News

Nigeria Is Sick, Dilapidated, Bauchi CAN Chair Laments

Published

2 years ago

May 22, 2022

Editor

The chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State branch, Rev. Abraham Damina, has lamented that the country is sick and in a dilapidated condition and needing urgent prayers for God’s intervention.

Damina, who stated this in a speech at the second prayer rally organised by CAN in the state at its secretariat in Rafin Zurfi, described the theme: “In Times Like These” as very timely because “the present situation calls for fervent prayers for the moral life of our country, which is in a dilapidated condition. We are here to pray unto God to change the narrative.”

He called for unity among the body of Christ in Bauchi State in view of the precarious situation they are faced with in the country at the moment. He also called on Christian youths to refuse being used by politicians as political thugs, urging them to be agents of peace and not of crises, especially using the social media.

He said: “You will all agree with me that Nigeria is very, very sick at this moment. The challenges are enormous, but with God we shall overcome them all. The challenge of insecurity has given birth to so many other challenges.

“Therefore, we should keep praying for peace to reign in our land.

“Poverty is a menace; the land is in serious abject poverty. Strikes left right and centre; religious bigotry, kidnapping, banditry, fulani herdsmen. There are so many syndromes that have bedevilled the church and the society at large. The way out is to call on God.

“I wish to plead with churches in Bauchi to unite. We are one and we shall continue to be one because there is strength in unity of the church. The unity of the Church at this perilous time should not be underestimated. Those who are not ready to cooperate now will seek the help of others and will not find it; now is the time to be united.”

The CAN chairman challenged Christians to ensure that they get their Permanent Voter’s Card because it is their power to decide who governs them even as he called on Christian politicians to play the game of politics with decency, because they are the light of the world.

Damina appealed to Christians in the state to be more security conscious and ensure that their churches and houses are secured, stressing that: “While praying for God’s intervention in the affairs of the unfortunate security situation in Nigeria, we hope that one day we shall enjoy absolute peace in our God-given land of Nigeria.

“Permit me to use this golden opportunity to call on all Christians in Bauchi State to imbibe the culture of peaceful coexistence. Our Governor is a peacemaker, our emir is a peacemaker, and a host of them. Please, Christians love your neighbours as yourself; do good to those who hate you, for what we desire in this land is peace and nothing else,” he appealed.

In his message, the guest speaker, Evangelist Ezekiel Dachumo, the Coordinator of COCIN Prayer and Revival Unit, Jos, called on Christians in the state to deal with fear in their hearts in view of the present situation in the country.

He said: “I have come to beg you Christians in Bauchi, please, destroy fear in your hearts because it is a great weapon in the hands of Satan. When Satan succeeds in planting fear in your life, you are finished. When the enemy knows that fear has disappeared from Christians all over the country, they will bow.

“The enemy is having a field day in Nigeria because Christians are full of fear but the day we realise that and stop being afraid, I assure you, there will be peace in the country. The enemy has laid a siege on Christians in Nigeria, especially in the north. What are we supposed to do as Christians? We are expected, in a time like this, to be bold and rise up and stand for Christ.

“Let us pray for those who killed Deborah (Yakubu in Sokoto). Let’s pray for those who are suppressing the truth. Any Christian that will not defend Jesus Christ is a fake Christian. The God we serve will protect us and he will even protect those who hate us because he is alive and he knows everything. In a time like this, let us forgive, in a time like this, let us stand with one another and speak against the evil in the land of Nigeria.”

Speaking on behalf of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, his Senior Special Assistant on Christian Matters, Rev. Zakka Magaji, thanked Christians in the state for their continuous prayers for him and his administration, saying that all the successes, achievements, developments and peace recorded are all as a result of their prayers.

He said: “Thank God we have great men of God in Bauchi who have been praying for the land, that is why all the evils happening in other states are not being experienced here. It is not as if there have not been attempts, but, the Bible in Isaiah 8:10 says that they will take counsel together but it shall fail, they will speak the words of their wicked plans but they will not stand, because God is with us.

“We, in this government, are very much aware that it is prayers that have been sustaining Bauchi State. Because the children of God have been praying, that is why peace has been prevailing in Bauchi. He said I should tell you that you are partners of his government.

