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Tag: ABDULLAHI SULE

  • 349 ghost schools discovered in school feeding programme in Nasarawa

    349 ghost schools discovered in school feeding programme in Nasarawa

    The Enumeration Committee for the home-grown feeding programme for public primary schools funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria says it has uncovered 349 ghost schools in Nasarawa State benefiting from the scheme.

    Mallam Abdullahi Usman, the team leader of the Enumeration Committee and adviser to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, revealed this when he led the committee members on a courtesy call on Governor Abdullahi Sule at the Government House, Lafia.

    Usman told Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule in Lafia yesterday that due to the findings, Top officials in Abuja almost delisted the state as one of the program’s beneficiaries.

    “After due process of vetting, the committee discovered that 349 of such schools were actually ghost schools, with some officials pocketing the money meant for feeding these schools,” he said.

    According to Usman, the programme organisers only agreed to let Nasarawa State continue to benefit from the scheme to avoid undue punishment of innocent children that would benefit from the project.

    He disclosed that one thousand, two hundred and three public primary schools were originally captured as beneficiaries in the state.

    He praised the governor for his partnership and support while also recognising the assistance of the state focal person, Mr. Imran Usman Jibrin, Senior Special Assistant (SSA), to the Governor on Humanitarian Services.

  • APC National Convention: Gov Sule reveals how much spent on publicity

    APC National Convention: Gov Sule reveals how much spent on publicity

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has disclosed how much the All Progressives Congress (APC) spent on media and publicity for the party’s special convention held in June.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Gov Sule was the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the party’s 2022 special convention that produced Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the party.

    Sule while submitting the report of the committee to the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu at its national secretariat on Friday in Abuja, returned N20 million unspent money to the party’s coffers.

    TNG reports that the committee’s Secretary, Sen. Bello Mandiya and other members of the committee were present during the submission of the report.

    Presenting an executive summary of the report, Sule said the committee was given N140 million for its activities, but only expended N120 million.

    “Initially, we were given N30 million a day after our inauguration, thereafter, we got another N60 million. In all, the party gave us N140 million.

    “I am here with a draft of N20 million to present to the chairman of our party as the balance remaining from what we were given, because we did not spend everything,” Sule said.

    Adamu in his remarks said the level of integrity and commitment exhibited by the committee was appreciated.

    He said the committee did a good job and was transparent and accountable to the extent of declaring some surplus which was a good example.

    “The challenges were high, but you were able to deploy publicity to defuse tension and we were able to have a good convention.

    “Not a single incident was reported and it was all because of the role your committee played by ensuring that everybody was carried along,” Adamu said.

  • Brain drain: Doctors seek FG’s intervention or face nationwide strike

    Brain drain: Doctors seek FG’s intervention or face nationwide strike

     

    …issues two-week strike notice

    Disturbed by the brain drain in the health sector, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the new National Minimum Wage, hazard allowance and other approved funds for its members.

    NARD said the alleged Federal Government’s failure to comply with its demand within the time frame may spur the association to embark on industrial action.

    These were contained in a communique jointly signed by NARD’s President, Dare Ishaya, Secretary General, Suleiman Abiodun, Publicity and Social Secretary, Alfa Yusuf respectively, and issued to newsmen in Lafia on Saturday at the end of the July National Executive Council meeting and Scientific Conference of NARD with the theme, ”The Quagmire of Medical Workplace Hazards: Defending A Nation Under A Shade of Arrows.”

    The communique read in part, “The NEC observed with dismay the unnecessary delay in the new Hazard Allowance for over seven months since its approval on December 22, 2021. Also observed is the delay in the payment of the 2020 Medical Residency Training Fund to our members who were omitted despite several efforts made by the association.

    “The NEC noted that several years after the implementation of a New Minimum Wage in 2019, some of our members are yet to benefit from the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.

    “As the 2023 Appropriation bill is being prepared, the NEC calls for increased funding of the healthcare sector in the country to the tune of 15 per cent budgetary allocation in line with the 2001 Abuja declaration for healthcare financing in Africa and global best practices.

    “The NEC urges the Federal Government to take steps towards curtailing the brain drain in the health sector and find ways of eliminating all bureaucratic bottlenecks in the employment and replacement of the resident doctors, leaving our institutions daily to seek greener pastures.

    “The NEC shall by the expiration of the two-week ultimatum, reconvene to review the progress made so far and take further actions for which the nationwide industrial harmony may not be guaranteed.”

    The communique further enjoined the Federal Government and all State Governments to look
    into the issue of assault on doctors and thoroughly investigate the ongoing cases and put measures in place to halt the menace in the bid to forestall future
    occurrences.

    The resident doctors called on the FG, the Nigerian Governors Forum, stakeholders, and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the governors of
    Imo, Ondo, Ekiti and Gombe states to urgently pay arrears of salaries and allowances owed its members in the states’ Tertiary Health Institutions, lamenting that the matter was becoming embarrassing.

