By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has urged his friends and political allies to refrain from placing birthday wishes on Newspaper pages.

Shettima gave the advice in a statement he personally signed and issued by Mr Olusola Abiola, Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shettima will turn 57 on Saturday.

He also advised his friends to stop utilising paid channels to convey their greetings in their endeavours to commemorate his birthday.

Shettima stated that the decision was made in the spirit of national commitment to responsible resource management and responsive governance.

He said: ” Dear friends and well-wishers, as we approach the anniversary of my birth on Sept. 2, I am utterly grateful for the warm wishes and kind sentiments that many of you have expressed over the years.

” Your thoughtfulness has touched my heart and has been a source of immense joy. I would like to take this opportunity to humbly request that you consider celebrating this occasion in a different way.

” In the spirit of our nation’s commitment to responsible resource management and responsive governance.

“I kindly ask you to refrain from placing birthday wishes on newspaper pages or utilising paid channels to convey your greetings.”

Shettima further asked his friends to join him in channeling their collective efforts towards a nobler cause.

He said: ” Instead of spending resources on such messages, I encourage you to contribute to the betterment of our society by donating to charity organisations in need or your preference, in our collective pursuit of a humane and functional world.

“Thank you for your understanding and for being my all-weather friends and allies. Warm regards.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said on Thursday, that it will conduct integrity tests on old buildings within the city to forestall building collapse.

Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Development Control, FCTA, stated this in Abuja while addressing newsmen on buildings in Jabi that failed integrity tests which might likely collapse.

Galadima said that the test, which would be conducted in partnership with professional bodies and regulatory bodies, and agencies would be carried out in Wuse 1, Garki 1, Garki 2, and Asokoro.

He said that the old houses that would be targeted for the exercise would be mainly those above 30 years.

The director said that the measure became necessary, following the unfortunate incident that happened in Garki village, where a two-storey building collapsed, killed two persons and injured 37 others.

“We have agreed with our colleagues, the professional and regulatory bodies and agencies to identify some structures within the city and conduct integrity tests on them.

“The goal is to avert unforeseen circumstances like building collapse that may occur due to structural defects.

“I have discussed with my colleagues and we will soon be going to the field for the exercise, particularly in Garki 1, Garki 2, Wuse 1 and Asokoro,” he said.

He explained that the areas were targeted because they were mainly developed by private individuals with houses standing for over 30 years.

Galadima said that most of the officers that supervised buildings in the areas were out of service, “and we don’t know the level of supervision then.

“We want to be sure that the structures can stand the test of time,” he said.

The director, however, said that not every building that failed the integrity test would be demolished.

He said that sometimes the consultants would give room for remedial measures for the building to stand.

Galadima emphasised that structures that failed integrity tests and beyond remedy will be removed.

He urged people to comply with building regulations as provided by relevant acts and laws.

On the buildings located on Plot 643 Cadastral Zone Bo4, Jabi District, he said that the integrity test revealed that the building may collapse.

He said that after the failed test, the occupants of the four single-storey buildings on the plot were asked to vacate the buildings for their safety but refused to do so.

“It is disturbing that in spite professional warnings, the people are still occupying the house, even going further to obtain an order of the Court to stop us from vacating them.

“Our concern is the safety of the individual and their properties that is why we are calling on the public to desist from such acts.

“Once a structure has been tested and confirmed to be deficient, people should comply and vacate the structure because anything can happen,” he said.

On the court order, Galadima said that the department would consult the legal secretariat to decide on the next line of action.

During a visit to the affected buildings, Mr Abdulrazak Alao, Deputy Director, Building Inspectorate, North, said that the occupants were served a vacation notice on Aug. 21.

“We also invited them for a stakeholders` meeting to carry them along in the entire process but they refused to cooperate with us.

“Only for us to get here today (Thursday) and saw a Court Order pasted on the gate of the house, restraining us from carrying further action.

“We have carried out a scientific investigation called the Smith harmer test that indicated that the building is weak and could collapse.

“The buildings have decayed, soaked and weak. I want it to be on record that the building is very unfit for human habitation and might collapse any day,” he said.

Mr Mustapha Suleiman, one of the occupants of the buildings, appealed for the meeting to be rescheduled to Friday and it was granted. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Gabriel Agbeja,

The Federal Government has commenced improvement of facilities and infrastructure at Idu Train Station, Abuja, to improve the quality of service delivery.

