By Ihechinyere Chigmeri-Uwom

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia says the state government is ready to provide facilities that will boost leather and garment production in the state.

Ikpeazu said this on Friday while performing the ground breaking ceremony of Aba Leather And Garment Industrial Cluster in Umunnato as well as Enyimba City Garment Industry in Umukalika, both in Obingwa Local Government.

The governorsaid that the construction of the two local industries would encourage production of leather and garment in large quantities in Abia.

Ikpeazu said that Enyimba City Garment Industry, which was solely sponsored by the state government, would be completed before the end of the year.

He said that the Aba Leather and Garment Industrial Cluster, was a public-private partnershipproject andwould be completed before the end of his administration.

Ikpeazu described Aba as a major contributor to the growth ofleather and garment production in Nigeria, saying there wasthe need to create an enabling environment for increased production.

The governor said that the policy thrust of hisadministration since itsinception had been to explore the areas where the state had comparative advantage.

Ikpeazu said that this informed the decision of the state government to embark on the two projects to provide a platform for artisans to scale up their manufacturing skills and output.

Finally, we have come to a point where we can count ourselves and be sure that we have a place, a befitting place for our artisans, especially in the leather and garmentsubsector.

Aba and Abia State is a major contributor toward what Nigeria can showcase even in the continental free trade agreement that the Federal Government had just signed and the whole country is looking up to Aba to make a strong statement in that regard

The state government must provide the ambience that is required for our artisans to innovate ideas and flourish and that is the essence of this leather and garment cluster, Ikpeazu said.

The governor urged the contractor to work in line with the outlined specifications of the projects for efficient delivery.

Heurged members of the host communities to continue to give their unalloyed support and cooperation for the project to be completed in record time.

Ikpeazu gave an assurance that the state government would provide everything needed to ensure that artisans in the state occupy their rightful place in the scheme of things.

Earlier, Mr Mba Eme, the Permanent Secretary ofthe state Ministry of Industry, said that the industrial cluster was conceptualised in 2006.

Eme said that she was happythatthe projectswere gradually becoming a reality.

He said that the cluster would contain 15, 000 shops with facilities such as fire service station, police station, banks, clinics, toilets, CCTV cameras, standby power supply, amongstg others.

According to him, Abia artisans would leverage on the industrial cluster to promote Made in Aba products.

The Project Developer,Chief Chris Simon, said that the Leather and Garment Cluster would accommodate leather and garment artisans in Ariaria and other parts of the state.

Simon described the project as a first of its kind in the state, which would yield enormous benefits for the government and the people of Abia. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Mohammed Tijjani

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has said the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is a basic requirement for admission into the academy.

A statement by Maj. Bashir Jajira, the NDA Public Relations Officer, on Saturday in Kaduna, said the attention of the academy had been drawn to a fake news speculating the suspension of UTME for the incoming members of 73 Regular Course.

The academy wishes to inform the general public that UTME is one of the basic requirements for entry into the academy.

All interested applicants into the academy must have passed the UTME and attained an acceptable minimum national standard as determined by JAMB annual policy meeting before gaining entry into the 73 Regular Course.

Thegeneral public is advisedto disregard any information circulating on the social media purporting the suspension of JAMB for 73 Regular Course.

The information, which is false, has no link with the NDA and is capable ofdisqualifying interested applicants from gaining entry into the academy.

The academy wishes to reiterate that all activities relating to admissions into the NDA are duly publicised on its official website:and in some national dailies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Kaduna State Government to reverse the mass sack of workers in the state, describing it as an arbitrary and cruel decision.

NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in a letter addressed to the State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday, in Abuja.

Your Excellency, we wish to refer to a letter with reference number GH/KD/5 and addressed to the Head of Service, Kaduna State, by Dr Salisu Suleiman, Principal Private Secretary to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The letter under reference conveyed the decisions of the Kaduna State Government to give effect to compulsory retirement of officers that are 50 years old and above; compulsory retirement of officers on Grade Level 14 and above, even if they are less than fifty years.

