The State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, FCIB, made the call during the flagg-off distribution of free Chemistry and Physics textbooks to public school students in Kogi West Senatorial district, on Thursday at Saint Augustine College Kabba.

The free science textbooks totaling 11,000 for the entire state, was sponsored and donated by Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Kogi Auditor-General for Local Government, in support of the State Government’s school adoption and mentorship programme.

The commissioner commended the donor for boosting Gov. Yahaya Bello Administration’s effort to revamping education in the state.

Jones noted that the distribution of the textbooks had been inaugurated and distributed at Okene for Central and Idah for the Eastern senatorial districts.

The commissioner noted that the intervention by Ododo remained the biggest so far in the state since the commencement of the programme, saying it was massive across the three senatorial districts.

He, therefore appealed to individuals and organisations to support government’s efforts through the programme by adopting schools and mentoring of students for excellence to bringing back the glory of education in the state.

”You don’t need all the money to adopt a school or to mentor our students; sharing your experience alone with the students is enough motivation for them to boost their morale,” he said.

Jones stressed the commitment of His Excellency to continue to give utmost priority to education sector particularly the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The commissioner warned schools’ principals and teachers against selling the textbooks, saying government had set machinery in motion to apprehend any erring officials.

He advised the students to utilise the textbooks effectively by studying hard, saying examination malpractice is forbidden in the state.

He further warned all schools’ principals in the state against involvement in examination malpractice, saying defaulters would face heavy sanctions according to the state’s education law.

”We will kill ‘miracles centers’ in Kogi, we will halt all forms of examination malpractices, and some erring schools would be closed down,” the commissioners warned.

In their goodwill messages, Mr Robert Awodi, the President of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), and Mr Ranti Ojo, the state’s Chairman, Academic Staff Union Of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), both thanked the donor for the gesture

The unions commended the governor for given topmost priority to education in the state, and assured the government of their maximum support.

They further commended the education commissioner for the initiative and for his unprecedented achievements in the sector, saying history would forever remember him for the legacy.

On their part, the Authors of the textbooks, Engr. Yusub Ibrahim and Engr. Yusuf Isah, who are both Lecturers at FUTMINNA, said the leading feature about the books was its learner’s friendly, saying it was a good opportunity for the students and the teachers to utilise.

The authors commended the governor and the commissioner for partnering with them and for making the textbooks to see the light of the day.

In her vote of thanks, Hon Nana Raji, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Vocational and Informal Education, appreciated all the relevant stakeholders for making the project a huge success.

She urged the students to make good use of the textbooks for their own benefits as well as fulfilling the donor’s good intentions.

Some students, Hannah Oloruntoba, Goodluck Osarumwenser, from Lokoja and Kabba/Bunu LGAs, who spoke on behalf of others, thanked the government and the donor for the gesture, and promised to utilise the books effectively.

End

The National Rice Producers, Processors, Millers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NARPPMMAN), has distributed farm inputs to over 1000 farmers in Kogi.

Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday in Lokoja, the National Prisdent of the association, Mr. Mustapha Ahmadu, noted that the inputs was to boost dry season farming activities of farmers affected by the recent flood disaster.

Ahmadu said that the project would mitigate the devastating flood effects in the lives of the farmers, prevent food crisis and ensure food availability in the country.

He added that the gesture would also empower farmers with low economic structures to be able to cope with the impending challenges ahead of the Federal Government’s plan to remove fuel subsidy in 2023.

He said the association had mobilised its members across the 14 States especially those affected by flood to benefit from the 14 hectares’ dry season farming project sponsored by the association and its private partners.

He urge beneficiaries to guard the initiative jealously to achieve the desired goals and for its sustainability.

He further appealed to traditional rulers of each benefited local government to encourage their subjects to adhere to the agreement by paying their equity loans to attract more Agric projects to the communities.

He enjoined the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development not to relent its effort at ensuring that Nigeria attain food sufficiency.

He stressed that food security remained fundamental and panacea to some of the societal problems facing the nation.

Ahmadu sympathised with flood victims and commended Governor Yahaya Bello for working tirelessly in mitigating the flood effects residents.

The NARPPMMAN’s President further praised the governor for creating the enabling environment for agricultural businesses to thrives in the state.

In his remarks, Kogi Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, appreciated the association for the initiative and assured that the state ministry of Agriculture would give necessary support to the programme.

Apeh, who was represented by Mr Enejoh Alih, a Director in the ministry, said over 200 two hundred communities were affected by the recent flooding.

The commissioner appealed to the association to monitor the distribution of the inputs to ensure they get to the targeted farmers in the rural communities..

