By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Hon. Binta Mamman, has called on the staff of the ministry to rededicate themselves in order to be celebrated at the point of their exit from service.
Speaking during the sentforth and awards ceremony for two staff members of the ministry, Mrs. Sarah D. Jiya, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, and Mrs. Victoria A. Yusuf, Staff Officer, who were retiring after 35 years of meritorious service, the commissioner expressed happiness to have worked with the duo in her ministry.
Hon. Binta Mamman said that there was a need for the retiring staff to be appreciated and celebrated for their hard work during the course of their service in the ministry and Niger State at large, adding that she enjoyed working with the women who were members of her management team.
While wishing the retirees good health and the best of luck in their future endeavours, she explained that the women working with her, some of whom she described as big sisters, had accorded her due respect, thereby making her job in the ministry easier, and she commended them for their resilience.
In her welcome address, the Director Administration, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Hajiya Sua'ad Lami Yakawu, expressed appreciation to the Hon. Commissioner of Information, whom she described as very amiable, for making the ceremony a successful one and making the recipients joyful and fulfilled as they retired honourably.
Hajiya Sua'ad acknowledged that the event was a remarkable one and appreciated the presence of all guests.
In their separate goodwill messages, the commissioner of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hajiya Fatima Adamu, who was the special guest at the occasion, pointed out that retirement from service after so many years should be a thing of joy and not sadness.
She said that the recipients should be thankful for retiring in good health and strength and that a brighter future awaits them by God's grace.
Also speaking at the occasion, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Shiru, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, who was also a special guest at the occasion, commended the retiring staff and described them as hardworking women that deserved the award, having known them and their efforts when she served as the permanent secretary in the ministry.
In their separate remarks, both recipients of the award, Mrs. Sarah D. Jiya and Mrs. Victoria A. Yusuf, expressed gratitude to the Hon. Commissioner of Information and Strategy, management, and the entire staff of the ministry for the recognition of their services by giving them such an award.
In her vote of thanks, the Director of Information, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mrs. Hassana Joan Kpetu, thanked the commissioner for her openness and good relationship with her staff.
Mrs. Hassana noted that the staff of the Ministry of Information and Strategy were proud to be associated with the Hon. Commissioner, adding that "we are proud of you because you have made us proud in our profession.".
Awards plaques and cash donations were presented to the recipients on behalf of the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information and Strategy, by the special guests Hajiya Fatima Adamu, Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Shiru, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth Development, respectively.

By Suleiman Yakubu

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Jonathan Gunu Taidi (SAN), has said that Nigerians are passing through the toughest moment of their lives, warning that the leaders should live up to their responsibilities.
He stated that with the increasing rate of hunger among Nigerians, if adequate measures were not taken to cushion the effects of the alarming proportion of poverty and hunger bedevilling the citizens, it might lead to unprecedented reactions from the populace.
Speaking with journalists in an interview in Minna on Wednesday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said leaders should put measures in place to alleviate the increasing hardship imposed on the people, saying that with the current situation in the country, people may revolt against the leaders if necessary things are not done urgently.
According to him, the removal of fuel subsidies without putting the needed remedies in place to improve the well-being of the people was an absurdity that should not have been allowed, adding that the leaders were taking the patience of the citizens for granted.
"It is a fact that, arising from the withdrawal of fuel subsidies, our economic situation has become unpredictably harsh.
"You wake up every day; the prices of items are on the rise, with no commensurate incomes on the part of our people.
"This is very unacceptable because the government itself that withdrew the subsidies did not have any plan for the repercussions of that withdrawal," he declared.
He explained that it was in the interest of the generality of the people that the leaders should quickly go back to the drawing board to put measures in place to safeguard the situations from getting out of control.
"They shouldn't wait until the protests that are now in pockets begin to spread all over the country; it will be very uncontrollable for them," he added.