Northern Pulse

Friday, 11 December 2020

Kaduna power supply company donates solar equipment to special school

By Aisha Gambo

The Kaduna Power Supply Company(KAPSCO), on Thursday donated a solar-powered water pump to supply portable water to Kaduna State Special Education School (KASSES).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that KASSES is a special school for hearing and visually impaired children.

NAN also reports that the donation was made to support the activities marking the community service week of the Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship (KIF) programme.

The KIF fellows also donated computers and softwares to ease the visually challenged pupils study in their learning.

While addressing the school, Ms Dolapo Popoola, the managing director KAPSCO who was represented by Malam Ya’u Tanko, stated that the company plans to expand the program to schools in the state.

She mentioned that the power supply company had begun the designing of a sustainable solar power solution for KASSES as a pilot.

“KAPSCO was established by the Kaduna state government to increase access to electricity in the state by powering Off- Grid communities and helping the public attain affordable alternative power supply.

” It also manages the energy consumption of public buildings and provides constant,reliable power to hospitals under the Kaduna Solar for health programme,”she said.

Meanwhile, Zaliha Lawal,a Kashim Ibrahim fellow stated that the solar panel installed would power water supply in the school, computer lab and classrooms.

” We aim to promote an understanding and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of people with disabilities.

“We believe that these donations will benefit the students and staff of the all boarding schools, and shortly, fellows and private organization will be able to do more for the school,” she said.

Salamatu Shuaibu, principal of the school expressed appreciation to KAPSCO and the fellowship for the donations saying the solar equipment and computers would be maintained and used judiciously.

She noted that examination period in the school had been a herculean task adding that the computers donated would make work easier for the teachers and students

NAN reports that the Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship is a nonpartisan programme which was introduced by Kaduna state government in 2018 to develop and nurture young people.

The fellows would form a part of a network of high potential individuals with skills and training required for leadership positions in the public sector and other strategic areas.(NAN)

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Saturday, 5 December 2020

Centre graduates 59 troops for peacekeeping mission in Mali

By Sani Idris.

The Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC), Jaji in Kaduna on Friday graduated 59 troops for peacekeeping mission in Mali.

The troops were drawn from the Nigerian Medical Contingent 7 Level II Hospital for the United Nations (UN) Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization mission in Mali (NIMED 7 MINUSMA).

Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Army Head Quarters, Maj.-Gen. Nuhu Angbazo, said the mission was to ensure security and stability in Africa with specific emphasis on the
West African sub-region.

Angbazo was represented by Maj.-Gen. Emeka Onumajuro, the Director of Peacekeeping Operations, Army Headquarters.

He said that collective security and contribution to international peace and security were central to the overall objectives of Nigeria’s national defence policy.

Angbazo explained that participating in peace support operations was one of the specific tasks of the Armed Forces in realising the international peace and security objectives.

He noted that since 1960, Nigeria had deployed over 20,000 peacekeepers to 40 missions in Africa and across the world.

“These peacekeepers with others from around the world have helped to pursue the common course of humanity, assisted nations in distress as and justified the presence and continuation of the work of UN as the most indispensable organisation,’’ he said.

He also noted that as a prerequisite, member states had the responsibility for delivering of pre-deployment training for their personnel prior to UN operations.

He explained that the training was expected to provide the essential knowledge required by all to function effectively in UN’s peacekeeping personnel to peacekeeping operations.

“The focus is to offer a shared understanding of the basic principles, guidelines and policies of UN peacekeeping to guide peacekeeping personnel as they carry out critical tasks to assist countries in the
transition from conflict to peace,” Angbazo said.

He further explained that the techniques, processes and procedures the troops were exposed to during their three weeks training were intended to put them in good frame of mind to discharge their duties.

He urged them to discharge their duties in line with the mission’s mandate and in strict adherence to the rules of engagement of the mission.

“I must caution you to avoid any ugly incident that could tarnish the image of Nigerian Armed Forces in particular and the Nation in general.

“I implore the commandant and his team to remain resolute in ensuring that the high standards achieved by this Centre are continuously maintained and improved upon,” he said.

Also, Commandant of MLAILPKC, Maj-Gen. James Ataguba, explained that participants were introduced to UN peacekeeping which covered principles of peacekeeping, unity of mission partners and comprehensive protection of civilians.

He said the participants were taken on basic life support and advanced life support training, which according to him, was the first be conducted during a pre-deployment training.

“The trainings on advanced life support and basic life support were carried out with support of German Technical Advisory Group and a team from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria,” he said.

Ataguba noted that the training had equipped the contingent with the requisite skills and knowledge to protect themselves and execute other aspects of the mission’s mandate.

He, however, cautioned them against ugly incidents that could tarnish the image of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the nation in general.

“Please note that the United Nations and ECOWAS maintain zero tolerance policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse,” Ataguba said. (NAN)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Monday, 30 November 2020

Population commission, NOA sensitises Zaria residents on birth registration

Registration

By Aisha Gambo

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) on Monday began a community dialogue in Zaria Local Government Area (LGAs), Kaduna on the importance of birth registration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the community dialogue was supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Kaduna state government.

