The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Government to fix the faulty escalator and lift at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The House also urged the government to provide more airside buses and conveyor belts at the Abuja International airport as well as other federal airports across the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by a member from Akwa Ibom State, Onofiok Luke, at Tuesday’s plenary.

Onofiok stated that “there is a need to repair dysfunctional facilities and provide new infrastructure at the Federal Airports for efficient service delivery to air travellers.”

He noted that the breakdown of facilities, and lack of certain infrastructure in some federal airports across the country has caused inconveniences, difficulty and delays to air travellers.

Mr Luke made reference to the breakdown of escalators and lifts at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, which he said: “usually helps in easing the movements of passengers to the departure lounge.”

This according to him, has forced passengers to use the staircase, stressing that the “situation constitutes a major setback to the free movement of air travellers.”

“The insufficiency of airside buses at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airports, Abuja, in conveying passengers, especially during the peak hours of 10 am to 12noon local time, and the lack of conveying belts to transfer passenger’s bags from checkpoints to the baggage sorting area, led to delay in flight departure.

Adopting the motion, the House mandated its committee on Aviation to ensure compliance and report back within one month for further legislative action.

Mercy Chukwudiebere

Governor Muhammadu  Yahaya has enjoined the Muslim community to use the opportunity provided by the Holy month of Ramadan to pray fervently for peace, and the development of Gombe State and Nigeria.

In a goodwill message to mark the commencement of the Ramadan fast, Governor Yahaya stressed the need for all and sundry to play their roles in finding new directions toward fixing the problems bedevilling the country.

He particularly admonished Muslims to embrace piety as demanded of them during the month-long fast.

“As one of the five pillars of Islam, Ramadan fast avails the Ummah a golden opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation and devotion through supplication and other acts of worship,” Governor Yahaya said.

He urged them to use the opportunity to pray fervently for the state, those in authority and Nigerians collectively as they battle to combat many socio-economic challenges facing the nation and humanity.

Overcoming challenges

Governor Yahaya expressed optimism that with prayers, commitment and patriotism of the citizens, the country would surely overcome its challenges and emerge stronger.

The Governor also urged clerics to preach on the importance of peaceful co-existence during their Tafsir sessions and avoid anything that would jeopardise the peace and unity of the state and Nigeria, just as he admonished the well-to-do individuals in the society to assist those in need.

Governor Yahaya, particularly admonished the Muslim Ummah to always demonstrate in their lives the spirit and ideals of Ramadan and by extension, Islam by living according to the tenets of the religion, which promotes peace, kindness and obedience.

He also urged the people of the state to continue to be law-abiding and not to compromise the prevailing peaceful co-existence of the jewel state with any myopic sentiment.

“On our part, we shall continue to live up to our commitment of ensuring peaceful co-existence as well as guaranteeing security and wellbeing of the people,” the Governor added.

Mercy Chukwudiebere

The Enugu State Governor-elect, Dr Peter Mbah has called on everyone to join him in the task of chiseling a great tomorrow from the rock of a despondent today.

Dr. Mbah in an acceptance speech on Thursday, said “we ran, we are all winners. No one is a victor, nor is anyone vanquished. The task at hand transcends emotions, politics and other mundane divides.

“It is why I extend my hands of fellowship to all my colleagues with whom I ran the gubernatorial election. Our dear Enugu State is greater than all of us. Let us come together and give our people a tomorrow that befits their hard-work, industry and ancestry of greatness,”. Mbah said.

Mbah said his administration would bring joy to

the people of the state.

He said, “We will make you remember March 18, 2023 with a toothy smile. In infrastructure, health, tourism, education and development of our state in general, we will run a government that you can be proud of.

“We are in a hurry to dualize the Abakpa, Ugwuogo Nike-Nsukka road, build a monorail from Enugu to Nsukka, Udi, Awgu and construct a ring road to connect all the 17 local government areas of Enugu State.

“We are in a hurry to build a world class Theme Park in Enugu. We are in a hurry to establish Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in all the local government areas, as well as Agro-Allied Processing Zones and Industrial Parks in all our senatorial zones.