    While expressing gratitude to the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, for approving and commencing the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to Resident Doctors at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, NARD appealed to the governor to fulfill his promise of employing the wife of their deceased member who died of workplace hazard into the State Civil Service as it was done to the two spouses of their other colleagues who died from Lassa Fever last year.

  • FG ready to create platform for Diaspora investment – Gov. Sule

    FG ready to create platform for Diaspora investment – Gov. Sule

    The Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has stated that the Federal Government is always ready to create an enabling environment for Diaspora’s contributions and investments to Nigeria’s development.

    Sule said this at the 2nd Phase of the Zumunta Association of USA Inc. Benevolent Palliative project Awards in Abuja.

    Newsmen reports that, Zumunta Association Inc. United States of America is a not-for-profit Cultural Community Organisation, based in the Diaspora.

    Newsmen also report that the association presented to 18 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), from 11 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory some palliative awards.

    The State Focal Point Officers from the states that benefited from the palliative included Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Lagos, and Nasarawa

    The governor lauded the association’s humanism and patriotism to Nigerians, saying that they had not forgotten their home country and dedicated their time, resources and global exposure to its development.

    “Your act of humanity will go a long way in facilitating the change we hope to see in Nigeria.

    “Let me seize this opportunity to assure you that the Federal Government on its part will spare no effort to create an enabling environment that will protect and support its Diaspora.

    “To excel in their various calling and in turn encourage them to contribute and invest their quota to the development of their father’s land,” he said.

    The Minister of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada lauded the Zumunta Association for its benevolent nature towards elevating the suffering of the less privileged in Nigeria.

    Dada also added that the Federal Government would spare no effort to create the necessary platform for the Diaspora to develop their father’s land.

    He urged the association to work with the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in actualising its goal.

    He commended and encouraged members of the association to continue being good ambassadors of Nigeria in their host communities.

    Speaking earlier, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa the Chairman of NIDCOM, commended the association’s efforts at giving back to their home country and also for organising the programme.

    Dabiri-Erewa quoted President Muhammad Buhari as saying that the Nigerian communities in the Diaspora were the number one ambassadors of Nigeria.

    The chairman added that the Diasporas were an integral part of national development.

    She gave assurance that NiDCOM was now a partner with the Zumunta Association and would give them the platform to make giving back to their country a smooth ride.

    Dabiri-Erewa added that the Diaspora were important to any country’s development, adding that Nigerians’ Diaspora donated 50 million Naira during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

    Mr Philip Moses, the President Zumunta Association, said that since its inception both national and respective state chapters had acquitted themselves creditably in promoting a positive image of Nigeria in the USA.

    “We have encouraged trade and investment opportunities by facilitating face-to-face meetings between Nigerian entrepreneurs and their American counterparts.

    “We have done this through our Zumunta Annual International Convention which this year will take place in Houston, Taxes, USA.

    ” Zumunta has also boosted national unity by working with the National Cultural Community organisations, such as; Egbe Omo Oduduwa, and the Ndigbo both cultural organisations in the USA.

    “So as to enhance and promote cultural heritage through music, songs and dances, We have collaborated with each other to issue joint communities about the situation in Nigeria from time to time,” he said.

  • Unity list for tomorrow’s party convention will not exceed today- APC

    Unity list for tomorrow’s party convention will not exceed today- APC

    The Chairman National Convention Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) and Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule, on Friday said the unity list for tomorrow’s party convention will not exceed today.

    According to him, some geopolitical zones have already agreed on the list which will be put together today.
    Addressing a pre-convention conference in Abuja, Sule also confirmed that the Consensus arrangement remains the first option to elect the new leaders of the party.

    The race for the chairmanship seat promises to be hotly contested by seven aspirants, comprising Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Tanko Al-Makura, George Akume, Sani Musa, Saliu Mustapha, Abdulaziz Yari and Mohammed Etsu.

    As at 5:00pm yesterday, the aspirants, who were at a closed-door meeting at an unknown location in Abuja, could not agree on a consensus deal.

    A party source disclosed that a formal statement would be made available to newsmen on the outcome of the parley. Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who chairs the media sub committee expressed optimism that the aspirants would heed to the call by President Muhammadu Buhari to settle for a consensus candidate.

    Adamu, who governed Nasarawa State between 1999 and 2007, is believed to be the favourite candidate of President Buhari.

     

    Recall that there had been two postponements.

    The Eagle Square, venue of the party’s convention is agog, as party leaders and delegates gather to elect new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) that will pilot its affairs for the next four years.

    The Square, which wears a new look, will host no fewer than 12,000 delegates that will participate in the elective convention, where sixty-six party officials, including 21 NWC members would be elected.

  • APC Governors resolve differences ahead of National Convention

    APC Governors resolve differences ahead of National Convention

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa state, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have resolved their differences, ahead of the March 26 National Convention of the party.

    Sule, who is the Chairman, Media Committee for the March 26 APC National Convention, said this in a statement signed by Alhaji Garba Shehu, the Secretary of the committee on Monday in Abuja.

    Sule spoke at the inauguration of the Media Committee and its various subcommittees in Abuja.

