The Nigerian Senate has received an executive communication from President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking confirmation of career Ambassadors-designate.

Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, while reading the letter during Tuesday plenary said, the nomination was in line with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence, Senators should do justice to the request.

He referred the request to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“In accordance to section 171 (1),(2)(c) and subsection (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed forty-two (42) names of nominees as Career Ambassadors-Designate.”

The Ambassadors-designates for confirmation are: C.O Nwachukwu, Abia; A. Kafas, Adamawa; R. U. Brown, Akwa-Ibom; G. A. Odudigbo, Anambra; O. C. Onowu, Anambra; Y. S. Suleiman, Bauchi; E S. Agbana, Bayelsa; B. B. M. Okoyen Bayelsa; G. M. Okoko Benue; A. M. Garba, Borno; M. l. Bashir, Bomo; M. O. Abam, Cross River; A. E. Allotey, Cross River; G. E. Edokpa, Edo; and A. N. Madubuike, Enugu.

Others are: Adamu Lamuwa, Gombe; Mr. Innocent A. lwejuo, lmo; M. S. Abubakar, Jigawa; Y. A. Ahmed, Jigawa; S. D. Umar, Kaduna; A. Sule, Kano; G. Y. Hamza, Kano; N. Rimi, Katsina; L S. Ahmed-Remawa, Katsina; M. Manu, Kebbi; l. R. Ocheni, Kogi; l. A. Yusuf, Kogi; M. Abdulraheem, Kwara; Mrs. W. A. Adedeji, Lagos; and A. U. Ogah, Nasarawa.

Also, among career Ambassadors-designate to be confirmed are: A. A. Musa, Niger; N. A. Kolo, Niger; S. O. Olaniyan, Ogun; A. R. Adejola, Ogun, E. Awe Ondo; O. Aluko, Osun; I. A. Alatishe, Osun; V. A. Adeleke, Oyo; M. S. Adamu, Plateau; l. N. Charles, Rivers; Z M. lfu, Taraba; and B. B. Hamman, Yobe.

PRESS RELEASE

NORTHERN GOVERNORS COMMMEND PRESIDENT BUHARI ON EFFORTS TO REVAMP AJAOKUTA.

The Northern Governors Forum says it is pleased with the commitment and efforts of the Federal Government to resuscitate the Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State.
This is following the recent inauguration of the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Inauguration Team (APPIT) to help revamp the company in line with the recent agreement reached with Russia to resuscitate the steel company, by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
In a statement through its Chairman and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, the Forum commended President Buhari for remaining focused in fulfilling his desire to see that the complex, which has been moribund for about four decades, comes to life.
Lalong said, “We note with great delight the unwavering resolve of Mr. President to see that this complex which has been comatose for decades comes becomes productive to help in the industrialization of the country and boosting manufacturing. This dream when realised will not only create jobs, but also assist the nation to add value to its raw materials for domestic use and export”.
Lalong said the Northern Governors Forum noted that despite the fight against COVID-19, President Buhari remained committed to the realization of the aspirations of Nigerians to see that this national project is finally completed and put to use for the development of the nation.
He assured the President of the full cooperation of the Northern Governors Forum in seeing to the actualization of this national priority, which has defied previous attempts
The inauguration of the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Inauguration Team (APPIT) is part of the implementation of the agreement reached between President Buhari and his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin during the Russia-Africa Summit last year in Sochi, where they agreed on the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant through a Government-to-Government agreement with funding from the Afreximbank and the Russian Export Centre.

Dr. Makut Simon Macham, ANIPR,
Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor
of Plateau State & Chairman, Northern Governors Forum.
12th May 2020.

