By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has sworn in new commissioners and special advisers with a call on them to be selfless in their duties for the growth of the state.
The governor also swore in five permanent secretaries into the civil service of the state.
The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Halima Abdulmalik, administered the oath of office and allegiance to the 30 commissioners and 30 advisers in an event that was held at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna.
Governor Umaru Bago said the appointees were selected strictly on merit, competence, and a proven record of hard work, and charged them to bring their wealth of experience and excellence to bear.
He, however, reminded them not to be complacent, docile, or corrupt, as their appointments were not an opportunity for selfish gains.
According to him "If you allow yourself to be caught in the twisted web of corruption, you will be shown the way out".
The Governor also tasked them with embracing teamwork and complementing each other as key drivers of government policies and programmes to achieve the desired objectives of the present administration.
He appreciated the leadership and members of the State House Assembly and the Judiciary for their contribution to the success of the event, saying it was an indication of a harmonious working relationship among the three arms of government, which he was determined to maintain.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Abubakar Usman, explained that the selection, confirmation, and inauguration of the appointees passed through a thorough process.
He urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them and be guided by the oath they had sworn to.
Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr. Morris Magaji, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, appreciated the governor for finding them worthy to serve and promised to work with courage, dignity, respect, and humility to ensure the realisation of the policy thrusts of the Bago-led administration.

By Suleiman Yakubu

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), has flagged off the distribution of items for its special intervention programme in Niger State.
Flagging off the distribution of the items at the Niger Agricultural Mechanisation and Development Agency (NAMDA) office in Minna on Saturday, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Comrade Yakubu Garba, applauded NEMA for the gesture.
The Deputy Governor, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Deputy Governor's office, Mallam Bello Ibrahim, said Niger State really needed the intervention, being one of the states that is most hit by flood disasters and banditry.
He disclosed that the gesture will go a long way in reducing the hardship faced by victims of banditry and floods in the state, adding that, like Oliver Twist, the state needed more intervention from NEMA.
"You know that Niger State has its fair share of banditry activities and also floods; for this, we will continue to knock on your door for more intervention," said the Deputy Governor.
While appreciating NEMA for the gesture and also assuring the agency that the state government, through NSEMA, will ensure that the items are utilised for the purposes they were meant for.
In his remarks, the Acting Director General of NSEMA, Mallam Salihu Garba (Sarkin Samarin Minna), said the intervention was in two categories: the livelihood support intervention for vulnerable groups and the flood victims intervention.
He disclosed that a team from the national headquarters of NEMA was in Niger State last month for the enumeration of potential beneficiaries of the intervention programme, adding that about 23,000 beneficiaries were captured and issued slips as a form of identification across the 25 local government areas of the state.
Mallam Salihu Garba said the event was a flag-off ceremony for the first phase of the distribution of the items, as the distribution had been arranged into four phases.
He also disclosed that the items to be given to beneficiaries of the livelihood category were empowerment items such as grinding and sawing machines, along with a food basket consisting of food items such as rice, beans, Guinea corn, and oil, among other food items and ingredients.
The NSEMA boss revealed that there was also an agricultural intervention basket that consisted of seedlings such as rice and maize seedlings with other farm implements accompanying them, which included liquid fertiliser, herbicides, growth enhancers, and pumping machines.
The Sarkin Samarin Minna added that the distribution exercise was expected to last for about a week, as according to him, they have to transport the items to some of the local government areas for distribution with the help of the respective local government councils.
The distribution of the items was kicked off in Shiroro Local Government Area, where about 30 beneficiaries were given their items in a symbolic presentation.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the flag-off ceremony appreciated the state government and NEMA for the gesture, promising to utilise the items for the purpose they were meant for.