Mr Fidet Okhira, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), stated this after an inspection visit to the station on Wednesday.

Okhira added that the move was to improve customer service experience and ensure comfort, safety, and the safety of users.

He explained that the inspection became necessary following the unscheduled visit by the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Saidu Alkali to the station.

He added Alkali had highlighted some issues that needed to be corrected.

“My visit today is a follow up to ensure that all directives are duly followed and implemented.

“We appreciate the minister`s visit because it has put us on our toes and everybody, including myself, is busy getting the job done,“ he said.

He said that the three faulty lifts at the station have been fixed, while one of the three escalators was also working.

He explained that the remaining two escalators could only work in one way for now, adding that the remaining two were being fixed.

According to him, the NRC has keyed into the renewed hope of President Bola Tinubu and is determined to transform the railway service to serve the public better.

On welfare, the managing director said that the corporation had paid two months out of the five months allowances owed to cleaners and security personnel.

He explained that the delay was due to a shortfall in revenue generation since the train attack, adding that expenses had equally gone up.

“We will do all we can to ensure that the remaining balance is paid. This key to boost their morale to keep the train clean and safe for all users.

“Nonetheless, we are appealing for continued cooperation of the cleaners and security personnel to enable us to deliver quality services to the members of the public,” he said.

Okhira commended the Nigerian Police, the Army, and other stakeholders for securing the station and keeping it clean and serene. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) met with stakeholders on Wednesday, to review the level of preparedness, response, and recovery of victims during possible building  collapses.

The meeting was a fall out of the two-storey building that collapsed in Garki Village on Aug. 23.

Dr Abbas Idriss, Director-General, FEMA, said at the opening of the meeting in Abuja, that the goal was to make recommendations that would improve preparedness, response, and recovery of victims in the future.

Idriss said that the meeting was comvened to review the activities of responders at the scene of the incident with a view to identifying  lapses to forestall future recurrence.

He commended the responders for their prompt response, adding that in spite of the delay in the arrival of rescue equipment, they used their professional skills to rescue 37 affected persons from the rubbles.

Idriss appealed to all the responders to take coordination and synergy more seriously to achieve better results.

Stakeholders at the meeting included the Department of Development Control, FCT Police Command, Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, the Red Cross and the National Emergency Management Agency.

Others were the Federal Road Safety Corps FCT Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

The stakeholders identified crowds as one of the challenges affecting rescue operations as well as lack of information on the number of occupants in collapsed buildings.

They also identified mob action and vandalisation of equipment by hoodlums as the other challenges.

The stakeholders resolved that the Nigeria Police and the NSCDC should intensify efforts in cordoning incident scenes to provide optimal security to the rescuers.

They also stressed the need for coordination and cooperation among emergency responders, establishment of an information point at the incident scenes and provision of adequate equipment. (NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Joan Nwagwu

The Federal and Taraba Governments on Wednesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to operationalise FG’s Skills Upgrading and Vocational Training Centre (SUVTC), for job creation and poverty reduction in Taraba.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Simon Lalong, said during the event in Abuja, that the MoU would operationalise the SUVTC, located at Ibi, Ibi Local Government Area of the state.

Lalong congratulated the state government for keying into the vision of President Bola Tinubu on job creation and poverty reduction, through skills development.

He commended Gov. Agbu Kefas of Taraba for taking the bold step to stem unemployment and encouraged other states to key in.

He assured the government of the ministry’s continued support to strengthen skills development in the state.

“President Tinubu has said that he wants to take our youths out of the streets and by God’s grace, we will take people off the streets,” the minister said.

Earlier, the Minister of State in the ministry, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said that the SUVTC was designed to equip Nigerians with relevant skills.

This, Onyejeocha said, would create employment opportunities for Nigerian youths, adding that certificate was simply not enough.

“I am encouraging graduates to upgrade their skills because certificates may not work but skill will keep you going,” she said.

Also, Mrs Juliana Adebambo, the acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that Borno government had completed a similar process, adding that the skills centre at Konduga was fully operational.

Adebambo equally said that Kano, Kaduna, and Edo state governments had also shown interest in the initiative.

According to her, establishment of skills centres, particularly in rural areas will significantly help in curbing the menace of unemployment and youth restiveness.

