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UK-supported programme inducts Commissioner, 5 others as Reading Ambassadors in Kaduna
UK-supported programme inducts Commissioner, 5 others as Reading Ambassadors in Kaduna
The UK-supported Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme has inducted the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government, Hajiya Umma Ahmed and five others as PLANE Reading Ambassadors in the state.
The State Team Lead in the state, Ms Diana Agabi, made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the programme at the Model Primary School, Kakuri Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven-year programme being funded by UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Officer (FCDO) is designed to drive inclusive education programme in the state.
Agabi told NAN that the ambassadors were inaugurated during the inauguration of the programme at community levels in Sabon Gari, Soba, Kaduna North, and Kaduna South Local Government Areas of the state.
According to her, the ambassadors were selected for their passion for the development of education and will serve as PLANE ambassadors to promote quality education delivery.
“They will also support PLANE in the mobilisation of parents, caregivers and community members to support good learning outcomes among school children.”
She said that the commissioner for local government was inaugurated alongside Mr Mukhtar Baloni, Executive Chairmans, Kaduna North Council and Alhaji Jibril Magaji as PLANE Reading Ambassadors in Kaduna North LGA.
She added that Mr Kamilu Sale, a traditional title holder (Dan Iyan Makere), and Hajiya Laduwa Umar, a community mobiliser, were also inaugurated as the Ambassadors for Kaduna South LGA.
The official also said that the Village Head of Soba, Alhaji Sani Soba, and Rodiatu Suleiman, a member of the school-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Damari were inaugurated as the Ambassadors in Soba LGA.
She equally said that Mr Garba Umar, Chairman, SBMC, Sabon Gari LGA and Mrs Fasilat Usman an educationist, were inaugurated as the Ambassadors for the LGA.
She added that four others would be inaugurated in Sanga and Jaba LGAs next week.
Agabi explained that the notable and influential individuals were selected based on their commitment to the development of schools in their communities and education in general.
“These are groups of influential individuals who have been following up with educational development in their communities, encouraging parents and supporting schools when in need.
“We, therefore, decorated them as PLANE Reading Ambassadors for their passion and dedication to the educational development of children.
“We want them to continue the good deeds and support all PLANE activities particularly community outreach and mobilisation,” she said.
NAN reports that the seven-year programme is being implemented in 728 primary schools across six Local Government Areas of Kaduna South, Kaduna North LGA, Sabon Gari, Soba, Jaba and Sanga.
The programme aimed at supporting more inclusive and effective education systems to deliver foundational skills and better learning outcomes for children, including marginalised groups of children.
NAN reports that the PLANE seeks to unlock governance bottlenecks for better education service delivery; improvements in the regulation of the non-state sector; and embedding the use of data and evidence within the education system.
PLANE will also work in Kano, Jigawa, the South-West, South-East (subject to FCDO confirmation) and the FCT.
UK-supported programme inducts Commissioner, 5 others as Reading Ambassadors in Kaduna
News
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
By: Michael Mike
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Yemisi Asagbra debunked some allegations level against the agency by some non governmental organisations (NGOs) concerning negligence and compromise.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Asagbra said: “The negative statements circulating are misleading and lack credible scientific backing. The agency asks these organisations to present verifiable scientific evidence for their claims and we relies on sound scientific research and internationally recognized protocols to make informed decisions. It is part of the Cartagena Protocol with over 180 parties, our mandate is to protect the health of Nigerians and the environment. It will not compromise on this as it is an agency of integrity.
She added that: “The agency is transparent and accountable in its operations. It invites review of its processes and rigorous evaluations of GMO products. We are confident in our procedures that it’s meet global standards and it is a leader in effective regulation in Africa”.
On the source of the allegations, she said “over the years they have been advocating to have their presence in the board where all these products coming will be thoroughly Investigated, but it hasn’t been given. Most times we rely on the information given by Nigeria Custom Service to furnish them with needed information, which most time is not always easy if they have other things doing.
The Head planning, research and statistics National Biosafety Management Agency Mrs. Bello Scholastica said the agency is concerned with safety to our health and safety to our environment.
She further reiterated that what NBMA stands for is to establish first regulation from identification of the gene of interest, “of what you are interested in, from then till commercialization, and even after commercialization, they still follow suit to make sure that the approvals they gave hasn’t caused any harm, or those that were given approval to that they stay put to what they were asked to do”.
She further explained that the agency has put in effort to promote environmental conservation and biosafety in Nigeria.
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
News
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
By: Michael Mike
The House of Representatives has revealed that it is interested in the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Bill into law, saying that the bill has already passed the first reading and will soon be subjected to second reading.
The House also promised to take the necessary steps to ensure an improvement in the 2025 budget of the NHRC, pointing out that the N5 billion approved for it in the 2024 budget is inadequate considering the myriad of human rights violations in the country.
The Chairman House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde made this disclosure during the oversight visit of Committee to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Chairman, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Hon. Mudashiru Lukeman assured the NHRC that the Committee would continue to advance the course of human rights in Nigeria by ensuring that the House of Representatives passes critical bills on human rights issues as well as makes adequate budgetary provisions to ease the work of the Commission.
Makinde also stated that in a bid to improve some aspects of Civil and Political Rights, the House of Representatives had ensured the establishment of human rights desks in all police formations and Headquarters across the 36 States of the Federation.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu who received the lawmakers with his management staff told the Human Rights Committee that the Commission relies heavily on them for the enactment of human rights friendly laws and enhanced budgetary provisions to discharge it broad mandate of promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.
He used the opportunity to commend the legislators for their role in the amendment of the NHRC Act 2010 as well as the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila in the payment of compensation to victims of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
He equally informed the legislators who were on oversight visit about the recent report released by the Commission following the findings of the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in the North East Nigeria , which he noted has saved the country from possible invitation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He noted that the aforementioned wide spread allegations of human rights infractions against some government institutions could result in the ICC extending invitations to some of the leaders to respond to the allegations, but the Commission has done the needful in compliance with the international principles of omplementarity.
He thanked the Committee for promising to improve the budgetary allocation of the Commission in the 2025 fiscal year.
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
News
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
By: Michael Mike
The arrest of Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa in Finland has been confirmed by the federal government.
A statement on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by Finnish authorities on Thursday.
According to the statement, Ekpa was
charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence.
The Finnish District Court of
Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
The Finnish authorities alleged that Mr. Ekpa used social media platforms to spread
separatist propaganda, incite violence and encourage illegal actions, which had caused
significant disruptions in the South-East of Nigeria. Finnish investigators had also linked
him to incidents of violence in Nigeria, which were believed to had been fueled by his
online activities.
The statement said “the arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic
pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland, to take action against his activities,
which were linked to violence and instability in the South-East of Nigeria. The request
for action featured during high level engagements between countries.”
The Ministry stated that the arrest of Ekpa, is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralizing the influence of transnational actors and “their impact on our national security.”
The Ministry promised to continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses.
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
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