NEWS
Reps Begin Move to Create National Polytechnics Commission
By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Thursday, commenced legislative work on a bill for the establishment of a National Polytechnic Commission. When passed into law, the Commission (HB 1935) will be saddled with the responsibilities of supervising, regulating and coordinating Polytechnics education in the country.
Sponsored by Hon.
Doctor Farah Dagogo, Member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency from Rivers State, the Billhas already scaled the First Reading on the floor of the House. As part of the functions of the proposed Commission , Section 4(1b) empowers it to ‘prepare, after consultation with all the state governments, the Polytechnics, the National Manpower Board and such other bodies it considers appropriate, periodic master plans for the balanced and coordinated development of all Polytechnics in Nigeria’.Furthermore, Section 4(1bi) listed its development plans to include, ,”general programme to be pursued by the Polytechnics, in order to ensure that they are fully adequate to meet national needs and objectives”. According to Section 5(2) of the bill, ‘the Executive Secretary shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission and shall be responsible for the execution of the policy of the Commission and the day-to-day running of the affairs of the Commission.’
While Section 8(1) establishes a National Polytechnics Commission Fund, Section 8(3) was categorical that ‘ disbursement from the fund shall be made in accordance with rules made undersection 23 of the Finance (Control and Management) Act and, without prejudice to the foregoing, rule (26) of the Public Funds of the Federation (Disbursement) Rules, shall continue in force and have effect, as if made under this subsection ‘.
Membership of the Commission, to be appointed by the President, shall consist of a Chairman and one representative each from the Federal Ministry of Education, Health and Finance and one representative from the Association of Polytechnic Rectors.
According to a statement by the SA Media and Publicity to Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo , Ibrahim Lawal, six persons with wide knowledge and experience representing both private and public sector interests are to to be part part of the Commission on individual merit and federal character basis. Other members of the Commission are expected to have academic disciplines from Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Humanities, Social and Management Sciences, Engineering Sciences and Technology as well as Earth, Mineral and Natural Resources.
NEWS
Police Detain Man over Alleged Murder of Business Partner in Yobe
The Police Command in Yobe, says it has detained a man, Yunus Isa, in connection with alleged murder of his business partner, Lawan Adamu.
This is contained in a statement by the Spokesman of the command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, in Damaturu on Thursday.
Report says that Adamu’s body was found on Sept.
15, with deep throat cut and stab wounds at Nayinawa area of Damaturu.Abdulkarim said credible intelligence led to the arrest of a prime suspect in the case, Isa, at Shago Tara near Nayinawa.
“Investigation revealed that Lawan Adamu was his employer and business partner in the engine oil trade.
“He (the suspect) borrowed N500,000 from Adamu last year with a profit-sharing agreement.
“However, when he failed to meet the agreement terms, the deceased demanded repayment.
“Isa callously murdered Adamu to avoid repaying the debt, killing him in cold blood,” he said.
The spokesman noted that the swift resolution of the case demonstrated the command’s commitment towards ensuring justice and public safety.
He said the suspect would soon be charged to court. (NAN)
NEWS
Maiduguri Flood: Over N12b Support Generated for Victims
Borno Government says it has realized over N12b cash and material donations for victims of Alau Dam flood disaster in Maiduguri.
Abdurrahman Bundi, the Senior Special Adviser on New Media to Borno Governor, gave the update on the donations for the Maiduguri Relief Fund on Thursday in Maiduguri.
Bundi said the donations came from corporate entities, state governments, State and National Assembly members, individuals, and Non-Governmental Organisations.
List of donors showed that the North East Development Commission (NEDC) donated N3b and food stuff, Aliko Dangote N2b, Aminu Dantata N1.5b, and Mohammed Indimi N1b.
Other donors were Borno LGAs; N1.
2b, Oluremi Tinubu; N500m, Bauchi and Niger states; N250m each while the people of Southern Borno donated N200m.Dahiru Mangal, Atiku Abubakar, Rep. Mukhtar Betara, Ali Modu Sheriff, House of Representatives, Abdulsalam Kachala, and JAIZ Bank states comprising Kebbi, Yobe, Kano, Taraba, katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara gave N100 each.
The Director General of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Buba Marwa and Matrix Energy donated 10 trucks of fertiliser and foodstuff worth over N120m each.
Those who gave N50m include Adamawa state, Mr Peter Obi, Rabiu kwakwanso, Ahmed Lawan, Mohammad Maifata, Ibrahim Umar, Mohammad Imam, Ali Dalori, Bauchi APC chapter, Sen. Tahir Monguno, and Sen. Kaka Kaka Shehu and I8th Engineering Company, while the State Assembly donated N60m.
The Nasarawa Government also presented six trucks of rice, spaghetti and sugar.
Many other people donated between N1m and N30m respectively. (NAN)
NEWS
Jigawa Reviews mid-year Performance of MDAs
The Performance Delivery and Coordination Unit (PDCU), says it has concluded mid-year performance review of Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs), to enhance good governance in the state.
The PDCU being supervised by the office of Gov. Umar Namadi, conducted a three-day retreat on the review mid-year performance of the MDAs.
This is contained in a statement by Hashim Hashim, the unit’s Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Facilitator, in Dutse on Thursday.
He said the unit interfaced with representatives of the MDAs to verify submitted data on the progress recorded against set targets in the performance bond earlier signed in January.
According to him, the workshop is pivotal in streamlining government achievements into one single scorecard and finalising the mid-year performance reports for the attention of the governor.
The statement quoted the PDCU Coordinator, Adamu Muhammad, who doubles as Public Private Secretary to the governor, as stressing the importance of the exercise in driving the manifested 12-Point Agenda of the governor.
Muhammad was quoted as emphasising the need for the members of the unit to scrutinise and fine tune all the submitted evidence for accuracy, relevance and completeness.
The coordinator lauded the FCDO-PERL programme for the support to the state government in actualising the PDCU and supporting the review process.
“The PDCU comprises of professional technocrats selected based on merit and specialisation to support the delivery of the Governor’s 12-Point Agenda”. (NAN)