Others are conversion to casual workers for officers on Grade Level 01 06 and the directive that no Local Government in Kaduna State shall have more than 50 staff strength.

We understand that right now redundancy letters are being issued to workers caught in the web of this very arbitrary and cruel decision.

We wish to remind Your Excellency that this draconian and insensitive move by your government has humungous impact on the livelihood and survival of thousand of Kaduna State workers and their families, Wabba said.

The labour leader noted that the action by the Kaduna State Government violated the fundamental human and trade union rights of Kaduna State workers.

He added that this was also a gross violation of extant labour laws, especially Section 20 Sub Sections 1 (a-c), 2 and 3 of Nigerias Labour Act, which specified the conditions that must be met before any worker could be declared redundant.

To be precise, Section 20 of the Labour Act, inter alia, provides for the following minimum: The employer shall inform the trade union or workers representatives concerned of the reasons for and the extent of the anticipated redundancy, the NLC president said.

According to him, the actions of the Kaduna State Government to retire workers, who were yet to attain the statutory retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of service, amounted to a contemptuous disdain of the workforce.

This is also a flagrant violation of the provisions of the civil service rules as contained in contracts of employment of the affected workers, at both state and local government.

It is pertinent at this point to remind Your Excellency that Nigeria is not a Banana Republic, but a Constitutional Republic governed by laws, rules and regulations.

To the best of our knowledge, none of the extant provisions in our Constitution, Labour Laws and Civil Service rules, were adhered to before the ongoing redundancy of workers in Kaduna State, he said.

Wabba, furthermore, called the attention of the Kaduna State Government to the clause in the redundancy letter issued to workers, affected by the mass sack, that all the entitlements of the affected workers would be paid in due course, describing this as being in conflict with the provisions of the Labour Act on redundancy.

Your Excellency is aware that the clause in the letter is vague, noncommittal, ambiguous and anomalous with the provisions of the Labour Act on redundancy.

Succinctly put, this industrial ill-wind was only a furtherance of the climate of neo-liberal and anti-workers policies which your administration is increasingly gaining a badge of notoriety in the eyes of right-thinking Nigerians.

Section 20 (1c) of the Labour Act provides that: the employer shall use his best endeavours to negotiate redundancy payments to any discharged workers.

Your Excellency, what the law provides for is that redundancy benefits must be negotiated, he said.

Wabba said the fact that many Kaduna State teachers sacked over two years ago were yet to receive their retirement benefits offered little hope that workers, currently marked for mass sack, will receive theirs any time soon.

He said that the purge of Kaduna State workforce with unjust, arbitrary and illegal mass sack, especially amidst the great difficulties and hardship occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, was a poorly conceived, extremely wrong, and morally indefensible policy.

This policy also has very huge implications for the already serious unemployment and security situation in Kaduna State and the country at large.

The pervading fear now is that the security crisis in Kaduna State will worsen, when bread winners are deprived of their legitimate income and their families put in disarray.

We write to demand that Your Excellency quickly reverses the so-called rationalisation and casualization of Kaduna State workers.

If this unsavoury situation persists, Organised Labour will not hesitate to fall back on the lawful options available to workers to pursue justice in this matter, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will on Friday inaugurate the Solar Power Naija programme in Jigawa, commencing with the Jangefe community which will get 1,000 Solar Home Systems connections.

The programme is in pursuit of the Federal Governments Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP).

The scheme is part of a 100,000 scheme with A-SOLAR, a local solar power company implementing part of the ESP Solar Power Naijas planned 5 million connections across the country.

The Ministry of Power through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is the implementing public agency for the 5 million off-grid solar connections programme (Solar Power Naija).

That programme provides N140 billion in concessionary financing from the Central Bank of Nigeria and Commercial Banks for off-grid developers.

The developers will rollout mini-grids and solar home systems that will cost from N3,000 per month and up, depending on system type to provide electricity to locations all across the country.

The event marks the inauguration of 100,000 connections through a commercial partnership between A-Solar, a local developer, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), and Sterling Bank.