Apeh advised beneficiaries not to sell the inputs, but make proper use of them to better their lives and contribute their quotas to the development of Agriculture in the state.

On his part, the Vice National Prisdent, North Central Zone, Mr Ishaku Samaila, said the dry season private partnership project of the association was an initiative to ensure that farmers get the necessary inputs at a right time to boost food production in the country.

He explained that farmers would provide the equity contribution of the cost, and advised them to make judicious use of the inputs.

This, he said would enable them to pay the loans to enable the association do more for them in subsequent farming seasons.

The state’s Chairman of the Association, Mr Ikani Davidson, expressed the commitment of the association in Kogi to partner with the state government and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the association achieved the set objectives in food productions.

Two beneficiaries, Ebiloma Ogbogbo and Memunat Suleiman, appreciated the association for the initiative and promised to use the inputs judiciously according to expectations.

The inputs distributed include: Rice seed, fertilizers, herbicides among others.

End

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has constructed a block of four classrooms with toilets and donated it to College of Arabic and Islamic Studies (CAISO) Idoji, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The COAS also built principal’s office as well as renovations of a block of Assembly hall and staff rooms.

Speaking at the projects’ commissioning on Friday in Okene, the COAS said the gesture was part of the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Intervention projects executed by the Nigerian Army across the country.

The COAS, who was represented by the Commander, Headquarters Command Army Records (CAR), Maj. Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, said Nigerian Army had enjoyed high level of cooperation and goodwill from host communities and the Nigeria citizens.

According to him, the Nigerian Army has over the years taken deliberate steps towards ensuring that it gives back to the society the cooperation it enjoys from them by observing some corporate social responsibilities.

He said it was very much in line with his vision of “a professional Nigerian Army, ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria.

”The project being commissioned today is one of the several Civil-Military Cooperation related activities and quick impact projects executed in various parts of the country by the Nigenan Army towards contributing to national development.

”Thus, I believe this project will serve the collective needs of the members of this community and its immediate environs.

”I, therefore want to appeal to you to see this project as a symbol of friendship between the Nigerian Army and your community.

”Let it foster the desired peace, progress and indeed bring prosperity to the community as well,” Yahaya said.

The COAS thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for his continuous support to the Nigerian Army and for providing the conducive environment necessary to carry out their constitutional mandate.

He further thanked the Minister of Defence Maj. Gen Salihi Magashi (rtd) and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Lucky Irabor for providing direction and support to the Nigerian Army always.

He commended Governor Yahaya Bello, the traditional fathers and all the good people of the community for their unrelenting support particularly to the Nigerian Army.

He urged the people to continue to live in peace and harmony and be tolerant of one another, stressing that the Exercise Enduring Peace ll, recently launched in the state was to ensure peace.

Speaking in his own capacity, Igbinomwanhia appreciated the COAS for sponsoring several of those projects in Kogi under his area of responsibility.

On his part, Maj. Gen. Sanusi Dahiru, Director of Administration and Logistics Defence Research and Development Bureau, who executed the projects, thanked the COAS for his passion for education and financial commitment to the reality of the projects.

Dahiru said the project was a way of reaching out to his community noting that his father had so much passion for the school during his lifetime.

In his remarks, the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, HRM Alh. Ado Ibrahim, thanked the COAS for the gesture towards his people, and for ensuring adequate security in the state.

Ohinoyi, who was represented by the Asema Ezuka, HRH Dr Muhammed Isah, said the projects would go a long way in helping the community and the student for effective learning.

The School Principal, Mr Zakarriyau Ahmad, said he was overwhelmed by the executed projects, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the COAS as well as Maj. Gen. Dahiru.

The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of souvenirs to dignitaries at the occasion as well as COAS who was the special guest of honour.

End.

A socio-political pressire group, Ijumu Unity Group (IUG) on Monday, inaugurated members of its Executive Council and Board of Trustees (BoT) who would run the affairs of the group.

Barr. Emmanuel Mejabi, administered the oath of office for the inaugurated members during the IUG National Congress held on Monday, at Iyara in Ijumu Local Government Areas of Kogi State.

In his speech, the Group Chairman, Mr Funsho Olumoko, said the IUG was fashioned to bring Ijumu citizens together for political renaissance for their social enclave.

He said the group would unite the people of Ijumu, discuss developmental issues and identify post political factors that could facilitate development projects to Ijumu kingdom.

He stressed the need for the people of Okun speaking race in Kogi West to be united if they want to occupy Lugard House in 2024.

Olumoko noted that since Kogi East had produced several Governors in the past, while the Central were winding down its second tenure, it behoved that power shifted to the West.

