Flowerbud News

Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

  • DHQ dismisses allegation of maltreatment of women in Plateau

    DHQ dismisses allegation of maltreatment of women in Plateau

    By Sumaila Ogbaje

    The Defence Headquarters has dismissed as “misleading”  a video footage being circulated on social media depicting soldiers allegedly mistreating women under the caption: “Operation Rainbow in Plateau State”.

    The Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, in a statement on Saturday, described the video as misleading.

    Gusau said the video in question originated from a 2021 incident in Sambisa Forest, involving spouses of Boko Haram members during the capture of their strong holds.

    He said the video never emanated from Plateau, and “not in Plateau as being claimed”.

    “DHQ wishes to clarify that the soldiers involved in the aforementioned incident were then promptly sanctioned and dealt with by the military authority at the time it occurred for their unprofessional conduct.

    “The dissemination of this old video, with a misleading location tag, is causing unnecessary alarm and has the potential to exacerbate the security situation on the Plateau.

    “We urge the individual responsible for recirculating this video to cease and desist from further dissemination, as their actions are only serving to add fuel to the security challenges currently being addressed by Operation Safe Haven,” he said.

    Gusau said the armed forces were actively engaged in aggressive operations and dedicated to bring the perpetrators of recent dastardly acts to justice.

    According to him, the DHQ remains committed to fostering peace and stability in Plateau, and call on stakeholders and members of the public to support the efforts by refraining from spreading misinformation that could undermine the collective goal of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the residents.

    NAN

  • I’ll sustain Akeredolu’s legacies — Aiyedatiwa

    I’ll sustain Akeredolu’s legacies — Aiyedatiwa

    By Segun Giwa

    Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has promised to sustain the legacies of his predecessor,  late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu

    Aiyedatiwa said this during a candlelight procession organised by members of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA),Ondo State chapter, in honour of late Akeredolu, at Government House, Akure, on Friday night.

    He described Akeredolu as a fearless legal luminary and a dedicated leader.

    The governor said Akeredolu’s commitment to justice and service to the people earned him the title of “Senior Advocate of the Masses.”

    “What you have done this night is commendable; it means all you were doing before, when he was alive, was not eye service but genuine love. This means a lot to me personally.

    “We will ensure we complete all the ongoing projects he left behind,” he said.

    Aiyedatiwa appealed for continuous prayers, saying, “All you can do for us right now is to continue to pray for us that God should grant all of us the fortitude to bear this loss.”

    Earlier, NBA Chairman, Akure Branch, Mr Bayo Aina, said the candlelight gathering signified their unwavering commitment to support and perpetuate Akeredolu’s impactful work, even in death.

    Aina said the association would ensure that his legacy remained an illuminating beacon guiding the state’s governance and legal sphere.

    NAN

  • Ondo Assembly passes N395bn Appropriation Bill for 2024

    Ondo Assembly passes N395bn Appropriation Bill for 2024

    By Alaba Olusola Oke

    Ondo State House of Assembly on Friday passed the 2024 Appropriation bill of N395.2 billion.

    The passage followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, presented by its Chairman, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, during the plenary session.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Acting Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa recently presented a N385 billion Appropriation Bill to the Assembly.

    NAN reports that the proposed budget comprised Capital Expenditure of N222.2 billion with the Recurrent Expenditure of N172.9 billion.

    Ogunmolasuyi, who represents Owo Constituency 1/APC, said that the estimate passed by the assembly was higher than what the governor presented by over N10.7 billion.

    “The committee after an interface with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for defense of their estimates, amended the original bill and recommended N395 billion.

    “The state government should take necessary steps to ensure that internally generated revenue is sustained and improved and that the budget meets the needs of Ondo State people.

    “The Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget and Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, should ensure that they boost revenue of the state with details of extant laws,” he said.

    The lawmakers unanimously adopted the report thereafter.

    The bill was read for the third time by the Clerk of the House, Mr Benjamin Jayeola, as directed by the Speaker, Chief Olamide Oladiji.

    Commenting on the bill, Oladiji said that if signed into law, it would turn around the state and trigger development and growth.

    He said that with the bill, the governor would be well equipped to serve people of the state and deliver dividends of democracy.

    Oladiji prayed that God would grant the state governor wisdom and wherewithal to steer the state to a destination of fulfilment.

    He commended the committee for its promptness and timeliness as regards the bill and extended the appreciation to the state Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget for a job well done.

    The lawmakers also passed the N6 billion Appropriation Bill for the services of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) for 2024.

    The ODIRS Bill has N5.4 billion for the Recurrent Expenditure while N855.4 million is for the Capital Expenditure.

    The lawmakers earlier paid tribute to late Governor of the state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who died on Wednesday.

