that going by his antecedents he had the capability to confront the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its likely candidate.

I believe you need to check back my political antecedents. I have always confronted with this kind of hostile environment.

You remember how I emerged as Speaker of House of Representatives and how I remained there as Speaker of House of Representatives.

So I am not discouraged by whatever that may come up as a challenge from the administration.

On the issue of herdsmen/farmers crisis, Tambuwal said it was a major security concern to every Nigerian.

We must look at the issue very comprehensively and proffer solution to it.

I believe it is an issue every responsible government must address and I assure you we can take it head on and resolve it. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Patricia Amogu
The Federal Government said on Thursday that it would explore all possible avenues to ensure that Nigeria benefitted immensely from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The Green Climate Fund is an operating entity of the UN Financial Mechanism to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.

The Minister of State for Environment, Malam Ibrahim Jibril, stated this at a Gala Dinner and Certificates Award Night organised by the African Unions (AU) Scientific, Technical and Research Commission in Abuja, to mark the end of a three-day Capacity Building Consultative Workshop for AU member states.

The consultative workshop was an avenue to train representatives of African states on how to access the GCF.

According to the minister, accessing the fund will go a long way towards addressing climate change-related issues in the country.

He said that towards that end, the environment ministry was working closely with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to generate renewable energy as a way of mitigating the effect of climate change.

He added that it was in a bid to address climate-related issues that Nigeria became the first African country to raise the Sovereign Green Bond in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement of 2015 to which it is a signatory.

The minister stated that the government would encourage the 36 states of the federation to put proposals that would stand the test of time and to benefit from the GCF.

He then urged participants to return to their various countries and apply the knowledge and lessons learned during the interactive sessions to help grow the various agencies, parastatals, organisations and academic institutions in their countries.

Highpoint of the evening was the award of certificates of participation to all the key stakeholders, participants and resource persons.

The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at least 20 African countries were represented at the workshop.

Source: NAN