According to him, at times, to be successful in life you must take risk because often times what you fear the most to do is the very thing that will set you free.

“The big question on our lips today is are we as Ijumu, Okun people ready to take the bull by the horn? or are we just wishing to occupy Lugard House?

”Have we forgotten that power is not serve al arcarte? That the time to take steps is now! In oneness we should make this demand bearing in mind that it’s oneness that make Jews Jew and Arabs Arab.

”We talk about numbers, but our hatred for each other, pull down syndrome, individual greed and the likes are the major problem facing us in Okun land.

“Remember that minority in some states in this country have produced the Chief Executive of those states and whatever differences we have also existed among them equally.

”We magnify others and that truly tear us apart bitterly. But if we as a people will make considerably impact, politically economically and otherwise, that element of oneness is caviar and of utmost importance,” he said.

He stressed that there had been a disconnect between the leadership and the followers which had resulted to all forms of rebellion, back stabling, infighting and utmost betrayal, hatred, among others.

He emphasised the need for ijumu indigenes to support IUG to bridging the gap that would galvanise their people into formidable team that will birth new era in the area.

“Our political leader are no longer being listened to, a case of the rotational system jettisoned, what could be responsible for this?

”We implore all hands to be on deck so that the goal and objectives of this group can be achieved,” he said.

The Group Chairman Board of Trustees, Otunba APS Arogundade, said one of the key objectives of IUG was to bring together people of like minds from Ijumu kingdom to foster unity and oneness among members and Okun at large.

Arogundade, who was represented by Barr. Femi Oloruntoba, appealed to the politicians to use their power to benefit the people of Ijumu and Okun in general.

Earlier, the Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area, Alh. Taofiq Isah, who declared the event open, called for a united Ijumu and assured IUG of his total support in all aspects to achieving its objectives.

End

A statement on Tuesday in Lokoja by the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Isah Adagiri Yahaya, said the publication in a section of the social media credited to one Chukwuemeka Mohammed, was misleading, malicious and unfounded.

According to him, Chukwuemeka Mohammed in his write up tried albeit fruitlessly all efforts to bring to disrepute the effective service delivery status achieved by the present management of KSSH and the Administration of Governor Yahaya Bello in the revolution of the Health Sector.

”It is an acknowledged fact that the Specialist Hospital Lokoja under the present administration has been repositioned in the areas of infrastructure, human resource, towards meeting emergencies at the hospital.

”It is important to state that KSSH is amongst Government agencies that has been given the leverage to opt out of the single treasury accounting system.

”All of this decisions are geared towards meeting patients’ emergency need and the restocking medicaments where and when necessary.

“Through Chukwuemeka’s social media post, several questions come to mind: was there any attempt for Chukwuemeka to complain to the department responsible for Insurance Management in the hospital?

”Was there any effort to draw the attention of the Matron on compound duty, the Hospital Publicity Director or the Medical Doctor in charge of the Accident and Emergency to any of the challenges you encountered?

”We will like to know the Clinical status of Chukwuemeka’s client before she was rushed to Specialist Hospital, and where she was referred from? Her HMO and who her Primary Provider is?

”Was any of the KSSH insurance Department staff contacted? Because we intend to be fair, balanced, scientific, objective and clinical about all his claims.

”Since the Establishment of Kogi State Specialist Hospital, can Chukwuemeka give us data showing that the hospital is a cemetery for burying dead people, His quote: ‘specialist hospital has turned a death trap’

”Let it be placed on record that the hospital has a 24hr policy of attending to emergencies without payment and accumulating a debt to the tune of N20,000 before the client’s relatives are contacted.

”We have several countless examples of person’s who are alive because of this EMERGENCY POLICY of the hospital, NHIS or NOT,” he said.

He added: ”we’re in a Civil Society and as such, there are civil ways of addressing concerns and complaints.
”With the manner and way this post was written, it seeks to: Undermine the management and staff of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital.

”There seem to be a clear motive behind this post which is geared towards portraying the Chief Medical Director in person of Prof Isah Yahaya Adagiri in very bad light without any due diligence to fact checking and balanced reportage.

”Deliberately painting the Government of his Excellency, Yahaya Adoiza Bello in bad light for no realistic reason before the good people of Kogi State and environs.

”Deliberately undermining all the time, resources and attention paid to the health care sector by his Excellency, intentionally Inciting Public Hate and stirring up Civil disobedience against the Hospital and Government of Kogi State.

”We wish to therefore say that Chukwuemeka’s post is designed and masterminded to sell a private hospital which is his entitlement, but we frown at his attempt to denigrate or cast aspersion on a government owned hospital without clear proof or facts.