Great Plateau Youths! You will recall a Press Release on 23-03-2020 for the suspension of all youth activities and gatherings in compliance with the State and Federal Government directives on the safety measures to COVID-19 which voided the gathering of over 50 persons as one of the means of curtailing the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic bedeviling our beloved Country. A step well thought by the Youth Council leadership in the best interest of Youths and Plateau people as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic have in a lot way affected and still affecting every sphere of human life, plans are ruined and World Governments devastated as this is not familiar to Nigeria alone. All things being equal, the tenure of present officials of the Youth Council supposedly terminates on May 22-2020. Howbeit, the transition period which is to usher in the new Executives has been hampered as a result of the pandemic and to make the matters worse, the lacuna in the Constitution of the Youth Council as regards what is to be done when faced with such reality. However, the PYC Constitution does not recognized the appointment of a Caretaker Commitee or Interim Government and even tenure extension which poised a great challenge on the outgoing Executive as not to allow a vacuum on the expiration of tenure of their tenure as mentioned above. Thus the drive for the ‘Doctrine of Neccessity’ have to come in. The Youth Council under the Leadership of Dr. Jemchang Fabong decided not to take any decision but went decided to consult all relevant stakeholders such as; the Central Working Commitee, Representatives of Voluntary Youth Organizations, Executive Chairmen of Local Government Chapters of the Youth Council, Veterans and the State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Plateau State as stated in the letter released dated 08-05-2020 and signed by the state Youth Council Chairman Dr. Jemchang Fabong. This singular action have triggered uproars from several quotas rather than the need for Plateau Youths to remain united in the fight against the Coronavirus which is now the major concern in our dear State following the rising number of confirmed cases. Be reminded that, we are dealing with an issue on the Exclusive list of the Council’s Constitution and not where the Constitution needs clarity. We as apostles of the Youths must see to the call for tenure extension of the present Executive and other officials as necessitated by the doctrine of necessity. Therefore, a call for our Youths to remain calm, maintain healthy hygiene by observing social distancing, avoid handshakes & contacts with Mouth, Nose and Eyes & regular hand wash as well as the use of hand sanitizers always and other safety measure as directed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). We should also pray for the healing of our dear brothers and sister who have been caught victims of the Coronavirus and for the pandemic too shall pass away. A gentle reminder: to this end, it’s only when we are alive that you can entrust us with your mandate and we will deliver in our promise of being a VOICE FOR YOU and also for you to witness that, we delivered in that capacity as the State Chairman PYC. Therefore, stay safe, stay home, stay alive by observing health measures that will bring to an end this Pandemic. Aluta continua! Victoria ascerter.

COMR. DUNG DAWENG PAM FOR PYC STATE CHAIRMAN

MEDIA TEAM

By Prince Sekat

The Management of Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH has refuted claims that the hospital sacked 25 doctors amidst the COVID-19 pandemic saying rather, the hospital extended the tenure of the Resident Doctors who claimed to have been sacked by the hospital.

JUTH in a statement signed by its Chief Medical Director, CMD, Professor Edmund Banwat berated the affected doctors for discrediting the hospital Management despite its “good intention” and urged all to know that JUTH still remains “among the best training institutions in the country.”

According to him, “The attention of the Management of Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH has been sadly drawn to the unfortunate allegation of “sack” of 25 Resident Doctors in the hospital. It should be noted that Management has not “sacked” Any Resident Doctor, rather the tenure of their training programme had expired since 2018.

“The Board of Management had granted one-year extension with a further two months that would terminate on 30th June, 2020 to this group of Residents that have exhausted their tenure. Rather than thanking God and Management, the Residents have decided to embark on a voyage of systematic campaign of discrediting Management for her good intention.

“It is a truism that the Residency Training period is tenured and those Residents who have exhausted their tenure must exit to pave way for the admission of new Residents. Over the years, Management had been magnanimous in exiting Residents with lapsed tenure. This magnanimity is clearly seen in several extensions granted to Residents to enable them write their Postgraduate examination either at Part I or Part II levels.

“For the avoidance of doubt, JUTH has remained among the best training institutions in the country with close to 500 Resident Doctors in training.”

It would be recalled that President of the National Association of Resident Doctors, JUTH branch, Dr Stephen Lukden, had said 25 of his members received their letters of terminations without any cogent reason to back up the management’s decision.

Lukden declared thus: “Yes it is true. Twenty-five Residents received letters of termination of their residency training and we have information that some will receive theirs in the weeks/months to come. We have not seen this kind of thing before”

In a letter addressed to the JUTH CMD, Prof. Edmund Banwat, the association asked the hospital’s management to reverse the sack letters issued to its members describing the action as unjust and illegal.

The letter jointly signed by ARD President, Dr Stephen Lukden and the General Secretary, Dr Noel Nnaegbuna noted that the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) 2017 which was signed into law by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and gazetted on the 16th July 2018 stipulates guidelines on the conduct of residency training programme in the country.

They pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Health had also in a letter dated 18th June 2019 directed all Chief Medical Directors in the Federal Tertiary Health Institutions to immediately begin the implementation of the gazette.

