Kaduna State Government Urges Residents To Obtain Building Approvals

Kaduna State Government urges residents to obtain building approvals. Mr Yahya said the engagement was to sensitise the traditional leaders to the need to encourage their communities to secure development permits.

The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) has urged the residents of Kujama District in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) to obtain proper building approvals in compliance with the extant urban development regulations.

Abdurrahman Yahya, director-general of the KASUPDA, gave the advice during a stakeholders’ engagement held at the palace of the Kujama District Head.

Mr Yahya said the engagement was to sensitise the traditional leaders to the need to encourage their communities to secure development permits.
He stressed that the state government remained committed to assisting the residents in the process.

Mr Yahya bemoaned that some areas in the district, including Byagi Villa, Romi, Sabon Tasha and Gwanin-Gora, had been approved for regularisation. Yet, the turnout for obtaining approvals remained low.

“We are appealing to the traditional and religious leaders to extend this message to their people so that everyone can secure their development approvals.
“This will enhance proper planning, safety and security in the district and across the state,” he said.

Kaduna State Government

Responding, Stephen Ibrahim, the district head of Kujama, pledged to mobilise his people for compliance.
He announced plans to hold a meeting with the community members and other stakeholders to discuss the issue.

Mr Ibrahim also commended Governor Uba Sani for his inclusive approach to governance and praised KASUPDA for its open-door policy in engaging with the communities.

NERC Transfers Plateau State Electricity Oversight To State Regulator

NERC transfers Plateau state electricity oversight to state regulator. Plateau is the 11th state that has obtained NERC’s order of transfer of regulatory oversight.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Plateau to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC).

In a statement on its X handle on Friday, the commission said the transfer was in compliance with the amended constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFN) and the Electricity Act (EA) 2023 as Amended.

The commission said that with the EA 2023, it retained the role of a central regulator overseeing interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading and system operations.

”The EA also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests to NERC.
“The request is to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations to the state regulator.

”Based on this, the government of Plateau complied with the conditions precedent in the laws, duly notified NERC and requested the transfer of regulatory oversight of the intrastate electricity market,” it said.
According to the commission, the transfer order has certain provisions.

“It directed Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) to incorporate a subsidiary (JED SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Plateau from JED. It said that JED shall complete the incorporation of JED SubCo within 60 days from March 12.

“The sub-company shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from PSERC, among other directives.

NERC

”All transfers envisaged by this order shall be completed by September 12,” it said.
Plateau is the 11th state that has obtained NERC’s order of transfer of regulatory oversight.

The other 10 states include Enugu, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Oyo, Edo, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun, and Niger.

Abia Governor Alex Otti Orders Demolition Of ABSU Faculty Buildings

Abia governor Alex Otti orders demolition of ABSU faculty buildings. He said that demolition of the buildings was necessary to save students from danger.

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has ordered the authorities of  Abia State University(ABSU)  to demolish the law and agriculture faculties buildings, which are dilapidated.

Mr Otti gave the order  at a two-day retreat organised for the re-constituted Governing Council of ABSU, by the Pro-Chancellor and chairman of council, Agwu U. Agwu.
He said that demolition of the buildings was necessary to save students from danger.

“I set up a committee and sent them to go and see how the Law and Agriculture faculty buildings are, and the conclusion of their report is that there are no buildings that could house those faculties, even when renovated.

“Vice -Chancellor, you have your job cut out for you; you cannot allow students to be in those buildings, because when they collapse, you will lose the students.

“I heard that students read in those buildings; those buildings should be pulled down,” the governor said.

He said that construction of new buildings had been approved for both faculties and that the drawings would be completed soon.
Mr Otti promised to release funds for the faculty buildings, to ensure their completion within the academic session.

He said that both faculties, which were relocated to Umuahia Campus by the last administration in the state, would remain there until the provision of adequate accommodation.

The governor regretted that the university, which was ranked  second, following its establishment after the Rivers State University in 1981, was now 37 on the ranking list.

He charged all stakeholders to do the necessary things to improve the state of things at the institution.

The commissioner for tertiary education, Uche Eme Uche, said that Mr Otti inherited a broken ABSU, with all kinds of stories of malpractice.

Ms Uche said that the governor constituted a Visitation Panel, which made recommendations morphed  into a white paper, whose implementation formed the basis for ABSU’s transformation.

She urged the council to understand the relationship between the council and the management and their operational rules to advance the institution’s progress.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor, Mr Agwu, said that the retreat had selected experienced resource persons to usher in a new era in the university.

Mr Agwu said although ABSU had produced eminent personalities, it still lagged behind ,stressing a lot needed  to be done to make it a world-class institution.

ABSU Faculty Buildings

He thanked the governor for the steps taken to improve the institution’s status and sought more investment to upgrade the status of ABSU.

The Vice Chancellor, Ndukwe Okeudo, said that the governor’s commitment to educational excellence in the state was manifested in 20 per cent budget allocation to education and free education in the state.

Mr Okeudo expressed hope that lessons learnt from the retreat would help enhance the performance of the council.