CITY NEWS Herders demand grazing routes in Abaji Director scores FCT schools high in providing quality education
2017 hajj: FCT pilgrims airlift begins this weekend
Fulani herdsmen have appealed to the chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, to create cattle routes where their cows can graze.
The Ardo of Fulani in Yaba, Malam Wanda Usman, made the request when he led other Fulani chiefs across the council on a visit to the chairman in his office yesterday.
He said lack of grazing routes where their cows can easily go for grazing has been one of the major challenge they are facing, saying lands have been cultivated by farmers at various Intending Muslim pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory will be airlifted this weekend from Abuja to Saudi Arabia.
The FCT Muslims Welfare Board has invited its intending pilgrims scheduled for the first and second flights to report to the permanent hajj camp on Saturday 29th July, 2017 for the collection of their travel documents in preparation for their airlift to Saudi Arabia.
A statement from Relations Officer of Muhammad Lawal the the Aliyu, Public Board, said villages in the area, a situation he said that made it difficult for their cows to have a route to graze.
He said the Fulani chiefs and Ardos across the council are impressed with the present administration for putting in place measures that will curtail any clash between farmers and herders in the area by setting up a committee.
He said the setting up of the committee has ensured peace and harmony between the herders and farmers in the area.
“I want to assure the council chairman that we and the herders are fully in support of his administration,” the camp shall be opened for the intending pilgrims scheduled for the first flight from 3 o’clock in the evening on Saturday while those scheduled for second flight are to report from 6 o’clock in the evening on Sunday 30th July, 2017 for the airlift.
He said the board has released the flight manifests of all the pilgrims for this year’s exercise with its officers across the six area councils of the territory, the permanent hajj camp and the board headquarters located at the central area, Abuja.
Aliyu urged intending pilgrims to collect their Identity Cards from their area officers before proceeding to the he said.
Responding, the council chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, said without peace, nobody can go to worship or come together to address challenges.
He assured that the council would ask members of the committee to deliberate on how grazing routes can be carved for the herders to move with their cows for grazing.
“But I am appealing to the Fulani herdsmen to continue to cooperate with the committee I set up so that peace will continue to reign among you and our farmers,” he said. camp as only those in uniform and with pilgrims’ identity card would be allowed to have access to the camp.
He therefore warned the pilgrims to adhere strictly to the flight schedule as any intending pilgrim who misses his/ her flight should have himself/herself to blame.
According to the PRO, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello is expected to bid the Intending Pilgrims farewell before their departure to the holy land.
Over 2000 intending pilgrims are expected to perform the hajj through the board this year. The Director Education Resource Centre (ERC), Abuja, Ibrahim Umaru Sanda, has said the nation is celebrating an improvement in success rating after many years of poor performance of Nigerian schools especially at international examinations.
The director who made this known while presenting a key note address during a graduation ceremony at the Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse, however urged educational institutions not to rest on their oars.
He also commended the school on the launch of the school’s magazine while he urged the school not to relent in promoting research and deepening knowledge.
“I urge you to let the truth and sound morals you have acquired here, to remain indelible on your mind perpetually. This is the time to achieve success is now not tomorrow,” he told the graduating students.
In his goodwill message, the Director FCT Universal Basic Education ( UBE) Dr. Adamu Jatau Noma , said schools should position themselves in a such a way that graduating students would be empowered
In her welcome remarks, the school’s Principal Mrs. Binta Nasiru, urged government to provide infrastructure in the school to meet the school’s teeming population.
She said infrastructure in the school is over stretched due to the influx of people into the territory and economic recession.
She told the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the school and upholding all the virtues impacted in them.