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Sport

NPFL: We are targeting 65 points this season, says Dogo

NPFL: We are targeting 65 points this season, says Dogo

By Segun Giwa

Points

Akure, Feb.9,2020 (NAN) Technical Adviser of Sunshine Stars, Kabir Dogo, says his team is targeting at least 65 points by the end  of the ongoing 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Dogo said this in his post-match interview, after his team defeated visiting Ifeanyi Ubah FC 2-0 in the match day 19 clash at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure on Sunday.

The gaffer said his team is playing better this season and ready to face any team in the league.

“Before the beginning of the season in Ibadan, we had a meeting with the players during which we targeted 65 points.

“Out of the 65 points now, we have achieved 30, we believe if we can secure 65 points, we can achieve continental ticket,” he said.

Sunshine Stars midfielders, Jose Fatokun and Anthony Omaka got the maximum points for the home team.

Fatokun opening goal was from Wasiu Jimoh’s corner kick in the 24th minute while Omaka emulated his midfield partner by scoring from a corner, also taken by Jimoh in the 30th minute to make it 2-0.

Dogo congratulated his players and the entire people of Ondo State for what the team had achieved in the first stanza of the league.

Coach of Ifeanyi Ubah, Uche Okagwe said his players lost the game due to lack of concentration and inexperience.

“We conceded those two goals due to lack of concentration, it’s lack of experience and lack of concentration from the boys; if you notice, they are all new players from non- league sides,” he said.

Okagwe however said he will plan Sunshine Stars’ downfall in the second stanza.

“We are going to pay them back in their own coins,” he assured.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that Sunshine Stars is going into the mid season break with 30 points from 19 matches.(NAN)

GSD/MZA
Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Health

Ondo NMA members not scared of treating Lassa fever patients – Chairman

By Segun Giwa

Lassa

Akure, Feb. 9, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ondo State says its members are not scared of treating Lassa fever patients in the state.

The state Chairman of NMA, Dr Wale Oke, disclosed this on Sunday in Akure in an interview with newsmen.

Oke said there were insinuations that some medical personnel in the state were scared of treating patients infected with the deadly virus.

According to him, the association is working with relevant agencies to curtail the spread of the disease in the state.

“We are committed to the fight against Lassa fever in Ondo State. We are working with government and technical partners to curb the spread of the disease.

“Our members are not scared of attending to Lassa fever patients. We are fully involved,” he said.

Oke commended the state government for its quick intervention, adding, however, that government could still do more to prevent the spread of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ondo is one of the states worst hit by the latest outbreak of Lassa fever.

The state had recorded over 200 confirmed cases so far and 21 deaths. (NAN)

GSD/FFP/WAS

Edited by Francisca Oluyole and ‘Wale Sadeeq

 

 

 

Politics

Ondo LG elections: APC gets candidate for Ese-Odo

By Segun Giwa

Candidate

Ese-Odo (Ondo State), Feb. 7, 2020 (NAN) Hon. Ojo Omolewa, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ese-Odo Local Government council of Ondo State, has emerged the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming local government elections in the state.

The election, held at Igbekebo town hall in the council headquarters on Friday, had Omolewa polling 199 votes to defeat Mr Messiah Allen, who came distant second with seven votes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Messrs Omolere Ojigi and Richard Omosehin both came third with five votes apiece.

Announcing the results, Mr Samuel Ajayi, the party Chairman in the local government, commended all the aspirants for their peaceful conduct.

Ajayi advised those who lost at the primaries to work with the winner to ensure that the party emerged victorious in the forthcoming local government election to be conducted by the state Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC).

Also, Mr Richard Kekemeke, a party leader in Arogbo ward of the local government, said that he was particularly happy that the election was conducted in an orderly manner, urging the winner to be magnanimous in victory.

Reacting to his victory, Omolewa, who commended party delegates for their orderly conduct, promised not to betray the trust reposed in him.

Omolewa said that the party chairman in Ese-Odo was directed by the state secretariat to conduct the election with the agreement of other aspirants.

“I appreciate the good people of Ese Odo. With the confidence reposed in me, I will not disappoint them.

“It’s like they are putting their future in my hands. I will make sure I add value to their lives in the council area,” he said.

Mrs Feyintola Ogunsipe, the representative of ODIEC for Ese-Odo, lauded the security agents and the delegates for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner.

NAN recalls that ODIEC had set April 18 for the conduct of elections into the 18 local government councils in the state.

NAN also recalls that Mr Ade Adetimehin, the state APC Chairman, had said that the party was committed to maintaining internal democracy.

Meanwhile the main opposition party in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed not to participate in the April 18 council polls. (NAN)

GSD/MA/WAS

Edited by Muftau Adediran and ‘Wale Sadeeq

 

 

General news

We will not post corps members to employers without accommodation – Ondo NYSC Coordinator

Employers
By Segun Giwa
Okitipupa, Feb. 5, 2020 (NAN) The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it will no longer post corps members to places of primary assignment without accommodation or stipends in lieu of same.

The Ondo State Coordinator of  the NYSC, Mrs Grace Akpabio, said this when she paid a courtesy visit on Oba Batuga Akintoye, the  Jegun of Idepe in Okitipupa Local Government area on Wednesday.

Akpabio was at the palace to express her displeasure over the attack on some corps members at their residence in Okitipupa.

She sad, “Henceforth, any corps employers or local government councils without well secured accommodation will be blacklisted.

“Your royal highness, it is callous and wicked on the part of some good -for -nothing individuals to inflict pains and psychological trauma on corps members.

