NPC, UNICEF to register over 1m unregistered children in Jigawa

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The National Population Commission (NPC) with support from United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), has concluded arrangement to provide child birth registration to over one million unregistered children in Jigawa state.

The state Director National Population Commission (NPC)

Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Iro announced the move while speaking at a two- day meeting with stakeholders for state kickoff operational plans for birth registration.

He explained that, the exercise will hold in each political zone, 287 wards across 27 local government with duration of 30 days for the exercise.

According to him, the exercise targeted over 518,000 children with age between 0-5 years old to have their child birth certificate within 30 days.

“ In Jigawa state as of now, we recorded only 23.6 percent of 0-5 years old children that have birth registration, while the remaining over 70 percent are unregistered children most of them from hard-to- reach communities” , Ahmad Iro said.

The director then, appeal for more support from Jigawa state government, stakeholders and entire people in the state for successful 2023 birth registration exercise.

While making her remarks, UNICEF child protection specialist, Fatima Adamu said, UNICEF will support National

Population Commission to provide birth certificate to 0-5 children in 22 states, starting with eight state.

She said, UNICEF is working with government to protect children across the states including their right to have national identity as enshrined in Goal 16.9 of SDGs.

According to her, UNICEF will continue working with NPC to ensure that one million unregistered children are registered in this year of 2023 in Jigawa.

Speakership: Zoning is not a covenant that cannot be amended - Hon. Gadgi

By Christiana Ekpa

One of the leading aspirants in the race for speakership of the 10th House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf

Adamu Gadgi, on Tuesday disclosed that Zoning agreement is not a covenant that cannot be amended, stressing that all material facts have suggested that the Presidentelect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu may not be privy to the recently released zoning arrangement for leadership of the coming National Assembly.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) through its

National Working Committee (NWC) had penned down names of candidates for presiding officers of the 10thassembly of Nigeria’s apex parliament, specifically naming Hon. Abass Tajudeen, and Hon. Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and the Deputy for the House of Representatives in that respective order.

However, Gagdi, a member of the group of seven aspirants for the speakership (G-7) protesting the controversial arrangement of the APC, during a chat with journalists, Tuesday in Abuja said himself and the others were in protest “asking for justice, equity and fairness”.

He said Tinubu by his political antecedents and pedigree, will not fall for the arrangements being peddled around, and assured that the protesting group will be willing to meet with the President-elect at as soon as the opportunity presents itself. “I don’t believe that the Presidentelect is aware, and I don’t believe this is his idea”, he submitted. He also faulted the manner in which the purported zoning arrangement came to the knowledge of other aspirants through media reports, a development he tagged “an insult to some of us (the aspirants)”, warning that the G-7 should not be taken for granted as it is an alliance seeking for justice, and will stop at nothing until a reversal is made.

According to him, the North Central geopolitical zone cannot be totally pushed out of the power equation in allocating the six constitutionally backed positions in the national political scene to the advantage of another zone.

“We (the G-7) have not started anything yet, and people are already running to meet governors...The G-7 has come to stay. Zoning is not a covenant that cannot be amended”, he said as he faulted the decision of the APC to narrow down its decision to individuals, without consulting the others who were nterested in the race.

By Christiana Ekpa

The controversy trailing the race for the speakership of the 10th House of Representatives has split the minority caucus ahead of inauguration early June.

The division became visible Monday night when a faction known as minority parties forum adopted Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna) and Benjamin Kalu (Abia), the All Progressive Congress (APC) endorsed candidates for the speaker and deputy.

This came few hours after the minority caucus code named ‘greater majority’ going by its number of 182 said it met with all the speakership aspirants who were found worthy but details would be announced later after

Adamawa govt. approves appointment of 8 new Permanent Secretaries

From Umar Dankano,Yola

Following their success in a promotional examination conducted by ASCON,Adamawa state government has approved the appointments 8 new permanent secretaries.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri announced the development in Yola on Monday, stressing that his government organized the exams to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in governance.

Fintiri said 48 candidatses sat for the examination but only 8 made it, noting that,any candidate from any local government area that has not passed will not be qualified as the government cannot lower the standard of the examination.

Those appointed to fill the existing vacancies are Muktar Aminu Tukur from Yola South, Geandi Joefrey Rifkatu; Yola North, Musa Abbas Kiri; Shelleng, Bagumi Alfred Henry; Numan, Mohammed Hamman; Mubi South, Daniel Silvester Jailani; Jada, Amos Pribu Enoc; Guyuk and Dr Celym Laori; Demsa while no candidate passed the exam from Ganye.

Speaking, state Head of Civil Service, Dr Edgar Amos Sunday thanked the civil servants for accepting the exams as a credible selection process.