PYC TENURE ELONGATION

The PYC has again been brought to ridicul following the shamefully and an unfortunate tenure elongation declaration by PYC chairman, Dr.Fabong Jemchang,

This has really gone to show again the desperation of the PYC chairman to continue to hold on to power beyond his stipulated time as enshrined in the PYC constitution.

As far as the PYC constitution is concern,the expiration of the present executives end on the 22nd of may 2020.Any attempt to disrespect the constitution will be strongly opposed by plateau youths.

If the immediate past electoral committee headed by comrade Solomon Wuyep,a very respected youth elder on the plateau could held sway the Activities of the council credibly till the emergence of the Fabong led government, why not appoint another elcom to do same?

I therefore call on the CWC members to as a matter of urgency call for the immediate setting up of the electoral commetee as enshrine in the PYC constitution.

This is the only accepted structure of the council in a situation as this.

Dr. Fabong Jemchang should realise that the PYC constitution is above his personal interest and must be respected.

It is rather unfortunate that the leadership of the larger house which has claimed to be protective of the PYC and its affairs has fail to reject this act of disrespect for the constitution.

let me made it known to all plateau youth that the actions of the PYC chairman is totally not welcome,hence I call on the leadership of the CWC to wake up to its responsibility and defend the constitution of the council.

failure to do so will amount to conspiracy and betrayals of the PYC constitution which they swore to protect.

To the Vectrans,this is the time to speak truth to power, let’s not renage on what is our responsibility.
We must fight to uphold the labour of our past leaders.

Together we can build a United and vibrant youth Council

long live PYC
long live plateau State
long live Federal Republic of Nigeria

comrade Amb.Leonard Benernd lutnaan

242 new cases of #COVID19;‬

‪88-Lagos‬
‪64-Kano‬
‪49-Katsina‬
‪13-Kaduna‬
‪9-Ogun‬
‪6-Gombe‬
‪4-Adamawa‬
‪3-FCT‬
‪1-Ondo‬
‪1-Oyo‬
‪1–Rivers‬
‪1-Zamfara‬
‪1-Borno‬
‪1-Bauchi‬

‪4641 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria‬
‪Discharged: 902‬
‪Deaths: 150

Politics is an art and not a science, and what is required for its mastery is not the rationality of the engineer but the wisdom and the moral strength of the statesman.

The author defines professionalism as exemplified by his subjects in their mutual unwillingness to take expected opposition personally. They would not allow grudges to get in the way of more important business.

He had become, through a combination of heritage and character, a keeper of the national conscience.

He was the most persuasive speaker, less for his words than character behind them. He made every listener feel he had done his best to master every aspect of this question, who has been driven by logic to arrive at certain conclusions, and who is disguising from us no argument on either side

GOD IS good, why would any man ever want to be king? When everyone was shouting King in the Plateau, King in the Plateau, I told myself … swore to myself … that I would be a good king, as honorable as Father, strong, just, loyal to my friends and brave when I faced my enemies … now I can’t even tell one from the other.

The reality is that the PLEATEAU people have no desire for an empire. This is not to say that they don’t want the benefits, both empowerment and Humanitarian development.

He is the man of timber and caliber

He is the man that suite our yearnings

He is a leader set by example

I have confidence in him because he has revive and political office given to him by our yearning and expectation

The supreme function of statesmanship is to provide against preventable evils.

May you live long Honourable Victor Lapang

we want to tender a special appreciation to the Hon.commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development of Plateau State,Dr.Hosea Istifanus Finangwai, who issued permit for transporters and market operators to freely move within and outside the State.

Sir, your effort help us last week to linked a truck of tomatoes to shasha market in Ibadan.
The same aggregator/transporter has gotten in touch with Onitsha and plans to supply them within the coming days.

In Kano, we facilitated about 60mt of tomatoes to Mile 12. Another truck of tomatoes is expected to arrive at the same market tomorrow Monday 11/05/20.

In Kaduna, we linked at total of 19 trucks of tomatoes to Lagos, Owerri, Abuja, Benin and Akure.

Observation Transportation of fresh produce has been continually seamless, thanks to the state government of the YieldWise state.

TechnoServe brings more than a decade of experience designing and implementing market-led interventions in Nigeria to address the country’s development challenges. Working in most of Nigeria’s 36 states, TechnoServe is partnering with a variety of public and private funders in agriculture and enterprise development.