The Jangefe community in Jigawa will be the first location covered by the A-Solar company and will have 1,000 Solar Home Systems installed across the community covering about 5,000 citizens.

The community will pay monthly energy payments until the systems are fully paid for at the point which there will be a transfer of ownership to each consumer in the community.

Jangefe community is in Roni Local Government Area in Kazaure Emirate of Jigawa.

Jangefe is a rural farming community that uses the water bodies around the area for all year farming.

The economic activity in Jangefe provides the opportunity for the community to be powered and pay for consumption.

A-Solar leveraged the Roni LGA and Kazaure Emirate Council to do mass sensitisation for an understanding of the usage of the system and payment mechanisms.

Through a World Bank and REA programme called the Nigerian Electrification Programme (NEP), each connection under the Solar Power Naja programme would receive a 20 per cent rebate for the developer.

It will, therefore, allow the rates charged to consumers to be reduced by the same amount. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Emirs in Kebbi State have lauded President Muhammadu Buharis administration for ensuring the take-off of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) to address plights of riverine communities.

The Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar, made the commendation when he received members of Governing Council of HYPPADEC in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

Bashar, who is also the Chairman, Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, said that their communities have recorded losses in human and material resources from ecological challenges associated with hydroelectric dams.

On his part, the Emir of Yauri, Dr Zayyanu Abdullahi, while receiving menvers of the commission, lamented that Yauri emirate lost a lot of economically viable islands to the construction of Kainji dam without corresponding benefits.

Abdullahi said although the Act establishing the dam spelt out special projects for the affected communities such as Inland port, ring road, dredging of River Niger and small boat industry, among others, none was executed.

The emir also commended Buhari for inaugurating HYPPADEC and urged the governing council to quickly look at these issues to reduce the continued monumental loss of life and property from flood and other ecological challenges.

Earlier, the Chairman of the commission, Mr Joseph Ityav, informed the first class traditional rulers that the commission was aware of most of these challenges, assuring that it will deploy available resources in changing the narratives.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the commission, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, said the commission would engage relevant stakeholders within the affected communities to address the challenges in line with their peculiarities.

He said that the commission would prioritise issues that require immediate response within the shortest possible time.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, according to the HYPPADEC (Establishment Act) (No. 87 of 2010), the commission shall, among other things, formulate policies and guidelines for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas.

Others are: to carry out a survey of hydroelectric power producing areas in order to ascertain measures necessary to promote its physical development and prepare schemes designed to promote the physical developments of the hydroelectric power producing areas.

NAN gathered that the commission is also required to implement all measures approved for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas by the Federal Government.

Similarly, the commission would tackle ecological problems that arise from overloading of dams in the hydroelectric power producing areas and advice federal and state governments on the prevention and control of floods and environmental hazards.

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

Some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on Friday sensitised Colony of the Disabled persons at Karmajiji, FCT, on the ills of street begging, mental health and their rights to social inclusion.

Hajiya Zainab Khalil, the National Cordinator, Young Ambassadors Against Drug Initiative (YAADAI), during a medical outreach in the community said the sensitisation was necessary to shape a livable world for all vulnerable children.

She expressed concern over out of school children, street children, children with disabilities and those involved in substance abuse, hence the need to educate them on factors that affect their development.

She also decried the way street children were used as political thugs and imbibe negative vices, urging government to fully implementing the Child Rights Act, which will ensure the rights of children were protected.

Its like their rights are been violated and we are comfortable with it. So we want to create that awareness that these rights should not be violated.

We bring in laws and policies, but we do not implement them. We are looking at the mental health of these children and we have to change their mindsets, she said.

On improving access to education for physically challenged person and their children, the National Cordinator said the organisation will write to the Federal Government to deploy NYSC members persons existing school in the community.

Also, Mrs Aramide Togun, the Cordinator, Kazit Children Development Foundation, said they will support the disable communities through education intervention programmes to discourage street children begging and selling on the road.

We are looking towards education, once they are educated, they will be able to do a lot of things.