    “The leadership of the party under Gov. Mai Mala Buni and members of the Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) are making every efforts to take everyone along.

    “I believe it is the only path for a successful convention and victory at elections. We believe in unity in diversity, and this is the mantra of our convention,” he said.

    Sule said arrangements were on to ensure that the March 26 National Convention of the party was hitch-free.

    He said the committee were broken into subcommittees that had speedily moved on with their various assignments aimed at delivering a successful convention.

    About 4,000 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and FCT are expected at the convention to elect new national executives for the party.

  • Ikoyi Building Collapse: Death toll rises to 42; Tinubu, Gov Sule visit site

    Ikoyi Building Collapse: Death toll rises to 42; Tinubu, Gov Sule visit site

    The death toll in the collapsed 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has risen to 42 as rescue operations at the ill-fated building entered the sixth day on Saturday.

    Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who disclosed this on Saturday while giving an update on the search and rescue operations at the site, said additional six people were evacuated alive from the collapsed structure and were being treated at the Police Hospital in Falomo, Ikoyi.

    The governor went back to the site Saturday in company of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Nasarawa State governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule.

    Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that 42 bodies had been recovered from the site as at 6pm on Saturday, giving clearer manifest of the number of people that were possibly at the construction site before the building caved in on Monday afternoon.

    He said: “There are additional six people that we’ve also been able to identify and who were on site when the building collapsed. They were taken to the Police Hospital in Falomo for treatment and some of them have been discharged. We have taken the full records of survivors in the incident. And this gives a total of 15 people rescued alive. We have a total of 42 bodies that have been recovered.”

    Among the latest survivors are a 38-year-old woman, Glory Samsom. Others are Ndajor Ahmed, Yunusa Abubakar, Ajiboye Habib, Jeremiah Samson, and one man identified as Emem.

    While most of them sustained varying degrees of injury, Samson, 20, is said to be in a coma.

  • Governor Sule of Nasarawa dissolves cabinet

    Governor Sule of Nasarawa dissolves cabinet

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on Monday dissolved the State Executive Council.

    The governor announced the dissolution during a special executive council meeting at the Government House in Lafia.

    Sule said he had also relieved his special advisers and senior special assistants of their appointments, except those manning humanitarian services and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The government thanked the former commissioners and the aides for their sacrifices and contributions to the successes recorded by the administration so far.

    He said the administration would continue to count on their support in the future.

    Responding on behalf of the former appointees, Mr Abdukarim Abubakar, the outgoing Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, thanked the governor for giving them the opportunity to serve the state and his administration.

    Abubakar assured the governor of their continued support ahead of the 2023 General Elections.

    The commissioners were inaugurated by the governor on Nov. 1, 2019.

  • Gov. Sule condemns killing of Nasarawa APC Chairman

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa has condemned the killing of the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Philip Shekwo, describing it as unfortunate.

    Shekwo was abducted by gunmen at about 11 p.m. on Saturday from his residence in Bukan-Sidi, Lafia, as confirmed by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bola Longe.

    The lifeless body of the deceased was found some metres away from his residence on Sunday and had been deposited at the morgue at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia.

    The governor, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, said that the killing of the APC chairman came with great shock and bewilderment.

    “I am personally traumatised by this gruesome and inhuman act that has left myself, Mr Shekwo’s family members, the APC family and indeed, all well-meaning people shattered.

    “My prayers and thoughts go to the family of the late Shekwo. He was a great husband, statesman, complete gentleman and loyal party man,” Sule said.

    He assured the people of the state that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be arrested and brought to justice, as security agencies had begun investigations into the incident.

    “This killing has further our resolve to deploy every resource to fight crime and criminality and secure our people and their property.

    “I urge all to remain resilient, as we fight those who are bent on instilling fear in us and disrupt the pervading peace in our state.

    “We will not allow them and the Almighty will never allow them,” he added.

    Longe said that the police would not rest on its oars until the killers of the APC chieftain were found and brought to justice.

  • BREAKING: Gov. Sule sacks SSG

    BREAKING: Gov. Sule sacks SSG

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has sacked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed-Tijani.

    Ahmed-Tijjani was Commissioner for Education in the administration of Sen. Umaru Al-Makura, immediate past governor of the state.

    The announcement is contained in a statement issued by Alhaji Hamza Gayam, the Permanent Secretary (PS), Government House Administration, on Monday in Lafia.

    The statement said the governor had directed Ahmed-Tijani to immediately handover all government property in his possession to Mr Muazu Adamu-Gosho, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs in the Office of the SSG.

    It said that the governor thanked the former SSG for his services and support to the administration and wished him well in his future endeavour.

    Recall that the State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee investigating the release of N1 billion for the renovation/fencing of public secondary schools in the state in 2018, had indicted the former SSG.

    Following the indictment, the state legislators asked Ahmed-Tijani to refund over N248.5 million as unaccounted funds to the state government.

    The house said the former commissioner displayed blatant inefficiency, incompetency and ineffectiveness in the performance of his official duties and urged the governor to relief him of his appointment.