“We are in a hurry to unleash the tech talents in our young people, and grow and nurture their interest in business and vocations skills.

“We shall build a School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), an Innovation Incubation Centre, as well as a Skill Enhancement Centre in each of the three senatorial zones.

“Ours shall not be an administration by a section of the state. We shall run an all-inclusive government designed to provide an inclusive economic development for our dear state.

Mbah promised to bring water to all homes in Enugu metropolis in 180 days of his administration.

He says,“We shall bring water, in the shortest possible time, to Nsukka, Oji River, Udi, Awgu and others too. We shall frontally confront the infrastructural deficits in all parts of the state and no one will be left behind.”

Mbah restated that he would not be a governor of any section of Enugu State.

“It is your government, Ndi Enugu. Under our administration, there can never be division between Nsukka and Nkanu or any other section of the state.

“We are all brothers and sisters. Those who attempted to create a wedge between us failed woefully. We were massively voted by every section of the state,” the governor elect said.

He added that “now, that tomorrow is here. Let me pledge to you, once again, that I will serve you and dedicate every of the 1,460 days that make up this initial tenure of office to serving you. I will remember the coarse road you travailed to get us here. In reply, we will speak resoundingly with policies of government that will give you comfort and rest of mind.”

Confidence Okwuchi

The Civil Servants in Nasarawa State who had served for 35 years or turned 60 years as required by the law have lauded the state government for organising a pre-retirement skills and entrepreneurship training to empower them for a life after service.

The civil servants stated this on Thursday at the closing ceremony of a two-week skills and entrepreneurship training for over 69 civil servants about to retire from service.

They were trained on Livestock Production, Auto Mechanic, Electrical Installation, Leather Works, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Cosmetology, Tailoring and Fashion Design and Baking, Pastries and Confectionary at the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute Lafia.

Mr. Abubakar Umar, lauded the state Governor Abdullahi Sule for the initiative, which was first of its kind to expose retiring civil servants to different skills that would make thier lives meaningful after retirement.

Mr. Umar added that they have acquired skills in different areas of their choice and the experience and knowledge gained was indeed huge within just two weeks.

“We were taken through the practical rudiments of our choice areas by the facilitators during the two weeks intensive training.

“We cannot thank the governor enough as being the first set ever in the history of the state to be trained ahead of our retirement so that we will still be productive in the next phase of life,” he noted

Also, Mr. Sunday Magaji who learned leather works, said he never knew he could learn and do a lot within just two weeks.

He explained that everyone of them had produced one product or the other and urged the public to patronize them as their sandals and bags are of  highly quality.

Startup pack

He however, appealed to the state government to provide them with a startup pack to enable them set up their shops for businesses immediately after retirement from active service.

Also, Mrs. Juliana Kuju, another participant commended the government for the opportunity to learn skills but appealed that the exercise should be extended to three months for subsequent beneficiaries.

Mrs. Kuju also used the medium and appealed to the state government to give the beneficiaries of the training their entitlements immediately after retirement to enable them use it to set up their businesses.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Training Institute, Dr. Daniel Ewuga, commended the government for establishing the place and funding it for optimal performance.

Ewuga, explained that the initiative was aimed at providing employable and entrepreneurship skills to civil servants who have few months to retire from active government service.

According to him, “It would go a long way to address the challenges that are associated with the retirement phase of life, reduce poverty and create wealth,”.

Mr. Ewuga,, therefore encouraged the beneficiaries to set up their shops to prove to the world that the two weeks of training were not a waste.

Also, Nasarawa State, Acting Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya, congratulated the beneficiaries for humbling themselves despite their ranks as senior government officials to learn one skill or the other.

Abigail Waya, added that she was amazed at the products that were made by the trainees within two weeks and encouraged them to set up businesses after retirement.

“You could start a business of your choice in your parlor or anywhere in your house if you do not have money to rent a shop.

“If you start your own business or trade, it would take away the fear of retirement, keep them healthy and make them unavailable for the devil to use because they will not be idle,” she added.

Abigail Waya therefore, assured them that the government would still supervise, guide and support them when they set up their businesses to enable them to succeed.

Olusola Akintonde