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  • Zamfara State Government To Make Agriculture Compulsory Subject In Secondary Schools

    Zamfara State Government To Make Agriculture Compulsory Subject In Secondary Schools

       By Ahmad Ibrahim, Gusau 
     The Zamfara state government has directed all secondary Schools in the state to include Agricultural Science- based subjects in their curriculum.       The state commissioner of Education, Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi, stated this in Gusau while inauguration a school farm programme and E- Quality Assurance Training, organized by the state Universal Basic Education Board ( ZSUBEB).     Abdullahi said:” Governor Bello Matawalle has directed me to ensure that all secondary Schools in the state include Agricultural science-based subjects in their curriculum.       

    This measure is to train students in various Agricultural subjects for them to be exposed to various Agricultural opportunities in future and make them Agricultural experts in future.      “We are going to enforce the directives of the governor, we are going to make sure that all school practice Agricultural activities in the farms. Every student must be given a raw to farm at least 2 meters.      In a remark, the state commissioner of agriculture, Dr Aminu Suleman, described the school farm programme as a welcome development in agriculture.     

    Suleman who was represented by the director fisheries and Horticulture in the ministry, Aliyu Ummar, said the programme can never be estimated as it would help in food production and eradicate hunger.   We are going to support schools under this programme with capacity building he assured.        Earlier the SUBEB Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar Maradun, said the board is giving serious attention to the two programmes.     

    Maradun said the e-quality assurance programme involved effective supervision of school, saying, we are going to train quality assurance officers from 14 local government Areas on effective supervision of schools in the state through modern technology.    We have procured 17 motorcycles for school support Officers (SSOs), tablets for quality assurance Officers, while laptops, printers and desktops are meant for local government Education Authorities.     

    On the school farm programme, we are providing dry season farming equipment to 26 schools across the state to implement the programmes.

  • #EndSARS: Nigeria Heads Towards Anarchy, As Protesters Takes Different Dimensions – PGDI

    #EndSARS: Nigeria Heads Towards Anarchy, As Protesters Takes Different Dimensions – PGDI

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Executive Director, Patriots for Growth and Development Initiative (PGDI), Isaac Nasim Salami on Monday in Lokoja allayed the fear of the nation been thrown into a state of anarchy if #EndSARS protest is not quickly addressed.

    The Director who expressed worry while addressing Journalists at NUJ press centre, Lokoja said PGDI
    is highly concerned about the violent and dangerous dimension the #EndSARS protest is taking across Nigeria.

    ” We believe that the continuous escalating acts of disruptions, attacks and killings in recent days, in parts of the country is a careful planned effort and handworks of fifth-columnist and enemies of Nigeria to subverting the relative peace and unity in Nigeria.” He said.

    The Director noted that the original intentions of the protesting youths was for an end to SARS, and Police reform but expressed shock over the recent dimensions of the protesters.

    Mr. Salami pointed out that in as much as “we affirm the constitutional and democratic rights of every patriotic Nigerian to protest, the violent dimension that the supposed peaceful protest has taken in the past few days has shown that some enemies of the State are marauding as protesters to unleash mayhem and confusion in the land.”

    The Director therefore called on the federal and state governments to use every legal and constitutional means to protect lives and livelihoods of the citizenry, calling on leaders to lend their voices and support for the end of protests across Nigeria.

    He disclosed that Patriots for Growth and Development Initiative (PGDI) is a non‐profitable and non‐governmental organization but out to promote sustainable development.

  • Nigerian Soldiers open fire on #EndSARS protesters in Auchi

    Nigerian Soldiers open fire on #EndSARS protesters in Auchi

    A tragic incident was recorded in Auchi community of Edo state on Monday October 19, as a soldier opened fire on unarmed #EndSARS protesters. 

    Though the incident that led to the shooting is still unclear at the moment, there are however claims of hoodlums who hijacked the protest attacking a soldier. It was also alleged that the assaulted soldier mobilized his colleagues to the scene of the incident and this allegedly led to the shooting. 

  • #EndSARS: NHRC indicts 35 SARS operatives, seeks their dismissal and trial

    #EndSARS: NHRC indicts 35 SARS operatives, seeks their dismissal and trial

    35 operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force have been indicted for various misconducts as confirmed in a report submitted by the National Human Rights Commission to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN) on Monday October 19. 

    Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mr Tony Ojukwu who revealed that the list was an extract of the full report of the Special Presidential Panel on SARS earlier submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari on June 3, 2019, said the list of the indicted operatives was accompanied with the full report of the panel to guide the prosecution of the indicted operatives.