“We should be mindful of things around us, anything that will cause chaos and disunity among us, please try to avoid them. Keep preaching peace so that people will see the light and be attracted to the God you serve.”

PUNCH.

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Appoints Governing Board Members For 111 Tertiary Institutions

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of at least 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards of 111 federal universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

This followed Tinubu’s assent to a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.

An advertorial by the Education Ministry sighted by The PUNCH showed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each of the institutions.

It was signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

“The inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00am daily,” said Walson-Jack.

When contacted for confirmation, the Presidency said the list emanated from the Ministry of Education.

“This is from the Federal Ministry of Education…they make the nominations and forward them to the President to sign. But they are at liberty to release it from their end,” the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, told The PUNCH on Sunday.

The appointments come days after the Academic Staff Union of Universities had threatened to embark on another strike, potentially disrupting the academic calendar and causing further setbacks in the country’s higher education sector.

The union, on Tuesday, decried the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for federal universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters about academics in federal universities.

The body of academics, during a briefing at the University of Abuja, also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

News

HOMEF Applauds NASS On Decision To Investigate GMOs In Nigeria

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

…says Nigeria needs to prioritise public health

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and the GMO-Free Nigeria
Alliance have commended the House of Representatives on the resolution to comprehensively investigate the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into Nigeria and for a halt on approval of new products
pending the completion of that investigation.

This is as the House of Representatives also urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure labelling of GM crops already in the country.

The House resolution to investigate the introduction of GMOs into Nigeria followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Muktar Shagaya at a plenary session held on Thursday 16th May 2024.

In a statement made available to INFO DAILY Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, HOMEF, the Executive Director of the organisation, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said ass the lawmaker rightly explained, the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria raises serious concerns about safety, regulatory oversight, and their potential impacts on the country’s biosafety.

He noted that the investigation which has been long “overdue is vital to save the country from the dangerous path to food colonialism, contamination of our genetic resources, loss of
biodiversity/nutritional diversity, soil degradation, and overall
disruption of our agriculture and food systems.”

Bassey continued: “This investigation must be unbiased and thorough. To ensure this, the National Assembly should engage independent researchers to avoid contamination of the process by GMO promoters.

“This investigation should consider Nigeria’s agricultural landscape and investigate the underlying
causes of hunger/food insecurity and as well establish definite measures to address those issues. This is the time to rescue Nigerians from being used for risky experimentations.”

The Executive Director also stressed the need for critical examination of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act for its fitness for purpose.

He further added: “That law needs to be completely reworked to close existing loopholes including the composition of its governing/decision making board by excluding GMO promoters such as the National Biotechnology Development Agency; the lack of provision on strict liability, inadequate public consultation measures, absolute decision-making powers of the agency, minimal reference to the precautionary principal and many others.

“This was the submission of Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, Food Sovereignty Activist and Deputy Executive Director at Friends of the Earth Nigeria.”

Also reacting to the Green Chamber’s call on NAFDAC to label GMO crops in the country, HOMEF’s Director of Programmes and lead on Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown, noted that the agency will need to devise strategies to have foods sold in local markets in basins, by the road sides, and in processed forms like Ogi and Akara labelled to ensure informed decision-making by the majority of people who purchase food from these sources.

“This exercise will prove that GMOs do not fit our socio-economic context. Over the years, market shelf surveys conducted by HOMEF has revealed over 50 different processed/packaged foods labelled as produced using genetically modified ingredients,” she added.

Brown advised that permits for commercialisation of GMO products such as Bt Cowpea, Tela Maize, Bt Corn and all others be suspended pending the result of the investigation by the House Committee on Agriculture and others.

The statement reaffirmed the submission by Rep. Shagaya that there’s need to prioritise public health, biodiversity, increased support of small holder farmers in terms of extension service, provision of infrastructure (to curtail waste), access to credits, access to land and the growth of our local economy.

“Nigeria should adopt agroecological farming which aligns well with our socio economic and socio cultural
context. Agroecology delivers increased productivity and economic resilience, revises/nourishes ecosystems, strengthens local economies, mitigates climate change and promotes food sovereignty,” the statement concluded.

News

Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

A mother of five, Ramat Mba, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for her involvement in an employment scam.

Ramat who was also found guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

She reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

Commenting on the sentencing, spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare said;

“The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”