In agriculture, TechnoServe interventions have targeted the maize, rice, cashew, tomato, cassava, soy, and poultry value chains, increasing smallholder productivity and income, improving access to inputs and finance, and strengthening market linkages.

By Prince Sekat, Jos

An All Progressives Congress,APC’s, chieftain in Plateau State, Hon. Jimmy Nanyak Lar, who was Governor Lalong’s Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on Political Affair has debunked the insinuation by APC’s Plateau State Secretary, Barr. Musa Sati that Gov. Lalong does not have a preferred candidate for the Southern Plateau Senatorial by-election. He opined that it will have amounted to class and political suicide for Lalong to stand aloof in the forthcoming contest.

Hon. Jimmy Lar further stated that he can authoritatively and categorically reveal that Governor Lalong’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Noel Kuryil Donjur held a meeting with the governor’s preferred candidate, Prof.(Mrs) Nora Dadu’ut , a professor of French of the University of Jos, with her husband, Mr. John Dadu’ut, a former Bursar of Unijos and one time Commissioner of Finance under Gov. Jang and his former classmate in GSS kuru and presently a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Plateau State, at Government House No.1 behind Deputy Governor’s House, Rayfield, Jos.

Hon. Jimmy Lar further revealed that at Prof. Dadu’ut’s meeting with her husband and the governor’s COS, Hon. Donjur had intimated the duo of the governor’s willingness to have Prof. Dadu’ut hold brief for him in the senate untill 2023 when he will complete his tenure as governor of Plateau State and take over from her at the senate. This, the COS said was primarily due to the fact that they don’t trust any politician in the southern zone.

Lar further stated that, that being the case, Hon. Noel Donjur quickly contacted the APC Zonal Chairman in Southern Plateau, Hon Paul Atsar, to surmorn an emergency meeting of all local government excos in the zone on Saturday 9th of May, 2020. Unfortunately, Mr. John Dadu’ut collapsed on the morning of the meeting due to old age related illness, and was rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH. That being the case, the meeting was a abruptly called off despite the fact that all the Six LGA Excos were on ground.

Hon. Lar therefore submitted that Prof. Dadu’ut has been a dead project on arrival. This he said, is because Prof. Dadu’ut is not only Kwalla muda which implies she’s 80% Goemai, but she’s also Noel Donjur’s first cousin. This has therefore put paid to Barr. Musa Sati’s claim aimed at diverting everybody’s attention.

As part of it’s ongoing efforts towards cushioning the effect of the on-going lock down among people living with disability in Plateau State, Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center, a Jos based non-profit foundation has distributed food items to 1400 person’s living with disability.

The distribution which took place yesterday the 10th of May, 2020 held at Nefur Arena, Pakshin and Youth centre, Shendam.

According to Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan, the CEO of Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center, the COVID-19 palliative by his foundation is to help mitigate challenges faced by people living with disability occassioned by the ongoing lock down in Plateau State.

He stated that, ” after we distributed food items to 300 people living with disability in Jos South, Jos North and Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, we were challenged due to the success achieved to extend our intervention to the remaining 14 local government areas of the state and to the glory of God almighty, today we are here at the various zonal headquarters of our state to disburse these food items to the 14 local government representatives of the disability community.

Chief Burki called on government and spirited individuals to come to the aid of people living with disability in the society.

Evangelist Sam Mbok, the Deputy Chairman of Pankshin local government area at the occasion applauded the gesture of Chief Ayuba Burki. ‘Everywhere around this state and beyond, you see people with mobility appliances donated by the Beautiful Gate foundation, we can’t thank Chief Burki enough’, he said.

Mr John Jang Kassah
who represented the Plateau State Disability Right Commission appreciated the foundation for coming to the succour of the beneficiaries. Also, the Chairman of Joint National Association of People living with disability in Plateau State, Mr Seth Attah on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the foundation for providing pallaitive to it’s members. He called on Evangelist Sam Mbok to advise government to always involve people living with disability when distributing palliative and other interventions

The 1400 beneficiaries were drawn from Riyom, Mikang, Jos East, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Mangu, Kanam, Kanke, Pankshin, Shendam, Wase, Quan Pan, Langtang North and Langtang South Local Government Areas of Plateau State and belong to the five recognised disability clusters in the State.