On his part, Gov. Kefas, who was represented by Mr Habu Phillips, Commissioner, Ministry of Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, commended the federal government for the partnership.

He expressed optimism that the MoU would help significantly in creating jobs to address the problem of unemployment in the state.

This, according to him, is in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu and the moving agenda of Taraba government.

He explained that based on the MoU, Taraba government would take over the management of the centre for the benefit of all residents of the state.

The governor said that the government would train between 5,000 and 7,000 women and youths on different skills in the next three years.

“We have put in place proactive measures and effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the smooth running of the centre to achieve desired results,” he aid.

He urged the federal government to build more skill centres across the state to increase access. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Philip Yatai

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to rigorously review its exchange rate to come up with more acceptable fare for future Hajj exercises.

Shettima made the call when he received briefing from the management of NAHCON led by its Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shettima spoke against the backdrop of the problem of the volatility of the exchange rate on the commission’s finances which was caused by the unification of the different forex windows.

He also advised the management of NAHCON to make adequate arrangements to take care of the pilgrims.

Shettima said that though hajj was a spiritual exercise, the commission must not neglect the well-being of the pilgrims throughout their stay in the holy land.

He added: ” The welfare of the pilgrims is at the core of the pilgrimage and as such the commission must give it the priority it deserves.

” The management must be proactive as it prepares for the future. You have to rigorously review your exchange rate and come up with a much more acceptable figure.

” It is absolutely essential that we review this mechanism and make it practical and effective to give us maximum success in managing the hajj operations from year to year.”

Similarly, Shettima emphasised the need for NAHCON to develop a robust mechanism to curtail the challenges faced by the people.

He further advised them on the need to educate the pilgrims on their rights in the holy land by making use of the social media platforms and other traditional media to enhance its visibility.

Shettima commended the commission on the various initiatives to further enhance its activities especially the launching of the Hajj Savings’ Scheme.

The vice president said: ” And the Hajj Institute of Nigeria and Public Private Partnership Arrangements for Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri and Ilorin Projects.”

Shettima also lauded NAHCON for a successful 2023 hajj operations in spite of many challenges it faced.

He added: ” We have to offer praises to Allah for the successful conduct of 2023 hajj, in spite of harsh conditions faced by people in Saudi Arabia occasioned by the climate change and other factors.

” The temperature rose to unimaginable level, though Nigeria was not the only country affected by the effect of the climate change.”

Shettima commiserated with the families of the 29 pilgrims who died during the 2023 hajj exercise.

He urged the commission “to learn lessons from the last hajj operations and gird our loins and make efforts to address all the shortcomings in the upcoming hajj operations.”

Earlier, Hassan disclosed that the recently concluded 2023 Hajj was successful largely due to the prompt transportation of the pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He also said that the provision of accommodation to the pilgrims, feeding and efficient medical services at all the phases of hajj was successful.

Shettima said: ” We are here to brief His Excellency, the Vice President about National Hajj commission, our mandates, our scorecard and our challenges.

” As you are aware, the Vice President is in charge of supervising our activities so we have a duty from time to time to report to him about our challenges, and about our plans as well.

” The National Hajj commission is actually well prepared for the take off of Hajj 2024.

“As you know, there are a number of issues that have to be settled particularly this issue of the exchange rate.

” And as you are aware, over 90 per cent of Hajj fare is in US dollars in the sense of the flight, the cost of the flight, the hotels, all the services being provided in the kingdom.”

According to Hassan, all these are still being worked out.

He revealed that, already, the commission had gotten the approval of Shettima to start in earnest in preparation for 2024 Hajj in a matter of weeks.

Hassan said: ” We will inform Nigerians, exactly how we intend to key into the roadmap of Saudi Arabia. So that our planning will be in time .

“So that when you plan early enough it will also lead to smooth success of the operation.”

NAN recalls that President Bola Tinubu had recently returned the supervision of NAHCON under the office of the vice president. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Philip Yatai

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) on Wednesday, attributed part of the distortion of the Abuja Master Plan to abuse of Geographic Information System (GIS).

The National President of the Institute, Mr Nathaniel Atebije, stated this in Abuja, during the 2023 Town Planners Day, organised by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter.

Atebije said that the FCT was the first to deploy GIS for urban planning and city management in Nigeria, adding, however, that it was abused to cause several distortions to the masterplan.

GIS is computer system that analyses and displays geographically referenced information and uses data attached to a unique location.

