NEWS
NGO, Surulere LGA Commence Empowerment Programme for Women, Youth

Sulaiman Yusuf, Executive Chairman, Surulere Local Government, in conjunction with Yield Africa Foundation on Tuesday commenced a nine-day skills acquisition programme for 300 women and youths in Surulere.
The training will cover some core areas of catering, baking, photography, household chemical production, such as different types of soaps, insecticides and Tie and Dye, among others.
Yusuf, while addressing the participants, asked them to seize the opportunity of the various skills training going on at the LGA.
He said the aim was to learn, show interest and get established, to contribute their quota to the economy and reduce the demand for white collar jobs.
The Chairman during his campaign had harped on provision of different empowerment and vocational programmes for sustainable livelihood.
“I affirm that the people of Surulere will be experiencing series of programmes periodically to better their lives,” Yusuf said.
He urged the participants to pay proper attention, to enable them get the necessary knowledge and further prepare them for the future, which comes with it financial gains to make them financially independent.
He said that after the training, the participants would be empowered with equipment and materials to start their chosen businesses.
The Executive Director of the NGO, Yield Africa Foundation, Mr Tunde Martins, said the objective of the programme was to empower and set up the youth and make them useful to themselves and the nation.
“We are an international organisation focusing more on women, due to what happened during the pandemic, which affected many people, jobs and increase in rate of unemployment to 32 per cent in the country.
“We have done series of empowerment programmes and medical outreach in some other local government areas; this is the first skill acquisition programme we are carrying out in Surulere.
“Our aim is to reach the grassroots in all local government areas in the country.
“Presently, we have coordinators in 15 different countries and coordinators in 20 states in the country.
“Our focus is more on Nigeria and Africa, to be part of the new development in Africa,” Martins said.
He said there was need for people to acquire skills, even when employed to forestall any eventuality. (NAN)
NEWS
Soaring Temperature: NAHCON Advises Pilgrims to Stay in Tents from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has advised pilgrims to stay in their tents from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to soaring daytime temperatures during the pilgrimage.The Chairman of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh, gave the advice while speaking to newsmen in Makkah on Sunday.
Daily Asset reports that Saudi Arabia, through its National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), had on Sunday issued heatwave warnings for Hajj 2025, urging pilgrims to take precautions amid soaring daytime temperatures between 40°C and 47°C. The NCM forecasted challenging weather, including high temperatures, potential thunderstorms, and reduced visibility.Saleh said NAHCON had a stakeholders’ meeting where all the Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Boards were mandated to tell their pilgrims that no pilgrim would be allowed out of their tents in Mina and Arafat due to soaring temperature.“Yesterday we called all the stakeholders. We met with them and mandated them to announce and tell their people that nobody is allowed to be out of the tent from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.“It is not advised to go out because the temperature is not normal this year. We also advised them to continue drinking water.“If it is necessary to be outside, let them go with water in hand. Let them take their umbrellas and use them, just because the temperature is not normal.The NAHCON chairman urged the media to help the commission to disseminate the information to the pilgrims to adhere to the heatwave warnings.“So, media, please you are our eyes, you are our voice to the public. Help us tell our people to regard this instruction.”Report says that approximately 63,000 Nigerian pilgrims are expected for the 2025 Hajj. (NAN)NEWS
Troops Neutralise 3 Suspected Bandits, Recover Weapons in Plateau

Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have neutralised three suspected bandits in Wase Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.Maj. Samson Zhakom, the Media Officer of OPSH, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Jos.Zhakom, who said that the feat followed an intelligence tip, added that the troops also recovered weapons during the operations.
“Yesterday , troops of OPSH, acting on credible intelligence, conducted offensive operations at a criminal hideout along the fringes of Pinau community in Wase LGA of Plateau. “During the operation, troops made contact with criminal elements terrorising the general area, including Pinau – Gimbi road.“During the exchange of fire, troops overwhelmed the criminals with superior firepower and neutralised three of the suspected bandits“While others ran away with wounds from gunshots, troops exploited the general area and recovered one AK-47 rifle and one AK-47 magazine,” he said.Zhakom said that the troops had commenced a follow-up operation to intercept the fleeing criminals. (NAN)NEWS
C’River Former Commissioner Commends Otu for Developmental Strides

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar
A former commissioner in the immediate past administration of Former Governor Ben Ayade, Dr Edem Okokon Effiom has commended the State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu for his development strides in cross river in two yearsEffiom made the commendation recently during an interaction with journalists at his residence in Calabar.
While appraising the performance of the Governor, he said nobody would have done better than what the Governor has done in the State considering the cash inflow to the stateHe stressed further that Governor Otu had performed magic from infrastructure, the health sector up to the Education sectorAccording to him, “look at the remodeling of the State cultural center in Calabar, the State library complex even the ongoing construction works at the 12 km Adiabo- Eseku road that was abandoned since the military regime about 33 years ago and the reconstruction of the State Newspaper Cooperation and many others,” Effiom stated. ”His administrative style and administration, as I have often elaborated in several forums, is a mixture of humility, calmness, and wide recognition”.”His Excellency Governor Bassey Edet Otu is an embodiment of humility. He wears the garment of calmness, and that calmness also radiates within his administration”.He said the Governor has brought in a quiet infrastructural revolution, re-innovation and reconstruction of dilapidated and abandoned infrastructures. Stating that this is seen clearly from both the rural and Oban infrastructure.”We can see this clearly from the hospital and medical infrastructure. We have seen this quiet revolution taking place with very little noise across the State,he’s a man for whom I think his work can speak for him”.”Cross Riverians can naturally assess his administration in the last two years, he is a man who has enjoyed the followership of the large populace”.”So, if the people say that we want him to continue, come 2027, so be it. He merits it. In all ramifications, he merits it”.”In his way of life, his composure in life and the way he touches politics. He brings a lot of Midas touch to politics. He actually merits a second term which is not negotiable””So for me, I will also subscribe to those who say he should come back in 2027″, he concluded.