Page 14,November 12,2015

Page 14,November 12,2015

Rights group wants ATBU to reverse fees hike

By Zakariyya Adaramola

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has called on the authorities of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi to reduce the school fees for both fresh and returning students.

According to the institution’s Governing Council decision, fresh students are expected to pay the sum of N44, 250 while returning students would pay N39, 520 as against N22, 500 and N14, 500 paid by the fresh students and returning students respectively last academic session.

But the ERC in a statement jointly signed by its national coordinator and national secretary, Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Michael Ogundele respectively, ERC condemned the new hike and demanded immediate reversal.

“By hiking fees beyond the national minimum wage which still stands at a pitiful N18, 000, the ATBU authorities want to exclude students from poor working class background from getting a University degree,” the statement noted.

Besides, the statement pointed out that ERC rejects in its entirety the ridiculous argument that due to underfunding, university authorities have no choice but to increase fees.

Edo keen to support agro finance-Commissioner

By Vincent A. Yusuf

The Edo State commissioner for agriculture, Prince Joe Okojie has said the State would provide the necessary support for the sustenance of the Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN) for farmers.

Prince Okojie made the remarks in Benin when the team of the 11thFederal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) supervision mission for RUFIN to the state paid him a courtesy visit.

RUFIN is a project implemented by the federal government and IFAD to enhance microfinance access for rural poverty reduction and financial services to rural poor farmers, particularly women, physically challenged people and youths.

The commissioner stated that he took particular interest and liking in the programme since the project was grassroots oriented.

Earlier, the IFAD Country Programme Manager, Atsuko Toda while underscoring the important of smallholders’ farmers’ access to credit facilities said RUFIN works to ensure financial inclusion for the rural poor farmers.

Toda said some of the challenges faced by the RUFIN project in the state were the inability of the state government to pay its counterpart funding.

Church collapse: COREN to prosecute indicted members

By Usman A. Bello

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) said it would persecute two registered engineers of the council indicted in the Synagogue Church of All nations building collapsed case.

In a statement signed by COREN President, Engr. Kashim A. Ali and made available to Daily Trust, said the prosecution became necessary following the Federal High Court, Lagos headed by Justice Ibrahim Buba verdict which upheld the Coroner’s Court findings against Prophet T.B. Joshua and the two registered engineers involved in the case.

According to the president, the two engineers of the council had earlier approached the court seeking to stop the police from arresting and prosecuting them over the Coroner ruling indicting them of criminal negligence and recommending them for criminal prosecution.

“In view of this dismissal, COREN who is the sixth respondent in this suit is now poised to proceed against its Registered Engineers in accordance with the COREN Act,” he said.

He assured that COREN would as a matter of urgency take appropriate action against these registered engineers involved in the matter

NAFDAC boss bags US congress award

By Ojoma Akor

Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii has received an honorary award from the Black Caucus of the United States Congress under the auspices of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), Georgian Bureau.

A statement from the agency signed by its spokesman, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, Rep. Dee Dawkins Haigler who led a delegation of congressmen to present the award to the NAFDAC boss in Abuja, said Dr. Orhii and his team have worked tirelessly in fighting the menace of counterfeiting of medicines and other regulated products.

Dr. Orhii said the honour shows the increasing international awareness and concern about the global menace of drug counterfeiting and a common resolve to combat the problem frontally.

While dedicating the US special congressional award to the staff of NAFDAC and the hapless victims of drug counterfeiting, Orhii thanked the Black Caucus for the inspiring honour and promised to sustain the war against counterfeit regulated products.

Herders task FG on grazing reserve commission

By Usman A. Bello

Fulani socio-cultural group Miyetti Allah has called on the federal government to prevail on the National Assembly to pass the bill for the establishment of a Grazing Commission in the country.

Miyetti Allah National Secretary, Engr. Saleh Alhassan who stated this in an interview with Daily Trust in Abuja said this would restore peace and confidence between the herders and the farmers.

According to him, there is a bill pending at the National Assembly seeking the establishment of grazing reserve commission.

He explained that the function of the commission is to see to the restoration of grazing routes that already existed since 1956 and where they are encroached upon due to urbanization and development.

Alhassan pointed out that they are also advocating for crazing corridors for the pastoralists so that herders do not have to run into conflict with the land tenure system.

He said, this is so because if people are asked to relinquish their land, they will think one group is being empowered against another.

The national secretary hoped that the government should put pressure on the national assembly to pass the bill and give it a bite.

Success without compromise possible – Anglican primate

By Emma Elekwa

The Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh has called on Nigerians to support the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration by resisting every act of compromise in all spheres of life.

The cleric described as erroneous the belief that one must compromise in order to succeed in life, maintaining that nobody stands for God and suffer any loss.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of the Divine Commonwealth conference (DIVCOM) with the theme “Dare to be a Daniel” held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, Okoh said Christians today could be successful without selling their souls.

Archbishop Okoh said the conference was intended to encourage Nigerian Christians and others to stand for righteousness, integrity and positive behaviours towards building up one another and the country.

Renovate police barracks nationwide, Reps tell FG

By Musa Abdullahi Krishi

The House of Representatives yesterday called on the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs and the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase to ensure immediate renovation of all police barracks in the country.

The House said they should urgently design modalities for partnering with well-meaning investors to renovate existing barracks and build new ones with maintenance obligations.

The lawmakers consequently mandated the committee on police affairs to monitor the development and report back quarterly for further legislative action.

The decision was taken after adopting a motion by Rep Hassan Saleh (PDP, Benue). The lawmaker bemoaned the “pathetic state of police barracks across the country.”

He said police barracks nationwide “have, without continuous renovation, improvement or repairs of facilities, dilapidated with open and stinking gutters, broken sewages, damaged roofs, and cracked walls among others.

“Thousands of residents of the barracks live in uneasy calm rather than with peace of mind and comfort necessary for an effective discharge of their duties and a disciplined attitude and behaviour to the general public,” he said. The motion was unanimously adopted.