Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Friday in Maiduguri, handed over 81 units of three-bedroom apartments along with cheques worth a total of N79m to 81 resident medical doctors in the State according to MAIDAWAAREWA

Each of the doctors was given a tastefully built flat at a quarters specifically built for medical doctors in 13 blocks of two-storey buildings with each block having six flats.

The quarters was fully fenced, landscaped, flowered and provided with sporting facilities and playground.

The 13 blocks at the quarters have combined number of 78 flats while another story building sited at Muhammadu Shuwa memorial hospital has three additional flats, making 81 flats.

Two out of the 81 flats were fully furnished while 79 were yet to be furnished.

Zulum presented cheques worth N1m each as furnishure support to 79 doctors who were allocated the 79 unfurnished flats.

One of the beneficiaries of the 81 flats was Dr Bulama Gaidam, currently in captivity of the ISWAP terrorist group.

Gaidam was abducted on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in Gubio, where he was serving as principal medical officer of the General Hospital.

Speaking to wife of the abducted medical doctor, Zulum consoled her and strengthened her hope that she will reunite with her husband one day.

The governor assured all the 81 doctors who benefitted that government will make some efforts to support them with standby generator for the quarters.

He, however, urged the doctors to form a residents association through which they can make contributions to find ways of sustaining facilities at the estate, and enhancing their communal safety.

Zulum promised that more doctors who were not among the 81 beneficiaries will be supported in other ways in government’s continued drive to improve the welfare of medical doctors for better service delivery that saves and improve human lives.

MAIDAWAAREWA reports that the Doctors’ Quarters was commissioned by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on February 24, 2022, after which modalities were put in place for consultative selection and allocation to benefiting doctors.

The VP commissioned the flats while in Maiduguri to launch Borno’s edition of the Federal Government’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinic.

Meanwhile, during his handover of the 81 flats and cheques to the medical doctors, Governor Zulum directed the provision of two buses for permanent stationing at the quarters for transportation of the doctors to hospitals for healthcare services.

In their appreciation, a representative of the medical doctors pledged that they will reciprocate by improving their medical services to patients at their respective hospitals.

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will beat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on July 16.

Both parties will go head to head in two weeks in the state’s governorship election.

Oyetola visited Ila-Orangun in Ila Local Government Area on Friday.

“It will take the PDP 30 years to recover from the shock it will receive due to the defeat”, he boasted

Oyetola said his eight years in power as governor “is sure with God on my side”.

He advised opposition parties to prepare for governance rather than contesting.

The governor, however, appealed to the electorate not to sell their vote.

”They will be going about with money, but do not be swayed by their actions.”

The APC candidate further described his opponents as “opportunists”

Former federal lawmaker, Dino Melaye, has said despite the leadership qualities of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, he may need to wait for another election to run for presidency.

Mr Dino said based on Peter Obi’s view of the country’s challenges, the nation does not need him for now, he said the country currently needs someone who would unify the different regions and ethnic groups in the country, not someone like Obi who only wants to cut the cost of governance.

He said, “Peter Obi is one of the finest Nigerians who is intellectually mobile, he is a great Nigerian and by the grace of God, he is qualified to be a president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the nearest future.

“Mr Peter Obi, I celebrate your movement for a new Nigeria, but I want to advise that your time is not now, you have to wait for your time.

“I have listened to your arguments and your deliveries including your campaign but I can say that 90% of your campaign is dwelling on reducing the cost of governance.

“I want to tell you that the problems of this country are beyond just cutting the cost of governance. It is less than 1% of our national problems.

“What we need in this country is to unite the nation. Nigeria has never been this divided in our national history. We need one character who has the ability to unite us as a nation.”

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP Borno State chapter said it did not suspend Zanna Gaddama Mustapha, the party chairman in the state.

The party said social media has been filled with rumors since claiming the party chairman was suspended because of alleged anti party activities.

Secretary of the party Ali Aliyu, rejects the rumour and told MAIDAWAAREWA that the party knows nothing about the alleged suspension.

His words: “Its a charade, it’s Null and void as the provisions of party’s constitution was not dully followed in suspending the chairman .The chairman is the only person who is constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of calling a meeting and with 2/3 of the members to form a qouroum, therefore the general public should please disregard the Purported suspension.”

Asked if the chairman was involved in Anti-party?, the secretary said “Zanna Gaddama has not and will never, and he remains the state chairman of the party.

The Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni has settled the enrollment fees of 100 poor individuals into the state healthcare scheme.

The fee was given to the state’s contributory healthcare management agency under which the scheme is being run.

MAIDAWAAREWA reports that the money was paid by Buni for the enrollment of 100 indigent persons into the Contributory Healthcare Management Agency at the cost of N1.2million

Buni urge other influential persons to extend the gesture by sponsoring more vulnerable persons, this was contained in a statement by Mamman Mohammed the governor’s spokesman.

According to Mohammed, the support from the governor came after four general hospitals in the state were upgraded to specialist hospitals.

He said the hospitals are in Buni Yadi, Gashua, Potiskum and Geidam local governments of the states.