    The document which covered reported infractions of SARS operatives in Lagos, Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Enugu, FCT, Gombe, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun and Rivers State, also recommended the payment of compensation ranging from N500, 000 to N20million, to some of the identified victims, as well as to families of deceased victims. The NPF was directed to by way of Newspaper publications, tender apology to some of the victims.

    Ojukwu said; 

     “In line with mandate of the panel, the commission is here today to submit the list to you, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the list of all officers who have been indicted in the report.

    “The list contains the names of all those who are to be prosecuted for various offences by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

    “We have also brought the original copy of the full report which will also guide the office of the Attorney-General in looking at the details for the required prosecution, because the summary will not have all the documents.

    “We brought the full report which will guide the prosecuting officers.”

    The AGF on his own part said his office would do justice to the list through prosecution and taking associated incidental administrative steps. 

    Malami said; 

    “Our responsibility as a government is to establish and entrench a constitutional program to take care of the collective interest that will incorporate the interest of the victim of crime, the interest of the nation and the interest of the individual involved.

    “This government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has indeed demonstrated effective consciousness of these factors with particular reference to perhaps the Police.

    “The government has taken steps, inclusive of having in place the Police Act 2020, which is indeed a piece of legislation established with a view to ensuring that necessary reforms are brought into then operations of the Police. Far-reaching indeed, with a wider approach.

    “Approach that has to do with the welfare of police officers and the welfare of the society as it relates to having in place community policing and indeed having necessary checks and discipline that will ensure that the Police as an institution and not necessarily a unit of it is brought inline with the best practices for the purpose of the discharge of their responsibilities.”

  • ActionAid Nigeria tasks Buhari on police brutality, youths grievances before it is too

    ActionAid Nigeria tasks Buhari on police brutality, youths grievances before it is too

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As Nigeria begins to withness a spring of youths Protest to end police brutality and societal grievances across the country, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, has called on President Muhammad Buhari to address the nation on reforms and put governance structures in place before it is too late.

    In a statement signed by Country Director of AAN, Ene Obi on the current #EndPoliceBrutality protests and agitations by citizens, it noted that the protests has moved from being a social media campaign to a peaceful protest by Nigerians across the globe in the last 13 days with clear demands on the abolition of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad accused of unlawful arrests, torture and extra- judicial killings.

    The statement read, ” ActionAid Nigeria therefore calls on President Muhammad Buhari to fully address the nation in a national broadcast as a father, leader and the President of Nigeria with the mandate of the people to manage the affairs of the country to give cut- clear responses to the demands if the protesters before it is too late.

    “Nigerians anticipate clear plans, timelines and commitments which will be in a form of pact with the citizens”, adding that this would give the President the opportunity to write his name in the sands of time by starting the process of transforming the country especially by responding to the demands of the citizens.

    So far the protests is about young people airing their grievances on their rights violations and the need for an overhaul of the country’s security and governance structure.

    ActionAid Nigeria also called on security agencies to keep securing the streets to get unscrupulous elements with illegitimate interests off the peaceful protests, while respecting the rights of peaceful protesters.

    We applaud the resolve of Nigerian youths leading the revival across the country and the resolute to hold government to account. However, it is pertinent that decorum is maintained while resisting any calculated attempts by unknown elements to disrupt, the just cause for total reformation of our country, Nigeria, the statement read.

  • #EndSARS: Gov. Sule inaugurates 7man judicial panel, warn non residents to stay clear or face the wrath of the law.

    #EndSARS: Gov. Sule inaugurates 7man judicial panel, warn non residents to stay clear or face the wrath of the law.