The president said that the deceit of foreign experts to the country’s policy makers about GIS as supreme in the business of town planning must be arrested.

“Especially those who come in the name of deploying GIS to generate funds for states and end up usurping the functions of physical planning.

“Over time, this mis-information was spread around the country and many states have fallen victims,” he said.

He described GIS as a “tool that planners use for their services” and not an end itself, adding that it was a misnomer for a tool to be more important than its user.

He noted that in some cases, planning projects were given to foreign consultants by policy makers, and they end up producing fanciful and mind-blowing plans.

Such plans, according to him, do not meaningfully relate with the environment and the capacity of the government to deliver.

“I, hereby, call the attention of policy makers to the fact that we have come of age professionally; only a few issues may require consultation with foreign experts.

“These may only relate to the technology of plan production rather than conception.

“We, therefore, call on governments at all levels to engage indigenous consultants to provide services in various aspects of planning and implementation logistics,” he said.

According to him, policies, programmes, and plans are reduced to ordinary story books when they are not implemented, while implementation becomes an uphill task when they are not strategic.

“This has been the bane of planning and implementation in Nigeria.

“In some cases, plans seem to have utopian ideals, hence they do not respond to the immediate circumstances of their target beneficiaries.

“At other times, our strategies do not consider our strength of technology, nor funding possibilities, political will, manpower requirements and other critical factors.”

He also pointed out that the time for planning for the people was long gone, adding the current trend, “is to plan with the people, thereby encouraging inclusiveness.”

Earlier, the Chairperson of the FCT chapter, Ms Lami Ayuba, said that the theme, “Strategies for Implementation of Physical Development Plans in the FCT”, was to create sustainable, well-planned, and resilient urban spaces.

Ayuba said that the FCT serves as a focal point for urban development in Nigeria, adding that effective implementation of physical development plans was pivotal.

This, according to her, will ensure that the communities that were built were not only functional but also aesthetically, pleasing, and conducive to the well-being of citizens.

“Our discussions throughout this event will delve into the strategies, challenges, and innovations that can help us bridge the gap between planning and execution,

“This will help in transforming our plans into tangible developments that benefit the people we serve,” she said.

The Chairman of the event, Mr Shehu Hadi, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that the FCT Administration has been working tremendously in collaborative planning.

Ahmad, who was represented by Mr Yahaya Abubakar, Director, FCT Urban and Regional Planning Department said that the FCTA was achieving this by engaging relevant stakeholders.

“The stallholders are engaged from the early stages of planning to ensure that diverse perspectives were considered and accommodated.

“The Administration has been pursuing these and other collaborative strategies, to make stakeholders synergize and work collectively towards achieving quality and realistic physical development plans.” he said. (NAN)

Edited by kemini Ladejobi

By Philip Yatai

The officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday demolished an illegal market called “Kasuwan Dare”, a suspected hideout for hoodlums and drug dealers in Asokoro, Abuja.

The market was located at Hassan Musa Katsina Street, near Kpaduma II in Asokoro Extension, Abuja.

Speaking after the demolition, the Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, said that the illegal market was becoming a threat to the residents of the area and passerby.

Galadima added that the area was turned into a haven for criminal activities despite relentless efforts by the FCT Administration to sanitise the area.

He added that the miscreants operating in the area were affecting the aesthetic quality of the entire environment, adding that the Administration would allow it to continue.

He said that area had to go because it constituted a security threat, adding that the area was also serving as a hideout for miscreants, drug dealers and men of the underworld.

“The operation will help us get rid of the hoodlums and drug dealers that have taken over the place.

“We had demolished the place about three times, but the nuisances rebuilt and continued their activities.

“This time around, the demolished market will remain demolished. We need to sanitise the place and enhance the aesthetic quality of the environment.

“It is also part of the current administration’s policy of sanitising the city, and this is one of the areas we are commencing the exercise,” he said.

Also, the Secretary, FCTA Command and Control, Mr Peter Olumuji, said that efforts would be put in place to ensure the safety of residents in the area.

The Village Head of Kpaduma, Mr Bitrus Yakubu, commended the FCT Administration for coming to their rescue and for ridding the area of hoodlums.

“The place has been here for over twenty years but today it has gone down for our own good.

“We are very happy as a community that the area is cleared for good,” Bitrus said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi