A former Comptroller of Customs Service and All Progressive Congress governorship Aspirant in Plateau state David Victor Dimka has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment of former Governor of Benue state Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government, Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff and Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser.
Dimka also commended President Tinubu for appointing Speaker House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff and as well former EFCC Boss Nuhu Ribadu as NSA .
Dimka in an interview with Daily Independent on Tuesday in Jos on the appointment of these key principal officers to the President and federal Government, said with these appointments, President Tinubu administration has hit the ground running.
Dimka hinted that the appointment of George Akume as SGF from Benue state in North Central geo political zone should be commended and appreciated by his kinsmen, the people of Benue state and the people of Benue and Nigeria as a whole.
He commended President Tinubu for putting the right peg in the right hole.
Dimka added that President Tinubu made the right choice, considering the pedigree of Senator George Akume as a an astitute administrator who rose through the ranks to become permanent secretary Government House in Benue state
Dimka stressed that Akume later in life rose to become Governor of Benue state and Senator of the federal Republic and Minister Of Special duty Under the administration of the immediate past President of Nigeria Mohammadu Buhari.
He also commended President Tinubu for the appointment of speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff.
Dimka describes Speaker Gbajabiamila as the right man for the Job .
He noted that Gbajabiamila has made his mark at National Assembly having held the position of House leader at House of Representatives in 2015 till 2019 and eventually got the seat of speaker House of the Representatives and Chief of Staff to President .
According to him, Gbajabiamila would by the grace of God perform credibility well in directing the affairs in the office of President Tinubu a right .
Dimka added that the appointment of Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser (NSA) was done on merit by Mr Tinubu.
According to him, Ribadu days in EFCC bears him testimony that if given the right job, he would perform wonderfully well in this new assignment. .
A Chieftain of All Progressive Congress in Plateau state and former governorship aspirant Chief Amos Gizo has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the appointment of former Governor of Benue state Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the federation (SGF).
Chief Gizo also appreciated President Tinubu for appointing Speaker House of Representatives Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff and as well former EFCC Boss Nuhu Ribadu as NSA .
Chief Gizo in an interview with Kwararafa Reporters in Abuja
on the appointment of these key principal officers to the President and federal Government, said with these appointments, President Tinubu administration is set to hit the ground running.
Chief Gizo who is a political ally of Mr President right from their days in the defunct AD, ACN and now All Progressive Congress, said appointment of George Akume as SGF from Benue state in North Central geo political zone is nothing but putting the right peg in the right hole.
According to him, President Tinubu made the right choice looking at the pedigree of Senator George Akume, an astitute administrator who rose through the ranks to become permanent secretary within Government House.
Gizo added that Akume later in life rose to become Governor of Benue state and Senator of the federal Republic and Minister Of Special duty Under the administration of the immediate past President of Nigeria Mohammadu Buhari.
He added that the appointment of speaker Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff to President Tinubu should be commended, describing Speaker Gbajabiamila as the right man for the Job .
Chief Gizo who is the publisher of City watch magazine noted that Gbajabiamila humility paid off as until his new appointment, was the speaker House of Representatives having served in the House of Representatives for the position of Leader of the House. According to him, Gbajabiamila would perform credibility well in directing the affairs in the office of President Tinubu a right .
He added that the appointment of Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser (NSA) was done on merit by Mr Tinubu.
According to him, Ribadu days in EFCC bears him testimony that if given right job, he would perform wonderfully well.
Former National Director for Legal and Public Affairs of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Evangelist Samuel Kwamkur has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure Nigerians from all walks of life witness enduring peace built on Justice,equity and fairplay to all Under his current administration.
Evangelical Kwamkur who made this call while addressing newsmen in Jos.
He called on President Tinubu to disassociate him self and government from those championing Islamization conspiracy theory in the group of the likes of Kaduna immediate past Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
According to him, those of them Christian leaders who supported Tinubu during his presidential campaigns did so because of their belief that President Tinubu is a detribalized Nigerian and not a religious fanatic .
He urged Tinubu and his Vice to work for sustainable development of Nigeria using their policies, experience and exposure.
According to him, they did not vote Tinubu out of El-Rufai’s deception as El-Rufai claimed in his recent interaction with Islamic clerics in Kaduna shortly before his regime came to an end .
He cautioned Mallam El-Rufai not to think that Tinubu Votes is a victory for Islam, but for Tinubu because of his pan Nigeria attitude to life , considering every other Nigerians as his brothers and sisters.
Kwamkur who is also a member of inter religious council of Nigeria called on the President Tinubu to be mindful of friends, associates,and politicians like El-Rufai who seek to work with him as they will do more harm to the system and the Nation, warning nothing good can come out of such.
He called on Nigeria Governors particularly Northern governors to work hard towards removing their citizens from poverty, insecurity and the likes He also tasked them to provide good health care services to their people and other benefits of good governance rather than dwell on preaching hate , religious and tribal differences.
Kwamkur also charged Nigerian leaders to show the citizens of Nigeria the number of people they have empowered instead of the number of lives and property they have destroyed as it has happened in Kaduna, saying God would continue to expose the wolves in sheep clothing among Nigerians.
The World Association of Public Private Partnership has finalized processing and confirmed the Plateau State Infrastructure Promotion and Regulatory Agency (PPP) as a full member of its organization which is a NGO based out of Geneva, Switzerland.
The World Association of PPP Units & Professionals (WAPPP) is home to experienced PPP Professionals enabling a multi-stakeholder network bringing together public-private partnership professionals from PPP units, infrastructure agencies, institutional and long term investors as well as PPP consultants from around the globe together, to engage, learn from each other and create better adaptable PPPs that deliver value within their communities for the future generations. They
Members are able to engage with each other on an exclusive neutral platform to discuss latest PPP trends and challenges, share knowledge, experiences, explore opportunities and create solutions in the spirit of driving open innovation for people first, resilient and sustainable infrastructure and PPPs.
The body is governed by 30 diverse and seasoned global PPP practitioners through Steering and Executive committees. The exclusive WAPPP membership comprises 60 nationalities of over 300 members and only about 40 PPP units globally. Beyond being an alternative procurement channel, WAPPP sees PPP as an essential tool for infrastructure development globally towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The group’s President, Ziad Alexandre HAYEK said, “we are delighted to welcome Plateau State Infrastructure Promotion & Regulatory Agency from Nigeria to join the WAPPP’s membership. We look forward to supporting Felix Rwang-Dung and his team to succeed by promoting sustainable and successful PPP projects in Plateau state going forward. From the conversations I had with Felix on Plateau state, it seems to be richly endowed with diverse natural resources and most favourable climate to foreigners, this can likely encourage international investment interests especially since Plateau is also noted as a tourist destination in Nigeria. However, it seems a lot needs to be done for an enabling environment for this to be realisable.”
The membership into WAPPP was officially confirmed to the Director General via email on May 11th 2023 by Fatimah-zorah Rahmoun the Chair for membership Committee. She stated that, “the presence and participation of your PPP Unit of Nigeria in the WAPPP General Assembly 2023 at Athens, Greece, earlier in the month was highly appreciated. The official press release publication by WAPPP of this development with Plateau state is just awaiting final review by the executive director.
Primah Atugonza, the current Chair Africa Chapter and the Head, PPP & Infrastructure Portfolio for the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF or Facility) hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, in Abidjan, Congratulated Mr Felix and the Plateau state Infrastructure Promotion and Regulatory Agency for successfully joining the network and as the rep for Africa in WAPPP, she confirmed availability to provide any direct support required to ensure the agency succeeds through PPPs for Plateau state. She indicated that while the ALSF facility develops innovative tools for capacity building and knowledge management which Plateau state can explore, it is currently only designed to providing legal advice and technical assistance to African countries at the sovereign level for the structuring and negotiation of complex commercial transactions or creditor litigation.
The Director General of the Plateau State Infrastructure Promotion & Regulatory Agency, Mr. Felix Rwang-Dung, said: “I am very thrilled for my agency to be finally accepted to join WAPPP membership. I think currently only KADIPA in Kaduna state are members of WAPPP in Nigeria. I believe with the significant economic challenges been faced both nationally and globally, very strategic alliances at the highest levels of the global industry are key for helping us on the Plateau overcome our key infrastructural challenges for the sustainable development of our dear state adapting the successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks established in diverse climes. I am personally very confident that through this membership, we have been able to present Plateau state in the global PPP conversation space for support, relevance, value and visibility that will enable us have direct access to invaluable knowledge resources, investment communities, global trends or insights, and networking opportunities to attract development and investments back to Plateau.
We have already started experiencing demonstrable value from WAPPP even before the membership confirmation. In February, from some discussions with WAPPP Africa Chair, Primah Atugonza, she advised and directly introduced the me to the General Counsel of Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), Mr. Tinashe Makoni, who we explore various ways project preparation funding support requirements, challenges and initiatives for us to consider.
The Director General said, “my greatest benefit so far with WAPPP has been meeting with Mr. Johnson Kilangi, a Kenyan Infrastructure and PPP consulting expert, who is the Chair PPP Finance Forum for WAPPP frequently publishes articles on Africa infrastructure and PPP for the World bank. He was instrumental in securing our membership and has become a very strategic contact. I am also very honored that he accepted to be a pro-bono Advisory board member of Plateau state PPP Agency. This has significantly boosted our local capacity in planning and developing our infrastructure projects going forward to align with global best practice.
As his first priority assignment on the Plateau PPP agency advisory board, Mr. Johnson has been requested to help develop a mutually beneficial model for collaboration between the relevant authorities in Kenya and Tanzania for the donation of wild life animals for the restocking and redevelopment of the Jos wild life Park as an Eco-tourism project. Mr Johnson is also helping us identify strategic Kenyan investors in the flower industry to explore how they can set up similar facilities here on the Plateau. Also, to demonstrate his keen commitment to supporting Plateau state, Mr Johnson, gave me a full scholarship as part of his 10th Cohort on the African Project Finance Program which is currently in its 3rd week.”
Mr Johnson Kilangi, is the Founder of the Miundo Misingi Hub, an infrastructure Hub based in Kenya that is building an ecosystem that supports the origination and development of infrastructure projects that can be financed and implemented by local investment players.
He was recently in Nigeria for the first time, as a key panelist for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) PPP Summit on 25th April 2023, held in Eko Hotel, Lagos. Johnson met with Mr. Felix Rwang-Dung and both agreed to establish a strategic collaboration going forward to build capacity building on PPP, Infrastructure and Project Finance across Nigeria starting with Plateau state through his Miuondo Misingi Hub model which has already trained over 300 future infrastructure finance leaders from across the globe.
Bishop Jonas Katung Founder and General overseer of The Living Stone Church Assembly has called on Christians in the North and the rest of Nigeria to give President Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu the needed support to succeed in his administration as he prepares to take oath of office on May 29th this month.
Bishop Katung who is one of top leaders of Bishops in the the North in an interview with newsmen in Jos, said he has a conviction that given the opportunity, Bola Ahmed Tinubu could provide the right leadership for the people of Nigeria considering his wealth of experience in politics and and economic matters that should take Nigeria out of the woods.
” Remember, during the heat of political campaigns across the country for the 2023 general elections, Northern Bishops met Tinubu in Abuja to ask him questions and he was able give us serious answers on the challenges the Christians are facing and he told us what he was going to do as President to resolve the problems if elected into power by the people of Nigeria. We have confidence and hope that he is going to be a good President with listening ears “
According to Bishop Katung, if as a Lagos Governor for eight years, Asiwaju brought people from different backgrounds and faith into his cabinet and he succeeded leaving behind a legacy that subsequent Lagos Governors are building upon it, he has a conviction that in the next four years, Tinubu achievements will surpass what Nigeria past leaders have achieved.
According to him,'” Tinubu is a man with large heart that will give Nigerians sense of belonging within a short period of time after taking over power”
Bishop Katung Charged the in coming President to urgently correct the imbalance in the structure and composition in the military, the Police, para military forces and the federal civil service to give all segments of Nigeria a sense of belonging.
He added that going by the Nigeria political history, no President has ever emerged through democratic elections in the polity till date that some Nigerians have not questioned the out comes of the polls that brought him to power” stressing that the past Nigeria leaders even the outgoing President Mohammadu Buhari had that experience.
He called on Atiku and Peter Obi to let Tinubu provide leadership for Nigeria and challenge them to wait till 2027 .
He charged Tinubu to pick the right people into his cabinet if he wants to succeed in his administration.
According to him Asiwaju needs to develop political will to address the challenges facing the country once and for all
A group under the Platform of Justice for Naraguta B Electoral Ward B of Jos North Local government area of Plateau state has called on Election Petition Tribunal for Governorship and Assembly elections sitting in Jos to order for bye elections at Naraguta B ward , an electoral ward of over 200,000 voters the opportunity to democratically cast their votes for candidates of their choice in the just concluded general elections.
The Chairman of the group,Aso Usman Ahmad and Secretary Solomon Kaiwa in a statement made available to Kwararafa Reporters on Thursday in Jos, said as body of aggrieved voters, with verifiable membership covering the entire Naraguta B ward, the Nigeria’s single most populated electoral ward with over 200,000 registered voters, their votes should count in any democratic elections on the Plateau.
They regretted that even though the general elections have come and gone, they are worried that the grave injustices committed against them during the election exercise in their electoral ward has not been addressed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has left them disenfranchised in breach of their Constitutional rights.
They recalled that political gladiators in Jos North LGA particularly the Jos North LGA INEC Electoral Officer’s collated and returned results of the ward , even when the INEC officials of the ward went missing.
“These and many more discredited gestures instigated the controversies that led to the avoidable,denial of our rights to cast votes in the critical elections.”
According to them,'” this adhoc committee was formed in the interest of deepening the message of peace by asking for redressing of the injustice through pleading with the Plateau governorship/House of Assembly petition Tribunal for another chance to also participate in elections through a bye-election in the ward.”
They commended setting up of the Plateau State Elections Petition Tribunal and hinted that With the tribunal in place,, “we believe there is a commitment and resolve to do justice to all those who are aggrieved because of one electoral issue or the other”
. “In Naraguta B Ward, we suffered utter disenfranchisement, for reasons that are not our making. Brazen electoral crimes and offences were unleashed on the entire Naraguta B Ward, as BVAS machines and allied electoral materials were either stolen or diverted to unknown destinations, to the effect that elections could not be conducted in the Ward, in spite of the zeal and readiness of the voting population to participate and exercise their constitutional right.”
They added that for reasons not known to them, alien but certainly strong partisan forces took more than a passing interest in the election and voting in the Naraguta B Ward.
” These forces infiltrated the area and the voting centres and orchestrated hooliganism and brigandage to the extent that the atmosphere became chaotic and not conducive for free and fair elections. “
They demanded that In the spirit of fair play, equity, justice, and good conscience, they are pleading for the understanding of the tribunal order for a fresh conduct of the 2023 Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the Naraguta B Ward..
According to them, fresh conduct of bye election in their electoral ward would enable the needlessly disenfranchised electorates there to exercise their franchise and express their preference as to who should preside over their affairs.
The group leaders said they are looking forward to justice being done in this regard.
They advised and cautioned, with the benefit of hindsight, that alien political forces and actors should stay off their political space completely and charged ; Jos North Local Government Authority to rise to their billing as elected leaders.
They regretted that their experience in the last election in their electoral ward ,points to the anaconda mortgage plans of these hoodlums.
They pleaded with the impartial tribunal to reverse the unarguably, compromised INEC decision on the Naraguta B.Ward polls, and call for a by- election in the electoral ward, stressing that, ‘” it is natural to demand that all elected officials and all other levels of leaderships in LGA, must rise to the quest of accountability and creative action .” We stand for justice and fair play as we reiterate our call for fresh 2023 Gubernatorial and House of Assembly election in Naraguta B ward.” They stressed.
” We stand for justice and fair play as we reiterate our call for fresh 2023 Gubernatorial and House of Assembly election in Naraguta B ward.” They stressed.
Outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, may be removed from office ahwad of the inauguration of the 10th Assembly for doctoring the House standing rules to favour his stooges as Speaker and Deputy.
Kwararafa Reporters gathered that over 100 aggrieved members of the House have signed a notice of impeachment to be served on the Speaker at the resumption of plenary Tuesday Morning.
Tuesday’s session promises to be hot as members have vowed to raised the issue on the floor of the House for immediate retraction of the rigged and doctored document.
The doctored standing rules, refered to as the 10th edition cited by our correspondents, has a new , strange and obnoxious provision for electing the Speaker and Deputy through an open ballot instead of the existing rule of secret ballot that has been in use since 1999.
Section 2 (f) (iii) of the controversial clause captioned “election of presiding officers” stated that, ” every member voting shall name clearly and in the open the candidate of his choice.”
Speaking to Kwararafa Reporters, a principal officer of the House said: “Yes, i can confirm that an alteration has been done and the document has been printed. But i want to tell you that even as a principal officer in the House I am not aware of this. No such amendment has been officially carried by the House.”
Another member said: “This is a strange departure from our traditional procedure of electing presiding officers in the House which has always produced Speakers and Deputy Speakers through secret ballot system. We have never discuss the issue of amending our rules in this repected in the last four years it must be the gand work of somebody who is trying to be faster than the House. I assure you we will get to the root of the matter immediately so as to save the House from any embarrassment.
Gbajabiamila is being accused by his colleagues of single-handedly manipulating the rules of the House to edge out more credible aspirants in favour of his preferred candidate Hon Abbas Tajudden who is unpopular with members.
Investigation by our reporter reveals that Gbajabiamila believed that this is the only way by which he can impose his candidate on members as Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.
“The goal is to create fear in members and open them up for victimisation by the new government and the ruling All Progressives Congresse (APC) which is believed to have been zoned to the North West Geo-Politocal zone ostensibly to pave way for the emergence of Abbas Tajuddeen. It is aimed at creating an impression of disloyalty againts members who choose to vote their conscience as against the instruction of the ruling party. This is brazen and reckless by whoever choose to do it. “
“It is a slap on the faces of Hon members and an embarrabsment to the nstitution of the legislature. We will insist that Gbajabiamila should step aside for proper investigation to be carried out on how the rules were doctored. Where is the votes and proceedings of the session and the order paper of the day that the amendment was carries out.
The House will have a Speaker Pro-Tempo who will preside over this investigation until the issue is unearthed.
It is unbelievable that our rules will be altered without recourse to the procedures. As I speak to you even the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who chairs consideration of reports is not aware of this amendment. This is a serious breach and an unpardonable democratic offence. It is unfortunate that this is coming few weeks to the end of Gbajabiamila’s tenure just because he wants to be controlling the House of Representatives after his tenure.
The chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business and the Deputy Speaker of the House will be asked to explain their roles in this unfortunate and devastating development.
“It is equally instructive to note that whether Gbajabiamila is aware of it or not a serious branched has been established under his leadership which he must give account of.”
Director of Press and Public Affairs to Governor Simon Lalong-Dr Simon Makut Macham has described the life of his Principal Lalong at 60 as fate, fortune and the grace of God which are visible all over him having come from an obscure background from his little-known village of Ajikamai, Nyak, in Shendam Local Government of Plateau State to become Governor of Plateau state 8 years ago.
Dr Makut in a statement in Jos on Friday which he issued to mark his Boss 60 birthday and made available to Kwararafa Reporters said the story of Governor of Lalong is the story of someone who rose from grass to grace built on virtues of humility, love, service, tolerance, broad-mindedness and teamwork which have guided him all through life.
Dr Macham in a statement tittled “SIMON BAKO LALONG @ 60: FINISHING STRONG, said the Holy Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 7 verse 8 says “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride”
According to him, This Bible verse does not only convey divine truth that has stood the test of time, but aptly captures the life trajectory of Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG, CON,
“Executive Governor of Plateau State and Chairman, Northern Governors Forum who turns 60 on 5th May today Incidentally, his 60th birthday is coming as he prepares to handover to the next Governor of Plateau State at the end of his 8 year tenure. ”
Dr Macham noted that for the man Simon Bako Lalong, fate, fortune and the grace of God are visible all over him having come from an obscure background from his little-known village of Ajikamai, Nyak, in Shendam Local Government of Plateau State.
‘” His story is one of grass to grace built on virtues of humility, love, service, tolerance, broad-mindedness and teamwork which have guided him all through life.” Macham stressed.
According to Macham, Governor Lalong trained as a lawyer, started his political journey through youth activism within the socio-cultural organisation of the Gamai people, Gamai Youth Movement as well as the Plateau Youth Council which threw some spotlight on him that later blossom and took him to limelight which he enjoys today.
“Right from his childhood, Lalong had the innate feeling that he was called to serve and needed to develop himself particularly through education that gave him the capacity to stand among the high and low and effectively add value to humanity.
” His passion was to become a lawyer. This perhaps explains why despite so many opportunities for a career in football up to the national stage, he chose rather to pursue academics and fulfill his dream of wearing the wig and gown.”
Makut added that even though Lalong had an offer to be a civil servant at the FCDA Abuja after his youth service, he declined and chose to practice his most cherished ambition of law which brought him back to Jos where he began practice and later delved into politics.
’’ From his election into the Plateau House of Assembly to represent Shendam Constituency in 1999, Lalong jettisoned his early childhood values that were engraved in his heart by his family and the Catholic Church as those who know him testified of his loyalty, love, respect, humility and compassion which have grown over the years and opened doors for him across the length and breadth of Nigeria and the world at large.
According to Macham, Many recalled Lalong sojourn as the Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly and his travails over refusal to superintend over the illegal impeachment of Governor Joshua Dariye. Because he would not subvert the constitution and toe the path of impunity, dictatorship and criminality, he made him spent 40 days and 40 nights in EFCC detention. His loyalty to the constitution, the people of Plateau State and Governor Dariye whom he felt should have fair hearing as provided by law was tested and he passed.”
“This singular act cost him so much and threw him in the cold as his seat was vacated even after he won the election for his recall which was induced by the powers that be in collaboration with Federal Might.’
He added that Lalong good heart and principled stance to do the right thing coupled with his contentment, trust in God, and love for others was to restore him to limelight again in 2015 when the people of Plateau State remembered his good works as Speaker and chose him to become Governor of the State..
‘”On coming into office, he inherited a myriad of challenges which included insecurity, a despondent and demoralized civil service, uncompleted and abandoned projects, lack of inclusivity in governance, as well as a State that was in dire need of healing, reconciliation and forgiveness. He did not waste time in bringing the people of Plateau State together and addressing the challenges.”
“He immediately paid 5 months withheld wages under no-work-no-pay policy and cleared inherited salary arrears of 8 months from the past administration. The same story applied to pension arrears of about 10 months which he equally cleared. This earned him the nickname “Governor Alert” bestowed upon by the civil servants.”
Rather than embark on ego trip of commencing new projects while the State littered with abandoned projects, Macham said Lalong chose to complete those inherited even though from a government of PDP. . “These projects include the Mararaban Jama’a road which was just about one lane done as well as the Secretariat Junction flyover; old-airport to Rayfield; Rayfield to Bukuru etc. Same applied to abandoned general hospitals such as Riyom, Langtang South, Kanke which he completed. Sadly, this was to be used against him by his opponents who despite enjoying these infrastructures claimed he never did a “single” project in 8 years – a propagandist lie that unfortunately sank into the gullible.”
He added that Simon Lalong whose heart is like that of a child refused to be intimidated or harassed by frivolities and kept carrying out inherited and new projects.
Macham stressed that Today, the brand new British American Flyover and Dualisation to Lamingo Junction Roundabout has been completed and will be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari soon. . ” Same goes for the High Court Complex Headquarters, the Multi-door Courthouse and ADR Centre; NUJ Secretariat, Kalong-Angwan Dadi bridge (longest in Plateau); Shendam bye-pass and internal roads; of Longvel-Yelwa-Mato Junction-Taraba border road , Legacy projects among others across the State.
“When you talk about peace and security, Lalong gave it his best shot by not only dressing the surface, but going down to the root to tackle the causes. His style has been to remove fear and mutual suspicion from the hearts of citizens who had enjoyed peaceful coexistence for decades until crises merchants succeeded in dividing them along ethno-religious lines. While he strengthened the instrument of law enforcement to deal with criminals, he also came up with the Peace Building Agency which is the first of its kind in the country and backed by law. He ensured that crucial laws were enacted and signed such as the Anti-Land Grabbing and Anti-Kidnapping and Violence against persons. “
He added that even though there is no absolute security yet any where in the world, citizens of Plateau State, Nigerians and members of the international community who earlier felt unsafe in Plateau have confessed that Lalong scored a goal in security and peace with abundant evidence to show. “Nightlife is back to Jos while “no-go-areas” have drastically faded. Public and privates institutions across Nigeria have once more made Plateau State their conference and events capital as they jostle to host one national conference or the other. Hotel and hospitality businesses are booming while many investors who earlier left Plateau have returned. Even property owners have enjoyed a boom under Lalong as Plateau is once more the true Home of Peace and Tourism.”
Macham further stressed that the footprints of Governor Lalong on the Plateau are very visible across all sectors and all Local Governments of the State. ‘”Whether it is the education sectors where he took over a moribund Plateau State University Bokkos and turned it into a 7-Faculty institution with 7 convocations in its kitty and a PG School; or the revamping of the Plateau Specialists Hospital with the acquisition of Ultra-modern medical equipment such as Superstar MRI Machine, 64 slices CT Scanner, 4D-Ultrasound Scanner and Digital X-Ray Machine among others; or the deepening of systems for transparency, accountability and good governance in the State which has earned the State national and international recognition, the man Lalong is leaving large footprints in the political landscape of Plateau, albeit quietly as the silent achiever he is.
He noted that while some could have disagreed with him over some of his policies and actions, Lalong has never claimed to be a saint or infallible. Indeed those who know him testify that he is one of the meekest persons on the face of the earth who is not afraid to admit any shortcoming just as he can stick to his convictions even when everyone disagrees with him.
“His 60th birthday which comes just weeks before he bows out as Governor makes it a day to pause and thank God for sending someone with his temperament, capacity, intellect, humility, courage and love to the people of Plateau and Nigeria at times such as this. Having done his best to serve and with the best intentions, he is eager to go and have some deserved rest and also spend some quality time with his family.
“But whether this will be a reality for him is in doubt because having produced the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, many expect that he will again play a prominent role in actualizing the Renewed Hope Mandate of Tinubu/Shettima.”
Macham stressed that Lalong was the leader of the Northern Governors who insisted that power should go back to the south in the interest of fairness and justice remains a strong figure in the ruling APC.
” If history is anything to go by, Lalong who is not known to lobby for positions will once again have his past records speaking for him just as they did when he was chosen by his colleagues to serve as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, a position he has used to further demonstrate his capacity on the national stage and also ensure that Plateau remains in national relevance rather than obscurity.
” The prayer for this man of peace and love is that God will continue to order his steps and give him more opportunities and make his paths shine brighter to serve humanity which has been his ambition from childhood. As this chapter of his life closes, there is no doubt that God is opening a new phase for him to once again demonstrate that love is the greatest according to Matthew 22: 37-40 which happens to be one of his most favourite scriptures in the Holy Bible.” Macham stressed.
Welcome to the Assisted Reproductive Technology series with Dr. Ken. Here, we discuss Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) as a means to tackle the problem of infertility.
In the last article, we answered the million-dollar question of: Are IVF Babies Normal? We established that IVF babies are just as normal as spontaneously conceived babies, and if an extreme side is to be taken, they have the tendency of even more normal. There is absolutely no artificial shade to the IVF treatment whatsoever.
Today, we shall be looking at a seldom talked about factor in reproduction generally: the male sperm factor.
For conception to occur, there must be the fusion of the sperm (from the male partner), and the egg (from the female partner). In our present setting however, most often than not, we tend to forget the immense importance of the male sperm factor and blame the cause of infertility on the woman which may not always be the case.
In reality, the male sperm factor could contribute to the inability to conceive as much as the female egg or body system factor does. We can therefore have infertile men just as we have infertile women. The exclusive use of the word ‘infertile’ for women in religious and societal circles today is not appropriate.
While it is a known fact that the male contributes only the sperm in conception, it is pertinent to note that a whole lot could go wrong which could lead to some abnormalities in sperm production and inability to fertilize the female eggs.
In the last projection made during a convention of global fertility experts held in India in 2019, where I was personally in attendance; it was projected that the male race could go extinct owing to the steady decline of male sperms. There was a time when the number of sperms in an ejaculation numbered about 20 million. We are now down to 15 million, and a continuous decline is expected.
Even though the extinction projection may not necessarily happen because of sperm freezing opportunities available in our time and age, it buttresses a reality that the sperm factor is increasingly becoming the cause of infertility more than ever.
In our society today, the mere mention of the reality of male infertility punctures the pride and ego of men and stands in the way of everything society defines as being a man because it is generally perceived as a man’s world.
However, poor sperm morphology, and low sperm count resulting from disease conditions or social factors like high consumption of alcohol, smoking, stress, obesity, excessive masturbation, and exposure to certain radiation, as well as other factors, is the reality for many men today, making them infertile.
The situation can be treated medically and through the adoption of better lifestyle choices in the way of healthier diets, healthy weight maintenance, and elimination of bad habits. This is critical to the reproductive well-being of couples and the actualization of their reproductive potential.
Assisted Reproductive Technology in any case still finds relevance in making conception possible.
Donor sperms can be used in the case of low or no sperms.
The sperm rejuvenation process could also serve as a treatment option in making conception a possibility.
Thank you for staying with me today. I am always here to provide expert information on Assisted Reproductive Technology, and how this can help make your dream of a complete family a reality.
Until next time, stay fine, and always remember that conception and child bearing is a possibility for everyone that so desires.
Dr. Kenneth Egwuda is a consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a specialty in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). He has over 16 years of practice and experience. He trained in the UK, India, Bulgaria, Italy, and Germany. His Facility, ALPS Hospitals, and Diagnostics, Jos, Nigeria, stands at the center stage of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Nigeria. It holds the record of the oldest first-time delivery mum in Africa through IVF at the age of 63.
Ahead of the November governorship election in Kogi State, the different interest groups, individuals and organized bodies routing for the governorship seat to Kogi Eastern zone have been called upon to harmonize their various interests .
This call was made by the Former Minister of State for Health, Arc Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, who is also the Chairman of Ukomu Igala Organization (UIO), as well as the Chairman of Aggregated Igala Elders Platforms (that is Kogi Easterners leading Group Chairman).
Aduku in a statement made available to Kwararafa Reporters on Wednesday, said all the political groups from Kogi East zone on different platforms should report to the traditionally approved Committee on all decisions for final vetting and pronouncements.
He advised that having all the interest groups and bodies under a central supervision which he oversees, will ensure a clear-cut direction and progress, and also put Under check any parallel activity from any quarter that would be inimical to the common cause of the zone.
“After our recent deliberations and meetings, it has been agreed upon that I reach out to all Igala groups of Kogi East routing to take decisions on the Kogi State Governorship race coming up in November, and enjoin them all to report to the traditionally approved Committee on all decisions for final vetting and pronouncements.
“Our committee stands endorsed by the Traditional Council, the Elders groups and a myriad of, Socio-cultural organizations, and it is imperative to bring all decisions from quarters to one central table before any pronouncements.
“So, we seek the cooperation of all stakeholder groups on this issue, and we commend all those who have risen to the political challenges Kogi East at the moment.
“We pray for strength, understanding, selflessness, steadfastness and focus for every group and all those pursuing our common cause. We pray also for the progress of our state in general,” the statement partly read.
Kwararafa Reporters 