Singapore News Channel, Singapore News Network

Alhaji Sani Altine, the Chairman of the Daura Local Government chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday commended the Katsina State government for including in the 2017 budget the expansion of Dabiran water dam in the area.

According to him, the state government allocated N200 million for the general expansion of the dam, stressing this was a welcome development.

He said if expanded, the dam would serve as source of fishing and irrigation to about 25,000 people as well as promote self-reliance and economic sustainability.

Altine described the expansion of the dam as timely, adding: “we have been waiting for such a time when this work will be contemplated because previous governments never thought of it.

He said the Katsina state government had executed numerous development projects, including renovation of Daura general hospital, construction of 85km ring road and establishment of dental unit at the state owned school of health technology in Daura.

He called on the people of the area to support government policies and programmes by being obedient to the constituted authorities for peaceful coexistence.

NAN

The Chairman of Katsina United, Baballe Kurfi says the club’s former players will be received with open arms whenever they feel they have something to contribute to uplift the club to a greater height as they navigate their way through the top flight.

The NPFL new comers in their glory years before their misadventure in the lower divisions lined up top internationals like Dahiru Sadi, Eric Ejiofor and Victor Ogunsanya who gave Nigerian football lovers some amazing moments on the field of play.



In a chat with Daily Trust, Kurfi who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant to the Katsina State Governor on sports added that the club is moving in the right direction at this time and there isn’t any special target of winning the NPFL title or finishing in the top 3 that has been set.
“Of course all those players you mentioned are part of our history and are welcome anytime to help or advise us but in terms of high level coaching jobs, you know they have to have the required certifications and pedigree before we’ll think along that line,” Kurfi noted.
The club has been in the news lately with the resignation of Head Coach Bala Nkiyu who helped the team achieve promotion from the second division to the Nigeria National

Source:Daily Trust

The Katsina State Government has awarded contract for the establishment of a Tomato Paste Processing Plant at Kokami Village, Danja Local Government Area of the State.

“The contract is awarded to National Research Institute of Chemical Technology (NARICT) Zaria, at the tune of N500 Million.

Aliyu Bello Abubakar, the Acting Chairman of Danja Local Government Area disclosed this to members of the correspondents chapel of NUJ inspecting projects executed by Gov. Aminu Masari on Saturday in Danja

“The Katsina State Government has already paid 70 per cent of the contract sum to NARICT.

“The Project has also reached 70 per cent completion, while the processing machines will soon be installed in the Building,” he said

Abubakar said that the establishment of the Tomato Paste Processing Company was a blessing to the people of the Area.

He said that farmers in the area would no longer record post-harvest loses due to lack of storage facilities.

NAN report that the Danja Local Government Area had been producing large quantity of tomatoes during raining and dry season farming,but lack of storage facility had been affecting the local farmers.(NAN)

It can be recalled that During the Katsina Economic and Investment Summit, President Muhammadu Buhari made a passionate call on private sector to be the driving force and largest investor in redirecting the nation’s path to industrialization and economic growth.

President Buhari said the Federal government alone cannot deliver on the high expectations of the people.

He encouraged state governments to work closely with the private sector to advance the course of growth and development of the country.

He said for the private sector to take the lead in advancing the economy, some incentives must be provided.

He identified with the drive shown by Katsina State Government to open the state to investment opportunities through the provision of tax holiday and other infrastructures in the State.

katsina  state Governor Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari has inspected the ongoing remodeling and renovation of kankiya general hospital.                                

The Governor was conducted round by the chief nursing officer, Alhaji abdullah  sayaya and was accompanied by the deputy Governor, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu and the Secretary to state government, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa as well as the chairman of APC in the state, Alhaji shittu Masllaha shittu with APC elder, Alhaji Dahiru Bara’u Mangal.
                               
The Governor took time to inspect the out of patients department OPD,  the male and female surgical wards and other structures in the hospital. Similarly, Governor Masari has inspected the Eka-Kadandani-kuraye-Yargamji Road. Works on the road project had reached appreciable level  of progress.

Katsina State Government has said that it would establish a mining company to explore the 36 different solid minerals found in commercial quantities in the state.

Alhaji Mustapha Kanti, Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, told newsmen in Katsina that the solid minerals were found in large quantities across the 34 Local Government Areas of the state.

According to the commissioner, the solid minerals were identified by the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria, in collaboration with the state government.

He said that the mining company, if established, would work with some foreign investors for the exploration project. Kanti said that the move would assist the state government in generating more funds to execute more projects and provide employment for youths in the state.

 “Katsina is blessed with abundant solid minerals scattered in different parts of the state. “We are working on the exploration of these mineral deposits to generate revenue and provide employment for our people”.

The commissioner said the state government had established a team to stop illegal mining activities across the state. “Any company or individual caught indulging in illegal mining will be prosecuted,’’ he said.

The commissioner said that the ministry recently convened a meeting to sensitize community leaders on the need to report any illegal mining in their areas.

Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, has revealed how he teamed up with former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, to truncate third term agenda of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.