Yusuf Muhammed-Balarabe, UNICEF focal person, NOA Kaduna, stated that the community dialogue was aimed at reorienting communities on an improved birth registration and also to register children aged zero to five.

He noted that the agency would support the National Population Commission in ensuring that 18,000 children were registered in 30 local communities of Jema’a, Kaduna South and Zaria LGAs.

He urged participants to bring their children for registration and pass the information learned to their family and friends who were not able to make it for the community dialogue.

Earlier, Nasir Muhammad-Shafi’i, assistant comptroller NPC, Zaria, said that “we are here to sensitise people to register their children aged zero to five and get them a birth certificate’’.

According to him, the birth certificate issued by NPC was the only birth certificate recognised constitutionally and would help the government in getting accurate data on the number of births.

“Zaria has 10 wards where parents are being sensitised on the importance of acquiring a birth certificate from the NPC’’, he said.

Similarly, Aminu Alhassan, NOA community mobilisation officer at Zaria, stated that 10 communities in the local government would be reached and children who were not registered due to COVID-19 lockdown would be registered.

He mentioned that the ten communities to be reached were; Kwarbai,Gyallesu, Dakace, Bizara Tudun wada,Unguwar alkali, Kaura,Unguwan juma, Tukur-Tukur A and B with 11 registration centres.

Umar Lawal a community member said that many were not aware of the birth registration done by NPC but with the coming of NOA, people are now aware and would register their children.

Another community member Aisha Shitu, said she had assumed that the birth certificate given in hospitals after birth was sufficient adding that she had now realised the need to register her children with the NPC.

“By the grace of God, I will come along with my two children to get them registered’’, she said.

NAN reports that the exercise would last for 10 days.

Edited by Sani Idris Abdulrahman

Friday, 27 November 2020

Kaduna Govt, AGRA, others holds 4th quarter sector coordination meeting for improving agriculture

By Sani Idris

The Kaduna State ministry of Agriculture, Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other relevant agricultural stakeholders had held a 4th quarter sector coordination meeting on Thursday in Kaduna to improve agriculture and strengthen capacity of stakeholders towards achieving food security in Kaduna state.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for agriculture, Hajiya Halima Lawal, said the essence of the meeting was to brief the agricultural stakeholders with the Kaduna State quarterly progress.

She added that meeting was to ensure the State's agricultural system is moving forward as the common agenda with multiple stakeholders and range of activities that translates to food security in the state.

She also said that the meeting was to enhance good governance, increased food production, livelihood improvement and

capacity building of agricultural stakeholders.

"Let me reiterate that globally, 2020 has been challenging especially with the COVID-19 pandemic and other social and economic challenges which further necessitated a collective approach to deliver on our mandate", Lawal said.

She thanked AGRA and its implementing partners, Synergos and other relevant agricultural stakeholders for their support in moving the agricultural sector in the state forward.

Also speaking, the Country Director of Synergos, Mr Victor Adejoh, said the meeting was part of their support to the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture in strengthening capacity to implement projects funded by AGRA.

He urged the stakeholders to critically look at challenges which would inform the government and private sector on ways to improving them.

Adejoh noted that the 4th quarter meeting was to strengthen the relationship between the government, farmers, and critical stakeholders in the Agric sector.

“This engagement is meant to help government deliver on the policies that have been developed and also to continue to create enabling environment for the private sector to continue to grow their sectors” Adejoh said.

He lauded the government for the effort in improving agriculture, ensuring food security and it’s open governance policies to ensure farmers had access to inputs and improved practices.

Dr. Esther Ibrahim of AGRA, in her remarks, said In Kaduna State they were working to strengthen the state ministry of agriculture and forestry in the area of capacity building, planning, budgeting, accountability, monitoring and Evaluation.

She explained that the aim was to put together all the agriculture activities happening in the state to enhance productivity and ensure food security in the state.

She urged the ministry to consolidate, put the findings after the meeting together to be able to inform the government on plans and how they could fund and make the agriculture sector better.

One of the stakeholder, Mr Emmanuel Bonet of Aid Foundation, in his findings said continuous rethinking and re-prioritization of agriculture in

the state by increasing its budgetary provision would enable quick and enhance robust development in the agricultural sector.

Bonet lamented the absence of robust advocacy strategy to the

Executive and Legislature, poor funding, Insufficient social media (communications) strategy on highlighting activities in the sector and absence of accountability mechanism which were Impediments to the development of the agricultural sector in the state.

He however recommended that development of robust advocacy plan to the exco and

legislature, Increased

interventions budgetary provision for strategic interventions and creating sub-website on the government website for

the sector would help breach the gaps responsible for hitches in the sector.

"Developing communication strategy with emphasis on social media, setting up an accountability mechanism for the sector and developing of quarterly score card would also go along way in enhancing productivity and the desired outcome towards achieving food security in the state ", Bonet said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that in attendance of the were research institutes, farmers associations, civil society organisations among others.(NAN)

Edited by Christopher Emmanuel

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