    Abel Leonard/ Lafia

    Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has warned people moving into the state for the purpose of staging protest seeking the banning of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), to stay clear of the state or face the full wrath of the law.
    Engineer Sule handed down the warning while inaugurating the judicial commission of enquiry into the activities of the F-SARS of the Nigerian Police and other related matters, at the Government House, Monday.
    Sule said according to report, some people are being conveyed into the state in buses, with a view to staging protests in Karu and Keffi, warning such people not to carry on with the protest as government will not fold its arms and allow them to cause problems in the state.
    He however, advised such intending protesters to stay clear of Nasarawa State and to remain in their places of resident to protest.
    In his words he said, “If there is going to be any protest, let it be by residents of Nasarawa who understand what is happening in Nasarawa State.
    “We will not welcome and we will not fold our arms as government and continue to receive other people who don’t understand the challenges that we are having in Nasarawa State, to come in buses, arrive somewhere in Karu and Keffi and stage protest in false claims because those people don’t understand our problems, they should go to where they are resident and protest,” he stated.
    The Governor further stressed that inaugurating the judicial commission has become even more imperative after some disgruntled elements and desperate politicians have cashed in on the situation, with the intent of destabilizing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, at a time when steady progress and development is being recorded in the country.
    “As far as we are concerned in Nasarawa State, we have recorded some successes as a result of the activities of SARS and we have identified that and we have also identified some weaknesses of SARS and so we are in line with whatsoever is happening in the country, as long as it is for the peace of the country,” the Governor said.
    He equally pointed out that his administration has recognized the rights of people to protest whenever they find the policy of government is going in the right direction, but that when it comes to SARS, it has been kind to Nasarawa State.
    Engineer Sule lamented that in spite of the fact that the Federal Government and Police authorities banned the SARS, the protest appears to continue unabated.
    While commending members of the commission for their readiness to serve both state and country, and their statesmanship and love for peace, stability, progress and development of Nasarawa State and the country at large, they were chosen to carry out a broad base appraisal of the situation.
    The judicial commission, which is to be chaired by a former Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Badamasi Maina, has the following terms reference, to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality, or related extra judicial killings, to evaluate evidence and draw conclusions on validity of complaints and to recommend compensation and other remedial measures to government.
    It has six months within which to submit its report.
    The Governor added that members of the commission were not selected to say what government wants to hear, but to tell government the truth.
    Engineer Sule used the opportunity to restate his appreciation to the Federal Government for the continued support to Nasarawa State, in the area of maintenance of law and order, stressing that the robust relationship has made it possible for the state to benefit from the establishment of critical security infrastructure.
    These include, special joint military operation code named Ayum Patuma, with the operations headquarters in Nasarawa State, to take care of the entire North Central zone, Operation Whirl Stroke, with its headquarters in Makurdi, Benue State and operational bases in Nasarawa, to address farmers/herders conflicts.
    Others are, establishment of 123 Task Force Battalion in Doma, the barrack which is fully operational is serving as the headquarters of the Nigerian Army Special Forces Command, the establishment of two military super camps at Mararaban Udege in Nasarawa and Kenyehu in Toto Local Government Areas, among others.

  • Gov. Ortom urges FG to Address #Endsars Demands, As protesters storm Makurdi

    Gov. Ortom urges FG to Address #Endsars Demands, As protesters storm Makurdi

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has implored the Federal Government to take proactive steps to address demands by the Nigerian youths under the auspices of Endsars who have embarked on a nation wide protest, if the country must move forward.   

    Ortom who made this call at a media briefing at the government house Makurdi on Monday urged the Federal Government to implement the report of the 2014 National Conference for national dialogue.    The Governor said ” as a leader in Nigeria, it has become necessary for me to lend a voice on issues of national interest. I had earlier warned the Federal Government not to take restructuring kindly. I recommended that report to the Federal Government to use it for national dialogue, but it fell on deaf ears.   

    The Endsars is not just for Police reform, but that something is wrong in the nation. This protest is devoid of political affiliations or agitation coming  from the opposition “.     

    According to the Governor, there is unemployment, killings, banditry, herdsmen attacks among others challenges bedeviling the country, describing the protest as dangerous base on what religious leaders and other stake holders are saying.    Meanwhile Endsars protesters on Monday stormed Makurdi in continuation of their nation wide protest to press home their demand for the Police reform, employment , good governance among other demands.    Members of the aforesaid group who converged on the IBB square in the early hours of today, carried placards with different inscriptions as they marched on major streets to register their grievances before moving to government house, where  Governor Ortom addressed them. 