Masari, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, said when it became evident that Obasanjo was not ready to leave office, he had to join others to defend the overall interest of the country, rather than promoting a selfish agenda.

Speaking in an interview, the former Speaker said, “we started a journey from 2003 to 2007. Immediately after 2007 election, Ken Nnamani and myself, and some few others started meeting. PDP was so pervasive in the polity that it failed to reform. I know the role we played – not only about stopping the third term, but also to sustain the 2007 election, as bad as it was.

“I think Senator Ken Nnamani and myself deserve some recognition, as we not only killed the third term, but also saved the 2007 election. An international election monitoring team led by a senior official from a super power nation invited us to a meeting, with Ken Nnamani, some senators, and myself and told us there was no election in 2007.

“Indeed, the 2007 elections were flawed, and really there was no election. And I said, ‘yes there was no election.’ And they said, ‘why shouldn’t you move against the present government.’ They said we should use our chamber to make a declaration that there was no election. I said we would not do that because the constitution has not given us power to do that.

“I told them that we had stopped third term and if we took that road, the President could simply declare a state of emergency. On the 29th of May 2007 our mandate, as legislature, would expire; the President would be the only one the constitution has given the right to remain in office to conduct a fresh election. I said we had exercised our own power to kill the third term, but if Nigerians could organise themselves, the whole nation can call on the National Assembly and give us extra constitutional powers, which I knew was impossible to do.

“So, we really rejected that idea; even a motion was suggested that we should call for another election; but we said we would not do that, because we knew the consequences of condemning the election; it would throw the country into chaos. Those in government were not people who were friendly to us. But we made the sacrifice because of the nation. We knew that only God would protect us from them. We took that decision so that we didn’t throw the country into confusion. In fact, we even refused to table the matter at the House to debate it, whether there was an election or no election.”

On the election, he said: “Clearly, there was no election. In 2007, there was no election. People were only brought into office by the former president. This is because elections were conducted on ballot papers that were not numbered. Yes, they were just papers, which I can print here.”

Barring any unforeseen setbacks, President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to return to the country from his vacation to the United Kingdom this Saturday.

A source close to the president told LEADERSHIP yesterday that except there would be any last minute change, all is set for President Buhari’s return.

The source, a senior official in the presidency, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, simply said: “Barring any last minute change, we are expecting the president back this weekend, probably on Saturday.”

It was also gathered that the president had on Tuesday this week cancelled an interview with a foreign media organisation, but may possibly grant an interview in London before the weekend.

Another source in the presidency also said that President Buhari “had already packed his bags to leave on Sunday but was advised by his doctors to wait and get results of some tests he conducted before leaving that country.”

“I can confidently tell you that Mr. President might still be there (in London) because he has to succumb to the superior knowledge of physicians who conducted medical checks on him, but his mind is in Nigeria,” he added.

On rumours that he is incapacitated, the source who preferred not to be named in print because he is not in a position to officially speak on the matter said, “What else do you expect from people? If it were to be other past presidents who go on vacation or medical checkup without official notification, there wouldn’t have been room for such rumour.

“But this is a president who is determined to remain transparent in whatever he does in office. Don’t forget that this is not the first time His Excellency is embarking on a vacation outside the shores of the country.”

LEADERSHIP recalls that the special adviser on media and publicity to the president, Mr. Femi Adesina, had on Tuesday said the president may return to Nigeria sooner than expected.

President Buhari had on Sunday written to the National Assembly, informing lawmakers of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed observed yesterday that it was ridiculous for anyone to compare President Buhari’s health condition with that of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Mohammed who spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa was joined by the ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enemelah.

His position came two days after Osinbajo had replied those insisting on knowing the health status of the president, that only the president could disclose the status of his health.

Echoing the acting president’s position, the information minister insisted that the president was hale and hearty, just as he assured that Buhari was well and that he was absolutely in no danger.

Asked if the president’s health came up at FEC yesterday, Mohammed said, “I think I can say without any equivocation that he (Buhari) is well, he is hale and hearty; no question about that. You see, on a lighter note, do you think Mr. President will be ill and we will be here and go about our businesses like this? The minister of power was in Anambra two to three days ago. I was in Ilorin on Monday; all our ministers are busy. But I want to assure you that Mr. President is well and he is absolutely in no danger.”

Noting that it was absurd to compare Buhari’s health with that of the late Yar’Adua, the minister said, “I think it was one of the newspapers that said when I was the spokesman of APC I demanded for hourly bulletin of Yar’Adua’s health and that I ought to be giving hourly bulletin as minister of information on the health of the president.

“And I said you are comparing apple and oranges. Mr. President is not ill, he is not in hospital and there will be no need to give anybody hourly bulletin about his health – pure and simple.

“Mr. President like I said elsewhere is a victim of his own transparency. He was going on leave, he did what the constitution said he should do; he transmitted a letter to the National Assembly and an acting president was put in place and he said, ‘while I am on leave I am going to conduct some medical tests’, which all of us do without announcing it.