So we will discuss with the leaders and know how much they pay the teachers and support them in ways that we can in educating the children, she said.

Togun explained that the foundation will also donate face masks, hand sanitisers and hand wash, as well as other sanitary items to further enlighten them on COVID-19 as part of the medical outreach.

In her presentation, a medical practioner, Dr Ndidi Ijeh, stressed the need for the people to continue to adhere to the government guidelines on COVID-19 to prevent them from contacting or spreading the virus.

Earlier, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed-Katsina, the Emir of all Disabled persons in the FCT, appealed to the government to improve access to quality education to discourage street begging and selling by children.

Also, Hajiya Rahina Haruna, Women Leader, Disabled Colony, expressed appreciation to the organisation for their support to disabled people, urging others to emulate similar gesture.

Mr Ibrahim Sagir, Chairman, FCT Disabled Colony and Youths Leader, appealed to the government and well meaning Nigerians to support them with access to education, healthcare facilities and income generation ventures.

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan has decried recent attacks on Police formations and Correctional facilities in Imo.

A statement by Mr Ola Awoniyi, the senate presidents Special Assistant on Media, said Lawan described those responsible for the attacks as enemies of the people and country.

Lawan stated this in Owerri on Friday while inaugurating a road project completed by Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo.

He said that the aim of the attackers was probably to cause a distraction for the Imo government or even the Federal Government.

The road which was named after a former Senate President, Late Chief Evan Enwerem, was one of the infrastructural projects inaugurated to mark Uzodinmas one year in office.

Lawan advised the people to take ownership of the projects, utilise them well and protect them as their projects.

We have been experiencing insecurity recently especially in Imo the jail break, burning of Police Headquarters and so on.

These may be attempts by enemies of the people to distract this administration or indeed the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When a government programme or project is vandalised, when a government institution is vandalised and burnt, those doing so are enemies of the people.

Our security agencies need more resources to ensure that we are all protected and life is secured as well as our property.

We will continue to support our security agencies in partnership with the executive arm of government, Lawan said.

Source: NAN News

By Muhammad Lawal

The Kebbi State Government and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are to continue to strengthened collaboration on production of biofuel and renewable energy.

Mr Yahaya Sarki, Adviser to Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi on Media, made this known in a statement made available to Newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

Sarki said the decision was reached when Bagudu paid a courtesy visit on the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Malam Mele Kyari, in Abuja .

He said the visit was to renew efforts toward strengthening the earlier collaboration on biofuel and renewable energy production in the state.

In his remark, the GMD reaffirmed the commitment of the NNPC to its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kebbi State on ethanol production.

Kyari informed the governor of exploratory drilling in the Sokoto Basin Area that is set to begin with a large part of it in Kebbi State.

He commended Kebbi State Government for its determination towards actualisation of the programme.

Bagudu told the GMD that the states cassava cultivation had steadily been increasing annually, preparatory to the kick-off of the programme.

He also discussed hydrogen production programme for which a feasibility study in conjunction with German experts would soon commence in the state.

The Chairman State Standing Committee on Bio fuel, Prof. Muhammad Kaoje-Abubakar, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abba Sani-Kalgo and other officials accompanied the governor during the visit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that in November 2017, the Kebbi government and NNPC signed an MoU to set-up an ethanol production company.(NAN)

KLM/OJI/ISMA

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former President of the Senate Bukola Saraki has advised Nigeria to find solution to kidnapping through collaboration with countries that had successfully tackled the menace.

He urged the country to learn from these successful countries experiences and measures adopted in addressing it.

Saraki gave the advice on Friday during a webinar on the maiden edition of the Grow Nigeria Conversation (GNC), monitored in Abuja.

The webinar was titled: Reversing the Flourishing Economy of Kidnapping and Banditry: Immediate and long-term solutions.

The event was organised in partnership with The African Political Institute (TAPI) and Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative.

Saraki, who was the convener of the dialogue series,said though kidnaping was not new in Nigeria, the current trend of kidnapping for ransom, without any ideologywas worrisome.