  • China will never stop its pace of reform, opening-up

    China will never stop its pace of reform, opening-up

    By He Yin


    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently delivered a major speech at a grand gathering marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in south China’s Guangdong province.
    He made major strategic deployment for the SEZ’s reform and opening-up on a higher level for the new era, and declared China’s resolution and confidence to deepen its reform and opening-up and share more development dividends with the world.
    “The world economy is currently facing complicated challenges. By no means should we be stopped by the reversing trends and tides. We should choose the right side of the history to unswervingly expand opening-up in an all-round way, and promote the building of an open world economy and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said at the gathering.
    Shenzhen has accomplished in four decades what took other metropolises around a hundred years to complete, which marks a miracle made by the Chinese people in the history of the world’s development.
    Shenzhen’s achievements are a reflection of the historic changes and results made by China since the reform and opening-up. During the past 40 some years, China has been pursuing development with its door wide open, and made an impressive transition from being a largely closed society to one that’s open to the world in all respects. The country is always active in promoting economic globalization, and has made its due contribution to the common development of mankind.
    The keen appreciation and accurate grasp of the trend of the times are a key reason for China’s success. In the new era, the country will keep conforming to the trend of history, and actively respond to and seek changes to proceed with the time. At present, the world is going through changes unseen in a century, and the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the changes. China has been and will always maintain firm confidence and concrete actions to promote high-quality economic development and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
    China, calmly responding to the headwinds against economic globalization and the severe situation of the sluggish world economy, is taking more forceful measures to deepen its reform and opening-up with firmer confidence, which has won appreciation from the world.
    Since this year, China has optimized its mechanisms and systems of market-based allocation, and issued a master plan for the Hainan free trade port. Besides, it lowered tariffs for a part of imported commodities, actively expanded imports, and further shortened its negative lists for foreign investment market access. It established new free trade pilot zones and issued a plan on implementing pilot reforms in Shenzhen to build the city into a demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the next five years.
    The concrete steps for China to comprehensively deepen reforms and expand opening-up prove to the world that no matter how international situations change, the country will always remain firm in its commitment to pursuing development and create new space for common development.
    Opening-up brings progress and cooperation leads to win-win results. China, enjoying a momentum for long-term growth and strong development resilience, is accelerating the establishment of a “dual circulation” development pattern in which domestic economic cycle plays a leading role while international economic cycle remains its extension and supplement, which has not only opened space for China’s economic development, but also injected impetus into the recovery and growth of global economy.
    According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China’s foreign trade volume grew 0.7 percent in the first three quarters of this year compared with that in the same period in 2019, achieving positive growth for the first time this year. The latest World Economic Outlook of the International Monetary Fund also predicted that China will be the only economy in the world to show positive growth in 2020 while forecasting a 2020 global contraction of 4.4 percent.
    During the 8-day National Day Holiday, over 600 million trips were made across the country, generating tourism revenue of more than 460 billion yuan ($68.6 billion). Chinese railways set a new record in daily passenger traffic as more than 15 million trips were made on Oct. 1.
    The resilience and energy of the Chinese economy has injected confidence for the development of the world economy. A French media outlet noted that China was leading the world after it achieved solid economic recovery. Bloomberg said that the active domestic tourism indicated the strength of China’s economic recovery.
    China has gained rich experiences of reform and opening-up, but it still has a long way to go. The country will remain committed to the path of deepening reforms and expanding opening-up. It will unwaveringly follow a win-win strategy to draw development impetus from the world and benefit the world with its own development, explaining with concrete actions its major country responsibility that“A single flower does not make spring, while all flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden.”

  • President Buhari sacks National Copyright Commission’s chairman, Tonye Clinton Jaja

    President Buhari sacks National Copyright Commission’s chairman, Tonye Clinton Jaja

    President Buhari has terminated the appointment of the Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, Tonye Clinton Jaja.

    Jaja’s sack was conveyed in a letter dated October 15 and signed by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN).

    The letter, titled: ‘Notification of your removal as Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission’ reads

    “I have been directed to notify you of your removal as the Chairman. Governing Board of the Nigerian COpyright Commission by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, (JCFR1 as conveyed vide letter Ref: 593I2N/230 of 28m September, 2020.

    Your removal is with immediate effect and you are, therefore, expected to handover all the properties of the commission in your possession to the Director-General.

    While wishing you success in your future endeavours, please accept the assurances of the warm regards and best wishes of the honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”

  • NUJ Sokoto Council: Congress Discuss Outstanding Pressing Issues

    NUJ Sokoto Council: Congress Discuss Outstanding Pressing Issues

    By Muhammad Goronyo,Sokoto

    Sokoto State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has risen from its monthly congress, held on Sunday, October 18, 2020 at the Press Centre, off Zuru road.
    This was contained in a communique signed by the Council Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Isah Abubakar and Abubakar Auwal Imam respectively.
    It said the meeting which was Chaired by the council chairman, Isa Abubakar Shuni and  attended by members from its  chapels, resolved as follow;
    That despite all the efforts being made by the federal and  state governments  to curb banditry in the state, there are still some areas in the northern parts of the state, where this menace is resurfacing, particularly in Tangaza and Gudu  local government areas.
    It was in view of this, that the council, recommended that the state government and security agencies to take all the necessary measures to protect citizenry from bandits and other criminal
    Members also commended the state government for its resolve to offload the backlog of state  retired civil servants’ gratuities and pension arrears,  while calling on the government to speed up the exercise and to ensure its sustainability the union also appeal for the inclusion of local government and primary staff   retirees in the exercise .
    The meeting tasked members to remain apolitical and to ensure that their official  conducts are guided by the ethics of this noble profession.
    The meeting lamented over the activities of quack journalists in the state, calling on the public, especially public officers to report any person, parading himself as journalists without any genuine and valid Identification.
    The Congress also observed that Remon village in Dange/ Shuni local government area  is becoming a safe haven for drugs peddlers, calling on the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies to ensure those peddlers are arrested and brought to  book as soon as possible.