The governor gave the support while launching an expanded free healthcare scheme for the poor and vulnerable persons in Damaturu.

In his remark, the governor reiterated his government’s commitment towards providing quality healthcare in the state.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, who is also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2023 general election, has picked a female vice-chancellor as his running mate.

MAIDAWAAREWA reports that Fintiri chose the Vice-Chancellor of Adamawa State University (ADSU), Mubi, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, to pair with him for the general election.

Professor Kaletapwa has been the Vice-Chancellor of ADSU since she was appointed in that capacity in February 2020.

Previously, she served as Chairman of the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB) and then as Commissioner for Education.

She had earlier been a lecturer at the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola.

Farauta, who was born on November 28, 1965, in Numan, Southern Adamawa, is married with children.

Kaleptapwa’s choice as Fintiri’s running mate ends the road for Chief Crowther Seth, the present Deputy Governor of Adamawa State.

Many had been wondering whether Fintiri would wish to try a second term with Crowther Seth, but Kaleptapwa’s emergence puts paid to it.

Fintiri’s Director-General of Media and Communications, Solomon Kumanagar, confirmed Kaleptapwa’s choice.

The Nigerian Army Headquarters in a post on its social media pages said 314 fighters of Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province, ISWAP, have surrendered to Nigerian troops in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to the Army, the development followed the ongoing offensive against the terrorists in the North Eastern part of the country.

The troops also rescued about 12 farmers who were abducted by the terrorists.

The post briefly stated: “The ongoing offensive onslaught against terrorism in the North East recorded another success as 314 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters surrendered to troops in Bama LGA of Borno State.

“Additionally, 12 farmers were also rescued by the troops. Profiling of the surrendered terrorists is ongoing”.

The Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, has signed the anti-banditry and other related offences bill into law.

The law which comes into force with immediate effect, has death penalty for those found guilty of banditry and other related offences in Zamfara.

After signing the bill, Matawalle said the law formed part of measures to tackle banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Zamfara.

The law: Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022 was passed by the state legislature on Monday.

Matawalle said the law was part of the government series of effort to address the nagging challenge of banditry and associated crimes in the state.

“Today, we have signed the bill on Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022.

” You may recall that I inaugurated four security-related committees, as part of our counter-banditry initiatives.

“Formation of the committees is aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the security measures being taken to end the over-decade-old banditry and other security-related challenges,” he said.

The governor said he had earlier signed Executive Orders 7, 8,9, and 10, that provided the legal instruments and operational guidelines for the committees.

He qouted that the most fundamental focus of governance anywhere in the world is security.

Matawalle further said that his government would do anything within the law, to secure the state and restore peace in the communities.

“Zamfara State, under my watch, will continue to explore all possible remedies to our plight.

” Those making insinuations about our decision to support the right of community members to self-defence against ruthless attacks by bandits ought to take into consideration the scale of the problem we are facing.

“They should take into account the plight of the innocent people who are maimed, killed, and kidnapped every day in various parts of the state,” he added.

The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, said he will monitor the coming of commissioners and permanent secretaries to their ministerial offices at Musa Usman Secretariat, noting that his administration wants to ensure the maximum functionality of the secretariat.

Zulum spoke shortly after the swearing-in of commissioners and a permanent secretary at the renovated International Conference Hall of the State Secretariat. Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah, represented by a High Court Judge, Justice Fadawu Umaru, administered the oaths while Zulum supervised.

The governor said he directed the swearing-in to be held at the secretariat so as to remind public office holders of the importance of the secretariat and the need to make it very functional, Zulum stated that he showed up unannounced and inspected offices at the secretariat and he was disappointed because only few officials were present.

MAIDAWAAREWA reports that since 2019, Governor Zulum has been visiting office annex unannounced at the secretariat, he charged commissioners to set examples for staff by coming to work early.

He also urge the commissioners to ensure all staff of their respective ministries are given functional opportunities rather than concentrating responsibilities to few senior officials like the PermSec and Directors whereas many others are left redundant.

The Governor directed the Secretary to the State Government and the Head of Service to ensure the provision of stable electricity, security and other essential needs that should make offices comfortable for public office holders to work effectively.

The SSG, Usman Jidda Shuwa, in his welcome address highlighted key achievements recorded by the Zulum administration in the last three years, noting that the appointments of commissioners will set a renewed commitment for more projects and programmes in line with the governor’s transformative vision.

We Will Give You Good Results, Says KS Lawan

Borno State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the sworn-in commissioners and PermSec promise Governor Zulum that they will give him good results.

Barrister Lawan thanked Zulum for finding all of them worthy, he also thanked the SSG, Head of Service, APC leaders and other stakeholders, traditional rulers, elders and members of the state security council for their various roles in making government functional.

Present at the swearing-in ceremony were senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and legislators, the SSG, Usman Jidda Shuwa, Head of Service, Barrister Simon Malgwi, Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte, the Shehu of Dikwa, special advisers and assistants, permanent secretaries and directors among other government officials.