“They left their respective families and loved ones to come over to Ondo State to serve their fatherland only to be rewarded with such inhuman treatment.

“Kabiyesi, some corps members in order to deliver effective service delivery to the host community rented a building.

” The building was broken into by miscreants in the society who dispossessed them of their valuables at gun point and went ahead to molest them.

“I am here on the order of the Director-General of the  NYSC, Brig.- Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, to inform the Kabiyesi and all the corps employers in Okitipupa Local Government that  the NYSC management has resolved to post corps members to only places where their security are guaranteed with good accommodation.

 

“It is most unfortunate that when the incident occurred, the NYSC Local Government Inspector informed the Local Government Council of the dastardly act.

 

“But up till this present time of my visit to assess the situation, the local government authorities have not deemed it fit to sympathise with the affected corps members.

 

“These are our children and the onus lies on us to provide conducive accommodation for them and at the same time ensure that their lives are adequately protected,” she lamented.

The Jegun of Idepe, Oba Batuga Akintoye, expressed shock over the incident and appealed to the state coordinator to allow him take over the matter with the stakeholders and security agencies within the council area.

The monarch, on behalf of the indigenes and settlers of the town, promised that appropriate steps would be taken to forestall a recurrence.

The traditional ruler seized the opportunity provided by the visit to call on corps members to report to the palace or security agencies in the town any suspicious movement or activity within their environment.

At the Divisional Police Headquarters in the town, the State Coordinator,  passionately appealed to the Police to intensify surveillance and routine inspection of corps members lodges across the local government.

Akpabio, who was visibly shaken, called on all stakeholders, especially, the security agencies to do everything within the ambit of the law to fish out the hoodlums who perpetrated the heinous crime against humanity.

At the Nigerian Christian Corpers Fellowship Family House where the ugly incident occurred, the State Coordinator thanked God that no life was lost during the attack.

Akpabio admonished the corps members to see what happened to them as a test of their faith and encouraged them not to look back or waiver in their service both to God and mankind.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday.

According to the corps members, some of the items stolen are phones, laptops, clothes and other personal belongings.(NAN)

GSD/AOS/PAD
=============
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Peter Dada

General news

Ondo pensioners hail Akeredolu over 33 percent pension increase

Pensioners

By Segun Giwa

Akure, Feb. 5, 2020 (NAN) Pensioners in Ondo State have hailed Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the implementation and payment of 33 percent increment in their allowances.

Elder Adedapo Salami, the acting Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the state, gave the commendation on Wednesday in Akure during a press conference.

Salami said that pensioners were happy when the state government started the implementation of the 33 percent increment, which was approved in 2010 and implemented in 2014 by the Federal Government.

He said that they were also happy that Ondo was among the states that had promptly implemented the N30,000 minimum wage.

“I can say that the happiest period of my life was when the approval of the new minimum wage was given by the state government.

“We have been waiting for it, and we are very happy and grateful to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the approval of this new minimum wage.

“The other request we are still expecting response to is the two-and-a-half month arrears of the local government and primary school pensioners.

“As a matter of fact, the present administration met unpaid salaries and pensions of seven months from the immediate past government and it had offset it and has even continued paying normal salaries.

”So we are appealing to government to pay the two months arrears of local government and primary school teachers’ pensioners,” he said.

Also speaking, the NUP Secretary, Mr Akin Sunday, said the 33 percent approved by the Federal Government in 2010 but implemented in 2014 to federal pensioners was good news for the state pensioners after several appeals.

“We had written so many letters to the immediate past government for the implementation of this but with no result. But thanks to God for giving us the Akeredolu administration which approved and implemented this 33 percent pension.

“In Ondo state today, our pensioners are jubilating and rejoicing for this, and they are praising the government of Akeredolu.

He, however, said that gratuities payment was a very critical area that the union would need to discuss with the government, adding that gratuity indebtedness by the state government was over N60 billion.

“With the record I have with me, we have about 8,000 pensioners at the local government level, while we have about 7,000 at the state level,” he said. (NAN)

GSD/ESAN/WAS

Edited by Abiodun Esan and ‘Wale Sadeeq

 

 

General news

NEMA distributes relief materials to victims of flood disaster in Ondo

 

NEMA

By Segun Giwa

Idanre, Feb. 5, 2020 (NAN) The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to victims of flood disaster in Idanre Local Government area of Ondo State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the relief materials, worth millions of naira, were shared to the victims of the Sept. 1 flooding, which affected over 250 houses.

NAN also reports that the items included roofing sheets, mattresses, food items and cement, among others.

The Ekiti State Operation Head of NEMA, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, while distributing the items in Idanre on Wednesday, sympathised with victims of the disaster, encouraging them to engage in activities that would mitigate the effect of the incident.

Afolayan urged the people to cultivate the habit of tree planting in their homes, avoid building on flood plains and stop dumping refuse in drains to allow free flow of water.

He urged the state government to fast track the establishment of a fully- functional and well-funded State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), backed by relevant provisions.

“Early warning system, coordination, collaboration, political will and manpower are the essential components of disaster risk reduction policy (DRR).

“It is, therefore, everybody’s business to ensure that we build a culture of community resilience for a sustainable development in our society.

“This we can do by regularly engaging in policies, strategies and programmes that will mitigate both the natural hazards and man-made disasters,” he said.

The Owa of Idanre, Oba Fredrick Arubiefin, appreciated the Federal Government for giving succour to the affected persons.

The monarch prayed that such a disaster would not occur in the state again. (NAN)

GSD/OIF/WAS

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and ‘Wale Sadeeq