From Our Correspondent 

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday, signed six bills into law, as part of ongoing efforts to advance the state’s development.

The bills include the Anambra State Development and Investment Corporation Law, 2025 and the Anambra State Electricity Law, 2025.

They also include the Anambra State Homeland Security (Amendment) Law 2025 and the Anambra State Indigenous Traditional Medicine Practices Law, 2025.

Others are the Anambra State Herbal Practice Law 2025 and the Anambra State Mission Schools of Nursing and Midwifery (Amendment No. 2) Law, 2025.

Speaking while signing the bills into law, Governor Soludo said the laws would strengthen governance  and serve as an indicator of progress in the state.

He commended the  House of Assembly for working closely with the executive to make laws that would positively affect  citizens.

United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and Katsina State government have signed a three-year work plan to enhance the wellbeing of children in the state.

Chief of Field Office, Kano,  UNICEF, Mr Rahama Mohammed-Farah made this known at the signing of the plan in Katsina, yesterday.

The UNICEF chief said the work plan was not just a document, but a testament to the shared vision for a brighter future for every child in Katsina State.

Mohammed-Farah, who was represented by the  Health Manager, Dr Sereke Seyoum-Deres, said the work plan covers the health, nutrition, education, child protection, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, sectors, and social policy.

“Children are the future of this great nation and investing in their wellbeing is not only a moral imperative, but a strategic decision that will yield long-term dividends for the state’s development,” he said.

The field officer said polio virus remains a significant threat to children’s health in the state, adding that “eradicating it must be our top priority in 2025.

“We must dedicate all our efforts and resources to mobilising communities, raising awareness and ensuring that every corner of Katsina is reached.

“The aim is to encourage parents to vaccinate their children.

“The Katsina State government must take the lead at the ward, district and local government levels to address vaccine refusals,” he added.

Mohammed-Farah urged the state government to leverage its own resources, explore public-private partnership and strengthen community-based initiatives to ensure that no child is left behind.

On reducing the growing number of out-of-school children, he said  government should improve the quality of early learning and increase school readiness from the primary school level.

He said UNICEF would remain committed to supporting the state government to ensure that the remaining seven local governments attain Open Defecation Free, ODF, status, so as to be declared an ODF state.

In his remarks, Governor, Dikko Radda said the partnership underscored  government’s commitment to improve the lives and wellbeing of children in the state.

He said  government would continue to focus on children’s education, in recognition of the critical role it plays in nation building.

Radda added that his administration had expended over N100 billion in the education sector on teachers recruitment, support to science and technical education, scholarship award and schools construction among others.

Mr Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Minister of Federal Capital Territory ,FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has accused a former Governor of Rivers, Ada George, of taking sides in the crisis rocking the state.

Olayinka made the accusation in a statement in Abuja yesterday while reacting to comments attributed to George on the crisis.

The News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, reports that George had, at a news briefing on Wednesday, accused Wike of orchestrating the ongoing political crisis in Rivers.

The former governor also blamed Wike for the imposition of a State of Emergency and the appointment of sole administrators in all 23 local government councils.

In his reaction, Olayinka told George and his Rivers Elders and Leaders’ Forum to blame themselves for taking sides when they should have been neutral.

“The moment an elder takes side in a conflict between two children, such an elder has lost the right to intervene and resolve the conflict”, he said.

Olayinka said that George was among those clapping for the suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara when he was sitting on the salary and other entitlements of members of the State House of Assembly.

He also alleged that George did not caution Fubara when he was orchestrating the burning and demolition of the Rivers House of Assembly.

The spokesman added that the former governor also saw it as normal for three members to run a House of Assembly of 32 members.

He expressed surprise that the same George was now speaking on who should be blamed for the state of emergency imposed on the state.

“When President Bola Tinubu intervened in the crisis and resolutions signed by all parties, it was this same Ada George that described the president’s intervention as ‘executive rascality’.

“He went further to say that the intervention by the president contravene the doctrine and practice of separation of power.

“Even when the Supreme Court ruled and made clear and unambiguous pronouncement over the Rivers crisis, Ada George and his so-called elders still saw no reason to call Fubara to order”, he said.

Olayinka stated that it was their failure to speak up when it mattered most that had now resulted in the imposition of emergency rule in the state.

According to him, genuine elders sit in a position of neutrality when there are conflicts among younger ones.

This, he said, would enable them to enjoy credibility and respect while sitting on the high table to resolve the issues. 

Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta has assented to the strategic Delta State Electricity Power Sector Bill, 2024 and six others into law.

The Governor, who performed the function at Government House, Asaba yesterday, described the electricity bill as a game changer in the state’s rapid industrialisation drive.

Other bills assented to are; Delta State Physical and Regional Planning Bill, 2024; Delta State Film and Video Censor’s Board Bill, 2024; Registration and Regulation of Private Veterinary Clinics (Amendment) Law, 2024.

Also, the Child Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2024; Delta State Pet Control and Responsible Ownership Bill, 2024, and the Delta State College of Health Technology, Ovrode Bill, 2024 was assented to.

Oborevwori lauded the leadership of the State House of Assembly for passing the important bills carefully crafted to address pressing issues and challenges to improve the quality of life of the people.

He said, “We have just witnessed the signing into law, the seven Bills geared towards enhancing Delta State through our MORE Agenda.

“The laws that l have just assented to are very key, especially the Delta State Electricity Power Sector Law 2024. This particular Law gives me immense joy in assenting to it.

“We have provided the legal framework to unlock a plethora of investment opportunities in the power generation, transmission and distribution investment.

“The state is now open for prospective investors in this sector to take advantage of it. I believe that this Bill that l have assented to today will improve our power sector which is very key because, you can’t do any investment without power.

“Power is very key and I can tell you today that we have the population and now the legal framework for investment to thrive. The State is now open for investments”.

He said that the Child Rights Amendment Law 2024, had provided more safeguards for children, adding that from now, no child should be employed or used for domestic help aside their homes or family environment.

“It also establishes an Adoption Service Department in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development to address the challenges of prospective adopting parents. Our children are the future and must be protected.

“These Bills that have been assented to will protect our vulnerable populations, improve quality of life, promote sustainable development and environmental protection, attract investment and increase our IGR.

“We must recognise that our work is far from over. We must now ensure the effective and efficient implementation of these laws. I, therefore, urge all stakeholders to work together to guarantee successful outcome,” he said.

Earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly,  Emomotimi Guwor, while presenting the bills had congratulated the  governor on the massive construction projects across the state.