”Chukwuemeka used the term ‘Negligence and lack of sympathy’

”We are looking forward to where he has repeatedly draw-out the attention of the hospital management to these claims and nothing was done about it BY the Medical Staff of the Accident and Emergency Department or any other Emergency Department within the hospital.?

“Considering the manner this post was made, we wish to remind Chukwuemeka that both the NHIS now NHIA and the Kogi State Specialist Hospital are Government owned and fully Established by law.

”Therefore, we will explore all necessary options to address both his claims on the social media space without recourse to due process within five working days.”

End

This is contained in their theme for the 2022 celebration of Annual Yagba Day. Titled; Students’ Participation In Politics, A Shove For Effective Representation. (Case Study: Yagba Federal Constituency’s Representation At The Green Chambers By Elder Leke Abejide).

The President of the students association, Comr. Rowland David told news men in Lokoja that Abejide was taken as a case study because of his illustrious representation of the constituency in green chambers. He added the Abejide’s representation has touched the lifes of all strata of the Yagba community, starting from children, students, youths and the aged.

Rowland David stressed that Abejide’s has offered the best representation so far in the history of Yagba Federal Constituency, it is important to appreciate him and also challenge him to do better.

The celebration is scheduled to hold on 2nd of October at Aiyegboyin Hotel in Lokoja.

An NGO, Iko-Josh Empowerment Foundation (I-JEF), on Saturday sensitised vulnerable teenage children in Kogi on health education and personal hygiene to ensure a healthy living and avoid unwanted pregnancy.

Speaking at the event at Lokongoma Primary School Lokoja, the Executive Director of I-JEF, Mr Reuben Joshua, said the programme was a community awareness campaign on adolescent reproductive health education and personal hygiene for vulnerable children between age 10 to 17 years.

He said the aim was to be able to raise change agents within the age cycle of 10 to 17 years, that would influence their peers positively in terms hygiene and sex education.

He stressed that the children would be able to talk to their peers and educate them on what they had learnt about sex education and personal hygiene.

”So, we are grooming them to become change agents in their own generation, because when they talk to each other it has more effect than that of adults.

”Instead of falling to peer pressure negatively, others will fall to their own peer pressure positively because of what they had been taught,” he said.

Joshua assured that the community awareness campaign would be a regular event aimed at raising change agents in terms of sex education and personal hygiene in the society.

In their lectures, Corps Members: Miss Faithful Wealth and Peace Okpala, who spoke on ”Sex Education” and ”Personal Hygiene” respectively, urged the children to be responsible.

Okpala advised the children to always maintain good personal hygiene to avoid strange body odour and build self confident in the future.

She urged them to take care of every part of their body such as the hair, mouth, nails, armpit, private parts, and ensure thorough and regular bathing.

She advised parents especially mothers to take out time to watch and guide their children in maintaining good personal hygiene as well as sex education.

On her part, Wealth advised the girls to focus on their education, career and should not be distracted by boys or social media.

She advised parents to stop been too harsh on their children, but to be open to them to enable them freely express themselves.

A participant, Stella Okpanachi, 16 years old, commended the foundation for educating them in the areas of sex education and personal hygiene.

According to her, the sensitisation have positioned them better as teenagers to focus on their studies, preserve and protect themselves against negative peer pressure and unwanted pregnancy.

She promised to put what she had learnt into practice and also teach her friends in school when they resume.

End

A Voluntary and Non Profitable youth group in Kogi State, Kogi Youths Alliance for Good Governance has called on a former national Legal adviser of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) and former Chairman Governing Council of The Federal Polytechnic Idah Barrister Kabir Usman to save the Confluence State from Maladministration, Nepotism and Underdevelopment by contesting the 2023 Kogi State Gubernatorial election.

The group made the call on Friday 2nd October 2023 in Lokoja the Kogi State Capital through it’s Chairman Comrade Audu Musa while interacting with Newsmen after the group’s meeting

Comrade Musa stated that after witnessing the way and manner the state has been governed in the last 7 years,there is the need for someone with an unblemished record to come and salvage the sinking ship of State so as to bring the 31 year old state out of the doldrums of political obscurity.

Coordinator of the group,Comrade Musa said the person that fits into that description is the Ankpa born politician Barrister Kabir Usman because of his track record, Philantropic nature and excellent record of discharging his official duties in the various Organizations he has served in the past.

” Barrister Kabir Usman has left footprint of achievements and indelible ink of transformations and development in the sectors he has served and as such we are calling on him to come and save Kogi State from it’s current pathetic state”

Barrister Kabir Usman hails from Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Executive Chairman of Kogi State Security Trust Fund (KGSSTF) Hon. Samari Teina Abdulmalik has assured residents of the state of adequate security of lives and properties as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Abdulmalik gave the assurance in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday in Lokoja, to mark the Agency’s 10th Anniversary.