    Mr Olatunji Oshati (APC/Ose) said that late Akeredolu was a unifying personality with honesty, asking all especially politicians to toe the path of the former governor to ensure good governance.

    Similarly, the speaker said that the news of the demise of the late governor was devastating, describing him as a fighter for justice and humanitarian services.

    He said that he would be remembered for good legacies, having stood for fairness and equity.

    According to him, late Akeredolu was a visionary leader, saying that his massive projects cut across the state.

    He was able to reduce the bar of poverty in the state through increase of revenue of the state to embark on projects that could touch lives of the masses.

    Oladiji prayed that God would grant the deceased eternal rest and comfort his immediate family and the state.

    There was a minute silence observed in honour of the late governor and the lawmakers before the parliarment went on a recess for 28 days.

    NAN

  • It’ll take miracle for Super Eagles to win AFCON – Akanni

    It’ll take miracle for Super Eagles to win AFCON – Akanni

    By Aderonke Ojediran

    Ex-international, Waidi Akanni, on Saturday said the Super Eagles would need a miracle to win the 2023 Côte d’Ivoire Africa Nation’s Cup (AFCON) due to inadequate preparation.

    Akanni said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos with barely two weeks to the kick off of the tournament, which holds from Jan.13 to Feb. 11, 2024.

    “⁠My expectations are same whenever Super Eagles play, they have become very unreliable. So, I won’t expect much from them because I don’t want to be disappointed.

    “Winning AFCON will be a miracle for Nigeria. It will be presumptuous of me to expect Super Eagles to come out tops at the championship.

    “One of the elements of a team is predictability, I can’t predict them because I don’t know their pedigree.

    “I believe I’m not the only one that feels this way about the team, a lot needs to be worked on in the midfield, defence and goalkeeping departments of the team,” he said.

    Akanni, a member of the bronze medal winning U-20 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship team, said the handlers of the team should have included some home-based players.

    “It has always been the same for AFCON with African countries because of the European season. It’s difficult to get a full house of players as a group till about a week to AFCON.

    “I think the coaches should have given some home-based players the opportunity to compete for some positions, not only goal keepers.

    “⁠The final list is predictable as we had all the former players both fit and unfit in the 41-Man list,” he said.

    NAN reports that the team is set to depart for a one-week training camp in Abu Dhabi.

    The team will later proceed to Abidjan where it will face Equatorial Guinea in the opening Group A match on Jan. 14, 2024, and later Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau.

    Super Eagles, three-time champions of the tournament: 1980, 1994, and 2013, hope to win the trophy for the fourth time when the tournament kicks off in January 2004.

    NAN

  • NUC approves 41 courses for commencement of Niger University of Education – Committee

    NUC approves 41 courses for commencement of Niger University of Education – Committee

    By Obinna Unaeze

    The Implementation Committee, Niger State University of Education, says the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 41 courses for the take off of the institution with effect from 2023/2024 academic session.
    Prof. Mohammed Kuta-Yahaya, Chairman of the committee made the disclosure during a news conference on  on Thursday in Minna.
    “A resource verification visit was carried out by panels of experts to the proposed academic programme in the Niger State University of Education,  Minna with a view to assessing the human and material resources available for its establishment.
    “I am directed to inform the Vice Chancellor that the Acting Executive Secretary, NUC, has considered and approved the establishment of the full-time mode of 41 undergraduate programmes, to be run in the main campus of the university with effect from 2023/2024 academic session,” Kuta-Yahaya said.
    He said that the NUC also confirmed the availability of structures and facilities to run the programmes in the four faculties –  Faculty of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Education.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the presentation of the 2024 budget to the State Assembly on Dec. 19,  Gov. Umaru Bago, had earmarked N20 billion for the take off of the state’s University of Education.
    NAN
  • IHVN empowers Lafia adolescents, others with entrepreneurship skills

    IHVN empowers Lafia adolescents, others with entrepreneurship skills

    By Abujah Rachael

    The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has joined forces with the Mother and Childcare Enhancement Foundation to combat HIV and empower vulnerable youths.

    The institute’s Senior Communications Manager, Ms Uzoma Nwofor, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    Nwofor stated that the collaborative initiative recently established an adolescent-friendly centre in Lafia, the Nasarawa capital, where 30 adolescents underwent a nine-month training in various skills, including ICT, fashion design and catering.

    She said that the goal was to equip the youths with the tools for self-reliance, creating job opportunities and reducing the risk of HIV infections.

    She quoted Mrs Adetutu Jinadu, the IHVN Programme Manager, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), as highlighting the importance of fostering innovation and growth through the programme, emphasising its potential impact to the adolescents’ future.