It bears stating that kidnapping is not uncommon global phenomenon. Other countries, in the course of their respective histories, experienced similar problems.

Nigeria can and should definitely learn from such nations as have successfully combated this form of insecurity.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel in this regard. This is why my first contribution to todays discussion is to ask the question:

Why cant Nigeria reach out to this countries, which had experienced the same problem, and they have successfully managed it, so that we can learn for what they did or stop doing to solve or reduce a problem?

I remember in the 70s and 80s, Pakistan, for example, used to experiences large number of cases of kidnapping, we can learn from the experience and how they dealt with this problem, Saraki said.

The former Senate president also called on youths, especially those with vast skills in Information and Technology (IT) to help deploy their knowledge toward addressing the challenge.

It would be interesting if some of our experts, particularly our youth, who are participating in this discussion, especially the IT gurus, to tell us why in todays world, the problem is not tackled.

It baffles people like myself, that in todays world with the use of satellite and telecommunication, how is it possible that people can get kidnapped and we are not able to locate where they are for days and weeks?

Also, how is it possible that a huge amount of money can be paid as ransom in cash and cannot be traced?

Are we saying that theyre not monetary policies that can be put in place that would deter people from having to be in such possession of such huge amount of cash, he said.

He also stressed the need to address the challenge of human resources and deployment in the countrys security architecture.

Saraki expressed optimism that the outcome of the webinar would help in solving the countrys security challenges.

He pledged that the recommendations would be sent to relevant stakeholders for implementation, including government agencies and CSOs.

Saraki noted that the platform was conceived as a nonpartisan solution driven and real time dialogue series.

He said it was designed to engage young people, experts, professionals, and anyone with quality ideas in diagnosing the problems and offering workable and sustainable answers.

The topic came out of a rigorous debate by a team in TAPI, and the contributors from Adopted Goal on the various issues confronting the country.

It is believed that insecurity has become the biggest challenge to the economic, social, cultural, political and spiritual development of our people.

The organisers believe it is very relevant and necessary to kick off with this subject, he said.

Amb. John Campbell, a former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, who was one of the panelists, stressed the need to restore public confidence in the security services in addressing kidnapping.

It is going to be very difficult to address kidnapping, and banditry in general, so long as a large portion of Nigerias population will have little to do with the police, or with the army, Campbell said.

Oh her part, Tanwa Ashiru, a U.S Air Force veteran with over 14 years of experience in Intelligence Analysis, stressed the need to deploy technology to man the ungoverned parts of Nigerian territory.

She also called for improvement in Nigerias emergency response to cases of kidnapping, banditry and other insecurity cases.

The moderator of the event and Executive Director of Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, expressed optimism that most challenges facing Nigeria would be addressed through the platform.

Source: NAN News

A tribe in the remote island nation of Vanuatu who saw Prince Philip as a god will greet his death with ritual wailing and ceremonial dancing, an expert said.

The group, based in villages on the island of Tanna in the former Anglo-French colony, revered the Duke of Edinburgh and believed him to be a reincarnation of an ancient warrior who left the island to fight a war.

The heavily spiritual group in Yaohnanen and surrounding villages felt the leader of the fighters would return to the islands with a rich white wife.

Kirk Huffman, an authority on what is known as the Prince Philip Movement, told the Daily Telegraph: I imagine there will be some ritual wailing, some special dances.

There will be a focus on the men drinking kava (an infusion made from the root of a pepper plant) it is the key to opening the door to the intangible
world.

On Tanna it is not drunk as a means of getting drunk. It connects the material world with the non-material world.

He added the islanders could continue their beliefs with Prince Charles, who most recently visited Vanuatu in 2018.

There, the Prince of Wales met Jimmy Joseph, from the village of Yaohnanen, during a tour of the country, formerly known as the New Hebridies.

The prince warmly shook Mr Josephs hand as he was presented with a gift.

Mr Joseph said: I gave him a walking stick for his father made by the hands of the Prince Philip Movement.

I told him a lot of people in the movement have now died but there are some still living.

The prince said he would deliver the message personally.

Source: NAN News