According to him, the agency was established by the KSSTF Act of 2012, which strives to acquire and deploy security equipments materials and financial resources for the effective functioning of all Federal, State, Local Government and other security agencies operating in the state.

He stressed that KSSTF was created to response to the operational deficiency of the various security agencies within the state, particularly with respect to equipping and provision of modern equipment.

Abdulmalik said that the agency’s success had been fuelled in the last decade by collaboration with security agencies to enforce its mandate of securing the environment.

He highlighted the key role of individuals, groups, communities, organisations and other units that constitute the state to public security.

He noted that through the impact of government and other relevant stakeholders, the crime rate in the state had progressively declined in the recent years.

The executive chairman emphasised that Kogi of today had become safer for residents to carry out their lawful daily activities without any fear.

He described the public security as fundamental for enhancing good governance, socio-economic growth and development in every society,

He called on every segment of the society to support the state government and all security agencies so as to enhance public safety in Kogi.

He urged individuals, corporate bodies, religious bodies among others to donate to the fund so as to achieve its set goal of ensuring quality service delivery and improved security in the state.

While assuring citizens of Kogi of maximum security of lives and properties in the coming years, he stressed that the trust fund had contributed its quota towards protecting residents and their investments.

He noted since assumed office, the security agency in the state had been passionate about serving the people in its area of mandate.

He highlighted the agency’s achievements under his watch to include the procurement of vehicles for security agencies as well as motorcycles to enhance the opertion of local hunters in the state.

He added his administration was also instrumental in the proposed ICT driven intelligence gathering of the state by Hytera and partners.

”In addition, the trust fund under my leadership has been able to refurbish operational vehicles for security agencies as well as commenced plans for the establishment of a central logistics base as mandated by the Enabling Law,” he said.

He said that the present fight against crime cannot be obtained without the active involvement, participation and support of every section of the society.

He, therefore enjoined individuals, groups, communities, organisations and other units that constitute the state to report unusual activities to the relevant authorities.

End

Speaking at the event at Government House Lokoja, the Director General of PDCRC, Barr. Abdullahi Zakari, said the commission set up the Human Rights Special Interventions Committee, and was inaugurated on October 15, 2020, on the directive of the Governor.

According to him, the committee was established to deal with matters arising out of the ENDSARS protests in 2020.

”Today, we are submitting the Kogi State report of its findings and then making appropriate recommendations to Government on what to do.

”We identified the immediate and remote causes of the protests and also made recommendations for the purposes of implementation.

”So that such occurrence will be minimised if not completely stopped in some other time,” he said.

According to Zakari, the committee entertained 12 petitions out of which six of them were life issues.

He explained that at the commission’s level, they were able to address some issues that were not too serious, made recommendations and people have gotten results.

He added that on the other six reports, there was a public hearing where people took ownership of their complaints, and the committee made their findings.

”In all, the recommendations would go a long way into resolving some of the issues that undermined the ENDSARS protests that swept across the country,” Zakari said.

In his response, the Governor commended the committee for a job well done, assuring that the State Government would look into the recommendations for implementation.

The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr Folashade Ayoade, promised to continue to give the necessary support to ensure that Kogi PDCRC is well positioned to deliver on its objectives.

He commended the commission for several civil and criminal cases and interventions it had handled and resolved across the state since it was established.

”I want to assure you that every recommendation therein will be well noted and carry out because of my strong believe in promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights,” he said.

Bello reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the residents and citizens of the state especially the indigents and vulnerable have access to justice free of charge.

The governor further restated his determination to ensure protection, promotion and enforcement of human rights across the state.

Earlier, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mohammed SAN, said Kogi PDCRC was a product of justice sector reforms established through the instrumentality of law.

He commended the commission for a job well done in putting up the ENDSARS report, assuring them of the State Government continuous support and without any interference in delivering their mandates.

Also speaking, the Kogi State Acting Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi, appreciated the Governor for his proactive-ness in ensuring that human rights are promoted, protected and enforced in the state without interference.

He assured the commission of the total support of the judiciary in its bid to deliver justice for the vulnerable and indigent residents and citizens of the state.

In his vote of thanks, the Committee Chairman, Barr. Ibrahim Alhassan, thanked the governor for creating the enabling environment for the committee to operate.

Alhassan further commended the DG Kogi PDCRC for a great job he is doing describing Zakari as a great asset to Kogi State Government

End