    She added that “this initiative aligns with IHVN’s broader mission to address health challenges, including HIV/AIDS, and contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.”

    She explained that the training also engaged caregivers to support their wards in mastering the skills and utilising hem.

    She also quoted Mr Alhassan Adamu, the Coordinator of Mother and Childcare Enhancement Foundation (McCEF) as saying “the programme conducted home visits and interacted with caregivers to provide psychosocial support to the adolescents.

    “At the hub, we created a safe place to facilitate learning among the young people. They had access to mental health services, sexual and reproductive health information, marketing skills, and digital literacy.

    “One of the trainees, 18-year-old Douglas Peter learned fashion design at the hub and says he can now sew male and female clothes to raise money to further his education.

    “We plan to go beyond senior secondary school certificate to study accounting at the university.

    “I am planning to open a tailoring shop in Shabu. I was given a smartphone after the training and I use it to advertise my work on social media.”

    Nwofor also stated that “IHVN implements an OVC programme in the FCT, Nasarawa, Katsina and Rivers states.”

    She pointed out that the aim is for such group of persons to be safe, schooled, stable and healthy.

    She disclosed that more than 217,000 OVCs and their households received care services to equip households to be resilient in the face of the socio-economic and emotional consequences of HIV/AIDS.

    NAN

  • Ogun Govt. to construct 10,000 affordable housing units in 2024

    Ogun Govt. to construct 10,000 affordable housing units in 2024

    By Abiodun Lawal

    The Ogun Government says it has plans to construct 10,000 housing units in 2024.

    The Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abeokuta, while defending the ministry’s 2024 budget proposal before the state House of Assembly.

    Omoniyi said that the essence of the housing scheme was to address the housing deficit in the state, while taking advantage offered by public private partnership (PPP) arrangements.

    He said that the ministry’s total budget estimate was N2.3 billion.

    According to him, N1.79 billion will go for capital projects, while N542 million is for recurrent expenditure.

    “We will be doing more of PPP. The state is blessed with abundant land mass.

    “We have the market and comparative advantage.

    “We are bringing housing units to all the three senatorial districts of the state.

    “It is the right of all citizens and not a privilege for a few,” the commissioner said.

    On his part, the commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami, presented a budget proposal of N1.29 billion.

    Odunlami said that of the amount, N999.9 million would go for capital expenditure, while the remaining N290 million was for recurrent expenditure.

    NAN

  • Slow payment of Hajj fare worries Edo pilgrim’s board boss

    Slow payment of Hajj fare worries Edo pilgrim’s board boss

    By Nefishetu Yakubu

    The Chairman, Edo Pilgrims Welfare Board, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, has expressed worry over the slow payment of Hajj fare for the 2024 pilgrimage in the state.

    Oyarekhua said this on Thursday during an interactive session with newsmen in Benin.

    He said that the Hajj fare still remained N4.5 million and December 30 as the payment deadline.

    He said that the state may not exhaust the 430 slots allocated to it by the National Haji Commission of Nigeria.

    “The patronage for this year’s pilgrimage is not encouraging.

    “This is not peculiar to Edo but across the country.

    “At the moment, less than 100 people have paid and I am not sure we would get the number before December 30 deadline.

    “But we are hoping that by the December deadline, we would have up to 200 intending pilgrims going for the Hajj because there is nothing impossible with God.

    “We are appealing to those who want to pay by themselves and others who want to sponsor their loved ones to hasten up to meet the deadline,” Oyarekhua said.

    He, however, assured that the board would do its best to ensure that Hajj fare would not go beyond the minimum deposit announced by the commission.

    NAN

  • Police arrest 3 with suspected human hearts

    Police arrest 3 with suspected human hearts

    By Deborah Akpede

    Operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun states, have arrested three men with two suspected human hearts.

    The Zonal Public Relations Officer, SP Tunni Ayuba, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

    According to Ayuba, the suspects are all males.

    Ayuba said that the suspected human hearts were discovered in the house of one of the suspects at  Oke-Ola area of Ago-Iwoye, Ogun. during a search.

    The spokesperson said that during interrogation, the suspect implicated a man, whom he claimed to have paid N50,000 to assist in obtaining two human hearts.

    Ayuba said that the second suspect identified the third  suspect as the source of the hearts.

    She said that an investigation had begun into the case, adding that  the two suspected human hearts had been sent to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for examination.

    According to Ayuba, AIG Ari Muhammed in charge of the zone,  implores residents of the states to be vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to the nearest police formation.

    The image maker said that Muhammed reiterated commitment to ensuring safety of lives and property in Lagos and Ogun states.

    NAN