Month: October 2023

Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has admonished those residing in flood-prone areas to take necessary precautions to avoid loss of lives. (more…)

By Obinna Unaeze
All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Niger on Monday said that the Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) has trained its members on agri-business toward tackling poverty.

Alhaji Shehu Galadima, AFAN Chairman in the state, who disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, said over 300 farmers belonging to 16 cooperative societies across the state benefited from the gesture.

“We are partnering with VSO to train our members in agri-business.

“After the training, milling and threshing machines for rice and various grains were given to them in form of grants,” he said.

Galadima explained that each cooperative made up of between 16 and 20 farmers, got both milling and threshing machines.

“The milling and threshing machines worth millions of Naira were fabricated locally to meet the needs of the farmers,” he said.

The chairman said that the farmers were trained for five days and successful groups selected to benefit.

He said that AFAN has about 1.6 million members in the state.

Hajiya Fati Mohammed, a member of one of the groups, told NAN that the intervention would alleviate poverty among the farmers and their families.

The VSO, based in London, is a non-profit international development organisation, with a vision for a “world without poverty” and a mission to “bring people together to fight poverty and marginalisation.”

By Nabilu Balarabe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has provided farm inputs for 9,000 victims of the 2018 flood in Kirikasamma Local Government Area of Jigawa.

The Information Officer in the area, Alhaji Sanusi Doro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kirikasamma on Monday.

He said NEMA’s officer in-charge of the distribution, Mr Olanrewaju Kazir, had stated that the exercise was ongoing in areas hit by flood in the state.

“Each of the victims, who are predominantly farmers had received 40 kg bag of rice/sesame; a sprayer, one bottle of pesticide and one bottle of herbicide.

“The officer also assured the victims that nine bags of fertilizer would later be given to each of them, if they showed evidence of putting the inputs to use,” Doro said.

He said Kazir had cautioned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs, saying doing that would jeopardise government’s efforts in job creation and food security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2018 flood had killed 21 persons and ravaged over 200 communities across the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Monday that with Gov. Yahaya Bello as the APC flag bearer it would easily win the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi.

Mr Bode Ogunmola, the PDP spokesman in the state, made the remark in a statement in Lokoja.

Ogunmola said the poor performance of the governor in the last three and half years and public resentment against his administration would ensure “a sweat-less victory’’ for PDP.

“PDP has long been praying for the APC to make mistake of re-presenting Bello for the governorship poll.

“It is a well known fact that the governor cannot win any local government in Kogi due to his poor performance, and the way and manner the resources of the state is being massively looted.

“His desperation to return is to save himself from going to prison over looted funds. That was why he had to spend hugely to get strong contenders disqualified.

“If he succeeds in fooling the leadership of his party and the delegates, we are confident that he cannot fool Kogi electorate who are victims of his monumental misgovernance,’’ Ogunmola said.

However, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Director-General of Media and Publicity of the governor, assured that Bello would continue to concentrate on governance in spite of preparations for the Nov. 16 poll.

Reacting to the PDP’s statement, Fanwo told newsmen that the governor would not bandy words as he had responded adequately to the PDP in February and March (general elections) with unprecedented defeat.

“We are even stronger going into the November Governorship election. The governor won’t talk. He believes in allowing his results speak for him,” Fanwo said.

He stressed that delivering democracy dividends to the people would continue to remain “on the front burner of the present administration”.

“Gov. Bello will not remove his feet from the pedals of governance and in his drive to deliver democracy dividends to the people of the state”.

Fanwo said the governor had remained “humble in victory”, saying the best way to react to the ‘stupendous victory’ at the primaries was to continue to give his best to the people.

According to him, the governor will campaign with the work he has done since taking over the mantle of leadership in the confluence state.

“GYB is gradually redefining governance and politics. While others talk, he works and his work speaks for him.

“The naysayers said he was not popular and he defeated the opposition in the general elections like never before in the political history of our dear state.

“The Aug. 29 governorship primaries in the state have again made a resounding attestation to his political credentials.

‘“In victory, he has remained humble. He has stretched an olive branch to all contestants in the primaries to join hands with him to deliver victory to the APC on Nov. 16.

“As we continue our electioneering, our projects will continue and those completed will be commissioned.

‘“Gov. Bello was elected to serve and he will continue to serve even into his second term in office,’’ he said.

The director-general urged the people to remain steadfast in supporting Bello’s administration, assuring that they would never be disappointed.

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, has sought for special attention from the United Nations towards uplifting the lives of the people.

Yahaya made the call in Gombe on Monday when he received the Deputy Secretary General, United Nations (UN), Hajiya Amina Mohammed, who paid him a courtesy call.

He said based on the needs assessment conducted, Gombe people were in dire need of ssistance to enhance their capacity.

“Our emphasis is on human capital, education, health, youths and women development.

“But we have challenges with cash resources due to bad governance and poor management of resources.

“We want you to use your connection within and outside the country to help us in saving the situation and uplifting the lives of the people,” he said.

In her speech earlier, the Deputy Secretary General of UN,  Mohammed, said she was in Gombe to share with Gov. Yahaya, his visions and priorities for the state to enable the international body assist.

“Today, we have population of young people who have aspirations, who are in hurry to have things happen.

“It is urgent that every single person in the state must have his or her aspirations attained, otherwise you will create a sense of injustice and exclusion that can lead to discontent and insecurity,’’ she said.

She lamented that the governor was coming at a time the country was faced with a lot of challenges, particularly insecurity.

She said women consisted of 50 per cent of the population and investment must cut across all genders, so that growth would be inclusive.

“From the UN, you and entire Nigerians have our full support,” she said. (NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS)  Comedian and actor Kevin Hart was taken to hospital with “major back injuries” on Sunday following a car accident in Los Angeles.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Hart was being driven in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda on Mulholland Highway at the time of the accident.

The driver, Jared Black, lost control of the car and it tumbled into an embankment, the report stated.

Black also sustained major back injuries. A third passenger was unhurt.

The accident happened just after midnight.

BBC