“And of course, less than six hours after he got there he was pronounced dead by some people. Even those who saw him climb the aircraft in Abuja said he was flown by air ambulance. I can assure you that Mr. President is well, is hale and hearty and no cause for concern. The Acting President speaks to him every day and he told you so.”

Asked if it was ideal for the president to go on leave at this time of recession, Mohammed pointed out that the constitution guarantees that.

“Absolutely yes; our constitution guarantees that. Did Obama not go on leave; do other presidents not go on leave? Mr. President will go on vacation when he has to go on vacation. Do you know how many ministers have gone on vacation this year? To say Mr. President cannot go on vacation is ridiculous,” he stated.

LEADERSHIP

Hajiya Rakiya, the only surviving elder sister of President Muhammad Buhari, has appealed to Nigerians to continue to pray for the well being of the President, instead of spreading rumours about his health.

In an interview with a correspondent of the News agency of Nigeria in Daura, Katsina state, the 84-year-old said the president needed the prayers of every Nigerian for him to succeed in the task of addressing the problems facing the nation.

She said President Buhari being a mortal is bound to fall ill or even die “at any time his Creator wishes’’.

She said she speaks with the president everyday since his departure to London on his annual leave and he is in high spirit.

“I just returned from the lesser Hajj and even while in Saudi Arabia I was communicating with him everyday,” Rakiya popularly called Amadodo told NAN. She said while in Saudi Arabia, she communicated with him every ten hours”

“We were 28 from our mother late Hajiya Zulaihatu who died in 1992,but Buhari was her last born” she said.

A cross section of the people in the ancient city, who spoke with NAN, said they were dismayed with some Nigerians , spreading unfounded rumours about the president’s health.

Alhaji Abdulman Daura, the Northwest organising secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the rumoured death and state of health of the president as baseless and unfounded.

Daura said Buhari is in good health and is only conducting a routine medical checkup in the United Kingdom.

He advised the opposition to always be constructive and avoid campaign of hate and calumny, adding that it is only God that gives health and takes life.

Similarly, Alhaji Aminu Na-Dari, a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari said he has also been in constant touch with the president since his departure and their conversation did not in anyway indicate that he is having any health challenge.

He said the current economic hardship was not caused by the present administration. On the contrary, the Buhari government has been working hard to remedy the situation.

A group of students of the School of Health Technology Daura described the rumour as unfortunate and asked the National Association of Nigerian Students to issue a statement condemning the rumour.

Aminu Mohammed, the spokesperson of the students,called on Nigerians to always think and act positive,stressing Buhari has started the reform of correcting the ills of this nation and corruption was now fighting back.

He urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the nation and safe return of Mr president.

Alhaji Salisu Haro, the information officer of Daura Local Government Area,also told our correspondent that the local council was conscious of the rumour ,stressing it was a mere political gimmick fabricated by enemies of progress.

He said the local government has collaborated with the Daura Emirate council to find out the true situation.

“Our findings revealed that Mr president was doing very well and there is nothing to fear”, he said.

Also Mr Emeka Chidozie, a businessman and a resident of Sabongari community in Daura , expressed sadness over the rumoured death of Mr President.

He called on federal government to regulate the social media as some individuals use the platform to cause confusion and apprehension, which threaten the peace and unity of the country.

NAN reports that the people and residents of Daura were going about their normal business in the ancient city

katsina state Governor Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari has approved the appointments of three heads of parastatals in the state.

This is contained in a press statement signed by the Secretary to the government of the state, ,Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa.

The statement named those appointed to include Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Karfi as the Managing Director of katsina state investment and properties Development company-KIPDECO., Alhaji Babangida Mohammed Gafai as the General Manager of katsina state Transport Authority-KSTA and Alhaji Abdu Abu kofar soro as the General Manager of katsina state Farmers Supply company-FASKOT.

The statement explained that the appointments were in recognition of the appointees outstanding qualities and performance exhibited overtime.

It said all the appointments are with immediate effect.

The Senator representing Katsina South, Senator Abu Ibrahim, has said that contrary to insinuations about the health of President Muhammadu Buhari, he is not sick but merely exhausted by the various challenges the government is confronted with.

He told reporters at the National Assembly lobby that those spreading the rumour that President Buhari is sick missed the point.

Senator Ibrahim said that he is constantly in touch with President Buhari and was actually with him the day he left the country.

The Katsina South lawmaker said that every Nigerian is aware of the zeal and passion President Buhari came into office with.

He reeled out issues that might have taken a toll on the President including destruction of oil pipe line that reduced production to almost half, fall in oil price that affected the economy and led to recession, and the falling exchange rate that has affected the purchasing power of most Nigerian.

He said that some of those talking about the falling exchange rate fail to also talk about what led to weak Naira against the Dollar.

Senator Ibrahim who insisted that “President Buhari will soon come back” noted that there was no need for Nigerians to be unduly apprehensive “because Mr. President is not sick but exhausted by the weight of the problems the country is going through.”

Nigerians, he added, should rather continue to pray for the President to come home and continue his work to put the country in a better footing.

He said that Nigerians have the right to list what they wanted the President to do when he is back home.