Page 48

Page 48

Pupils trek 3km to school, village chief tells APC candidate

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

The traditional ruler of Ahinza community in Rubochi ward of Kuje Area Council, Abuja, Malam Abubakar Hussaini, has said that children in his community usually trek three kilometres daily to attend school at the neighbouring Toton-Gabiya village.

Speaking when he received the campaign team of the chairmanship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kuje, Alhaji Abdullahi D. Galadima, on Saturday at his palace, the chief complained that the village had been neglected in terms of social amenities.

He told the chairmanship candidate that since the community was found over 100 years ago, no viable government project was sited there, not even a primary school.

“You will be surprised that this community does not even have one block of classroom. Our children take the risk to trek three kilometres daily to attend school at the neighbouring Toton-Gabiya village,” the chief said.

He further complained about lack of access to pipe borne water, saying they always trek a long distance in search of water, especially at the peak of dry season, adding that patients also travel to seek medical care at the neighbouring village.

The village chief added that lack of access to a good road network was another challenge facing people of the community, saying farmers always mobilise themselves to repair the road before transporting their crops to the market.

Responding, the APC chairmanship candidate told the village chief that it was because of those challenges confronting the people at the rural areas that prompted him to contest.

He said he would provide the needed infrastructure, including primary schools and potable water, to various communities in the area council.

FCT minister urges welfare board to mobilise for pilgrimage

By Ben Atonko

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has urged the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board to, as a matter of urgency, commence the mobilisation of intending pilgrims for the next pilgrimage exercise to Israel.

The chief press secretary to Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said the minister made this call while receiving the report of the 2015 Christian pilgrimage from the FCT Ministerial Delegation in his office in Abuja.

The minister said the call had become necessary to enable the FCT fully enjoy the number of allocations from the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC).

“I encourage you to try as much as possible to meet up whatever allocations have been given to you from the National Christian Commission.

“There are times when it might be a bit challenging for you to even get your right allocations. Usually, decision makers will always look back and see what the historical trend was. If historically you have not been meeting up with whatever has been allocated to you, chances are that at the time when you want some increase, it becomes very difficult to get.”

Bello advised the board to encourage people to start saving towards the spiritual journey because it is not easy to bring the money at once.

He assured that all the issues raised in respect to last year’s pilgrimage in the report would be looked into, adding that his administration would support the board to achieve all its set goals.

Presenting the report, the leader of the delegation on the 2015 pilgrimage, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, revealed that a total number of 358 formed the FCT contingent.

He disclosed that 1,200 seats were, however, allocated to the FCT by NCPC.

Students tasked on healthy competition in sports

By Emma Elekwa

Students of Government Secondary School (GSS), Kubwa, Abuja, have been urged to see sports as part of activities that promote healthy rivalry, friendship and good health, rather than a do-or-die affair.

The principal of the school, Mrs. Rakiya Iya, who stated this at the weekend during the 15th annual inter-house sports competition of the school, said it was part and parcel of children’s development.

She announced that eight houses would compete for honours in different sporting activities, and urged eventual winners to be magnanimous and losers to accept defeat gallantly.

“In every competition there is bound to be winners and losers. While I expect the eventual winners to be humble and law-abiding in victory, I also expect the losers to be gallant in defeat and work harder to win next time,” she said.

The principal assured that the school would continue to encourage the students to engage themselves in sporting activities, saying it remained an integral part of both academic and physical development of the youth.

Kubwa Community Safety Partnership elects executive

By Emma Elekwa

The Kubwa Community Safety Partnership has elected a 12-man executive committee to ensure a more effective and robust synergy between the police and the community.

The partnership, an initiative of the police, was created four months ago as a platform for regular meetings and interactions among relevant stakeholders and the police on the security situation within Kubwa and its environs. It is aimed at guaranteeing a crime-free society.

The officers were nominated from various stakeholders, including traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, road transport workers, market associations, commercial motorcycle (okada) operators, as well as educational institutions.

Inaugurating the members of the executive, the Kubwa Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Chief Superintendent Nuruddeen Sabo, expressed satisfaction over the results the partnership far yielded, particularly in reducing crime rate in the area, insisting that the issue of security is everybody’s responsibility.

He called for co-operation from members of the community by reporting all security issues in their neighbourhood to the committee, which will in turn give a feedback to the police accordingly.

Responding, the chairman of the committee, Capt. Aliyu Garba, described the task as challenging, and called for prayers from both his members and the entire community.

He said the committee would co-opt a legal adviser who would assist in drawing a constitution to guide it.